As spring arrived, the weather fluctuated between cold and warm, and it seemed more people around were falling ill.

Luo Lingyu had initially planned to visit Zhou Yangling to return the chime bells, using this opportunity and the matter of the Flower God Selection to get closer to “Zhou Lang” whom she admired. However, Zhou Lang was ill and couldn’t receive her. Shortly after, Luo Lingyu learned that Lu Er Lang was also sick. Living in the Lu family, Luo Lingyu had always been a considerate cousin. As soon as she heard about Lu Er Lang’s illness, she went to visit him immediately, taking the initiative to prepare soup, wanting her sick second cousin to see her thoughtfulness.

The Lu family’s principal madam, Zhang Minglan, Lu Er Lang’s mother, didn’t particularly like this graceful young lady who seemed to endlessly attend banquets and go on outings. However, Luo Lingyu’s attentiveness while caring for Er Lang did satisfy the madam. Lady Lu’s only worry was the possibility of her son marrying this excessively beautiful cousin… Her son was acting too strangely lately, and if Luo Lingyu could get him to speak a few more words, Lady Lu would be extremely grateful to this young cousin.

“Second Cousin, the physician said you need rest. Your cold has improved, and after taking a few more doses of medicine, you’ll be able to get up. But I think Second Cousin should exercise more regularly,” Luo Lingyu spoke softly like a spring breeze, sitting on the couch by the bed, furrowing her brows with concern, “Since I came to the Lu family, I’ve seen you fall ill twice already. Look at Third Cousin, he hasn’t had any problems at all.”

Lu Xian, who had been silent all along, twitched his prominent brow bone upon hearing Luo Lingyu mention Lu Yun. He raised his dark pupils and spoke hoarsely: “Are you and Third Brother… very close? You know everything about him?”

In that world of his dreams, hadn’t his cousin Luo and his third brother had quite a few private interactions?

Luo Lingyu’s eyes flickered, and she said dismissively: “Not at all close. Both cousins are the same in my eyes.”

Lu Xian fell silent again. In his dreams, Luo Lingyu had said the same thing—she had never acknowledged anything between her and Lu San Lang.

Lu San Lang hadn’t acknowledged anything either.

Lu Xian’s heart ached violently, and his fist clenched beneath the covers. The veins on his forehead trembled, and his face grew even paler: it was precisely because these two had never acknowledged their private relationship that so many misunderstandings had occurred. Regardless of whether his dreams were true or false, some matters were truly urgent now. No matter what would happen in the future, he needed to take active steps…

Luo Lingyu observed his expression, her beautiful eyes flickering again. She was a young lady who liked to read people’s faces, always watching others’ expressions closely. She could see that Lu Xian was concealing something, heavily worried. Luo Lingyu tilted her head, wanting to probe him a little. But just as she leaned forward to speak, she heard footsteps outside the window curtain.

Lingxi paced anxiously outside the room, her voice urgent: “Young Lady, Young Lady! This servant has something to tell you!”

Luo Lingyu’s heart beat rapidly: she had sent Lingxi to look after Huan’er. Though her sister was somewhat playful, she spent all day in “Snow Tracing Court,” so nothing serious could have happened. Besides caring for the young miss, Lingxi had another task recently—helping her find buyers willing to purchase the glass bracelet. There had been no news for a long time, and Lingxi’s hurried arrival now… had someone finally offered to buy her a glass bracelet?

Luo Lingyu’s heart rejoiced, and she unconsciously rose to go ask her maid. She had been dragged into the “Flower God Selection” whirlpool, spending money faster than usual, yet still unable to figure out the connections among Jianye’s notable figures. If she could sell the glass bracelet, her pressure would ease somewhat… As Luo Lingyu stood up, she heard Lu Xian’s maid announce from outside: “Young Master, the Prince of Hengyang has come to see you.”

Lu Xian gripped the corner of his blanket tightly, his pupils contracting: “…!”

Why had the Prince of Hengyang come?!

He nervously looked at Luo Lingyu, and unlike his usual attempts to match them together, his mind was now in chaos, somewhat afraid that the entanglement between the Prince of Hengyang and Luo Lingyu in his dreams would happen in reality. He looked at Luo Lingyu, about to find an excuse, when he first heard Luo Lingyu say: “Second Cousin, you have a guest, I won’t disturb you.”

Lu Xian: …his cousin was always so considerate.

As she spoke, Luo Lingyu turned to leave the room, eager to meet with her maid Lingxi, and ask about the glass bracelet matter. As she left, the curtain was lifted, and a young man with a cold countenance and sharp features entered with a gloomy face. Liu Mu and Luo Lingyu met face to face, and before he could fully suppress the fierce look in his eyes, he saw her coming towards him, graceful and radiant as she smiled at him—he was stunned for a moment and nodded slightly to Luo Lingyu.

Liu Mu had been unwilling to visit Lu Er Lang, but when the Emperor at court heard that Lu Er Lang was ill, he sent the Prince of Hengyang, who seemed to have grown closer to Lu Er Lang recently, to visit. The Lu family was powerful, and even the royal family needed to rely on them. Liu Mu was annoyed by this, full of rage: Are you blind? Which of your eyes saw that Lu Er Lang and I had gotten close? It was him constantly pestering me, insisting on promoting his cousin to me!

However, his cousin… indeed… well…

Liu Mu met Luo Lingyu’s eyes, and he suddenly remembered the talent she had displayed that night. Clever and talented… the young Prince of Hengyang’s interested gaze swept toward that lady, and just as he was about to strike up a conversation, Luo Lingyu took her leave, brushing past him.

Liu Mu’s words caught in his throat: “Uh…”

He turned back, saw Lu Xian’s strange, nervous, and vigilant look on the sickbed, and Liu Mu: “…”

He raged: “I specially came to visit you while you’re ill, what’s with that look? You blame me for meddling?”

Lu Xian’s feelings were complex, as the image of that cornered monarch from his dreams overlapped with the arrogant, fierce young man before him, and he sighed. Lu Er Lang: “Your Highness coming to visit, I am truly honored, how could I deserve this.”

The Prince of Hengyang’s expression finally improved somewhat, and he sat down with a sweep of his sleeves. He had been impatient about this visit from the start, and now with a casual glance, seeing that Lu Xian’s illness didn’t seem too serious, he became even more casual. Liu Mu suppressed his dislike for the noble families and exchanged a few words with Lu Er Lang, inadvertently touching on recent major events in Jianye. Liu Mu’s lips curled with some playfulness: “I’ve been away from Jianye for many years, and didn’t know the ‘Flower God’ is now so valued by the ladies of Jianye. These past few days, Liu Tang, Chen Xiu, Wang Ling… all sorts of ladies have been trying to find connections to me, asking me to give them scores.”

“You’re quite at leisure. Now that you’re sick, no ladies come to find you anymore.”

“I see many ladies trying to establish connections, all wanting to talk with the notable figures. How about it, has your Lu family been very lively these days too? Have ladies all come running to find Lu San Lang? I promised that little girl Liu Tang I’d help her speak with Grand Scholar Jiang, and let her get acquainted with him. All the ladies are working their connections, how come I don’t see your cousin making any moves? Does she think one Lu San Lang is enough, and there’s no need to meet other notable figures?”

“Anyway, I’m going to take little Liu Tang to meet Grand Scholar Jiang, if your cousin has nothing to do, she could come along…”

Liu Mu spoke very casually. He had indeed been impressed by the “Journey to the Moon” dance Luo Lingyu had composed that night, had indeed developed an interest, and was indeed willing to help Luo Lingyu…

Unexpectedly, Lu Xian, who had been praising cousin Luo to him just days ago, now had an extremely strong reaction. Before Liu Mu could finish expressing his intention, Lu Xian sat up abruptly from his sickbed and grabbed the Prince of Hengyang’s hand. His eyes nearly popping out of their sockets, bloodshot and intense: “No!”

“Don’t go with her!”

Liu Mu was startled stiff, his body leaning back: “…”

Then he darkened his face and said: “…if you don’t want to go then don’t, you’re making it sound like I’m forcing you all to do something.”

Hearing that Liu Mu didn’t care much about this matter at the moment, Lu Xian breathed a sigh of relief, lay back down, and continued to stare at Liu Mu while pondering his concerns.

Liu Mu felt unsettled by that direct stare, thinking: He’s sick.

The entire Lu family is sick.

…

The moon rose above the willow tips, people met after dusk.

When Lu Yun returned to his quarters in the evening, maid Jinyue handed him a flower note from the young cousin. It was still made by her hand, the note an apricot red, with ink seemingly diffused on the paper, forming patterns like clouds and sunset glow. This note was clear and pure, and with the elegant small characters on the paper, it was extremely refined to look at.

Jinyue sighed again: “Young Lady is truly remarkable. Such beautiful flower notes are rare even in Jianye.”

Lu Yun’s lips held a smile as he put away the flower note, already well aware of Luo Lingyu’s invitation. Without saying much to Jinyue, after dinner, when Jinyue and the other maids saw their master go to the study, they pushed open the door and went out to busy themselves with their affairs. They didn’t know that Lu San Lang had only briefly visited the study, and when night fell and voices grew faint, Lu San Lang had already climbed over the wall, swiftly leaving “Clear Court” and heading towards “Snow Tracing Court.”

Similarly climbing over the wall into the courtyard, standing behind the magnolia tree in the yard, seeing that all the rooms had extinguished their lights, Lu Yun’s lips curved upward: not a single servant in sight, a cousin was truly well-prepared.

Lu Yun rarely visited “Snow Tracing Court.” He didn’t walk far, standing beneath the wall as he placed his finger under his lips and let out a clear whistle. The whistle wasn’t loud, just one sound, yet it carried clearly. Lu Yun waited barely a breath before raising his eyebrow as he saw, through the flower shadows, the main house door quietly pushed open, and a young lady in close-fitting long-sleeved dance attire tiptoed out, deep in thought. After she looked around the courtyard, Lu Yun emerged from behind the flowering tree.

He looked her up and down, clicking his tongue: “It’s just dancing, yet you’re sneaking around as if we’re having an affair.”

Luo Lingyu glared at him.

She still nervously looked around, and seeing his unconcerned attitude, whispered: “What noble lady dances for others like a dancing girl? If someone saw me, I couldn’t show my face again. Dancing alone, how embarrassing…” Her words trailed off as she saw Lu Yun’s face darken, and she hurriedly said in a sweet voice, “…but you’re different, Snow Chen Brother. Dancing for you is not the same as dancing for others.”

Luo Lingyu lifted her eyelids, smiling at him while stepping forward to hook her hand on his sleeve.

Her smile was full of spring charm, her phoenix eyes rippling with emotion, and as she tugged at his sleeve repeatedly, Lu Yun’s expression softened. Lu Yun embraced her shoulders, leading her forward, teasing: “Little Sister Yu’er, you’re so mischievous.”

Behind his back, Luo Lingyu rolled her eyes—

Lingxi had already told her that a previously unknown glass workshop was willing to buy her bracelet. She only needed to keep Lu Yun happy now, and once she secured the “Flower God” position and her finances improved, she wouldn’t have to be threatened by Lu Yun anymore.

…

Having agreed with Lu Yun that her score might be in his hands, although Luo Lingyu remained embarrassed about this cousin and didn’t want to show her true face to him repeatedly, she still gave it her all, displaying her greatest enthusiasm in dancing for him.

Under the moonlight, the courtyard was empty, the young master sitting silently and casually on the corridor railings, watching through the shrubbery as the young lady in the courtyard twisted her waist in dance, her clothes clinging to her waist.

His eyes were quiet and dark, bottomless. He sat behind the shrubbery, making no sound, just staring at her. Though Luo Lingyu had her back to him, she could almost feel his burning gaze on her lower back. That gaze seemed to pierce through her, and every time she looked back, she met his eyes. Luo Lingyu bit her lip, closed her eyes pretending not to see him, and concentrated on remembering how to perform the dance she had choreographed.

Her hands bloomed like orchids, her waist flowed like duckweed.

Her sleeves rose like flying snow, her glance back deep with emotion.

It wasn’t the same as the “Journey to the Moon” from that day. That day, Luo Lingyu had worn a celestial maiden’s hairstyle, but today, perhaps without the help of maids, she couldn’t manage such a complex hairstyle. Today’s appearance was much simpler, much clearer. Wearing a ramie snow-white dress, her long hair was only fastened with a jade hairpin, strands of hair swaying by her cheeks. She closed her eyes as she spun, her waist moving gradually, her quiet and elegant appearance like a pure water magnolia, especially enchanting.

Luo Lingyu’s dance technique was ordinary, but her form and charm made up for it.

Her waist moved gracefully like a water snake; her jade-like bosom was full like snow on mountains. Every raise of her eyebrow, every glance, every lift of her hand, every turn… Lu Yun watched her quietly, his gaze sometimes shifting away, but only for a moment before returning to her. Then moving away again, returning…

As Luo Lingyu danced, she heard complete silence around her, as if she couldn’t sense Lu San Lang’s presence at all. This made her relax, and she immersed herself completely in the dance. Suddenly, in the quietness, she heard the gentle, clear sound of music rise, cool and fragrant, from behind her.

Luo Lingyu opened her eyes and turned her head, wet hair clinging to her face, to see the handsome young master sitting among deep flowers by the corridor pillar, eyes lowered as he played the xun. The xun’s sound was low and gentle, accompanying her dance, and supporting her spirit. When she looked over in surprise, she saw the young man’s eyebrows slightly raised, his beautiful features seeming to say: Continue dancing.

He played the Xun as accompaniment.

Luo Lingyu’s heart rippled, and she smiled slightly at him. When he played the xun, that difficult, annoying Lu San Lang in her mind retreated, and the elegant, graceful Lu San Lang emerged. His eyes watched her, his eyelashes long, his pupils deep, and in that moment, Luo Lingyu completely understood why the ladies of Jianye liked him.

In his youth, Lu San Lang, like her, had been multi-talented. The ladies’ fondness for him must have started then…

Luo Lingyu closed her eyes and, accompanied by his xun music, stood once again in the moonlight, raising her sleeves to dance.

Flower petals fell rustling from the branches, spinning in the wind, lingering in the quiet moonlight. The surroundings were peaceful, with only the ancient and vast sound of the Xun and the sight of the beautiful woman dancing under the moon. A subtle, ethereal atmosphere floated around them, like seaweed growing silently underwater, surrounding them. One sat in the corridor, one turned in the courtyard, both their clothes and hair sprinkled with flower petals.

The garden was full of magnolias, the hall rich with nobility.

The xun’s sound gradually fell, and the lady’s dance came to an end.

As she stopped, Luo Lingyu panted, her bosom rising with her rapid breathing. She wasn’t used to movement, and just this one dance left her covered in fragrant sweat, the hair clinging to her cheeks completely damp. Luo Lingyu felt relieved, having fulfilled Lu Yun’s request, now only waiting for Lu Yun to fulfill his promise. With a satisfied smile rising in her eyes, Luo Lingyu turned but didn’t expect Lu Yun to be standing right behind her. Suddenly seeing the young master’s handsome face so close to hers, Luo Lingyu startled, clutching her chest as she stepped back.

Luo Lingyu complained: “What are you doing… you didn’t say anything, you scared me to death.”

Lu Yun’s deep gaze watched her, making her gradually uneasy.

He walked toward her, and for some unknown reason, pressured by Lu Yun’s aura like that of a nocturnal king, Luo Lingyu timidly stepped backward. He approached step by step with an expressionless face, and Luo Lingyu anxiously retreated. As she retreated further with nowhere to go, Luo Lingyu’s foot caught on the steps behind her. As she cried out about to fall, Lu San Lang, who had been forcing her to retreat, raised his arm and supported her waist.

His eyes lowered slightly, fixed on her chest.

Luo Lingyu stepped onto the stairs, and he suddenly pushed her against the corridor pillar behind her. As the back of her head hit the pillar, Lu Yun’s hand pressed against the pillar, enclosing her beneath him. The situation seemed somewhat inappropriate, and Luo Lingyu pushed against him, slightly annoyed as she carefully probed: “Snow Chen Brother, are you satisfied with my dance?”

Lu San Lang lowered his eyes, his slightly raised eye corners naturally showing the charm. His voice was cool and low: “Satisfied. I’ll give you ‘Grade Lower A.'”

Luo Lingyu smiled.

Standing on the steps, she was finally at eye level with him. She watched as his thick, long eyelashes lifted slightly, his black eyes staring at her. Lu Yun said softly: “I’ll give you a second request.”

Luo Lingyu raised her chin confidently: “Please speak.”

“Now, if you let me kiss you, I’ll not only give you ‘Grade Upper A,’ but I’ll personally take you to meet the other four notable figures, and help you build connections. I’ll count to three, you consider it.”

Luo Lingyu’s eyes widened: “…!”

Trapped in his embrace, pressed against the corridor pillar, her mind suddenly fell into chaos as she began calculating. Her mind messily calculated whether it was worth it, calculated how it had just been “Grade Lower A,” how had the second condition jumped straight past “Grade Middle A” to become “Grade Upper A.” If this was the second condition, what would his third condition be? He wanted to make this kind of exchange with her…

Luo Lingyu’s mind was quite chaotic as she watched Lu San Lang’s curved lips. His breath barely touched hers, his eyelashes lowering again, his beautifully shaped lips moving, giving her no time to think. Lu Yun said softly: “Three, two, one… should I kiss you…”

Luo Lingyu had no time to think, and as he was about to turn away, she threw her arms around his neck, allowing his lips to press against hers.

Flowers fell abundantly from the trees, drifting toward the young man and woman embracing and kissing at the head of the corridor.

Behind the half-moon door leading outside the courtyard, Lu Er Lang Lu Xian watched them in shock: “…”