SFL Chapter 59

Is there anything more frustrating in the world than falling for someone only to find out you can never be together?

That’s exactly how Feng Yuning feels right now.

It’s like discovering a treasure mountain just when she’s full of joy, only to realize that the mountain is owned by someone beyond her reach, and she can only walk past it.

Before Feng Yuning could collect her thoughts, the document in her hand was snatched away by Feng Yuan.

When she saw Mo Ziqing’s identity, Feng Yuan’s pupils constricted, and her lips couldn’t help but curl into a smile.

Even Feng Yuning could tell that her imperial sister was in an exceptionally good mood, which made her heart sink.

“Let’s go down and take a look,” Feng Yuan said to Feng Yuning.

In the Feng Country, there’s not a strict separation between men and women, but there are significant differences. Even when they go out together, they tend to split into two groups.

However, today, for some reason, the women’s voices all fell silent, their eyes fixed intently on the men.

“Ziyan, was that just now your brother?” someone nudged Mo Ziyan.

“Isn’t your brother already designated as the future King? Wasn’t that him just now?” they asked Mo Ziyan for confirmation.

Mo Ziyan nodded with a serious expression, “That’s right, that’s my elder brother.”

“He’s really handsome!” one woman exclaimed, slapping the table in frustration. “If I had known back then, I would have read more books; now I can’t even come up with a pretty phrase.”

“Like jade in the wild, a gentleman unmatched in the world.”

“Gentleman like jade,” the others echoed.

When Feng Yuan and Feng Yuning came down, they heard a chorus of praise from the group of women.

The men were gathered on the other side, and their situation was similar. Their attention was also focused on Mo Ziqing, but their interests differed. Rather than his looks and demeanor, they were more curious about how he maintained his skin. While some were naturally beautiful, even the best skin could wither without proper care.

They also admired Mo Ziqing’s unique outfit. Despite wearing many accessories, they served merely as compliments to him, showing a keen sense of style.

As soon as Mo Ziqing approached, someone asked him how he usually took care of his skin and how he coordinated his accessories.

Mo Ziqing wasn’t cold or indifferent; he was happy to share.

In contrast to the enthusiastic group of skincare aficionados, he thought of his colleagues, who were all rough around the edges, which broke his heart.

In such an environment, he couldn’t change their behavior, so he had to adapt himself to fit in.

It had been a long time since he experienced discussions about beauty and skincare.

He shared various skincare tips, instantly winning over a large group of men.

As the men’s discussion heated up, the women’s chatter gradually intensified as well. With more people recognizing Mo Ziqing’s identity, fewer eyes remained on him.

Eventually, only a handful still focused on Mo Ziqing.

Feng Yuning glanced at her sister and said, “Aren’t you curious about what they’re talking about? Shouldn’t we sneak over and listen?”

“Men usually talk about trivial matters; most of them aren’t married yet, so the focus is likely on themselves,” Feng Yuan replied, not intending to eavesdrop.

However, Feng Yuning was curious. After all, while Mo Ziqing was already claimed, there was still a large group of unattached men around him.

With that thought, Feng Yuning quietly moved closer to the group of men.

Feng Yuan furrowed her brow, expecting her sister to return shortly.

To her surprise, Feng Yuning not only stayed but eagerly joined in and succeeded.

“I didn’t expect Wangye to have such insights into beauty!” the men exclaimed, looking at Feng Yuning with the same wonder as they would a panda.

Feng Yuning was thrilled; she finally felt like she had found her place.

While the women of the matriarchal Queendom did dress up, their hearts weren’t often invested in beauty—only a few wealthy, idle, and interested individuals fit that mold.

This meant Feng Yuning had struggled to find a group to share her interests with.

Little did she know, she had just been looking in the wrong direction.

However, compared to the deep insights of these men, she realized she was merely scratching the surface, leaving her feeling a bit embarrassed, still influenced by her previous life’s expectations of women.

Seeing Feng Yuning so engrossed, practically gleeful like a mouse in a grain bin, Feng Yuan’s frown deepened, and she strode over.

She couldn’t quite tell if she was trying to bring her sister back or if she wanted to get closer to her fiancé.

“But in person-… my Queen?” Mo Ziqing looked up at the approaching Feng Yuan.

His voice flowed like a clear stream, soft and melodious, like a gentle brook that seemed to touch the depths of one’s heart.

His eyes were strikingly clear, with long lashes that accentuated his flawless features, resembling exquisite, smooth white jade.

He seemed unlike any ordinary young man, and yet, he belonged to her.

Feng Yuan felt an indescribable emotion at that moment and replied, “Ziqing, you can just call me Yuan.”

Mo Ziqing smiled and said her name softly, “Yuan.”

Hearing that made her heart feel soft and tingly, a sensation she had never experienced before, making her feel almost weak.

“What were you just talking about?” Feng Yuan wanted to hear more of Mo Ziqing’s voice.

“Just in time, Sister! We were discussing skincare,” Feng Yuning said, oblivious to the atmosphere.

Her bluntness caused the more observant young men to cover their faces in dismay; didn’t she see that the Queen was having a perfectly good moment with the prime minister’s son? Why interrupt?

Why doesn’t Wangye have even this bit of awareness?

“Skincare?” Feng Yuan wasn’t angry; after all, she had noticed her sister regressing in recent days.

“Yes! Sister, we both look so good, it’d be a shame not to dress up nicely,” Feng Yuning said, her gaze landing on the exceptionally handsome Mo Ziqing, feeling a mix of emotions.

As a beauty enthusiast, she was captivated by Mo Ziqing’s looks and presence. Unfortunately, he was taken. After approaching, she forced herself to shift her attention away from him to chat with other young men. If it weren’t for Feng Yuan’s arrival, she might have lost herself completely.

With Feng Yuan’s interruption, and considering Mo Ziqing was her rightful fiancé, Feng Yuning felt an inexplicable reluctance to witness them showing affection in front of her.

“So, you were discussing this with the young men?” Feng Yuan’s beautiful eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at her sister.

How could a woman like her engage in such a masculine topic?

“Yeah, Sister, just look at how rough you are,” Feng Yuning said, reaching for Feng Yuan’s hand.

To her surprise, Feng Yuan’s hands weren’t as delicate and pampered as she expected. Instead, they were marked by numerous scars, a stark contrast to Feng Yuning’s smooth skin, exceeding her imagination.

Mo Ziqing’s gaze followed Feng Yuning’s words to Feng Yuan’s hands. Though her hands were fair, they bore calluses that could only come from daily toil and perseverance. Additionally, there were faint, narrow scars that clearly weren’t accidental.

Those were marks left by weapons.

Mo Ziqing’s hands shifted slightly as he unconsciously glanced at his own. He had also wielded weapons, but he took care to maintain his appearance, ensuring his hands remained smooth and delicate, even though they were strong.

Feeling Mo Ziqing’s gaze on her hands, Feng Yuan pulled her hand away from Feng Yuning’s grip as if burned. “Yuning, let’s not interrupt the young men’s conversation.”

She didn’t believe Feng Yuning genuinely wanted to join their discussion; after all, breaking down the barriers between men and women wasn’t easy.

Most of the attendees were unmarried men, and Feng Yuan thought she understood her sister’s true intentions.

Feng Yuning, who genuinely wanted to discuss skincare, could only think, “…”

Before she could say more, “Let’s meet again another day,” she was firmly taken away by Feng Yuan.

Despite their similar builds, Feng Yuning felt as if she were a chick being carried away by a mother hen, with no chance to resist.

After the sisters left, the group instinctively glanced at Mo Ziqing, chuckling, “The Queen must have come over for Ziqing.”

“What do you all think of the Queen and Wangye?” Mo Ziqing asked.

The men hesitated to speak ill of the Queen, but knowing Mo Ziqing’s future status as King made it easier for them to share their thoughts.

One man cautiously remarked, “I’ve heard the Queen is cold and hasn’t taken a consort yet.”

This piqued the interest of the others, as they were all qualified to enter the palace. Yet, when they glanced at Mo Ziqing’s extraordinary looks and status, they realized that if they did enter, they would only serve as mere embellishments.

Even if the Queen occasionally remembered them, it would be only to sip the leftover soup from Mo Ziqing—such a bitter reality unfolded before them even before they set foot in the palace.

“With Ziqing here, it seems we have no chance at all,” one handsome young man said with a wry smile.

Mo Ziqing raised an eyebrow; he appreciated their self-awareness.

His efforts to dress up today were not in vain.

Gradually, the conversation shifted toward the Wangye, Feng Yuning.

The female lead, Feng Yuning, had been in this world for some time and was gaining recognition in the capital. However, unlike other women who built their reputations through political or military achievements, her fame was steeped in scandal.

Much like an unconventional Jia Baoyu among men, Feng Yuning had become a unique figure among women, naturally drawing the attention of many.

“I heard that the Wangye has changed a lot recently, and seeing her today, it seems true. The old Wangye wouldn’t have been able to chat with us like this.”

“It’s surprising how approachable she is now.”

“I’ve heard Wangye still doesn’t have a formal husband?”

“Not yet, but her residence already has quite a few visitors. I heard more have come recently, suggesting she’s more charming than the Queen,” one young man jokes.

Mo Ziqing found this amusing, especially since the speaker was handsome enough to catch the female lead’s eye. Today’s disdain could easily turn into obsession tomorrow.

Mo Ziqing didn’t interrupt Feng Yuning’s intentions of gathering admirers. She genuinely treated each man with her heart, even if each only received a piece of it.

If they truly didn’t wish to enter her circle, she wouldn’t force them. But he couldn’t help but wonder what future consequences might arise from her ever-growing allure.