Feng Jinrui stood in the courtyard, holding a cup of ginseng tea, staring blankly at her.
Hua Rong emerged from within, her steps still light, but her face was unusually grim.
"What are you doing here?" her voice carried a hidden anger.
And a trace of almost imperceptible unease.
Feng Jinrui looked up, meeting her gaze, and said faintly, "I wanted to bring some for Mother..."
"What did you hear?" Hua Rong's voice intensified.
Feng Jinrui shook his head.
Hua Rong didn't know whether to believe him. She and Granny Cui had been speaking with some urgency, failing to notice someone had entered the courtyard.
At this distance, an ordinary person might not have heard what they had just said.
However, Feng Jinrui's internal energy was not weak.
Unless he hadn't been paying attention, if he had intentionally eavesdropped, he would have surely heard something.
As Hua Rong was about to speak again, Granny Cui gently tugged at her sleeve.
The Second Young Master was forthright, not the type to deliberately eavesdrop on others.
Still, a sense of unease lingered in both their hearts.
Finally, Hua Rong said coldly, "No matter what you heard, if you utter half a word of what was said tonight to anyone else, you will never call me mother again."
Feng Jinrui lowered his eyelids, looking at the ginseng soup on his tray.
"Go back! Without my permission, you are not allowed to step into my courtyard again!"
"Sovereign..." Granny Cui was somewhat anxious. This command was too harsh for her own son.
But Feng Jinrui showed no objection. He simply walked up to Hua Rong and offered the tray with both hands.
Hua Rong ignored him.
Granny Cui quickly took it.
Feng Jinrui turned and left.
Watching his retreating back, Granny Cui felt an inexpressible sorrow.
After Feng Jinrui had left the courtyard, Granny Cui couldn't help but ask, "Sovereign, why must you treat him like this? He is your son too!"
"Have you forgotten how that scoundrel treated me back then?"
Those humiliations, persecutions, and torments! Others might forget, but she would never forget them in this lifetime!
If it weren't for Xuan'er, if it weren't for the lingering obsession in her heart, how many times could she have taken her own life!
She had endured those days of wanting to die but being unable to, and finally, due to certain opportunities, she had found release.
But what she could never find release from was her second son!
In those dark, hopeless days, when she was as humble as dust, she had somehow become pregnant with Jin Rui!
She was pregnant with that scoundrel's son!
"I will never forgive that sinner, just as I will never love this son!"
She turned and walked into the room.
Granny Cui followed closely behind, cautiously advising, "A young child is innocent. Sovereign, the Second Young Master knows nothing. He has always been devoted to you, only wishing for you to look at him more."
"Having such a father is itself a sin! How can he be innocent?"
"Sovereign..."
"Go and see if Feng Xi has killed that woman in black!"
Hua Rong did not want to hear Granny Cui's words, not a single word!
"Also, have Feng Ling come over. I have a headache and need her to play the flute to help me sleep."
Granny Cui wanted to say more, but seeing the Sovereign's firm resolve, she could only swallow the words that had reached her lips.
She could understand the Sovereign.
Not everyone could endure those days that were worse than death.
It was understandable that the Sovereign couldn't accept the Second Young Master immediately.
However...
"Sovereign, you... have become too reliant on Feng Ling recently. I believe this..."
"Without Feng Ling's flute music, I cannot sleep at all."
Hua Rong waved her hand, "Hurry, you must bring that woman's head back to me."