Feng Jin said irritably, truly impressed by Ling Mohan's tendency to blame everything on her. It was absolutely impossible, and he should give up that idea entirely.
"I never knock when I enter my own room. If you lock it again, I'll break it down just the same."
For the sake of her pride, he absolutely couldn't back down at this moment.
After issuing a stern warning, Ling Mohan directly kicked off his boots and lay down on the bed. He had to admit, Feng Jin certainly knew how to enjoy herself. The bed itself was incredibly comfortable, and the bedding was much softer than what he had in his own room. Moving in here had been an incredibly right decision.
"Get up! You're lying on the bed without even changing your clothes. You're going to get my bedding dirty."
He had just returned from outside, covered in dust and reeking of sweat. The thought of him lying there directly was unbearable. She stepped forward and yanked Ling Mohan up.
"You need to bathe and change before getting into bed."
Feng Jin scolded him furiously, her attitude firm. She pulled Ling Mohan off the bed and shoved him out, ushering him away.
By the time Ling Mohan had finished tidying himself up, Feng Jin was already fast asleep. He lifted one side of the quilt and slid into bed, pulling the sleeping woman into his arms. He had only just drifted into a light sleep when he was woken by the noise from outside the door.
"Go see what it is," Feng Jin mumbled from under the covers, then pulled the quilt over her head.
Ling Mohan reluctantly stood up and walked towards the door. He opened it to find two little meatballs, only reaching his thighs, standing there.
"Why aren't you two in your rooms sleeping at this hour? What are you doing running around outside? Go back to bed quickly."
"We… we want Mama…"
Da Bao was practically Bao Er's spokesperson. After Da Bao spoke, Bao Er nodded in agreement, expressing their desire.
"Your mother is asleep. You two should go back to your rooms and sleep as well. How old are you two, still clinging to your mother? What kind of men will you be? Go back to your own beds!"
Following his wolf-like parenting style, Ling Mohan grabbed Da Bao and Bao Er by their collars, intending to toss them back into their rooms.
However, Da Bao was a cunning and mischievous child. The moment he was picked up, he let out a loud wail. His cries were so loud that they startled the birds roosting on the branches, causing them to flap their wings and fly away in a hurry.
Feng Jin, who had been fast asleep, was jolted awake by Da Bao's cries. She sat up, pulled on a piece of clothing, and hurried out to check.
"Mama… Mama… help… help…"
Seeing Feng Jin appear at the doorway, Da Bao struggled frantically, trying to rush into her arms.
Ling Mohan had no choice but to put them down. The two boys, as if released from a cage, bolted towards Feng Jin.
"What time is it? Why aren't you asleep yet? How has Mama taught you? You must sleep early and wake early."
"It's… dark… scared… want Mama… sleep…"
"Mama… hug…"
Da Bao had used this tactic of playing the victim to get into bed with her more than once, and Feng Jin had long grown accustomed to it and didn't pay it much mind.
But this was Bao Er's first time acting like this, and it softened Feng Jin's heart. She picked up the two little ones and carried them inside, placing them on the bed one by one and tucking them in.
"This is the last time you'll be sleeping with Mama. From now on, you need to learn to sleep by yourselves."
Feng Jin said this with a deliberately stern tone. Boys were different from girls, and they needed to be toughened up from a young age.
Da Bao and Bao Er nodded in unison, nestling obediently against Feng Jin.
Ling Mohan watched as his rightful place was occupied by these two little ones, and his mood plummeted to an all-time low.
Once the two little guardians had fallen asleep, Ling Mohan leaned in for a look. He gently pinched Da Bao's cheek. This boy was the most troublesome, constantly causing him worry throughout the day.
"Be gentle. Don't wake them up again."
Feng Jin yawned. She had finally managed to coax them to sleep, and her eyelids felt like they were fighting to close. If Ling Mohan woke them up again, she would truly be on the verge of tears.
"I'll carry them out and take them to their rooms to sleep."
"It's cold outside. Let them sleep here tonight."
Winter was setting in, and the wind was biting cold. She didn't want to trouble the children further. It was better to let them sleep here.
"Alright, then. Looks like we'll have to squeeze."
Fortunately, the bed was quite large, and they could manage to squeeze in. Ling Mohan shed his clothes and was about to get into bed when Feng Jin stopped him.
"If you get in, there won't be enough space for so many people. Tonight, you should go back to your own room to sleep."
"Are you trying to kick me out?"
Feng Jin nodded. "With Da Bao and Bao Er sleeping here, there's simply no room. It will be too cramped and uncomfortable at night. You should go back to your own room tonight."
After a pause, Ling Mohan resignedly nodded. "Go to sleep early. I'm leaving."
Ling Mohan put on his clothes, pushed open the door, and left. What a mess. After all that, he was the one being kicked out. The desolate cold wind outside mirrored his current forlorn mood.
Feng Jin gazed at the two little ones beside her. She gently kissed their foreheads, tucked them in, and then lay down beside them.
The next morning, Feng Jin had dark circles under her eyes, looking so tired she could barely keep them open.
"Young Madam, you didn't sleep well last night."
Cai Qing inserted a hairpin into Feng Jin's hair, gesturing as she did so. Ever since she had entered, her young lady had looked listless, with large shadows of exhaustion under her eyes.
Fighting to keep her eyelids open, Feng Jin yawned. "The two little ones kept kicking off their blankets all night. How could I possibly sleep well?"
She had to cover them at least ten times throughout the night. How could she have slept soundly?
"Lin Momo, who usually takes care of the two young masters, mentioned before that they kick off their blankets at night. It wasn't a big deal during the summer, but now that the weather is cooler, someone needs to watch over them when they sleep."
"It's not a difficult task. Cai Qing, go find a quilt, fold it in half, and sew it up. When they sleep, just put them inside the quilt."
"Yes, Young Madam. I'll go right away."
"Mama… Mama… Brother fell… Brother fell…"
Da Bao ran over in a hurry, his tone urgent, gesticulating wildly to express himself.
Feng Jin hurried to follow him outside. Bao Er was squatting on the ground, covered in dust.
"Let me see. Where did you fall?"
She examined Bao Er from head to toe. He didn't seem to be injured, but his palm had been scraped by a stone, and a few bloodstains were welling up.
Feng Jin carried Bao Er inside the room and carefully tended to the wound on his hand.