"You staring at me like that won't change the fact that the cup is broken. Why don't you hurry up and get rid of these pieces instead of holding onto them? Aren't you afraid of cutting your hand?"
The man's tone carried a hint of anger. The cup was already in pieces, yet she was still holding onto it as if it were a treasure. Did she really think her hands were made of iron, impervious to blades and spears?
Ling Mo Han grabbed Feng Jin's hand, pulling all the shards from her grasp and tossing them onto the floor.
In an instant, the scattered fragments fell noisily to the ground, splashing into every corner.
"Why did you throw them away!"
Feng Jin cried out in surprise and immediately crouched down to examine the pieces. The breakage hadn't been too severe before; with some repair, it could still be somewhat salvaged, at least forming a complete tea set.
Now, it was utterly annihilated. Even a god couldn't restore it to its former glory.
"It's already broken, so why keep it? Are you planning to celebrate the New Year with it?"
Ling Mo Han reached out and directly pulled Feng Jin, who was squatting on the ground, to her feet, afraid she might cut herself on the shards.
"It's all your fault! It could have been repaired before, but now not even a single complete piece can be salvaged. Did you deliberately come here to cause trouble today? If you have a problem with me, just say it directly, don't find such excuses!"
Ling Mo Han's expression darkened. He offered little explanation to Feng Jin's accusations, merely stating lightly, "It was an unintentional mistake."
Several dark lines instantly appeared on Feng Jin's forehead. Indeed, discussing such matters with Ling Mo Han was a mistake. She shouldn't have expected him to offer a proper explanation or an apology. It was all wishful thinking on her part.
"Eldest Sister-in-law, I have a set of Tang Sancai teaware. While it's not comparable in exquisite beauty to your set, it's still quite presentable. If Eldest Sister-in-law likes it, I'll have someone send it to you as soon as I get back."
He had received that Tang Sancai tea set as a gift a couple of years ago for his birthday. He wasn't particularly interested in such things and had left it neglected for a long time.
He might as well give it to Feng Jin, acting as a good person. At least this way, Eldest Sister-in-law would remember him kindly.
When he left, he wouldn't want her to only recall unpleasant memories of him.
"Then I will gratefully accept."
Tang Sancai items were quite good. Having something was better than having nothing. Since Ling Mu Zhu had offered, it would seem too pretentious not to accept.
To preserve their past cordial relationship and to allow Ling Mu Zhu to depart for his post with peace of mind, she reluctantly accepted.
After a bout of self-persuasion, Feng Jin felt her actions were incredibly noble, her image considerably elevated, and her soul purified.
However, if Ling Mo Han knew her thoughts at that moment, he would surely mock her mercilessly.
For the sake of her pride, she would never let Ling Mo Han know about this.
"Alright, Eldest Sister-in-law, I'll go back and find the items right away and have them sent over."
As soon as he finished speaking, Ling Mu Zhu practically fled the scene, his footsteps as light as if he were flying.
He moved so quickly that by the time Feng Jin reacted, he had already disappeared.
"He ran off too fast, it's like he was escaping!" Feng Jin honestly voiced her thoughts.
Ling Mo Han, standing by, sighed helplessly, shaking his head with an expression of indulgence towards Feng Jin's unreasonable demands.
"What's with that look? It's like I've done something to you..."
Feng Jin seemed to have grasped Ling Mo Han's weakness and began to pester him relentlessly, following him and muttering.
"Don't try to avoid this. It won't solve the problem. If you don't explain today why you deliberately broke my cup, this matter will not be settled!"
With her hands on her hips, Feng Jin stood defiantly before Ling Mo Han, her eyes filled with a murderous intent. She had long suspected Ling Mo Han had intentionally smashed the cup, but she couldn't fathom what reason could lead him to such childish behavior.
However, Ling Mo Han was also a man of few words. Faced with Feng Jin's persistent nagging, he remained unmoved and silent.
In the end, Feng Jin, tired of questioning, felt her throat dry and her energy drained. She slumped onto a chair, her body feeling devoid of spirit, lacking even the strength to sit up straight.
After a moment, she slightly regained her composure, raised her eyelids, and glared at the still stoic Ling Mo Han before speaking impatiently, "Are you going to talk or not?"
Her question was met only by silence, accompanied by the sound of the cold wind rustling through dry leaves.
"You win."
Finally, Feng Jin relented and spoke softly. She had clearly underestimated Ling Mo Han's resolve and was now utterly defeated.
Feng Jin cast a resentful glance at Ling Mo Han before turning and leaving. Ling Mo Han was left standing alone.
Since she couldn't provoke him, she might as well leave and find some peace. She would leave the space to him for him to deal with alone.
Less than fifteen minutes after Feng Jin left, Ling Mo Han followed suit.
...
"Why are you here again?" Feng Jin reluctantly set aside the medical book she was reading, looking at the man who kept pacing in front of her. She found it impossible to concentrate.
"You read your books, I'll do my own thing. We won't disturb each other."
Feng Jin's face was filled with helplessness. Just as she was pondering how to get Ling Mo Han to leave, Da Bao and Er Bao pushed open the door and tumbled into the room, all running to sit beside Feng Jin.
"Mama, let's... let's go play..."
"Mama, come... come with us..."
Da Bao and Er Bao each grabbed one of Feng Jin's arms, determined to pull her up and take her out to play.
"Go find your Papa. Your Papa is free today and can take you to play. Whatever you want to do, Papa can satisfy you. Mama will stay home and cook delicious food for you, alright?"
Da Bao and Er Bao's faces immediately lit up with joy. Their attention shifted to Ling Mo Han. They stood up in unison and continued to cling to him.
With his head nearly exploding from the two little ones' chatter, Ling Mo Han finally relented. He took one child by each hand and stood up, preparing to leave.
Feng Jin stood at the doorway, watching them depart, a triumphant smile on her lips. As soon as the figures of the father and his two children disappeared completely, she immediately closed the door.