When she was in the room, she heard the noise outside and was so startled that she hurried out, only to find that it was Ling Mohan.
At this moment, her heart was still pounding, her expression still one of lingering fear. She took a deep breath before she could manage to appear less flustered.
"Your elder sister-in-law sent me to find you for some flower tea," Ling Mohan said plainly, cutting straight to the point without any pleasantries. Such directness was indeed in line with his nature.
"Okay... I'll get it for you right away."
Ling Wan nodded slightly, her feet moving automatically as she hurried back into the room. She took down the jars of flower tea from the cabinet, her hands trembling slightly.
Without any hesitation, she handed the entire jar to Ling Mohan: "Elder brother, this is all of it. Please take it all... all to elder sister-in-law."
Hearing her voice, Ling Mohan raised his eyes to glance at the jar in Ling Wan's hands. It was far too much. He cleared his throat, "That's too much, just a little will do."
With so much, Feng Jin would have to drink it for ages. Moreover, carrying such a large jar back would be inconvenient for him.
Ling Wan's heart jumped in alarm, not daring to disobey Ling Mohan's wishes. She then followed his lead, finding another smaller jar and putting some flower tea into it. Due to her nervousness, she was flustered and clumsy.
Ling Mohan, however, was in no hurry. From time to time, he would pick up his teacup and take a sip, his gaze casually surveying the room.
"Are you accustomed to living in this courtyard?"
"Accustomed... accustomed..."
Realizing she was being asked, Ling Wan quickly replied, her voice filled with nervousness and sounding very stiff.
Ling Mohan naturally heard the nervousness and fear in Ling Wan's voice. His handsome brows furrowed slightly, and after some hesitation, he voiced his suspicion, "Are you afraid of me?"
Ling Wan's back went rigid. She instinctively denied it, "No... no, I... I'm just too nervous..."
Although she said she wasn't afraid, her heart was trembling uncontrollably. She had always been most afraid of her elder brother since childhood.
Although they had interacted somewhat recently, after seeing her elder brother again, she still couldn't suppress her fear. Perhaps it was a matter of instinct.
Ling Wan took a deep breath, trying her best to appear calm, but her slightly trembling fingers had already betrayed her completely.
"Is that so?" Ling Mohan's tone rose slightly. His sharp eyes had already taken in Ling Wan's reaction. She was so afraid, yet she was still pretending to be calm, though stubbornly refusing to admit it.
One had to admit, Ling Wan's inherent stubbornness was truly characteristic of the Ling family.
He no longer intended to press Ling Wan. Ling Mohan stood up, took the prepared jar of flower tea, and was about to leave. As he neared the door, his gaze was suddenly caught by a fan on the desk.
His feet moved as if guided by an unseen force, and he walked over, picking up the folding fan. This was a man's item. How could such a thing appear in the boudoir of a young lady like Ling Wan?
"Elder brother..."
Seeing Ling Mohan's action, Ling Wan's heart leaped into her throat, and she instinctively called out.
Ling Mohan continued to pick up the folding fan and examine it closely, his scrutinizing gaze falling on Ling Wan. "This is a gentleman's folding fan. How did it end up in your room?"
"This... this is... I, I picked it up on the roadside... on the roadside..."
Even she herself found her explanation incredibly stiff and hard to believe. Ling Wan quickly lowered her head, not daring to look at Ling Mohan's expression, a look of embarrassment on her face.
"Picked up on the roadside? It's truly rare for you to pick up a folding fan on the roadside when you never go out the door. Tell me, on which roadside did you find this fan? Perhaps I can try my luck and see if I can find one too?"
Ling Mohan's sharp eyes saw through the deception at once. This folding fan was clearly a valuable item. The fabric used on the fan surface was Su brocade, and the calligraphy and painting on it were extraordinary.
It was indeed not easy to find such a folding fan by chance. Ling Wan had no talent for lying.
"Elder brother, I... I..."
Dropping the folding fan onto the desk, Ling Mohan's probing gaze settled on Ling Wan, and he said softly, "Aren't you going to tell me the truth yet?"
Ling Wan lowered her head in silence, not daring to look up at Ling Mohan. Her fingers continuously fiddled with her skirt, showing the inner turmoil she was experiencing at that moment.
After a moment's pause, Ling Mohan spoke faintly, "Is this fan from the Sheng family?"
He didn't explicitly state whose it was, but merely mentioning the Sheng family made it implicitly understood.
Ling Wan's heart suddenly trembled. She said nothing, only lowering her head even further. Her current demeanor was more like an admission of the fact.
Ling Mohan understood immediately. He sighed with a touch of helplessness, his gaze falling on Ling Wan as he lowered his voice as much as possible, "Aren't you going to tell me the truth yet?"
"Elder brother..." Ling Wan murmured, her head still lowered, still not daring to look up at Ling Mohan.
However, she didn't know how to explain this matter. After hesitating for a long time, she still said nothing.
Ling Mohan, seeing Ling Wan's indecisive yet somewhat pitiable demeanor, couldn't bring himself to utter the scolding words that were on the tip of his tongue.
After all, she was his own sister. His primary concern for Ling Wan was care, and even more so, he worried about her meeting an unsuitable person at such a young age. After all, he knew what a wolf's den the Sheng family was; the waters in powerful families ran deep.
Especially for a family like the Sheng family, who placed great importance on a woman's background. In the eyes of the Sheng family, their sons were more than worthy of marrying a princess. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
He genuinely did not want Ling Wan to have any entanglement with the Sheng family. As an elder brother, he had certainly not neglected Ling Wan's marriage prospects. He intended to find a spouse of noble character for Ling Wan. Even if their family background wasn't as prominent, as long as they treated Ling Wan well and ensured her a lifetime of peace, that would be the best.
"It's normal for a young lady to have her own thoughts as she grows up. Since you don't wish to speak, I won't force you. However, you must know that a woman's reputation is the most important thing. Do not do anything out of line."
Ling Mohan's voice carried a hint of anger. Ling Wan's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this, and she nodded faintly, "I understand, elder brother. I will absolutely not do anything improper."