The prolonged silence also made Ling Mohan aware of Feng Jin’s unusual state. After a moment’s hesitation, he asked, "Why aren't you talking anymore? Is the food not to your liking, or is this place not to your taste? Perhaps we should move somewhere else?"
Feng Jin quickly shook her head and refused, "This place is quite good. The food is very much to my taste, and the scenery is pleasant. Most importantly, it’s quiet enough."
As long as she didn't have to hear Ling Mohan's incessant chatter, she was quite content. She didn't think about anything else and decided to continue eating quietly. Filling her stomach was the most important thing at the moment.
Ling Mohan wanted to exchange a few words with Feng Jin to liven up the atmosphere. However, every time he opened his mouth, even before he could utter a few words, Feng Jin would dismiss him, leaving an awkward silence hanging in the air.
"Eat, this is delicious, try it."
Feng Jin picked up a piece of chicken and placed it in Ling Mohan's bowl. At this moment, she just wanted Ling Mohan to keep his mouth occupied and say fewer words, allowing the air to remain quiet.
"I'm full." He also realized that Feng Jin seemed to be deliberately trying to prevent him from speaking and was constantly giving him food to eat, trying to shut him up with it.
Once he understood, Ling Mohan unhappily threw his bowl and chopsticks onto the table. He was so filled with irritation that he had no appetite to continue eating.
"If you're full, then go get some grass and water for the horse. It needs to be fed and watered too," Feng Jin said with a smile, her main intention being to use this opportunity to send Ling Mohan away.
Seeing that the man remained seated, unmoving, Feng Jin calmly continued, "This horse has been running for a long time, it must be hungry. As the saying goes, ‘if you want a horse to run fast, you must feed it well.’ We still need it to take us back, so hurry and feed it."
The gloom on Ling Mohan's face deepened, but he still needed the horse to take him back. Resignedly, he stood up to feed the horse.
Only after the man’s figure completely disappeared from sight did Feng Jin breathe a sigh of relief. With Ling Mohan gone, even the air felt much cleaner.
Feng Jin’s mood immediately brightened, and she found that she could eat much more than before. She even ate an extra bowl of rice.
However, the good times didn't last long. Not much time passed before Ling Mohan returned.
Seeing this, Feng Jin quickly put down her bowl and chopsticks, a smile in her eyes as she looked at the man. "Why are you back so soon? Have you fed the horse? Are you thirsty? Would you like a cup of tea?"
Feng Jin solicitously poured a cup of tea and handed it to the man, practically serving him hand and foot, the smile on her lips stretching almost to her ears.
As the saying goes, one doesn't hit a smiling face. Even if Ling Mohan was annoyed, how could he find fault with her when she was attending to him so diligently and attentively?
"No, I'm not thirsty!" the man refused in a cold tone, his expression extremely displeased. It felt like a ball of fire was burning in his chest, but he couldn't find a reason to vent it, so he could only sulk to himself.
"Alright then, drink it when you are thirsty." Feng Jin didn't press him further and decisively placed the teacup forcefully in front of the man. Due to the excessive force, a significant amount of tea splashed out, spilling all over his sleeve. The dark, black robe was stained with a large patch of wetness.
"Sorry... my hand slipped. It was definitely not intentional. Shall I help you wipe it..."
Who would have thought that the tea would spill so precisely onto Ling Mohan's sleeve, not missing a single drop? Anyone else would have assumed she'd splashed it on purpose, but in reality, it was a truly uncontrollable accident.
Feng Jin scanned her surroundings, looking for a piece of cloth to wipe with. In the end, she directly used her own sleeve to rub a few times on Ling Mohan’s clothes in a rather haphazard manner. At least the surface water stains were wiped clean.
However, the large damp patch on his clothes became even more noticeable. Several dark lines appeared on Feng Jin's forehead. It seemed she had made things worse.
"Just wear it like this for now. You can take it off when we get back, and I'll help you wash it clean."
For now, Ling Mohan had no choice but to continue wearing it. Besides, he couldn't just take off his clothes and go back naked.
Ling Mohan's face grew even more displeased. He gritted his teeth and said, "Let's go home."
As soon as he spoke, Ling Mohan strode out, his pace quick. Feng Jin, following behind, found it a little difficult to keep up.
"Are you really angry?"
Feng Jin jogged to the man's side and asked in a low voice. Seeing that the man remained silent, she pouted slightly and said irritably, "You're so petty. It's just a little water spilled on you, why are you so angry? You're really petty."
Feng Jin complained a few times, expecting Ling Mohan to retort. However, the man walked past her calmly, as if he hadn't seen her at all.
Being completely ignored, Feng Jin’s anger flared up. She strode in front of the man, stomped hard on his foot with clear dissatisfaction, then glared at Ling Mohan before walking forward.
Before reaching the main entrance, Feng Jin noticed that the manor's gate was open, and a carriage was parked outside. Feng Jin immediately stopped in her tracks.
"Ling Mohan, why is the gate open?"
Feng Jin turned around and shouted at the man following behind her. Had they really encountered thieves in the short time they were out? That would be truly bad luck.
The man behind her walked over slowly. A single glance at the carriage was enough for him to recognize who had arrived.
"Why aren't you speaking? Could it be that this person... you know this person?"
Feng Jin, keenly catching the subtle change in Ling Mohan's demeanor, quickly asked.
Ling Mohan didn't try to hide anything. Instead, he stated directly, "This carriage belongs to the Zhennan King's estate."
Hearing this, Feng Jin finally understood the situation. "You mean this is Gu Beichen's carriage? Then... will the Princess of Xiliang be here too?"
This thought suddenly occurred to her, and Feng Jin immediately asked.
As soon as she spoke, even the usually calm Ling Mohan showed a different expression. His gaze was fixed on the wide-open gate. "We'll know what's going on once we go inside."
With that, Ling Mohan strode forward. Feng Jin, who had been contemplating her next move, saw Ling Mohan boldly walk in first and, without a second thought, followed him.