"You staring at me like that won't change the fact that the cup is broken. Why don't you hurry and throw these pieces away? Still holding onto them, aren't you afraid you'll cut your hand?"
The man's tone was laced with a hint of anger. The cup was already in pieces, yet she was still clutching them like treasures. Did she really think her hands were made of iron sand, impervious to blades and spears?
Ling Mohan grabbed Feng Jin's hand and tossed all the fragments onto the ground. In an instant, the scattered pieces fell helter-skelter, scattering into every corner.
"Why did you throw them away!"
Feng Jin exclaimed, immediately crouching down to examine the pieces. The damage wasn't too severe initially; they could have been repaired and still looked presentable, at least forming a complete tea set. Now, it was utterly beyond repair, so thoroughly shattered that even an immortal couldn't restore it to its former glory.
"Since it's already broken, why keep it? Are we waiting for the New Year?"
Ling Mohan reached out and pulled the crouching Feng Jin up, fearing she would be injured by the shards on the ground.
"It's all your fault. It could have been repaired before, but now not even a single complete piece can be salvaged. Did you come here deliberately to cause trouble today? If you have a problem with me, just say it, don't find excuses like this!"
Ling Mohan's expression darkened. He didn't offer much explanation to Feng Jin's accusation, merely stating, "It was an unintentional accident."
Several dark lines instantly appeared on Feng Jin's forehead. It was indeed a mistake to discuss such matters with Ling Mohan. She shouldn't have expected him to explain properly or apologize. It was all wishful thinking on her part.
"Eldest Sister-in-law, I have a Tang Sancai tea set. It's exquisite and cannot compare to yours, but it's still presentable. If you like it, I'll have someone deliver it to you as soon as I get back."
The Tang Sancai tea set was something he had received during his birthday celebration a couple of years ago. He wasn't particularly interested in such items and had left them untouched for a long time. He might as well gift it to Feng Jin, doing a good deed so that his Eldest Sister-in-law would remember him kindly. He didn't want her to only have negative memories of him after he left.
"Then I respectfully accept your offer."
The Tang Sancai items were quite good; having something was better than nothing. Since Ling Muzhu had already offered, it would seem too pretentious not to accept. To maintain their past friendship and to allow Ling Muzhu to depart for his post with peace of mind, she reluctantly accepted.
After some self-persuasion, Feng Jin felt her actions were incredibly noble, her image elevated, and her soul purified. However, if Ling Mohan knew her thoughts at that moment, he would surely mock her. For the sake of her pride, she would never let Ling Mohan know.
"Very well, Eldest Sister-in-law. I'll go back and find it right away and have someone deliver it to you."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Ling Muzhu practically fled the scene as if escaping. He moved so quickly that by the time Feng Jin reacted, he was long gone.
"He ran off too fast, like he was escaping!" Feng Jin genuinely voiced her thoughts.
Ling Mohan, standing by the side, sighed helplessly, shaking his head with indulgence towards Feng Jin's unreasonable demands.
"What's with that expression? You make it sound like I've done something to you..."
Feng Jin, as if having caught Ling Mohan's weakness, began to pester him, following him and nagging incessantly.
"Don't try to dodge the issue. This won't solve anything. If you don't explain yourself today, why you deliberately smashed my cup, this matter will not be settled!"
With her hands on her hips, Feng Jin stood defiantly before Ling Mohan, her eyes filled with a killing intent. She had long suspected that Ling Mohan had intentionally broken the cup, but she couldn't fathom what reason could have prompted him to do something so utterly childish. However, Ling Mohan was as tight-lipped as ever, and despite Feng Jin's persistent badgering, he remained unyielding, not uttering a single word.
In the end, Feng Jin grew tired of asking, her throat dry. She slumped onto a chair, her body feeling drained of energy, lacking the strength to even sit up straight. After a brief pause to gather her composure, Feng Jin raised her eyelids and glanced at Ling Mohan, who still wore a frosty expression. She asked impatiently, "Are you going to speak or not?"
The only response Feng Jin received was continued silence, punctuated by the sound of wind rustling through dry leaves.
"You win."
Finally, Feng Jin relented, admitting defeat. She had underestimated Ling Mohan's resolve and ended up completely outmatched. Feng Jin shot Ling Mohan a resentful glare before turning and leaving, leaving him standing alone. Since she couldn't provoke him, leaving would grant her peace. She ceded the space to him, letting him sort things out by himself.
Less than half an hour after Feng Jin left, Ling Mohan followed suit.
...
"Why are you here again?" Feng Jin reluctantly put down the medical book she was reading, looking at the man hovering before her. She found it difficult to concentrate.
"You read your books, I'll do my own things. Let's not disturb each other."
Feng Jin's face was filled with helplessness. Just as she was struggling to find a suitable way to dismiss Ling Mohan, Dabao and Erbao pushed the door open and ran straight to Feng Jin, sitting around her.
"Mama, let's... let's play..."
"Mama, come... come..."
Dabao and Erbao held Feng Jin's arms, one on each side, determined to pull her up and take her out to play.
"You go find your Daddy. Your Daddy is free today and can take you to play. Whatever you want to do, Daddy can satisfy you. Mama will stay home and make delicious food for you, okay?"
Dabao and Erbao's faces immediately lit up with joy. Their attention shifted to Ling Mohan. They stood up in unison and continued to pester him.
Their incessant clamor was making his head spin. Ling Mohan finally relented, taking one child by the hand and standing up to leave. Feng Jin stood at the doorway, watching them depart, a triumphant smile on her lips. Once the figures of the father and his two children completely disappeared, she immediately closed the door.