When Ling Xiaoqi was talking, Su Yayan had been carefully observing her expression. She was sure that when she mentioned that man, she did not force herself. She was relieved and knew that she had finally let it go.

“Yes, yes, yes. You’ve grown up. You’re not a child anymore. How could a child fall in love with someone? I was wrong. I didn’t tell you before because I was worried that you would do something stupid on impulse. You’re just a girl after all. Those people are rich and powerful, and they’ll do anything to achieve their goals. Who knows, they might collude and do something dirty. It’s different now. You have someone to protect you. You have enough confidence and don’t need me to worry about you anymore. It’s all good.”

Ling Xiaoqi was stunned for a long time before she realized that Su Yayan was teasing her. Her face flushed red, but she did not refute in the end.

Ning Siyuan had indeed helped her a lot in this matter.

Su Yayan smiled, but she was still thinking about serious matters. “Since you already know about the twists and turns in this matter, should you start to prepare… about what you want to do?”

The crux of the matter was not the man who tried to seduce her, but Ling Xiaoqi’s cheapskate father who refused to give up and still wanted to bring her back as a puppet.

This person had appeared before, and Su Yayan used a little trick to chase him back to his original position, making him unable to take care of himself and not have the chance to find trouble with Ling Xiaoqi.

However, this was not a long-term solution. If she wanted to get it done once and for all, she had to think of other ways.

“Actually, Siyuan had discussed this matter with me.”

“What did he say?”

“He said that if I was willing, he could help me destroy their family and take their business under his own name, and then…”

“Then what?”

Ling Xiaoqi avoided Su Yayan’s gaze and said a little embarrassedly, “Then, as a betrothal gift, he would give it to me.”

“Betrothal gift?” Su Yayan felt that Ling Xiaoqi was showing off to her. Her expression was subtle as she said, “So, he is preparing to propose to you?”

Ling Xiaoqi was stunned. For a moment, she did not know how to answer.

Seeing this, Su Yayan did not linger on the topic of the couple. She only asked tentatively, “Then, what do you think about it?”

Ling Xiaoqi pursed her lips and was silent for a while before she said, “Actually, I don’t… really want it.”

“No, you have to want it. You must.”

“Yanyan?” Ling Xiaoqi looked at Su Yayan in surprise and confusion.

“That’s a gesture of his sincerity, and you deserve it.” Su Yayan held Ling Xiaoqi’s hand and said earnestly, “You have to figure it out. If you let that man take you home by force and acknowledge you as his daughter, then he will force you to marry the son-in-law he wants and give birth to an heir with his bloodline to inherit his family’s property. It’s completely different from your boyfriend taking down their family property and giving it to you as a betrothal gift.”

“The former means forcing, bullying, coercing and oppressing. The initiative is in the hands of others. You are the one who is being controlled. The latter means that the initiative is in your hands. As long as you are willing, no one can force you. In fact, if you want, you can make those people you don’t like pay the price for letting you and Aunt Ling down.”

Ling Xiaoqi’s eyes narrowed. “You mean…”

“Why did that man let down your mother in the first place? Wasn’t it because he felt that he deserved a better life, and he was unwilling to part with his wealth and status? A refined scum without human skin. Without these things, do you think that he can still live the way he does now?”