Feng Jin put on an air of taking it for granted and continued, "As for how to choose, that is his own business. I didn't hold a knife to her neck."
Ling Mohan chuckled helplessly. He knew Feng Jin's tricks well.
Even if the two of them combined, they were no match for Feng Jin. It was within his expectations that they left in such a sorry state.
"My lady is right. Naturally, these are all their own choices, and it indeed has nothing to do with you."
He didn't dare to offend Feng Jin, so he could only follow her words, otherwise his consequences wouldn't be much better than Chu Chenyi's.
"What you said is truly to my liking. Your skill at pleasing me is growing even greater. Honestly, have you been secretly practicing?"
As Feng Jin pounced towards him, Ling Mohan immediately reached out and embraced her fully. He whispered affectionately in her ear, "This is all thanks to my lady's excellent teaching. My progress has been so rapid."
His warm breath brushed against the sensitive spot on her fair neck, sending a tingling sensation through her like an electric shock. Feng Jin unconsciously flinched, a shy expression blooming on her face like a young maiden.
She pushed Ling Mohan away gently, saying with bashful charm, "In broad daylight, if others saw you like this, I would be utterly embarrassed."
Although she had been influenced by modern thinking and was open about matters between men and women, it didn't mean she enjoyed public displays of affection. She knew how to be shy, after all. She quickly urged Ling Mohan to release her.
The man paid no heed to Feng Jin's words. His hand on her slender waist tightened abruptly. Feng Jin's delicate body was pulled inwards by his strength, causing her to fall uncontrollably into his arms.
Ling Mohan leaned down, drawing closer, the very air thick with unspoken intimacy.
"My lady, you seem so eager to throw yourself into my arms. If your husband doesn't show some appreciation, wouldn't that be laughable?"
The corners of his exquisite lips curled slightly upwards. He leaned in and kissed her soft, red lips, savoring the taste.
The sudden kiss stunned Feng Jin. She remained frozen for a long time, her basic act of breathing seemingly forgotten. Soon, her small face turned a deep red from the lack of air.
"Breathe..." The man's cool voice, muffled by their closely pressed lips, finally jolted Feng Jin back to her senses. She gasped for air through the small gap between them.
After an unknown duration, Ling Mohan finally, magnanimously, released her.
The moment she was freed, Feng Jin gasped for air, panting heavily. She had almost become the first person to suffocate and forget to breathe during a kiss. She mused that such a death would be unprecedented and unparalleled, perhaps even recorded in history for posterity.
Seeing Feng Jin's dishevelled state, Ling Mohan's lips curved into a faint, amused smile.
"It's not our first kiss, so why did you forget to breathe?"
Feng Jin turned her head and shot a glare at the man who was making light of her situation. If he hadn't suddenly kissed her, she wouldn't have been so stunned and forgotten to breathe, almost suffocating.
He was clearly the instigator, yet he could feign such innocence. She admired his acting skills; such talent would surely make him a sought-after movie star in modern times.
"Then it must be that you're not skilled enough. More practice will surely help. I, for one, wouldn't mind personally teaching my lady."
As his words fell, Ling Mohan pulled Feng Jin into his embrace. Their eyes met, sparks igniting instantly. Feng Jin felt a touch of unease under his gaze and quickly turned her head away, hastily escaping his arms.
Feng Jin then deliberately took a step back, maintaining a normal distance between herself and Ling Mohan, for her own personal safety.
"Why are you distancing yourself? Come closer, and I promise I won't do anything to you again."
Ling Mohan extended his hand towards Feng Jin, his voice laced with temptation, like a hunter waiting for his prey to walk into the trap before pouncing.
Having fallen for his tricks more than once, Feng Jin was clearly wiser this time and directly refused Ling Mohan's invitation, sitting several meters away from him.
This way, she felt more at ease. Feng Jin's gaze fell on the man in the distance. "I heard someone say that distance creates beauty. It's more appropriate for us to sit and talk like this."
She would not be tricked by Ling Mohan again, lest she be made a fool of.
After a moment's pause, Feng Jin remembered what Lin Yuwei had told her that day. She looked at Ling Mohan with a scrutinizing gaze and, after a moment's hesitation, asked, "Did you go to the Prince Jing's manor today?"
Ling Mohan did not object but simply nodded his head in assent.
"What did you go to Prince Jing's manor for?" Feng Jin pressed further, seizing the opportunity.
The hand holding the teacup in the man's grip faltered visibly. His eyes darted around, and after a moment of hesitation, he said, "Nothing much, just discussing some court affairs with Prince Jing."
Upon hearing this, Feng Jin's calm eyes suddenly narrowed. She stared intently at Ling Mohan.
He was lying. The Ling family had an ancestral rule that prohibited private dealings with princes.
Ling Mohan's previous interactions with Chu Chenyi had all been conducted covertly under the cover of night, for fear of leaving any trace. Moreover, this was a crucial period. Given Ling Mohan's cautious nature, he would never visit Prince Jing's manor in broad daylight to discuss court matters. There must be some other reason, something Ling Mohan did not want her to know.
The more it was like this, the deeper Feng Jin's doubts grew, making her suspect the truthfulness of Lin Yuwei's words that day. Could it be that Ling Mohan had indeed become a gossipmonger?
After a moment of hesitation, Feng Jin cleared her throat and continued her probing, "Do you know why those two were arguing today?"
"How would I know about the private matters between a husband and wife?"
"It's because of the third prince's private matters that Lin Yuwei told me about that day, which Chu Chenyi found out about. That's why they started arguing..."
Feng Jin said calmly, her eyes fixed on Ling Mohan, trying to find any clues. "However... only you and I know about this. Even Cai Qing doesn't know. I only told you about it. You tell me... how did Chu Chenyi find out..."
"Could it be... someone specifically told him?"
As she asked this, a flicker of emotion rippled across the man's placid face, which Feng Jin's sharp eyes quickly caught.
Ling Mohan cleared his throat, concealing his discomfort, and said as calmly as possible, "There are no secrets that cannot be leaked. Perhaps someone else informed him."