Prince Liu Mu of Hengyang was the Emperor’s youngest legitimate brother. Sickly in his youth, he received extensive care from his family. Even as he grew up, he remained deeply cherished by both the Emperor and the Empress Dowager. Rumors persisted that before the Late Emperor’s passing, he had left secret instructions for the throne to be passed to the Prince of Hengyang. Though unverified, the evident favor shown to the Prince of Hengyang by both the Empress Dowager and Emperor left many princes feeling threatened.

When the Prince of Hengyang arrived in Jianye, the imperial streets were cleared. Commoners gathered along both sides to watch as a young man in black robes rode past on horseback, his steed swift as a swallow, followed by numerous attendants. The youth possessed handsome features and tightly pressed thin lips, with an intimidating aura that kept people at a distance. Those seeing the Prince of Hengyang for the first time wondered in surprise:

“The Prince of Hengyang is so young? He looks even younger than some of the other princes.”

Those in the know smiled and explained, “Well, he is the Emperor’s youngest brother, just over seventeen, still quite young.”

Liu Mu’s entourage ignored the discussions among the commoners on both sides of the street. Having just arrived in Jianye, Liu Mu had received an imperial edict and was rushing to Taichu Palace to see the Emperor. Entering through the South Li Gate, the group rode past Changgan Li and Zhuque Hang, soon arriving at Wu Yi Lane. The area around Wu Yi Lane was home to established noble families of Jianye, with bustling households and gathered dignitaries. Even royal relatives from the southern territories showed great respect to these established aristocratic families.

Before Wu Yi Lane, several riders from Liu Mu’s rear caught up, breathlessly reminding the Prince of Hengyang that galloping was not permitted in front of Wu Yi Lane.

A dark expression gradually arose in the Prince of Hengyang’s eyes, his body tensing atop the horse, veins bulging on the hands that gripped the reins. As he reluctantly held back, turning his head, he saw an ox cart stopped at the entrance of Wu Yi Lane in the dusk. Before the cart stood a beauty as graceful as a wild goose in flight, her robes billowing in the wind. She had already stepped onto the front of the ox cart, her hair flying from the frightening speed of the horses ahead, while behind her, a young lord grabbed her sleeve to pull her down.

Caught between forces front and back, the young lady’s eyes widened as she gripped the wooden frame of the cart. After swaying twice, she still fell from the cart—

“Sister!”

A little girl emerged from the cart, hurriedly reaching out to grab her, but only managed to brush against the lady’s sleeve.

Luo Lingyu fell backward in terror. Behind her, Lu Xian, who had just recovered from illness, hadn’t expected her sudden fall from the ox cart. In his panic, he was forced back several steps by Luo Lingyu. Both Luo Lingyu and Second Young Master Lu were in trouble, clearly about to fall. Then came a light laugh from behind, and Luo Lingyu felt a warm push at her waist, which tilted her body forward, allowing her to regain balance.

Second Young Master Lu also managed to steady himself with much difficulty: “Third Brother, why are you coming from outside?”

Luo Lingyu turned to see Third Young Master Lu Yun standing behind them, holding a jar of wine. Lu Yun raised the wine jar in his hand with a half-smile: “Went out to buy wine, watched for quite a while, saw you two about to fall. How could I let you embarrass yourselves in front of your own home? So I had to give a helping hand.”

Luo Lingyu’s face alternated between pale and flushed, deliberately ignoring that Lu Yun had said “you two,” focusing only on his comment about her being embarrassing. Luo Lingyu fumed internally: What’s wrong with naturally having poor balance?!

After enduring for a while, another loud snicker came from nearby. Luo Lingyu looked up to see a group of riders stopped at an angle in the lane, led by a young man who mockingly laughed at their awkward situation. Her cheeks burned with shame. As Second Young Master Lu whispered in her ear “that’s the Prince of Hengyang,” Luo Lingyu’s heart stirred, and she gazed at him with beautiful, glistening eyes.

When the beauty’s jade-like presence met the Prince of Hengyang’s eyes, his heart skipped slightly, and somehow the mockery he felt toward the Lu family members diminished. Under her beautiful gaze, he had nowhere to hide, and irritation gradually rose in his face. When someone behind him reminded him again that “His Majesty awaits in the palace,” Liu Mu impatiently muttered: “I know!”

He jerked his chin toward them, tossing something from his sleeve: “I dare not offend the Lu family, here’s a gift to apologize for startling your horse!”

After throwing the object, the Prince of Hengyang shouted “Hyah!” once more, his whip cracking against the horse’s body as it reared up and galloped away. The object thrown from Liu Mu’s sleeve flew steadily toward Luo Lingyu. In her panic, she knew she couldn’t catch it and saw it was about to hit her face. With Second Young Master Lu too weak to help, Luo Lingyu quickly grabbed Third Young Master Lu’s sleeve, breathing rapidly: “Third Cousin!”

Lu Yun’s elegant hand reached out and caught the thrown object. Looking down, he saw it was a fine white jade hairpin. A ripple passed through Luo Lingyu’s eyes, her heart-stirring: “Why did he give me a hairpin?”

Traditionally, when a man gives a woman a hairpin, it carries romantic implications. Though this wasn’t meant as such, Luo Lingyu, who admired noble young men, felt her heart flutter as she touched the cool jade hairpin.

Lu Xian’s eyes flashed, his heart filling with alarm. In his dream at this time, his cousin Luo Lingyu had already left Jianye to return to Nanyang, and whether she had met the Prince of Hengyang on the road and what sort of encounter they might have had, Lu Xian, who only partially understood his dream, naturally didn’t know. He only suddenly realized the terrifying nature of fate’s trajectory:

If in his dream Luo Lingyu had met the Prince of Hengyang at this time;

And in reality, though Luo Lingyu hadn’t left Jianye, she still encountered the Prince of Hengyang just outside Wu Yi Lane…

…Could his dream be real? Was fate unchangeable? Then wouldn’t his third brother…

Lu Yun’s forehead twitched as he saw Lu Xian turn to look at him again with that strange, affectionate, protective gaze. His face darkened. He didn’t know what was wrong with his second brother, who kept looking at him with such eyes since waking up as if he were about to die tomorrow. Lu Yun looked down at Luo Lingyu again, who was happily examining the hairpin over and over, clearly treasuring it.

Lu Yun: “…”

Both of them were making his heart heavy.

Lu Yun coldly laughed: “The hairpin might not be for you, perhaps it was meant for Second Brother?”

Luo Lingyu: “…”

Seeing the two about to argue, Lu Xian’s head began to ache, and he hurriedly tried to mediate. Just as Lu Xian began speaking, a maid’s voice called out from the lane: “Young Miss, Young Miss! The Madam asks you to return, don’t go back to Nanyang!”

Lu Yun and Luo Lingyu exchanged a glance, both understanding that Luo Lingyu’s earlier arrangements had finally taken effect.

Lu Xian watched their meaningful exchange from the side, initially startled, then suppressed the feeling, telling himself he must be overthinking.

It turned out that Lady Lu’s maid Lvyao had come out personally to find people. Luo Lingyu naturally refused, saying she had caused enough trouble for the Lu family and couldn’t stay longer. The young miss refused touchingly for quite a while, firmly determined to leave, causing maid Lvyao great anxiety. The madam had just received letters from other young misses inviting the Luo daughter to play, how could she face the madam if Luo Lingyu left like this?

Lvyao urgently said: “The madam truly requests the young miss to return. Young Miss has been staying so well in our home, that suddenly leaving would invite misunderstanding, making people think the Lu family is dissatisfied with young miss, wouldn’t it? Miss must not go.”

Young Miss Luo Yunwan sat obediently in the cart, looking up to see her sister covering her face with her sleeve, shoulders trembling, still refusing. To outsiders, Luo Lingyu must be crying with grief, but from Luo Yunwan’s angle, she could see her sister’s face under the sleeve was clean, not even wearing rouge to make the crying more convenient.

Lvyao couldn’t persuade Luo Lingyu alone, and looking around, she enlisted the two young masters: “Second Young Master, Third Young Master, please help speak for the madam. Second Young Master, didn’t you tell the madam the previous matter wasn’t young Miss’s fault? The madam already knows. Third Young Master, um…”

Seeing Lu Yun’s cold eyes, Lvyao faltered and skipped over him.

So Lu Yun quietly watched as the maid and Lu Xian together persuaded Luo Lingyu, who sobbed and hesitated repeatedly, making the maid and Second Young Master try even harder to convince her. After three or four rounds, judging it was about right, Luo Lingyu finally lowered her sleeve and, reluctantly and pitifully, allowed Lvyao to help her down from the ox cart, agreeing to return.

Meeting Lu Yun’s gaze, Luo Lingyu’s heart trembled, and she quickly looked away, praying Lu Yun wouldn’t make trouble.

When she left the Lu residence, she had only taken a few changes of clothes, leaving behind all her books, treasures, and collections. It was obvious that Luo Lingyu had no intention of leaving the Lu family; she was just putting on an act. Who knows how anxious Luo Lingyu must have been waiting for Lu Xian to come after her?

Lu Yun mentally rolled his eyes: tsk tsk.

But he didn’t say anything more.

Lady Lu anxiously waited for Luo Lingyu’s return while holding letters from the other young misses. She was surprised that even after leaving the Lu residence, these young misses still wrote to Luo Lingyu. She didn’t care about Luo Lingyu’s welfare, but these young misses were all daughters of prominent Jianye families. Lady Lu had previously offended them, and now she didn’t want to… Seeing Lady Lu’s regretful expression, Concubine Liu remembered Luo Yunwan’s earlier plea, and to protect her son, she immediately spoke up for the young miss.

Lu Ying, who had sat uncomfortably at his sister-in-law’s for half an hour, also spoke up for his niece.

By the time they convinced Luo Lingyu to return, Lady Lu completely didn’t want Luo Lingyu to leave anymore. When Luo Lingyu came to see Lady Lu, the lady noticed Lu Xian following and paused. After staring at her son for a while, as Luo Lingyu looked on in confusion, Lady Lu withdrew her gaze. She spoke kindly, having someone give Luo Lingyu the letters from the young misses, comforting her to stay longer at the Lu residence.

Luo Lingyu bowed: “…Thank you, my lady.”

Lady Lu said: “Then Miss Luo may go rest.”

Lady Lu turned her gaze to Lu Xian, hesitated for a moment, and said: “Second Son, stay behind, I have something to ask you.”

After Luo Lingyu and the others left, Lu Xian remained with Lady Lu, who took a long time drinking a cup of tea: “I have other reasons for letting Miss Luo stay, but why did you chase after her out of the lane? You show such consideration for the Luo girl, even when she pushed you into the water you wouldn’t let me blame her, you must give me a reason.”

Lu Xian was startled.

Where could he find a reason? Should he say he admired Luo Lingyu? Then wouldn’t Lady Lu devour Luo Lingyu alive? How could Luo Lingyu continue staying at the Lu residence?

Under his mother’s stern gaze, unable to give another excuse, Lu Xian was sweating profusely, finally forcing himself to say: “It’s- it’s not about me, it’s…”

Lady Lu: “It’s what?!”

Lu Xian had a flash of inspiration, brilliantly improvising: “…it’s Third Brother who admires her! Yes, it’s Third Brother!”

Lady Lu: “…?”

She fell into thoughtful contemplation.