The evening wind gusted sharply, moonlight filling the corridor. Ling Yu and several other serving girls stood at the other end of the long corridor with their lanterns, surprised to see Third Young Master Lu emerge from the lakeside shrubs below, meeting the young lady whose clothes fluttered in the wind. Luo Ling Yu stood in the wind’s path, tears still glistening in her eyes, yet now fully focused on this elegant and handsome young master approaching her.
Why did she keep running into Third Young Master Lu?
Third Young Master Lu was indifferent to her, even directly making their relationship awkward. Whether it was her previous initiative or since being teased by Lu Yun in the flower grove last time, she had still encountered Third Young Master Lu twice that evening.
Why?
Why, why?
—If explained by his secret admiration for her, this logic might make sense.
Her cousin, the Lu family’s Third Young Master Lu Yun, was not moved by beauty and had never admired any young lady. But Luo Ling Yu was different, the Luo lady was excessively beautiful. Lu Yun, not knowing how to win a lady’s favor, used some clumsy hot-and-cold tactics to repeatedly encounter the Luo lady… Perhaps while Luo Ling Yu privately appreciated Third Young Master Lu’s family background, Third Young Master Lu had also taken to her beauty.
He liked her, so he sent her Scholar Xun Mei’s painting; he was also jealous, warning her not to associate too much with other young masters in the mansion; he cared for her, secretly checking on her twice in one evening after learning of Madam Lu’s difficulties with her… Earlier at the window of “Snow Tracing Court,” it wasn’t a dream, it must have been Lu Yun.
Thinking this way, Luo Ling Yu was quite delighted, her gaze at Lu Yun growing much gentler: truly one couldn’t judge by appearances, Third Young Master Lu was a young master who pursued ladies in such a clumsy way.
The young lady’s eyes held mist, full of tender feelings. Lu Yun, always very wary of ladies’ advances, said: “Whatever you’re thinking in your head, it’s wrong, don’t be so presumptuous.”
Luo Ling Yu didn’t believe him at all. Once convinced that Lu Yun might like her, the weight lifted from her heart, making her feel as light as a cloud. Being the one who is loved always gives one much more control. Luo Ling Yu stepped forward, completely certain: “Third Cousin, I remember now when we first met, you asked if I remembered you. At the time I was frightened by you, anxiously saying I didn’t remember. Now thinking back…”
She lowered her delicate head, phoenix eyes slightly raised, bashfully contained: “So from that time you… Could it be, Cousin, that you saw me in your dreams, and have thought of me ever since?”
The casual smile on Lu Yun’s lips had completely frozen: “…”
—He had asked if she remembered him because they had truly met before!
This was madness, her brazenness left him speechless.
Lu Yun asked with seeming sincerity: “With such romance, were you an opera performer in a past life?”
Luo Ling Yu was stunned, opening her beautiful eyes wide to refute him, but in the next moment, Lu Yun had again become that habitually disdainful, cold cousin. Lu Yun stared at her face: “Also… Cousin Luo, do you still remember you were crying and weeping, shedding tears?”
Luo Ling Yu: “…”
She had never met someone so annoying!
Perhaps because Lu Yun’s mockery was too precise, Luo Ling Yu began to doubt again, wondering if she had thought wrong. But that made no sense. Just as she was feeling confused, her eyes suddenly brightened, seeing the young master who emerged from behind Lu Yun. This young master’s features were rather elegant, his bearing refined and gentle, different from Lu Yun’s kind of charm that wavered between coldness and passion. If Third Young Master Lu was eye-catching like jade and pearls, this young master was as composed and reserved as mountain pines and cypresses.
Noble men and women were habitually outstanding in appearance, perhaps following the principle that beautiful people are only associated with beautiful people. Yet among so many handsome young masters, this young master’s first appearance also made Luo Ling Yu stare at… the hem of his clothes. This young master’s clothing fabric exuded understated luxury. Among nobles who liked to flaunt wealth, among all the noble young men and women, someone who could wear such fabric must be no ordinary person.
Luo Ling Yu tried hard to conceal her delight: “This young master… I didn’t see you at the evening’s small banquet. Are you Third Cousin’s friend?”
She looked toward Lu Yun.
Prince Liu Shu of Chen also looked toward Lu Yun.
Both naturally wait for Lu Yun to introduce them.
Lu Yun pulled at the corner of his mouth. He glanced at Luo Ling Yu, immediately knowing what she was planning again. His heart greatly disgusted, he casually gestured: “A cousin staying at my home, surnamed Luo.”
Then pointing to Liu Shu: “This is… my friend.”
Liu Shu: “…”
Luo Ling Yu: “…”
Was her third cousin’s introduction already over? Such an introduction… was there any difference from not introducing at all? Luo Ling Yu looked at Lu Yun, and Lu Yun innocently looked back. He was truly too handsome, playing the confused innocent face to eight or nine-tenths perfection. Glaring at such a handsome young master, Luo Ling Yu’s face flushed red, her heart pounding as she moved her gaze away.
With Third Young Master Lu not cooperating, Luo Ling Yu had to help herself: “Young master, may I ask how to address you?”
Liu Shu: “…”
Due to his speech impediment, he had always disliked speaking in front of strangers, naturally looking toward Lu Yun.
Lu Yun just smiled without speaking.
Luo Ling Yu didn’t understand: “Young master, why don’t you speak? Has Ling Yu inadvertently offended you?”
Liu Shu looked at Lu Yun again, but Lu Yun remained unmoved as a mountain, showing no intention of helping him speak. The young lady’s beautiful eyes stared unblinkingly, while his good friend deliberately put him in a difficult position… Prince Liu Shu grew annoyed, his face growing increasingly red under Luo’s gaze as if burned by fire.
He didn’t want to speak. Didn’t want to lose face, didn’t want his first words to this young lady to reveal his stutter, to be looked at with strange eyes by her.
Prince Liu Shu held back for a long while, extremely angry at Lu Yun. He stiffly offered: “Have matters, farewell!”
He turned and left with a sweep of his sleeves.
But walking up the corridor steps, he suddenly stopped, turning his head to look back at Lu Yun. Lu Yun raised an eyebrow, saying to Luo Ling Yu’s serving girls at the other end of the corridor: “He doesn’t know the way, escort him for a while.”
The serving girls, with mixed feelings, led Liu Shu away, leaving only Lu Yun and Luo Ling Yu behind. Luo Ling Yu gazed dejectedly at Liu Shu’s retreating figure, thinking another young master of a good family background had probably been missed by her. Luo Ling Yu felt disappointed, guessing she must have inadvertently made someone dislike her… One evening, first Madam Lu, then a strange young master, being disliked repeatedly was quite a blow to Luo Ling Yu.
Lu Yun watched this dejected-faced cousin with deep eyes, inwardly sneering.
From far away, a line of lantern lights slowly approached the two. Luo Ling Yu heard distant voices talking, the voices of several young men. These must be the cousins who lived far from “Snow Tracing Court,” finally arriving. They were originally Luo Ling Yu’s target for waiting here. The main targets came so late, while the unexpected Lu Yun wandered about aimlessly.
Not knowing what to feel, Luo Ling Yu raised her eyes, secretly glaring at Third Young Master Lu.
Lu Yun’s heart stirred, staring in the distant direction, instantly guessing why Luo Ling Yu had appeared there. Initially, he had suspected Luo Ling Yu of eavesdropping on his conversation with Liu Shu, wondering if she was some kind of spy. Now thinking about it, he had overestimated this cousin.
This cousin’s mind was probably full of nothing but how to seduce men… He bore the Lu surname after all, how could he watch his brothers be ensnared by such a woman?
Lu Yun glanced at Luo Ling Yu: “Are you sure you want to wait here?”
Luo Ling Yu didn’t understand.
Lu Yun said calmly: “Your makeup is smeared.”
Luo Ling Yu blurted out: “How is that possible…”
Lu Yun: “You don’t remember you were crying and weeping just now?”
Luo Ling Yu’s expression immediately became brilliant, quickly raised her sleeve to cover her face. This had almost become instinct… Lu Yun had teased her before with the excuse of “smeared makeup,” and Luo Ling Yu already didn’t believe him. But, but, what if this time her makeup was smeared?
Luo Ling Yu asked anxiously in a small voice: “I-I-I can’t let people see me like this, Third Cousin, what should I do, what should I do?”
Lu Yun’s lips curled up maliciously.
He extended his sleeve, as if condescending: “Come with me.”
In Luo Ling Yu’s downcast gaze appeared the young master’s floating sleeve and his extended slender fingers. The footsteps grew closer, and without suspicion, Luo Ling Yu reached out her hand, nervously being grasped by Lu Yun. When their hands touched, uncontrollably, both their hands trembled slightly.
Luo Ling Yu’s heart nearly jumped to her throat.
Lu Yun grabbed her and walked down, before several young masters arrived from afar, leading the stumbling Luo Ling Yu down through the sloping shrubbery, bringing her onto the boat while untying the rope from the shore. The boat drifted leisurely from the shore, floating into the lake, floating under the pine and cypress shadows beneath the shoreside corridor. The lake water was dark and clear, the shadows of the man and woman in the boat hidden within.
Luo Ling Yu knelt uneasily in the wooden boat, secretly lowering her sleeve, seeing Lu Yun with his back to her, face upturned, seemingly listening to the young masters’ voices carrying over the water. The shadows of trees and flowers passed over their heads, and as Luo Ling Yu busily settled herself, her foot caught on something. Looking down, she felt a wine jar thrown in the boat’s bow.
Luo Ling Yu leaned over to smell it, the wine’s fragrance was mellow and beautiful, with still more than half a jar remaining. In her depressed mood, unable to find a wine cup, Luo Ling Yu directly hugged the jar, raised it high, and poured a mouthful into her mouth. After one mouthful of its wonderful fragrance, Luo Ling Yu tried another mouthful.
One mouthful after another…
Lu Yun hadn’t noticed at all.
He had his back to Luo Ling Yu, listening to the conversation of several young masters above—
“Have you heard? The Prince of Hengyang has come to Jianye, the situation for several young masters might become difficult.”
“Some commoner disciples have come to Jianye seeking education, how laughable. Mere lesser nobles, yet presuming to enter our aristocratic families? Prince Liu Shu seems to want to associate with commoners… hopefully, it won’t involve the Lu family.”
“But these things don’t concern us… Right now, I’m just waiting for next month’s Flower Festival, wonder which young lady will be chosen as this year’s ‘Flower Goddess,’ haha.”
The people above had walked away, they could leave now. Lu Yun lowered his eyes in thought, turning his head to suddenly take a deep breath, looking at the young lady Luo Ling Yu sitting in the boat’s bow, her beautiful eyes brimming. She clutched her chest, tears flowing: “My fate is so bitter…”
Lu Yun: …Was she drunk?
Or was she starting to act up again?