Feng Jin said in a low voice, a hint of anger in her tone. It wasn't that she intentionally wanted to scare the two children, but rather they were becoming utterly spoiled and unruly.
They were still so young; if you disciplined them strictly now, it would be much harder to manage them when they grew older.
The two little ones quickly nodded, their round eyes brimming with tears.
Feng Jin's heart softened, and she couldn't bear to scold them further. "Alright, go inside and change into clean clothes."
After receiving Feng Jin's special dispensation, everyone present breathed a sigh of relief. Cai Qing hurried forward to lead the two children indoors.
Once the children were inside, Feng Jin sighed with a hint of helplessness. It wasn't that she wanted to be so stern; she had no other choice.
"Young Madam, you don't need to worry too much. While young master is mischievous, his nature is fundamentally good. With proper guidance, he won't be spoiled badly," Chu Qing, seeing Feng Jin's worry, said to comfort her and ease her mind, telling her not to fret over such minor matters.
"How could I not worry? It seems I'll have to discipline them properly from now on..."
The children were too young to be sent to school, so she had to put more effort into teaching them herself.
She really needed to discuss this properly with Ling Mohan and see what his thoughts were.
"By the way, where is Ling Mohan? Didn't he come back just now? Where did he disappear to?"
Normally, when she didn't want to see him, he was always around. Now that she needed to find him, he was nowhere to be found. He truly knew how to infuriate her all day long.
"Your servant saw the young general go out just now. As for where he went, this servant doesn't know, nor did she dare to ask..."
Chu Qing's voice trailed off, becoming quieter towards the end. If Feng Jin hadn't been closer, she probably wouldn't have been able to hear what she was saying.
"Alright, he'll be back on his own soon. Let's go inside."
By the time Feng Jin entered the room, Cai Qing had already changed Da Bao and Er Bao into their clothes.
"Now that you've changed into clean clothes, your dirty ones will have to be washed by yourselves. It's a bit of effort for you."
"Ah!"
Da Bao and Er Bao exclaimed in unison, completely unprepared for their mother to ask them to wash their own clothes. They were so young, sometimes they couldn't even walk steadily and would still stumble. Asking them to do such chores was simply too much for them.
"Mother, we... we don't know how to wash. We're too... too young!"
Da Bao pointed to himself, indicating that he was too young to wash them properly. He really didn't understand how his mother had changed overnight.
If it were before, his mother would never have made things so difficult for him. Who could tell him how his mother had changed? He truly missed the gentle mother of the past, who would hold him in her arms and protect him.
She was nothing like this now, making him do these things and getting angry at him.
The more he thought about it, the more wronged Da Bao felt. Tears began to flow uncontrollably, and finally, unable to hold back, he burst into tears, "Wah... wah... Mother, Mother... doesn't like me anymore... doesn't like me anymore..."
Da Bao's emotions instantly affected Er Bao, who also started crying loudly, "Wah... wah... Mother, Mother... doesn't want me anymore... Mother doesn't want me anymore..."
The entire room was suddenly filled with the deafening cries of Da Bao and Er Bao. For a moment, Feng Jin's head felt like it would explode from the noise.
"Young Master, please stop crying, young master..."
Cai Qing tried every way to persuade Da Bao and Er Bao to stop crying but to no avail. In her anxiety, sweat beaded on her forehead, and she turned to Feng Jin for help, "Young Madam, please coax the young masters. If they keep crying like this, they'll make themselves ill."
They were crying so hard they looked exhausted. If they cried any longer, they might faint. How could such young children cry like this? It was heart-wrenching to see. How could Young Madam watch on as if she saw nothing, paying no attention? This was... a bit too heartless. Fortunately, she knew that the young masters were Young Madam's own flesh and blood.
Otherwise, seeing this scene, she would have suspected Young Madam was the young masters' stepmother. Cai Qing couldn't bear it and spoke again, "Young Madam, please don't be angry. Can you please coax the young masters first?"
After a moment's pause, Feng Jin let out a long sigh. She crouched down to look the two little ones in the eye and gently wiped the tears from their eyes with a hint of concern. "Don't cry anymore. Mother doesn't not want you, and she doesn't dislike you."
Hearing this, Da Bao and Er Bao's crying lessened slightly. They reached up to wipe the tears from their faces and looked at Feng Jin with watery eyes. Da Bao sniffled, his voice a little hoarse, "Mother, you still... still like me? Mother, you... you want me..."
The softest part of Feng Jin's heart was immediately touched. A wave of bitterness washed over her. Had she really been too strict just now? Look at how frightened these two were.
A gentle, loving smile appeared on her lips. Feng Jin lovingly hugged Da Bao and Er Bao tightly, whispering with tender care, "How could Mother not like you? You are both Mother's treasures. Mother loves you the most."
"Mother is lying... lying!" Da Bao blurted out without thinking, his lips pouting slightly in annoyance.
"How has Mother lied to you? Mother never lies to children."
Feng Jin said with all sincerity, her eyes full of earnestness. After all, she truly couldn't recall any instance where she had deceived them.
"Mother... loves Daddy... doesn't love me and little brother..."
As soon as these words were spoken, Feng Jin's cheeks instantly turned crimson, and even her ears felt scorching hot.
She had never expected Da Bao to say something like this; it was completely beyond her expectations, and for a moment, she didn't know how to respond.
Cai Qing and Chu Qing, standing by the side, heard this and also struggled to suppress their smiles, trying their best not to laugh out loud.
"My son is truly smart. What a great thing to say!"
Along with the sound of the door opening, Ling Mohan's voice followed.
Feng Jin, already extremely embarrassed by the sound, turned her head and shot Ling Mohan a fierce glare. He never appeared when he should, but now he was hovering around when he shouldn't.
"What nonsense are you spouting? If you keep talking rubbish, I'll kick you straight out." Feng Jin's voice carried a hint of anger as she warned Ling Mohan not to speak carelessly.