Chapter 20: Seeing Clearly

Feng Moheng couldn’t help but caress Shen Yuling’s delicate, charming face.

“You will always be my wife.”

And also my tool.

After Shen Yuling finished her heartfelt words, her eyes curved into a smile, as if filled with endless tenderness and warmth.

But in reality, she was quietly observing every subtle change in Feng Moheng’s expression.

The flicker of excitement in Feng Moheng’s eyes finally made everything clear to Shen Yuling.

In an instant, many things that had been unclear in the original host’s memories became clear to her.

In the timeline where the original host had not been reborn, and only Liu Jingyi had transmigrated into this world.

In that lifetime, the numerous conflicts between the two women might have been secretly orchestrated by Feng Moheng!

Shen Yuling had been mistaken in her earlier assumptions.

She had thought Feng Moheng was simply a scoundrel caught between two women, with both of them scheming against each other, and the one with the upper hand emerging as the winner.

But now, it seemed that wasn’t the case.

Back then, the man Princess Xihe had married was a highly sought-after nobleman in Qianjing, known for his graceful demeanor and exceptional talent.

Yet, who could have predicted that he would later fall in love with a meek servant girl?

He completely disregarded the bond of marriage and betrayed her.

How could Princess Xihe, a woman of such pride, tolerate such humiliation?

Without a second thought, she immediately divorced her husband.

From then on, the Princess’s residence became home to many favored courtiers, and this scandal spread like wildfire throughout Qianjing.

Feng Moheng had grown up in such an environment, never truly feeling his mother’s love for him.

To him, his mother’s licentious and domineering behavior was nothing but a source of deep shame.

His mother, betrayed by his father, indulged in pleasures and had no time to care for him.

It was during this time that he met a woman who treated him with great kindness, and he even felt that she embodied the maternal love he had always longed for.

Thus, he placed his complete trust in her, regarding her as the closest person in his life.

But little did he know, this woman harbored deep-seated hatred in her heart.

She hated his mother for turning her husband into one of the favored courtiers in the Princess’s residence.

With meticulous planning, she came into Feng Moheng’s life.

Her sole intention was to hurt Feng Moheng as a way to exact revenge on the Princess and soothe the hatred in her heart.

When Feng Moheng was assassinated by her, he was utterly devastated.

But at the same time, he encountered Liu Jingyi.

The emotions he had nowhere to place suddenly found a home, and he transferred all of them onto Liu Jingyi.

He needed a woman who truly loved and understood him to fill the vast void in his heart.

That year, Feng Moheng was ten years old, and Liu Jingyi was eight.

From that time on, the two children grew up together, becoming childhood sweethearts.

Shen Yuling recalled the story of how Feng Moheng and Liu Jingyi had met.

She had originally thought that Liu Jingyi had completely replaced the original host by seizing the opportunity and had even redeemed Feng Moheng, but perhaps…

That wasn’t the case!

In the original storyline of the world, the original host had been a radiant, sun-like girl who loved Feng Moheng with all her heart.

Feng Moheng, in turn, found redemption through her, and the two of them lived a happy life together.

However, Liu Jingyi’s transmigration shattered everything.

Knowing the shadows that lurked in Feng Moheng’s heart, she took the initiative to anchor all of his emotions onto herself.

But as a transmigrator, the love she felt was for the Feng Moheng depicted in the book, the male lead of her imagination.

She used fabricated affection to draw Feng Moheng in, yet she never truly understood the emotional needs buried deep within him.

It was only when facing the original host that Liu Jingyi felt fear.

She tried to secure various guarantees from Feng Moheng.

Constantly seeking his favor, constantly demanding promises from him—her insecure behavior inadvertently led Feng Moheng to mistake it as a sign of her love for him.

Thus, Feng Moheng began to feign affection for the original host.

All to make Liu Jingyi feel jealous and envious.

He reveled in the feeling of being fought over by two women, of being deeply needed by them, as if this could fill the void of love missing in his heart.

So, that indifferent look in the sea of fire…

Was it truly indifference?

Shen Yuling’s heart clenched for a moment, but she quickly suppressed the feeling and returned to normal.

Yesterday, Feng Moheng had gone to Liu Jingyi’s place, likely having witnessed her frantic jealousy.

After all, Shen Yuling had not only succeeded in making Feng Moheng stay on their wedding night.

Today, she had even openly walked hand in hand with him within the residence and accompanied him to pay respects at the Princess’s residence.

This situation made it impossible for Liu Jingyi to maintain her facade of innocence and magnanimity in front of Feng Moheng, and her pretense of loving and tolerating him could no longer be sustained.

She was filled with fear.

Terrified that Shen Yuling, the original female lead, would take Feng Moheng away from her.

It was precisely because of this that Feng Moheng exhibited such extreme contrasts between today and yesterday.

Having figured everything out.

The smile on Shen Yuling’s lips grew wider.

She looked into Feng Moheng’s eyes, her sincerity growing more intense.

Feng Moheng, I’ve finally discovered the real you.

Turns out, our goals align so perfectly—you want me to fall in love with you, and I want you to believe that I’ve fallen for you.

What a coincidence, isn’t it?

With this thought, Shen Yuling slightly narrowed her eyes, already forming a plan in her mind.

Her enchanting face was captivating, and a hint of shyness crept onto her cheeks.

“Husband, then tonight… will you let me become your wife?”

Her voice was soft and sweet, laced with a delicate coquettishness.

Her slender hand slipped into Feng Moheng’s collar.

Shen Yuling knew Feng Moheng wouldn’t touch her now.

Because in Feng Moheng’s heart, intimacy was something that could only be shared with someone he truly loved. He despised the favored courtiers his mother kept in the Princess’s residence.

He loathed those men who flattered and clung to his mother because of her power and status!

Their relationship with the Princess was nothing but lust, something that disgusted Feng Moheng.

Feng Moheng grabbed Shen Yuling’s hand, stopping her movement.

Since the age of ten, when Jingyi had saved him, he had personally molded her into the woman he desired.

Her wholehearted love, her unwavering admiration for him—it seemed she was willing to give up everything for him, even content to become a concubine.

Innocent and magnanimous, she cared only about his feelings, never considering her own gains or losses.

Liu Jingyi was the person who loved him most in this world.

Matters between husband and wife could only be shared with someone who loved him.

This twisted emotion, born from his past experiences, lurked in the depths of Feng Moheng’s heart like hidden thorns, unknown to anyone…

Shen Yuling’s gaze was filled with confusion.

Feng Moheng appeared gentle, yet there was an elusive quality about him that was hard to decipher.

He let out a soft sigh.

“Jingyi hasn’t been feeling well lately, and her mood has been poor. She… she still can’t accept you. I came here today only to explain last night’s events properly, so you wouldn’t be hurt by it.”

Shen Yuling sneered inwardly.

Hah, he really knows how to manipulate people.

She had praised him for his loyalty and righteousness, and now he actually thought of himself as some kind of romantic saint?

Although she had yet to meet Liu Jingyi, Shen Yuling had a vague feeling that Liu Jingyi might not truly understand the temperament of this so-called romantic male lead.

Both Feng Moheng and Liu Jingyi were pretending to be someone they were not.

What they received in return was nothing but fabricated, false affection.

How ironic.

Despite these thoughts, Shen Yuling gently cupped his face with both hands.

She tilted her head slightly and planted a kiss on Feng Moheng’s cheek.

Then, she lay down on the daybed on her side, turning her back to Feng Moheng. Her tone was calm but carried a hint of stubbornness as she said, “Husband, you may leave. I can sleep just fine without you.”

Feng Moheng loved the feeling of being loved.

But to him, being loved was not simply about boundless trust and tolerance.

What he truly sought was the ability to completely control the other person, just like Liu Jingyi.

But the Shen Yuling before him always danced on the edge, sometimes showing a hint of concern for him, and other times coldly pushing him away.

It was as if he could easily grasp her, yet it also felt like she could effortlessly slip away from him.

Feng Moheng felt the lingering moisture on his cheek and frowned.

She had kissed him, yet so easily let him go.

Why?

Hadn’t she already prepared herself to love him?

Feng Moheng’s gaze gradually darkened.

He pressed his lips into a thin line and eventually turned to leave the room.

It didn’t matter. There would be plenty of time ahead.