Feng Jin was still a little worried that Gu Beichen might impulsively say something he shouldn't, and once that happened, it would be too late to regret it.
Compared to Feng Jin's concern, Ling Mohan was indifferent. He put down his teacup and said lightly, "If he can't even handle these things, then he's truly wasted all these years of eating."
"It wouldn't be that bad... After all, there is still some affection between Gu Beichen and Murong Jinyun. Perhaps starting with Murong Jinyun might offer some turning point..."
She could see that Murong Jinyun's gaze towards Gu Beichen was full of emotion, definitely not just about using him.
"Don't be reckless. Since the Emperor of Xiliang chose Murong Jinyun for Eastern Chu, there must be a reason. Otherwise, why would they have chosen Murong Jinyun among so many princesses? Before you know her true intentions, you absolutely cannot act rashly, nor should you interact with Murong Jinyun, do you understand?"
Ling Mohan was worried about Feng Jin venturing out alone. He held her shoulders tightly, his tone full of warning.
This was also the first time she had seen Ling Mohan display such an expression. A trace of worry crossed her heart. To put his mind at ease, Feng Jin quickly nodded heavily, "I understand. I definitely won't be reckless, you can rest assured."
After receiving Feng Jin's affirmative reply, Ling Mohan breathed a slight sigh of relief. The hand on Feng Jin's shoulder relaxed slightly. He reached out and pulled her into his embrace, leaning his head slowly onto her soft shoulder, as if finding his haven.
"Don't do anything foolish. If something happens to you, what will I do?"
Feng Jin's heart trembled. Besides the time she gave birth to their two children, this was the first time Ling Mohan had shown such a vulnerable side to her.
She couldn't help but reach out and embrace the man in front of her tightly. Feng Jin's voice was extremely gentle, "Don't worry, I won't do anything reckless. I promise you."
They held each other for a long time. Ling Mohan seemed tireless, holding Feng Jin tightly without letting go. Finally, Feng Jin's body became too sore, and she couldn't help but remind Ling Mohan, "My... my back is sore. Can you let me go first?"
Ling Mohan's entire weight was pressing down on her. She had been enduring for so long and was truly at her limit. If she held on any longer, they would both fall.
Fortunately, at the last moment, Ling Mohan showed some kindness and got up from Feng Jin, steadying her.
"Don't touch me. Let me move myself." Feng Jin quickly pressed down on Ling Mohan's hands that were supporting her. Her back was truly aching, and she just wanted to move on her own.
Slowly moving her steps, Feng Jin gradually walked to a chair and sat down. She reached out to massage her sore back, which finally made her feel much better. "By the way, I haven't asked you yet, when are we planning to go back?"
She thought about going back on her own, but this place was unfamiliar, and the journey to the Ling Estate was already quite far. She couldn't ride a horse, so walking back on her own two feet would likely take until morning.
She still had to rely on Ling Mohan and beg him to be kind enough to take her back. This godforsaken place had nothing, and living here was simply torment, extremely uncomfortable.
She wanted to go back quickly and see her beloved sons as soon as possible. She wondered if the two little ones had been mischievous in her absence, if they had eaten properly. She even dreamed of them, and the longing in her heart grew stronger.
"We're going back today." He had been away for quite some time, and if he didn't return soon, Lu Shi would probably be unable to cope.
"Really? Then let's go now." Feng Jin suddenly stood up and grabbed Ling Mohan's hand, ready to head out. Instantly, her back pain vanished, her legs felt less sore, and she walked with great vigor.
"Why are you in such a hurry? Don't you need to pack anything?" The man pulled Feng Jin back. He couldn't just say they were leaving immediately without packing.
"There's nothing to pack, just a few clothes. We can just leave them. Later, I'll arrange for some servants to come in, and they'll naturally pack everything up for you." With such a large estate, it wouldn't do to leave it empty with so few people to clean it. She would have to assign some people to clean it upon their return.
Ling Mohan had no more reason to refute Feng Jin and could only let her pull his hand as they walked out together.
"Hurry, get on the horse." Feng Jin urged and rushed Ling Mohan onto the horse, then pulled his hand and mounted the horse herself to ride forward. After a period of travel, they appeared dust-covered at the entrance of the Ling Estate. Feng Jin impatiently ran towards the East Courtyard, completely forgetting about the man behind her.
Ling Mohan sighed helplessly and resignedly followed behind Feng Jin.
"Young Madam, you've finally returned." Cai Qing's eyes almost welled up with tears when she saw Feng Jin appear at the doorway. The Young Madam had been gone for a day or two and had finally returned, which meant she could be free. Cai Qing was excited, her steps trembling as she walked towards Feng Jin. The moment she saw Feng Jin, the suppressed emotions in her heart could no longer be contained. Her nose twitched slightly, and tears welled up in her eyes.
"What's wrong? As soon as I walked in, you're already crying. Are you not seeking my favor?"
"No... no, Young Madam, this servant didn't mean that..." Cai Qing quickly shook her head, wiping the tears from the corner of her eyes. She then grabbed Feng Jin's hand and began to pour out her grievances. "Young Madam, you've finally returned. If you hadn't returned, you might... you might never have seen this servant again..."
"What happened? Did Lu Shi bully you?" Feng Jin instinctively assumed that Lu Shi must have bullied Cai Qing and quickly asked.
"No... it's... it's the two young masters..." Cai Qing's floodgates immediately opened, as if she wanted to pour out everything at once. "After you left, the two young masters wouldn't eat properly, nor would they sleep properly. They just wanted to play all day long. Even when they woke up in the middle of the night, they had to have me play with them for a while before they would go back to sleep..."
"These two scoundrels, I knew they wouldn't behave if I left!" Feng Jin was furious. She wanted to grab these two scoundrels and spank them soundly to see if they dared to be so mischievous again.