Taking off his shoes outside, Lu Sanlang entered his chambers, his face as white as jade, maintaining silence. His features were delicate and beautiful, with phoenix eyes slightly upturned at the corners. When not smiling, he appeared dignified rather than alluring, exhibiting a pure and elegant beauty. As Lu Yun cast an ambiguous glance her way, Luo Lingyu stood up, her face growing warm.
The meaning behind his gaze required her to stay strong. She felt awkward inside, understanding Lu Yun’s aversion toward her—how it was before, and how it remained now. Indeed, she was still just Cousin Luo.
If she had any other option, she wouldn’t have come begging Lu Yun… Luo Lingyu thought to herself that she was different from other noble ladies. For others, whether they received the “Flower Goddess” title or not wouldn’t affect their daily lives. But her position in Jianye truly needed this “Flower Goddess” title to establish her reputation. In this era, scholars and gentlemen all revered talented and beautiful women… If she wanted to marry well, she needed something to her name, didn’t she?
Luo Lingyu decided to throw caution to the wind: Since her image was already so poor in Lu Sanlang’s eyes, it couldn’t get much worse. With an opportunity right before her, why should she give up?
Thus, although internally she was so embarrassed she wanted to turn and leave, outwardly Luo Lingyu maintained the graceful demeanor of a noble lady.
Jin Yue felt somewhat uneasy. When Young Master returned, they had been so caught up in chatting with the young lady that no one remembered to greet him at the courtyard gate—this was truly disrespectful and had wronged their Young Master. Jin Yue hurriedly instructed Zhi Yue and the other maids to clear the table, while she followed Lu Yun, who was walking behind the screen, quietly explaining to him why the Luo lady was there.
Luo Lingyu sat down, her expression gentle, her eyes showing slight hesitation. Concealing her inner turmoil, she watched the maids coming and going as they cleaned the table and prepared to serve Lu Sanlang. Luo Lingyu’s brow twitched, and she stood up, smilingly stopping the maid Zhi Yue: “Let me brew the tea? Please let Third Cousin try my skills.”
Before coming to Jianye, Luo Lingyu had specifically sought out a teacher to learn tea brewing. Her technique was so refined and elegant that most people would be fooled by her skill.
Zhi Yue pursed her lips. She disliked this young lady who always seemed to have so many affairs and even criticized Jin Yue several times when Jin Yue let the young lady into the room. But now that the young master had returned, Zhi Yue didn’t dare argue with anyone in Lu Sanlang’s presence. Since the young lady wanted to brew tea, Zhi Yue stepped aside, feeling somewhat pleased—do you even know our Young Master’s taste? Our Young Master has always been particular about food and drink; if you make even the slightest mistake, he won’t be pleased.
Zhi Yue was waiting with some schadenfreude to see what would happen. Unexpectedly, after Lu Sanlang changed into casual home clothes and emerged from the inner chamber, he glanced at the maids who were aimlessly dusting with feather dusters and said flatly: “Everyone leaves.”
Zhi Yue reluctantly followed the other maids out after receiving a glare from Jin Yue. In the room, only the sound of tea brewing could be heard. Through the bamboo screen, Zhi Yue turned back unwillingly and saw the water vapor wreathing around the young lady’s features, the white mist diminishing her overwhelming beauty somewhat. The young lady’s red lips and white skin, her gentle gaze as she looked at Lu Sanlang—how enchantingly beautiful.
Then she saw the seemingly smiling expression in Lu Sanlang’s phoenix eyes.
Zhi Yue’s heart suddenly trembled, and she felt an inexplicable sense of loss.
In the chamber, with the maids gone, Luo Lingyu also felt relieved. If Lu Yun were to scold her in front of the maids, where would her face be? If he only scolded her when they were alone, Luo Lingyu’s thick skin could surely endure it. Brewing tea distractedly, her gaze occasionally fell on Lu Yun, who sat on the couch reading a book. He still maintained his cold expression, ignoring her… He must still be angry.
Luo Lingyu pondered: what version of her did Lu Yun like?
It seemed he disliked how she presented herself to others… The more beautiful and kind others found her, the more he probably scoffed internally. Since she needed his help, naturally she should present herself in a way he liked… After thinking for a while, Luo Lingyu steeled herself: perhaps what Lu Sanlang could accept best was when she wasn’t being fake… Maybe if she were more genuine with him, he wouldn’t find her so annoying…
Lu Yun suddenly shouted: “The water’s boiling!”
Luo Lingyu was startled by his sudden outburst, her hand trembling. Due to her instinct for self-preservation, she pulled her hand back. This retreat allowed her to avoid the water overflowing from the small pot, and not a single finger getting burned. Even such a small action revealed her true nature… Luo Lingyu secretly glanced at Lu Yun, who leaned back with a sigh, his gaze toward her even more inscrutable.
Luo Lingyu clutched her hand fearfully: “…Weren’t you reading? How did you know the water was boiling?”
Lu Yun glanced at her: “Worried you’d take revenge by burning down my house.”
Luo Lingyu: “I’m not that bad!”
Lu Yun suddenly smiled, tossing aside his book: “How would I know whether you’re bad or not?”
The flirting continued as always, making Luo Lingyu blush with embarrassment. Hiding her nervousness, she tried to steadily move the teapot from the fire. At this point, who cared about the elegant techniques her teacher had taught her—just getting the tea safely to Lu Yun was enough. She handed him the tea and sat down opposite Lu Sanlang, still shaken. Lu Sanlang raised the tea and took a sip, his expression softening slightly. Luo Lingyu’s skills had always been more impressive than her conduct…
Whether it was cooking, poetry, dance, music… or now tea brewing.
Lu Yun’s thoughts wandered, slowly considering how if she married someone, that husband would have such a virtuous wife, how blessed he would be. Whether sincere or not, she would at least make her husband feel like he was basking in spring sunshine, making him completely comfortable when he returned home… With his cousin’s skills, capturing a man’s heart should be effortless. That Third Young Master Qi who wanted her as a concubine must be so fortunate… Qi couldn’t even tell whether Luo Lingyu was sincere or not.
He suddenly felt irritated.
Luo Lingyu sat properly, her clear gaze fixed on Lu Sanlang as he drank his tea. Not understanding why his expression, initially somewhat warm, grew colder as he continued drinking. Worried that perhaps she hadn’t brewed the tea well, she couldn’t wait any longer… Luo Lingyu leaned forward and spoke: “Brother Xuchen, I am a woman who despises poverty and loves wealth…”
“Pfft—!” Lu Sanlang was in the middle of savoring the tea when he heard the young lady’s exceptionally sincere statement. He spat out his mouthful of tea and couldn’t stop coughing.
Lu Sanlang was completely disheveled—after spitting out the tea, his hands, sleeves, and even his robe were stained with brownish liquid, trailing down. He coughed severely, his jade-like face flushing red as he covered his mouth with his sleeve, his shoulders shaking. With a bang, the teacup in his hand went flying, splattering on the carpet, tea leaves and water soaking the ground.
Luo Lingyu was dumbfounded: “…”
Was that necessary?
Did he need to be that surprised?
Luo Lingyu quickly went to support him, seeing him both coughing and laughing, his affectionate eyes glazed with moisture, bright as fallen stars. Lu Sanlang had never met a woman who would describe herself as “despising poverty and loving wealth.” He was incredibly amused, turning to look at Luo Lingyu, who was red-faced and very unhappy as she patted his back.
Lu Yun held back his laughter: “My… my… my apologies… This is the first time I’ve seen someone so honest about themselves…”
Luo Lingyu was annoyed: “Weren’t you the one who wanted me to show my true self? And now you’re laughing like this!”
“Cousin was wrong,” Lu Yun seemed to be in an extremely good mood, looking up at her with such tender feelings in his eyes that it made Luo Lingyu, standing close to him, somewhat uncomfortable. He gripped her hand through their sleeves for a moment, “Continue speaking, cousin promises not to laugh anymore.”
Luo Lingyu gave him a reproachful look, then looked down at his smiling face that seemed as warm as spring, her heart pounding. Unconsciously, she couldn’t help but smile along with him.
The cold atmosphere in the chamber softened considerably as the two, one standing and one sitting, looked at each other and smiled. Outside, rain began to fall steadily. The maids rolled up the curtains, and when Jin Yue and the others glanced back inadvertently, they saw the two in the room looking like a perfect match of talent and beauty, their gazes toward each other filled with subtle affection as they smiled. Jin Yue’s heart skipped: her young master was nineteen… and had never teased a young lady like this before.
In the room, Luo Lingyu sat back down and continued analyzing herself to Lu Yun: “…So, Brother Xuchen, I won’t say anything else to you. No matter how nicely I speak, you won’t believe me in your heart. Ah, you’ve already decided I’m a bad woman…” Catching Lu Yun’s glance, Luo Lingyu coughed and quickly withdrew the melancholic expression from her face, “Anyway, just tell me your conditions for helping me change the score.”
This time she was truly sincere and direct. Lu Yun first asked: “Do you know what score I gave you now?”
Luo Lingyu: “…Someone saw that you gave me a ‘C.'”
Lu Yun made a sound of acknowledgment and stood up. Luo Lingyu anxiously waited as she watched his robe sleeves fall, and he unhurriedly went to the inner chamber. Luo Lingyu waited impatiently, and after a while, saw Lu Yun return with a booklet. He casually tossed it to her; Luo Lingyu caught it nervously and opened it, immediately recognizing it as a “Flower Goddess Scoring Book.” The handwriting was flowing and elegant, as graceful as a dragon soaring through the wilderness—it must be Lu Yun’s writing. Luo Lingyu glanced hopefully at Lu Yun: Could she look at something like this?
Lu Sanlang sat down, propping his head on his hand, looking at her with an indifferent smile.
Luo Lingyu opened the booklet with reverence, and indeed, these were this year’s Flower Goddess scores. Lu Yun had watched every performance over the five days, scoring each one. Overall, Lu Sanlang’s scoring was generally low. “C” was his normal evaluation, meaning most people were merely average in his eyes; those who received an “A” were only two or three in total.
The scoring was divided into A, B, and C, with each grade further divided into “upper, middle, and lower.”
Luo Lingyu looked at “Chen Xiu”—even Chen Xiu only received a “C.” So even previous Flower Goddesses were just average in his eyes. But after Luo Lingyu’s entry, the C had been crossed out and replaced with a “B.” Luo Lingyu was immediately delighted: “Did you initially not think much of my dance, but later found it good?”
Lu Yun’s voice was clear as jade, carrying a hint of indifference: “No. That dance of yours, while novel to watch, was rather ordinary in technique, truly just average in my mind. However…” He paused—Luo Lingyu’s figure was indeed, very… However, he felt displeased again, not liking that her good figure was seen by all the young men together. After considering for a moment, Lu Yun directly skipped this part, “…it wasn’t until the bell sounds joined in that I saw I had underestimated you. Your bell music combined court music with pure entertainment music, magnificent yet light and clean, sorrowful but not harmful, joyous but not excessive, with an uplifting tone. I saw your broad-mindedness…”
Lu Yun looked at her: so broad-minded that he doubted whether this was his cousin Luo.
Luo Lingyu’s face froze. The bells… her hand tightened on the booklet. The bells were still with her, and she was thinking of finding time to return them to Young Master Zhou. She hadn’t modified the bells—it was Young Master Zhou who had helped her harmonize them in just half a day. Young Master Zhou had done it out of kindness… but Lu Yun thought the best part of her dance music was those bells…
Luo Lingyu: “Anyway, you’re willing to help me change it? What are your conditions for changing it to ‘A-Upper’?”
Lu Yun smiled: “The conditions are indecent, I’m afraid you won’t agree.”
Luo Lingyu: “…”
This was the first time she’d seen someone describe their conditions as indecent.
Luo Lingyu’s heart trembled, and she quietly shifted backward, her face troubled as she asked: “Do you want to… sleep with me?”
She stared at Lu Yun—Lu Sanlang was so handsome and refined, sitting casually and carelessly, like a jade mountain in moonlight. Even as he spoke of “indecency,” his face still carried a smile, somehow not at all off-putting. In this era, private relations between men and women were quite open, with little emphasis on maintaining one’s reputation. As Lu Yun just looked at her, Luo Lingyu blushed, thinking to herself: this condition wasn’t impossible, after all, Xu Chen was so handsome… but wouldn’t the sacrifice be a bit too great?
Lu Yun looked at her shy manner, stunned: “…”
Lu Yun smiled: “That’s not it.”
Luo Lingyu: “…Oh.”
Lu Yun spoke gravely: “I have three conditions.”
“First, I want you to dress as you did that day and dance again, alone, just the two of us. If you’re willing to dance for me like that, I’ll give you an ‘A-Lower.'”
“The second requirement… I haven’t decided yet. After you agree to dance, or after you finish dancing, we can discuss it.”
Luo Lingyu frowned in confusion: “Actually, about the dancing… you know I’m not good at it. But if you want to watch it, I don’t mind. However, Brother Xuchen, how is this condition indecent?”
Lu Yun coughed once and turned away, saying nothing—he gazed at the drizzling rain outside the window, thinking of the young lady’s chest he had seen that day.
It had been the “Screen Dance,” all movements veiled behind white silk, teasing with suggestion. The other young men thought it was Lian Qiniang, and after the competition, they all went to Chengyu House looking for her. But Lu Yun knew that such a fine figure belonged to Luo Lingyu… He covered his face with his sleeve, refusing to answer her.
He had thought about it day and night, and finally couldn’t resist…
…
The rain fell in a steady drizzle. Having just returned to the Lu residence only to encounter rain, Second Young Master Lu Xian ran soaking wet to take shelter under a tree in the pavilion. Being kindhearted, Lu Xian wouldn’t let his recently recovered servant brave the rain to fetch him an umbrella while he stayed dry. Thus master and servant were trapped in the rain, feeling melancholic for quite a while as they gazed absent-mindedly at the emerald-green lake splashing with raindrops below the pavilion.
The evening sky hadn’t completely darkened yet. As Second Young Master watched the lake water, he suddenly saw a little turnip head bouncing around by the lakeside, humming a gentle tune. The young lady held one umbrella while carrying another in her arms. Yet she wouldn’t hold it properly, letting it slip from her shoulder now and then. She tilted her head back to catch the rain with her hands, her snow-white face and dark eyes bright as she watched the raindrops fall into her eyes…
Second Young Master laughed: “Huan’er, what are you doing? Playing outside in the heavy rain, aren’t you afraid your sister will scold you?”
Luo Yunhuan was secretly throwing away her umbrella to play in the rain, happily lifting her skirts to splash in the water. As she walked and played along the lake’s edge, she was startled by the smiling greeting from above. Frightened, young lady Yunhuan looked up and saw the Second Young Master leaning over to look at her from the pavilion. Luo Yunhuan hesitated for a moment, then sweetly called out “Second Cousin,” and pattered up the stairs, running toward the pavilion behind the double-sided corridor.
Though small, she ran quickly, her footsteps splashing in the rain. Lu Xian watched her climb the stairs, worried she might fall, but in the blink of an eye, she had reached the pavilion. The little lady blinked: “Second Cousin!”
Looking at her, Lu Xian thought of Luo Lingyu. He smiled at her: “You run quite fast, but you must be careful not to fall, understand? Who would have thought that while your sister pants after three steps, you can run so well.”
Luo Yunhuan giggled: “Because my sister always makes me study, so I often sneak out to play. She doesn’t like moving herself, but she doesn’t scold me for running and jumping around, so I think she likes me being active.”
Lu Xian was surprised, noticing that Luo Lingyu’s approach to educating her sister seemed completely different from how she conducted herself. Luo Lingyu was a young lady with her ideas, Lu Xian noticed, though he didn’t dwell on it. He asked: “What are you doing outside in this heavy rain?”
Luo Yunhuan pouted and showed Second Cousin the umbrella in her arms: “It’s raining, so I’m bringing sister an umbrella.” Knowing Lu Xian would ask more, she simply told the whole story, “Sister went to play with Third Cousin.”
Lu Xian: “…”
He unconsciously frowned—why was it Third Brother again?
Not wanting to show his emotions in front of a child, Lu Xian said: “Surely Third Brother wouldn’t begrudge your sister an umbrella?”
Luo Yunhuan mumbled something and lowered her head. Though young, she was worried that if her sister didn’t negotiate well, her Third Cousin might drive her out without even letting her have an umbrella. Luo Yunhuan could see clearly that Third Cousin was somewhat prejudiced against her sister… When she looked up again, the little lady’s dewdrop-like eyes stared at Lu Xian, and after studying Second Cousin for a while, she generously offered the umbrella in her arms: “Second Cousin, are you trapped here by the rain? Take this umbrella. When I find sister, we can share one umbrella on the way back.”
Lu Xian’s eyes softened as he patted her little head: “Huan’er is so thoughtful. But Second Cousin won’t take advantage of a child. Give this umbrella to my servant so he can go fetch another. I’ll take you, and we can share one umbrella. Second Cousin will escort you to the ‘Clear Courtyard’ to meet your sister, alright? I happen to have business with Third Cousin.”
Luo Yunhuan thought for a moment: “Okay… but Second Cousin, are you going to see Third Cousin for business, not just to look after me? I don’t want adults taking care of me.”
Lu Xian patted her little head again, sighing inwardly. Both were eight or nine years old, but Luo Lingyu’s sister was much more clever than his youngest brother, Lu Chang. Little Chang still felt shy around him, nothing like little Huan’er’s natural confidence… Living under others’ roofs while caring for her sister, Cousin Luo indeed had it hard.
And so, parting ways with the servant, Lu Xian held Luo Yunhuan’s hand as they shared an umbrella, one tall and one small, heading to the “Clear Courtyard” to find people. The fine rain fell like ox hair weaving between heaven and earth, misty water everywhere, clouds and smoke intertwining. Along the way, Lu Xian tried to tilt the umbrella toward the little lady who barely reached his waist. Luo Yunhuan was carefree, bouncing along and happily looking up to chat with him.
She was perfectly innocent and adorable.
Arriving at the “Clear Courtyard” and entering the gate, everything was quiet. After the rain, the courtyard’s maids and servants naturally weren’t foolish enough to stand in the open getting wet. With the two masters talking peacefully inside, the maids and servants had gone to other rooms to chat and avoid the rain, even finding a game of tanqi to play. They occasionally glanced outside, waiting to see if the Third Young Master and Young Lady needed them. It was while the maids and servants were enjoying their game that the Second Young Master arrived at the “Clear Courtyard” with his little cousin.
To avoid the rain, Lu Xian held Luo Yunhuan’s hand, leading her under the tree shade. Stepping on wet fallen flowers and leaves, Luo Yunhuan suddenly heard the creaking of an opening door. She looked up, and through the thick, dark tree shade, saw a lady’s graceful figure emerge from the brightly lit room. That was unmistakably her sister.
Luo Lingyu walked out while turning to speak with Lu Yun who followed behind. With the heavy rain outside, she wasn’t in a hurry to leave, instead listening to Lu Yun say a few words in her ear. Lu Yun went back inside, and Luo Lingyu waited. After a while, Lu Xian and Luo Yunhuan under the trees saw the Third Young Master come out again carrying something.
The elegant young man gestured for the lady to lower her head as he put his bamboo hat and rain cape on her. In the dim yellow lamplight from the room, Lu Yun bent down to examine her beautiful face under the bamboo hat. The rain cape and hat were a full circle larger than her entire person, and he said softly: “There, now you won’t get wet in the rain.”
Luo Lingyu was very annoyed and glared at him: “It’s so big that I won’t get wet, but I’ll be completely buried in it. Take it back, I don’t want your things.”
After the rain, the ground outside was wet, and as the lady stepped, her foot slipped, crying out as she began to fall. Just as she was about to slip, Lu Yun, standing right in front of her, reached out and caught her by the waist, and she fell right into Third Young Master’s arms.
Third Young Master lowered his eyes, his gaze tender and dark.
Luo Lingyu looked up, her eyelashes trembling slightly, her face flushed red.
She scolded him once, pushed him away, and stood up properly from his embrace.
Further away, Luo Yunhuan couldn’t hold back anymore and darted out from under the trees: “Sister—!”
She ran to her sister’s and Third Young Master’s side, and both crouched down to look at her. The little lady spoke with a bright smile, while the Third Young Master and Luo Lingyu listened with smiles on their faces. The three of them together were extraordinarily harmonious. After exchanging a few words, Luo Yunhuan pointed outward: “…came with Second Cousin… eh, where did Second Cousin go?”
Lu Yun rested his hand on the little lady’s shoulder, looking toward the now-empty space under the trees where she was pointing, his eyes dark and thoughtful.
But Lu Xian had already left dejectedly on his own, no longer caring about umbrellas. He walked in the rain, his mind exploding. His head was filled with what he had just seen—Third Young Master, his brother, looking at Luo Lingyu with that kind of gaze. It was not the way a brother looks at a sister, but the way a man looks at a woman.
The two of them stood beneath the shelter, their robes touching each other. As Lu Xian looked, one lowering his head and one raising hers, it was like an embrace, like a passionate gaze.
Even earlier, Lu Xian had seen such a scene once before, that time at Zhong Mountain during archery practice, when Lu Yun and Luo Lingyu were like this too. Sweet and intimate, feelings hidden, blooming in dark and quiet places, silent and unnoticed, just like that, constantly growing and growing…
Lu Xian’s face was ashen, not just because of this, but because this scene seemed familiar. In his dreams, there had been such a moment. In the dream, Luo Lingyu had returned from elsewhere with the Prince of Hengyang, just after the “Flower Goddess Selection” had ended, which she had missed and felt somewhat regretful about. In the dream, Cousin Luo remembered she had left something behind and came to the Lu residence to retrieve it. At that time, Lu Xian had caused Cousin Luo to leave the Lu family for his reasons, and feeling guilty, he went to actively help his cousin.
It was a rainy night just like this in the dream, with the same tree shade. He caught a fleeting glimpse of Lu Yun and Luo Lingyu talking outside the room.
Almost embracing but not quite, one head lowered, one raised. As their gazes met, Lu Yun had initially worn a stern expression, but after a few words from Luo Lingyu, he was smiling.
In the dream, Lu Xian had only glanced briefly, not thinking much of it. He had walked out to call Luo Lingyu, and when she turned to look at him, her expression was already normal, and Lu Yun hadn’t said anything more.
Such a scene had passed by so quickly in that long dream, but now seeing a similar scene before his eyes, Lu Xian trembled inside: Could it be… could it be… Third Brother and Cousin Luo… in that world of his dreams, were they… in love?
If that was the case… she later married the Prince of Hengyang… The third Brother left Jianye for the frontier…
Like a thunderbolt from a clear sky!
That night, Lu Xian fell seriously ill and dreamed again.