It was likely the last snow of the season.

The war had ended and the New Year had passed. Driving through the alley, opening the window revealed few pedestrians on the street. Snow-like grains of salt lay in a thin layer on the ground, gleaming with a silvery luster. As the long-eaved carriage arrived at the Luo residence after the servant went forward to knock and announce their arrival, a young lord wearing a white fox fur crane-patterned robe emerged from the carriage. It was Lu Sanlang, wearing a long sash with crane feathers, who stepped down from the carriage and entered the residence under the servant’s guidance. Though his clothing was thicker due to illness and his complexion was haggard, his inadvertently lifted eyebrows and eyes were clear and graceful, making the hearts of the Luo family ladies who passed by flutter.

Unfortunately, Lu Sanlang’s expression remained cold. He showed no intention of stopping to exchange friendly greetings with the ladies. Snow drifted lazily over the lake, white stones covered in frost, pine mist thick and heavy. The scattered groups of ladies could only call to their friends to come see Lu Sanlang, as there seemed no other way to attract his attention—

The young lord was simply too aloof.

The coldness and perfunctory courtesy in Lu Yun’s eyes and brows, his unwillingness to exchange pleasantries, only began to slowly melt away after he entered the courtyard where Luo Lingyu resided. As he stood at the courtyard gate in the snowy dusk light, he had already spotted the gracefully figured young lady standing in the corridor. She wore wide cyan sleeves on top and a snow-white pleated skirt below, her hair styled in a cross-shaped chignon. With thick cloudy temples and a flower ornament on her forehead, Luo Lingyu looked up at the lanterns hanging in the corridor while talking with her maids. The lantern light and snow from outside the corridor fell upon her face, creating a luminous radiance.

Seeing her, Lu Yun couldn’t help but smile: Luo Lingyu was truly Luo Lingyu. Even without going out, in her courtyard, she still dressed herself so vibrantly and beautifully, never being careless. Without any rush or fuss, she could go out at any time, and receive guests at any moment.

As fine snow fell steadily, the young lady he watched appeared to be discussing taking down the lanterns with her maids. The maids fumbled clumsily for ages unable to remove them, making Luo Lingyu anxious watching. Being as clever and dexterous as she was, Luo Lingyu likely couldn’t stand watching such clumsiness—she directly held the ladder herself and climbed up to take down the lanterns. The maids gathered around their lady, faces tense with worry that she might fall. Luo Lingyu quickly removed two adjacent lanterns and came down from the ladder, with the maids hurrying over to help take the lanterns from her.

The snow that fell on her face and moistened her hands was indeed quite cold.

Luo Lingyu rubbed her hands together and jumped a couple of times to warm herself up. The maids wanted to take over her task, fearing their lady might fall, so they hastily steadied the ladder themselves to remove the lanterns. Luo Lingyu didn’t stop them, she just stood smiling on the ground, looking up to watch the maids busy at work, directing them: “Don’t rush, be gentler, slower. The master craftsman who made these lanterns has passed away, if you damage my lanterns, they can’t be replaced.”

The maids laughed: “Don’t worry, young miss, we’re being careful.”

The snow’s glow illuminated Luo Lingyu’s face as Lu Yun watched quietly, slightly lost in thought. He hazily recalled his dream, where after he had passed from this world, he never again saw such a vibrant smile from Luo Lingyu. In his dream he seemed to wander destitute for a long time, following her. The heart-wrenching pain from the dream felt so real, even now thinking of it made his heart tremble.

…Though dreams blur truth and falsehood, seeing Luo Lingyu looking up at lanterns in the snow-filled him with warmth and tenderness.

There was a feeling of “being waited for” and “not disappointed.”

Luo Lingyu helped the maids take down all the lanterns hanging in the corridor, and the maids carried them away to store them. Luo Lingyu sat on the empty corridor railing, waiting for the maids to return. Suddenly from behind came the young lord’s soft voice, cool as spring water flowing into her heart: “…Why aren’t you hanging the ‘Five-Colored Glass Lantern’ I gave you? Don’t you like the twelve beauties painted on the lantern I gave you?”

Luo Lingyu was startled and quickly stood up to turn around. Lu Yun stood behind her, and without taking an extra step, she fell into Lu Yun’s embrace as she turned her shoulders. He had stood so close as if she couldn’t wait to throw herself into his arms. Lu Yun’s brow bone twitched slightly as he reached out to hold her slender waist. He didn’t give her a chance to struggle or step back, directly pulling her into his embrace.

Luo Lingyu’s body stiffened: Lu Yun! Why had he come? Shouldn’t he be recuperating?

Luo Lingyu’s heart was in chaos, avoiding Lu Yun because “Chen Xue,” did not want to see him. But Lu Yun didn’t know this. His impression of the young lady remained from their last time joking and being intimate, when she had obediently sat beside his couch bandaging his frostbitten wounds, tears falling continuously, making his heart ache terribly. Lu Yun thought it would be the same now.

The corner of his lips held a smile, his handsome face bending down, high straight nose pressed against hers.

Luo Lingyu resisted, her lower back held by him while her upper body still leaned outward.

Lu Yun paid no mind, thinking she was just putting on airs. His warm breath fell on her face, brushing and nuzzling like feather tips. His voice was soft and warm, carrying a sigh: “Sister Lingyu, why haven’t we met for so long…”

Luo Lingyu: “I… mmph.”

As she opened her mouth, her lips were captured. When she pushed him, he instead pressed her against the corridor pillar, kissing her more deeply.

So entangled and passionate, as if their love had melted into their blood.

His fingers gripped her hands and pressed against the pillar behind her, his cloak was very warm when he came to kiss her, the scent from his body as he bent down and pressed close made Luo Lingyu lose her senses for a moment. In that moment of distraction, she saw his eyes deepen with amusement as the tip of his tongue in her mouth caught hers, sucking once.

That seductive posture… sucking until her tongue went numb in an instant.

Luo Lingyu breathed rapidly: “Mmph mmph mmph!”

When the maids finished storing the lanterns and were about to return to get more, they saw an additional person in the courtyard, with the servant at the gate making gestures and eye signals to them. The maids looked over to see lanterns scattered messily on the ground, red light and white snow intermingling, the light flickering between bright and dim, that celestial-like graceful young lord embracing their lady, his back to them doing who knows what.

The maids’ faces flushed bright red as they tactfully retreated.

Meanwhile, Luo Lingyu was kissed by Lu Yun until her legs went weak and soft, she collapsed sitting on the railing, her back against the barrier. The cold hardness of the railing brought her back to her senses from the entangling kiss, she saw Lu Yun’s face pressed against hers, his thick long lashes, and clear black eyes. She was bewitched by his beauty, and when he kissed her, that sudden intoxication made Luo Lingyu’s heartache amidst complete enchantment.

She really… really couldn’t bear him being so intimate with other women in such a smiling, gentle manner!

Luo Lingyu raised her elbow and jabbed him in the waist. Lu Yun winced in pain and stepped back. He touched the corner of his lips, finding drops of blood on his finger. Lu Yun raised an eyebrow: “You dare bite me?”

Luo Lingyu ignored his teasing, she sat while he stood, she raised her arm between them as a barrier and asked: “Who is Chen Xue?”

Lu Yun: “…!”

His pupils suddenly contracted, dark and cold.

But Lu Yun’s reaction was incredibly quick. While his mind considered why Luo Lingyu would suddenly ask this, his mouth had already responded gently: “Did someone tell you nonsense? Don’t trust others over me. She was just a lady I met in Luoyang, nothing more.”

He would certainly never admit who Chen Xue was.

Judging her expression, he slowly sat down. He held her hand, bringing it to his lips for a kiss. Luo Lingyu turned her face away, trying to break free, but Lu Yun held her without letting go, explaining: “There was nothing. When I infiltrated the governor’s mansion in Luoyang, I needed someone’s help. That Chen Xue simply helped me once, that’s all.”

Luo Lingyu’s shoulders were held by him, she wanted to leave but though his embrace seemed loose, his hands were strong and she couldn’t stand up at all. Since things had come to this point, she bit her lip, still unsatisfied in her heart, and looked up to ask again: “If you and she were just casual acquaintances, why do you have her handkerchief?”

Lu Yun blinked in surprise.

He truly didn’t know what he had on him. Perhaps when fleeing the governor’s mansion that day, when the governor burst in, he had hastily stuffed Chen Xue’s handkerchief away somewhere and unknowingly brought it with him. After returning he fell ill, and while Luo Lingyu was caring for him, she must have found Chen Xue’s old possession somewhere.

Having guessed most of it in his heart, Lu Yun relaxed somewhat and casually said: “Maybe she accidentally left it behind? Who knows. Sister Lingyu, let’s not keep mentioning her.”

Though Lu Yun was perceptive, he was after all a man, he didn’t know how his eagerness to avoid this topic and dismissive attitude whenever Chen Xue was mentioned appeared so suspicious in Luo Lingyu’s eyes.

Luo Lingyu stared at him in a daze, her fingers in his grip gradually growing cold. His attitude was practically the best verification of her suspicions—if there wasn’t something to hide, why avoid it so much?

She lowered her head again, Lu Yun noticed her hurt expression and bent down: “You don’t believe me?”

He paused for a moment. Being so proud, he didn’t want to mention “Chen Xue,” especially not wanting to expose his weakness before Luo Lingyu. But seeing the young lady’s eyes about to turn red… Lu Yun had no choice but to say more: “There isn’t anything. Between her and me… nothing could ever happen. Can you just pretend this woman never existed? I promise she will never appear before you.”

Luo Lingyu’s eyes truly reddened: “How can you promise she’ll never appear before me? What do you mean, do you think I can’t compare to her? Is that why you won’t let her appear before me? How am I inferior to her?”

Lu Yun: “…”

Still thinking of comforting Luo Lingyu, he immediately changed his words: “I misspoke, she’s not worth your little finger. She was just a stranger, sister, forget about her.”

Luo Lingyu’s tears nearly fell, making Lu Yun’s eyes contract sharply as his heart ached. He heard her choke: “Why can you promise she won’t appear before me? Could it be that you had something with her, but you also can’t bear to part with me, so you’ve decided to silence her? Is that how you can guarantee she’ll never appear before me?”

Lu Yun: “…”

Left speechless.

Suddenly Luo Lingyu raised her head, gathering her courage, she grabbed his collar, her voice trembling: “Did you, did you…”

Lu Yun understood her meaning from context, finding it absurd, and before she could finish asking burst out: “No! How could that be possible!”

The shoulders of the young lady in his embrace finally weakened slightly. Luo Lingyu bit her lip painfully, but the answer she feared most, Lu Yun had decisively told her no. His reaction was so quick, his attitude so firm, it must be true. But was it true?

What if he just didn’t want to separate from her, and was lying?

As Luo Lingyu wavered in confusion, Lu Yun’s hand pressed against her nape, burying her face in his embrace. Her wet lashes with tears pricked his neck. Surrounded by the young lord’s clear warm scent, Luo Lingyu could no longer hold back, and after choking back a sob, reached out to hug his neck.

She felt she was done for.

A thousand autumns ask for one word from you, may love be as unchanging as mountains.

She truly liked him… liked him to such a humble degree. Liked him so much that even suspecting he was having an affair behind her back, she still couldn’t take a firm stance against him, still wanted to salvage things, wanted to hear his explanation… she was unwilling to give up Lu Yun, this person she had rescued from the heavy snow, when she had held him crying in the snow that day, her heart had already been given to him.

Lu Yun spoke softly: “Lingyu, trust me. Don’t mention Chen Xue again.”

His hand supported the back of her head as he said: “I swear to you, I could never be intimate with Chen Xue or hurt your heart. You should trust me… I’m always surrounded by various young ladies, if you don’t trust me, what will we do in the future? You’re also surrounded by various young lords, I can’t get angry with you every day just because I’m jealous, right? We should trust each other.”

After a long while, the young lady buried in his neck, whose tears had wet his collar, spoke in a muffled voice: “You’re right… if we want to be together, I should trust you.”

Lu Yun let out a slight sigh of relief.

…

The two parted peacefully, agreeing to meet again another day.

Lu Yun left in a good mood, seeing that although Luo Lingyu’s eyes were swollen from crying, her spirits seemed much better. But this was only what he knew—after he left, Luo Lingyu’s face darkened again. In front of Lu Yun, she had acted magnanimous as he hoped, but returning to her quarters, falling onto her bed, the young lady began to cry with quiet sobs.

Lu Yun was lying to her!

She had thought him so clever that if he tried to deceive her, she wouldn’t be able to tell. In reality, as she came to know him better, Luo Lingyu discovered she could tell when Lu Yun was avoiding something—

Though he spoke gently to comfort her, he had been constantly avoiding the question of “Chen Xue.”

From when he arrived at dusk until he left after dark, Lu Yun’s description of “Chen Xue” was empty. He was unwilling to say anything about her, his “Chen Xue” was even less vivid than how his subordinates described her.

He said Chen Xue had accidentally left her handkerchief with him… but Luo Lingyu knew how hard Lu Yun was to please, he would not tolerate a strange woman leaving things with him, especially something as intimate as a handkerchief.

Luo Lingyu cried until she could barely breathe, feeling like she would die from the pain: “…You’re lying, you’re deceiving me… you say you weren’t intimate with her, but without being intimate, who knows what happened between you? Lu Yun, you play these word games with me… do you think I’m stupid? You never were intimate with me before either, but what haven’t you done, what haven’t you touched? You took every advantage of me… but you indeed never touched me… if you treated Chen Xue the same way… naturally you could say nothing happened between you, and you’re not afraid of me investigating… but between men and women, is everything pure and innocent except for that one thing?!”

Yet as she cried, Luo Lingyu gradually convinced herself: “No, he does love me… otherwise he wouldn’t lie to me, saying Chen Xue will never appear… he would rather kill Chen Xue than let me get hurt, he does care for me in his heart… I should trust him, he won’t do it again…”

But how could the thorn in her heart be removed?

…

This is how it is for all who are in love. Those with the courage to make a clean break are few. One always finds ten thousand excuses, unwilling to give up. Thinking that after all, after all, they’ve already come this far.

When Zhou Yangling saw Luo Lingyu again, she found the young lady had lost a lot of weight. Zhou Yangling was extremely surprised—how had the peerlessly beautiful young lady become so haggard in just two short days? The two sat on an empty patch of grass by the horse grounds, Luo Lingyu’s eyes full of melancholy. Zhou Yangling frowned, her expression different from her usual gentleness: “Sister, why have you lost so much weight? Is someone bullying you?”

Luo Lingyu shook her head.

Afraid of Zhou Yangling asking more questions, she changed the subject: “Now that things are settled in Nanyang, will you return to Jianye with us?”

But Zhou Yangling’s expression faltered for a moment.

Thinking of Prince Chen Liu Chu in Jianye, she felt the fragrance sachet in her bosom burning hot.

Zhou Yangling came out of her daze and said: “No, I’m not returning to Jianye… I should go back to Yicheng. It’s been a year since I’ve been home, my father has asked about me many times, I need to go home and let him know I’m safe.”

Luo Lingyu was surprised, but Zhou Yangling smiled and said: “But it’s alright. When you and Lu Sanlang have your grand wedding, I’ll still come to Jianye to celebrate.”

The wedding day…

Luo Lingyu’s eyes darkened.

She hesitated, then asked uncertainly: “…What if I don’t want to get married?”

Zhou Yangling was stunned.

Luo Lingyu: “I already broke off my engagement with Fan Silang, if I break off my engagement with Lu Xuchen too… won’t people think I’m impossible to deal with? Will I be unable to marry again? And, Brother Xuchen… has been so good to me…”

Zhou Yangling said softly: “If he were truly good to you, sister wouldn’t be thinking about breaking off the engagement at this point. I understand you… sister needn’t worry about how society views it. If a sister has made her decision, no matter what others think, I support you.”

Luo Lingyu: “…”

She looked up, her eyes flashing with surprise yet touched that such a refined and graceful lord would be so good to her… She rested her head on Zhou’s shoulder, closed her eyes, and said softly: “Zhou, you’re so good to me. If I could be with you, you surely wouldn’t make me so sad…”

Zhou Yangling’s face grew uncomfortable, hearing these words made her suddenly stiffen.

But before Zhou Yangling could do anything, a cold voice came from behind: “Luo Lingyu, come here!”

Luo Lingyu was startled and hurriedly stood up, seeing that Lu Yun had come to the horse grounds. He had arrived on horseback and now looked down at her and Zhou Yangling’s intimate confiding with an ice-cold expression. Under such a gaze, Luo Lingyu felt slightly awkward, realizing he had misunderstood her relationship with Zhou. Seeing her not move, Lu Yun suppressed the fire in his heart. He dismounted and walked over, grabbed her wrist, and was about to drag her away.

But Zhou Yangling blocked him: “Lu Sanlang.”

Lu Yun stopped.

Zhou Yangling’s eyes held no smile: “Don’t bully Sister Luo.”

Lu Yun held back for a long time before saying with a cold smile: “I know. Don’t worry about it, you should take care of your matters first… for instance, how are things with Prince Chen, how much longer can you keep it hidden?”

Zhou Yangling: “…!”

When Lu Sanlang chose not to give face, he truly showed no mercy. Zhou Yangling frowned as she watched him drag Luo Lingyu away, embracing her as they mounted the horse and left. Zhou Yangling let out a light sigh, now finally certain that something had indeed gone wrong between Luo Lingyu and Lu Yun.

She gave a bitter smile: she and Luo Lingyu were truly kindred spirits in their suffering.

Her matter of “disguising as a man” was being pressed by her father and investigated by Prince Chen… the fire was burning at her feet, and there were only a few days left before exposure.

What should she do when that time comes?

…

Lu Yun was suppressing his feelings. He knew Zhou Yangling was a woman, knew she took good care of Luo Lingyu, and Luo Lingyu was fickle—whoever was good to her made her so happy she couldn’t contain herself. She even harbored thoughts of marriage.

Naturally, Luo Lingyu was supposed to marry him now.

But she ran to confide in Zhou Yangling, resting her head on Zhou Yangling’s shoulder—how could Lu Yun not see her wavering heart? She wavered in her feelings for him. Just because of a “Chen Xue”?

Why couldn’t she forget that person?

Taking Luo Lingyu directly back to his residence, dismissing the servants, and dragging the young lady straight into the room, Lu Yun closed the door. He glanced at Luo Lingyu’s pale face, forcing himself to be gentle. He sat down, suppressing the irritation in his heart, his elbow on the desk as he rubbed his forehead. Lu Yun swallowed his anger: “What exactly are you unsatisfied with?”

Luo Lingyu stood helplessly on the ground, watching his pained expression. She said: “I-I’m not unsatisfied…”

Lu Yun didn’t raise his brow: “Is it so hard to tell the truth?”

Luo Lingyu: “…”

She saw his irritated manner, as if she had done something to wrong him and he was trying desperately to endure it. But who had done wrong first? Luo Lingyu burst out: “I’m unsatisfied with you and Chen Xue!”

Lu Yun: “I already said there was nothing! Nothing means nothing! Why won’t you believe it? Didn’t you say you would trust me?”

Luo Lingyu laughed coldly: “Trust you? How can I trust you? When I first met you, I had to find connections and please Sister Jinyue just to send you a few cups of tea. Was Chen Xue’s handkerchief as difficult to give as mine was then? You must have directly kept her handkerchief close to your heart to bring it to Nanyang, right? You don’t want to talk whenever she’s mentioned, is your attitude normal? If there truly was nothing, you should explain it clearly to me, or have others explain it to me indirectly. But you didn’t. You can’t wait to avoid this person. Do you think you can avoid it?”

Lu Yun slowly raised his eyes.

His handsome face was like snow, his hand resting on his temple, eyes deep and dark: “Why can’t I avoid it? Why must we mention it?”

Luo Lingyu: “How can you avoid it?! Every word I say to you, I wonder if Chen Xue has done the same with you. However good you are to me, I wonder if you treated Chen Xue the same way. Even when I smile at you, I wonder if Chen Xue smiled at you too… I’m going crazy, do you know that?”

Lu Yun: “Forget her!”

Luo Lingyu: “I can’t forget!”

He suddenly stood up and walked toward her. Luo Lingyu backed away in fright but couldn’t escape. He held her waist and bent down to kiss her. But the next moment, his lips were bitten by the cruel young lady in his arms. He wouldn’t let her go, and in her panic she refused to let him kiss her, even raising her knee to kick at his groin.

Lu Yun bent to dodge, immediately releasing her.

By now he was completely disheveled, his body trembling, eyes red: “Have you completely lost your mind?”

Luo Lingyu ran backward, and seeing him still pursuing, she grabbed a candlestick and threw it at him. Lu Yun raised his arm to dodge, the candlestick hitting his arm. He was furious: “Luo Lingyu!”

Luo Lingyu grabbed a jade pillow and threw it at him, hitting Lu Yun so hard that he had to back away. The young lady gasped: “Stay three steps away from me! From now on you’re not allowed to come near me, not allowed to touch me!”

Lu Yun’s face darkened: “I am your man, and you’re telling me from now on I’m not allowed to come near you, not allowed to touch you?”

Luo Lingyu said: “You disgust me.”

Lu Yun: “…What did you say? Say that again!”

His eyes changed in an instant, that fierce and furious look making his presence suddenly overwhelming. The refined and dignified Lu Sanlang had never been like this before—this was the first time he had heard the word “disgusting” from a woman’s lips. And it was Luo Lingyu who said it. His heart felt like it was being cut by a knife, he was extremely angry, moving toward her again to grab her arm.

Luo Lingyu kept throwing various objects at him, not letting him come near.

Lu Yun: “You crazy woman!”

Luo Lingyu: “Not as crazy as you. Acting like you don’t care for women on one hand, then able to mess around with other women the next. Do you think if you don’t mention it, it doesn’t exist? I’m telling you, you’re not allowed to touch me anymore. Even when you kiss me, I can imagine you kissing Chen Xue! You’re so disgusting, stay away from me!”

The people outside only heard the crashing sounds of things being thrown inside the room, the commotion was extremely loud, making people’s hearts tremble. They didn’t know what the young lord and lady were doing in the room. When the servants tried to ask, the man and woman inside answered simultaneously: “Don’t come in!”

In the room, Luo Lingyu and Lu Yun were both breathing heavily, glaring at each other angrily. Between them, the floor was covered in broken porcelain, green and white. Who knows how many precious items, but when these two became angry, who cared about such things? In the room, Luo Lingyu had thrown all the objects she could lift, and Lu Yun’s hand was bleeding from her throws, but he wouldn’t even bandage it, just staring at her unrelentingly. Lu Sanlang’s chest ached from anger, and just as he was about to step forward, he saw Luo Lingyu quickly grab the wooden pole supporting the window into her arms, watching him warily.

Lu Yun laughed angrily: “You’re going to hit me with the wooden pole now?”

Luo Lingyu didn’t make a sound, but her stance clearly showed she wouldn’t let him come near.

As they stared at each other, slowly, Lu Yun calmed down. He said tiredly: “What’s the point of this? Being so distrustful of me, fighting with me like this… what’s the point?”

Luo Lingyu was stunned by his words.

She put down the wooden pole in her arms as if moved by what he said. She said dazedly: “Yes, what’s the point of fighting every day, being detested?”

Lu Yun: “I never said I detested you, don’t throw dirt on me even when you’re angry.”

But Luo Lingyu could no longer hear what he was saying, only mumbling: “Being like this every day… we might as well… separate.”

Lu Yun shuddered, his muscles tensing, incredulous: “What did you say?”

But Luo Lingyu didn’t speak anymore. She no longer fought with him or hit him like before, she looked at the blood dripping from his hand and felt like she had acted like a madwoman. The dignified Lu Sanlang, beaten by her like this, who outside would believe it? It was pointless. Luo Lingyu’s eyes filled with tears as she sat down, no longer speaking to Lu Yun, but silently beginning to cry.

Lu Yun’s pupils contracted.

He immediately looked away awkwardly, saying in a deep voice: “Don’t cry. I won’t fall for this.”

Luo Lingyu ignored him, she just kept shedding tears, drop after drop stringing together like pearl threads falling on her peach-colored cheeks. The young lady cried until her eyes were wet and cheeks red, beautifully moving. She was especially skilled at crying, and as Lu Yun watched, the more he watched, the more tears fell. She cried terribly, at first just silently shedding tears, but later she couldn’t hold back anymore, her shoulders shaking, eyes blurred with tears, crying out loud.

Sobbing and whimpering.

Crying and weeping.

Lu Yun’s face grew increasingly rigid.

He lowered his head and cursed, the first time Lu Sanlang had ever sworn, but unfortunately, Luo Lingyu didn’t hear clearly. She saw him suddenly kick out, sending the perfectly good desk flying, breaking it in half. Luo Lingyu gave up on herself, crying even harder. Lu Yun turned and left, and seeing him leave like this, Luo Lingyu cried while trying to find things, wanting to take back the items she had originally left in his room.

Let’s just separate like this.

She realized her heart was truly extremely small, and only toward Lu Yun alone. She really couldn’t take it anymore, couldn’t take it… Luo Lingyu cried and sobbed, because she was crying so hard she could barely breathe, she couldn’t even leave. She couldn’t let the servants see her crying non-stop like this as she left Lu Yun’s place. Even if she left, she couldn’t lose face like that.

Gradually her tears were almost cried out, but Lu Yun still hadn’t returned, truly abandoning her like this. Luo Lingyu’s heart grew completely cold, her self-esteem wounded, wondering if he also felt tired and wanted to end it like this. Thinking this way, tears welled up again.

The door knocked twice.

Luo Lingyu didn’t hear it.

The door knocked twice again.

Luo Lingyu said irritably: “Lu Yun isn’t here!”

The voice outside was soft as butter, drawling: “I’m not looking for Lu Yun, I’m looking for you.”

Luo Lingyu was stunned, rubbing her cry-reddened eyes, asking in shocked suspicion: “Who-who are you?”

The voice outside laughed softly, as if right next to her ear: “Haven’t you been wanting to meet me… I’m Chen Xue.”

Luo Lingyu suddenly jumped up, her face alternating between pale and ashen—immediately cursing loudly: “Lu Xuchen, I’ll kill you!”

And he still claimed he hadn’t deceived her! He kept a mistress hidden away in a golden house!

Luo Lingyu’s eyes were red as blood as she looked for a bronze mirror to fix her appearance. Her rival had come to mock her, and she had cried until her eyes were swollen—how could she allow herself to lose? Luo Lingyu gritted her teeth: it was just Chen Xue, wasn’t it? She wanted to see just what made Lu Yun hide Chen Xue in a golden house rather than her, despite her great beauty!