Chapter 18

That evening, after returning to the Earl's mansion, Lan Ling did not find Nia Mentor's portrait among Solen's many lovers' portraits. Given Nia's status and position, Solen must have had a portrait of her. The fact that these portraits were missing clearly indicated they had been destroyed, suggesting there was a story behind it.

However, a few hours later, Ye Jingyu provided Lan Ling with a dossier, all about Nia Mentor.

Nia is thirty-two years old, born into a noble family, and is a legitimate daughter of an earl. She has shown exceptional artistic talent from a young age, receiving guidance from renowned masters. By her teenage years, she was already famous throughout the capital.

Her extraordinary talent led her to enter the Royal Academy at the age of eleven, where she became a direct disciple of Dean Jian Yong. She graduated at seventeen and became an assistant teacher at nineteen. By twenty-seven, she had become the youngest mentor in the Royal Academy's history.

Not only was she exceptionally talented, but she was also stunningly beautiful, with a captivating figure. She was a sensation at the Royal Academy, the dream lover of all students and male teachers.

Today, Nia is a renowned musician and literary figure in the Anger Wave Kingdom, especially skilled in the harpsichord, which even King Ji Bian praised highly. Additionally, she possessed exceptional medical skills and served as an assistant teacher in the medical department at the Royal Charity Hospital in the capital.

At twenty-one, she married Jian Ning, Dean Jian Yong's son, breaking the hearts of countless admirers.

Her husband, Jian Ning, was a top young talent in the Anger Wave Kingdom, excelling in both literature and martial arts. At thirty-two, he was already the youngest commander of ten thousand soldiers and the future heir to a marquisate.

Jian Ning was not only a genius in both literature and martial arts, but he was also a well-known handsome man in the capital, the dream lover of countless young girls since the age of sixteen.

Ten years ago, when this perfect couple married, it broke the hearts of many young men and women, but everyone felt only admiration, not jealousy, as they were truly a match made in heaven.

From any perspective, this couple should have been a model of unwavering love and a lifetime of happiness.

Moreover, Nia had been raised with strict and conservative values. Despite her beauty, she was serious and strict, even severe with her students, making her difficult to approach.

Such a person seemed unlikely to have an affair.

However, two years ago, Nia did have an affair, and her lover was the notorious and talentless Solen.

She was Solen's art and literature mentor at the time, and Solen used the pretext of learning to play the harpsichord to seduce her.

In terms of appearance, temperament, prospects, and talent, Solen was far inferior to her husband Jian Ning, not even worthy to hold his boots. It was incomprehensible why Nia, with such an outstanding husband, would have an affair with a scoundrel like Solen.

However, after reading the thick dossier, Lan Ling completely understood her psychology.

She studied art and was particularly talented in music. Women with exceptional artistic talent are often romantic and free-spirited, but the strict upbringing had suppressed her nature. She had to maintain a stern face and adhere to the so-called etiquette of noble ladies.

Her husband, although a genius in both literature and martial arts and a rare beauty, was completely devoted to martial arts and his career. He not only lacked understanding of art but also looked down on it.

Thus, in Nia's eyes, her husband Jian Ning was a cold and rigid person who did not understand her. She had just escaped the strict control of her parents at home, only to face the constraints of a rigid husband, leaving her inner freedom unfulfilled.

Solen, on the other hand, was completely different. Although he was almost worthless, he was naturally carefree and charming, with a mouth as sweet as honey.

"Bad men attract women," and Solen's persistent seduction and harassment finally made Nia, who was romantic inside but strict outside, fall for him.

For such a literary and artistic woman, no words could compare to: "In this world, only I understand you."

Solen, though worthless in other aspects, was a master at understanding women's psychology. He was almost invincible with women, only failing with the cold and intelligent Princess Ji Ning, even losing his life.

However, Lan Ling still had one thing he couldn't understand.

Although Nia's romantic life was not as perfect as imagined, she had high moral standards, even a moral obsession. Even if she was dissatisfied with her husband, she would not have an affair. Or, to put it bluntly, she might have a mental affair, but never a physical one.

However, she did have a physical affair and was caught being intimate with Solen in the garden.

What could have happened to make Nia break her moral standards and have a physical affair? Did Jian Ning have an affair first? Or was there something even more shocking?

Lan Ling felt that finding this out might be the key to getting Earl Jian Yong to retract his decision.

Moreover, after Nia and Lan Ling were caught having an affair, Dean Jian Yong only transferred Nia and did not punish her or Lan Ling excessively.

After thinking through these points, Lan Ling began to plan how to handle the conversation with Nia Mentor the next day.

Under the guidance of his sister, Suo Ningbing, he began to fully immerse himself in Solen's inner world, imitating Solen's every word, action, expression, and gaze.

Previously, Lan Ling had not performed well in imitating Solen's behavior.

However, at this critical moment, Lan Ling performed exceptionally well, almost perfectly resembling Solen, making Suo Ningbing's eyes sparkle.

Suo Ningbing even said, "Xiao Ling, you are just imitating Solen, but don't become like him. Sister still likes your own self."

"I know," Lan Ling said, scratching the back of his head, and once again showed his youthful innocence.

"Alright, it's getting late. Go to rest," Suo Ningbing said. "We need to leave early tomorrow to head to the Northern Province."

Lan Ling replied, "I'll go practice the harpsichord in the meditation room. Sister, you go to sleep first."

Lan Ling walked to the deepest meditation room in the Earl's mansion and began to play the harpsichord.

Of course, it was not a piano, as this world did not have pianos, but a harpsichord, which had a similar layout. The piece he practiced was Paul de Senneville's famous composition, "Adeline by the Water."

While playing, he also thought about how to deal with Nia, Solen's former lover and mentor.

...

The next morning, Lan Ling, accompanied by Ye Jingyu, set off for Lingfeng County in the Northern Province.

After three days and nights of travel, they arrived in Lingfeng County.

Nia Mentor was not only highly accomplished in the arts but was also an outstanding physician. She was currently serving in the Northern Army as a highly respected military doctor.

The Northern Army guarded the northern border of the Anger Wave Kingdom, defending against the powerful Flame Empire, so the military camp was extremely secure. Lan Ling and Ye Jingyu could not simply barge in.

However, Nia Mentor was also the honorary president of the Lingfeng County Charity Association. She visited the Charity Association every five days to teach the orphans, making her a naturally noble person.

When Lan Ling arrived at the Lingfeng County Charity Association with a large group, Nia Mentor was not there.

As expected, Nia had a goddess-like status at the Charity Association. From the nuns to the teachers and all the orphans, Nia was considered the closest and dearest person.

Therefore, when Lan Ling inquired about Nia, he not only received no information but also encountered wary and hostile looks.

However, don't forget that Lan Ling was also an orphan, sharing a strong emotional connection with the children at the Charity Association. He could easily release his genuine emotions and quickly gain the trust of the children and nuns.

An hour later, Lan Ling was standing in front of the children's classroom, telling them fairy tales from Earth.

The children were completely captivated, and in just half a day, Lan Ling won the hearts of everyone at the Charity Association.

So, when Lan Ling inquired about Nia again, the nuns and children were eager to share everything they knew. They even strongly encouraged him to pursue Nia, giving him advice on how to win her heart, unaware that Nia was already married and of her noble status.

Although he was there to find Nia, Lan Ling was so engrossed in the Charity Association that he stayed for a whole day and even spent the night there.

That night, many little heads crowded around him, listening to three stories until the nuns urged them several times to go to bed. The children reluctantly climbed into their small beds.

"Brother, Aunt Nia will come to teach us tomorrow. You have to try your best," a little girl whispered.

...

As expected, the moment Nia Mentor entered the Charity Association, she saw Lan Ling (Solen).

Her face was originally filled with a radiant smile, meant for the children whom she had not seen for five days and truly missed.

However, what she saw was the face of Solen, whom she had once loved deeply and also hated deeply.

Instantly, her smile froze, and she stood there, stunned.