Shocking! Five men are in love with the same woman!

Looking into Jiang Muxue's tear-filled eyes, Lingyan felt an indescribable tenderness welling up in her heart.

She pondered for a moment, then said with an increasingly firm and sincere tone, "If you ever meet someone you like in the future, never change yourself for them, never compromise for them. If they truly love you, you don't need to change, because they like you the way you are. If they don't truly love you, then they're not worth you changing even a little bit for."

Lingyan looked at her very seriously and continued, "Remember, being your most authentic, relaxed, and happy self is the best. No one is worth changing or suffering so much for. You are the best and most outstanding. Learn to love yourself. You are the most important person."

Lingyan's eyes shone with determination as she continued earnestly, "Don't live for anyone else, live for yourself. And don't pay attention to the rumors and gossip outside. Just live your life freely and happily. Why bother with them? They're just barking dogs."

She paused briefly, then added solemnly, "And you must never lose yourself when you love someone. If you don't even have yourself, how can you expect others to love you? Also, remember that you can pamper a man but not spoil him. Never let him take advantage of you, understand?"

Jiang Muxue's eyes were already filled with tears.

She nodded vigorously, her voice choked with emotion yet firm, and said, "I understand. Every word you said hit me like a hammer blow. I will love myself and be my most authentic self."

The next moment she smiled bitterly and said, "But I'm already so old, will I ever meet a man who truly loves me again?"

Lingyan disagreed, saying, "What nonsense are you talking about? You're only nineteen, how can you be old? You're still young!"

Jiang Muxue asked, puzzled, "Isn't nineteen years old old enough?"

Lingyan said very seriously, "It's never too late, no matter how old you are. Besides, you're really not that old. With your family background, your looks and talent, and your ability to both read and fight, how could such an outstanding woman not meet a man who truly loves her? And if he truly loves you, why would he care about your age?"

Her words were full of affirmation and encouragement for Jiang Muxue, and then she added, "And don't feel inferior because of your age, and don't feel inferior because you used to like someone else. What's the big deal? It's nothing."

Jiang Muxue agreed upon hearing this.

She is absolutely right.

Then Lingyan added, "And if you never meet a man you like in your life, it's okay not to get married, it's okay not to marry at all. It's better than becoming a resentful couple and suffering for the rest of your life. Even if you never marry, it won't cause any problems."

"As long as you feel happy and content, why do you care what other people say? Don't worry about their opinions; you are the most important person, understand?"

Although Jiang Muxue found these words somewhat shocking, she also felt they were very true.

So she nodded and wrote it down very seriously.

Then Jiang Muxue asked curiously, "And you? Who do you like? Is it His Highness the Crown Prince, He Jingchuan, or... Commander Lu?"

Ling Yan smiled knowingly upon hearing this, "You guessed it?"

Jiang Muxue replied with a smile, "Yes! I only remembered it yesterday. That day at the hunting grounds, he and He Jingchuan rushed to rescue you in great anxiety. Their expressions were exactly the same. However, at the time, everyone thought it was just the concern of a subject. If I hadn't learned about this yesterday and thought about it again, I really wouldn't have known."

Upon hearing this, Ling Yan frankly admitted, "That's right, he is also my man. As for the question of who I love, I can tell you that I don't love any of them, yet I love them all."

Jiang Muxue was completely confused by what she said.

She pressed on anxiously, asking, "What do you mean?"

Ling Yan smiled faintly and said, "Because I will never fall in love with anyone. My heart has been hardened like iron for a long, long time. No one can enter it. I can be moved by them, feel sorry for them, and appreciate their sacrifices for me, but I will absolutely never fall in love with them."

"But I also really like their looks and physiques, as well as their care and love for me, so it's not wrong for me to love each and every one of them."

Jiang Muxue didn't know what to say after hearing this.

These things, which were completely beyond her education and understanding, greatly shocked her.

But she felt that her way of treating everyone was fair.

So she smiled and praised her, saying, "You are frighteningly clear-headed, rational, and detached! You will never fall in love with anyone, and your heart will always belong only to yourself."

Lingyan smiled and replied, "Of course, a wise person doesn't fall in love!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Muxue repeated, "A wise man does not fall in love, well said!"

Lingyan then said in a deep and calm voice: "From love arises sorrow, from love arises fear. If one is free from love, there is neither sorrow nor fear. From joy arises sorrow and affliction, from joy arises fear. If one is free from joy, there is no sorrow or affliction, so where is fear?"

From love arises sorrow, from love arises fear; apart from love there is no sorrow, where then is fear? Therefore, do not cling to anything, for separation from loved ones is suffering; if there is neither love nor hate, then there is no bondage.

After saying that, she looked at Jiang Muxue's thoughtful expression and continued, "You see, if I love someone, I will be anxious and insecure, and experience the pain of love, hate, and separation. So why should I love someone? I am the one who only loves myself and lives the most carefree and unrestrained life."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Muxue's gaze met Ling Yan's.

Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, like willow leaves swaying in the wind, and with each gentle blink, the light in her eyes flickered uncertainly.

She spoke slowly, her voice soft and calm: "What you say makes sense. Indeed, as you said, love brings worry and fear, causing people to suffer from anxiety and fear of loss."

She then added, "But I still think that love has its own unique beauty and wonder."

Jiang Muxue's eyes softened, as if a warm light was shining within them.

"Although I have never personally experienced that unforgettable love, I have seen the sweetness and happiness of others in love."

A look of longing appeared on her face, a yearning for the beautiful aspects of love.

Jiang Muxue continued to reminisce, saying, "Those people in love, the love in their eyes, the care and concern for each other, that tacit understanding between them, are all very touching. Even if they have arguments and conflicts, that love always exists and supports them through thick and thin."

"Perhaps love is like an adventure, full of unknowns and challenges, but that's precisely why it's so fascinating."

Jiang Muxue turned her head and looked at Ling Yan again, saying, "Even if you might get hurt or suffer, the brilliance of that moment of blooming is enough to make people willing to give everything for it."

Lingyan smiled and agreed, "I understand what you mean. It's not that I don't believe in love. I believe in love in this world. It's just that I'm unwilling to experience it myself. In this world, some people choose to be with one person and love each other until death, while others choose to close their hearts and not love others. It's just a personal choice. There's no right or wrong. It's just a matter of whether you're happy or not."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Muxue's eyes shone with resonance, and she nodded vigorously in agreement.

That's right, there's no right or wrong.

It's simply a matter of choosing which way to live.

She then breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Lingyan with curiosity, asking, "Do they know that you... don't love them?"

Ling Yan smiled and replied frankly, "Of course I know!"

After hearing this, Jiang Muxue couldn't help but exclaim, "The fact that they're still so devoted to you even after they found out shows how charming you really are!"

Lingyan remained noncommittal.

In fact, she always knew that the five of them were consciously sinking into depravity.

I never expected her to be sincere.

All they ever asked for was to stay by her side for a long time.

As for the others, they weren't that greedy.