Sitting in the cool pavilion, her heart was filled with icy despair!

Luo Lingyu could never have imagined Lu Yun would treat her this way—he had flirted with her, and teased her repeatedly, stirring waves in her heart and giving her hope. Yet in the end, he only saw her as a concubine for his amusement.

Although she was a daughter of the scholar-official class, and her family background wasn’t as prestigious as his, she didn’t deserve such humiliation! True, she had come to Jianye pursuing dreams of marrying into nobility. She knew her family status was inferior, which was why she had used every means at her disposal to try to win the young lord’s favor. Breaking through his defenses seemed easier than facing scrutiny from the elders.

She had considered herself a precious jade hairpin waiting for the right price… It was fine if he looked down on her—many others did too. But she couldn’t accept Third Young Master Lu seeing her as mere concubine material!

That day when he kissed her so passionately when she endured him pinching her face… was it all fake?

Visibly, Luo Lingyu’s eyes quickly reddened. When Second Young Master Lu Xian paused in bewilderment at her question, he saw this cousin seemingly unable to wait for his answer as she turned and fled. The young lady usually walked very slowly, but today as she moved along the corridor, Lu Xian only saw sunlight and shadows repeatedly overlapping on her graceful retreating figure. Lu Xian called out “Cousin, wait!” several times, but saw that while Luo Lingyu had only been walking quickly at first, later when she thought he might try to stop her, she broke into a run.

Along the way, she asked any maidservants she encountered where Third Young Master Lu was.

In Prince Hengyang’s eyes, Second Young Master Lu was a peculiar person with a mental condition. Earlier when he was worried about him looking at his cousin, Second Young Master Lu had insisted on watching him paint landscapes. After Second Young Master Lu left hurriedly, Liu Mu directly threw down his brush, thinking to cross over and take a look. Liu Mu didn’t necessarily need to speak with Luo Lingyu, but whenever he looked at her, his heart would occasionally flutter, always feeling he shouldn’t miss his chance with her. He didn’t understand Luo Lingyu well, but in their few interactions, he had seen her cleverness, her vivacity, and her quick wit… Wouldn’t any normal young man want to talk more with such a young lady?

Liu Mu had just crossed over when he saw a young lady running towards him. She ran quickly, her pomegranate red skirts lifted by the wind, the brilliant crystalline ornament on her forehead reflecting her clear water-like eyes. Now those clear water-like eyes contained a pool of tears, reflecting the sunlight as trails of moisture ran down her cheeks.

Liu Mu was suddenly startled: “Miss Luo…”

Luo Lingyu, red-eyed, urgently asked him: “Have you seen my Third Cousin?”

Liu Mu: “…”

His heart was slightly heavy, Liu Mu didn’t want to speak, but made uncomfortable by her gaze, he told the truth: “He went to the back quarters to change clothes…”

Luo Lingyu thanked him and left.

Liu Mu reached out his hand, seeming to want to stop her. But his hand merely brushed past her elegant sleeve, watching as the young lady’s beautiful silk sleeves flowed past his fingers like water. Liu Mu turned hurriedly, watching as Luo Lingyu lifted her skirts to step on the creek stones, already wading across. Liu Mu heard rapid footsteps and repeated calls of “Cousin” from behind, and when he turned back, he saw Second Young Master Lu Xian running out of the corridor, panting heavily.

Their eyes met.

Liu Mu’s face instantly darkened: Why this troublemaker again?

He turned to leave, but Second Young Master Lu saw which direction he was heading and feared he would go find Luo Lingyu. Second Young Master Lu was alert: the misunderstanding between Cousin Luo and Third Brother was just that—a misunderstanding, but if Liu Mu got involved, even false misunderstandings could become real. Second Young Master Lu was extremely wary of this Prince Hengyang, completely unwilling to let Liu Mu and his cousin develop any relationship that might end with both of them hurt and upset.

Second Young Master Lu shouted: “Prince Hengyang!”

“Young Master!”

“Liu Mu!”

Liu Mu, who had turned to leave, was startled by the shout from behind and nearly fell into the creek. The surrounding young men and ladies all looked over, whispering about whether he had quarreled with Second Young Master Lu. The Prince of Hengyang, burning with rage, burst out coarsely: “…What the hell are you yelling for!”

The already hot-tempered young man was now ready to eat Second Young Master Lu alive—this was why he despised the noble families! The noble young masters would shout at even someone of royal blood like himself, completely unafraid of his anger. With the noble families controlling all of the South’s politics, how could anything good come of this in the long run?

While the Prince of Hengyang was being held up by Second Young Master Lu, Third Young Master Qi An found the person Second Young Master Lu had asked him to find. But having found them, Qi An discovered Second Young Master Lu had run off somewhere. As Qi An was searching for Second Young Master Lu in the crowd, he saw the young lady running with lifted skirts along the partially open corridor. The young lady’s figure appeared and disappeared among the flowers and trees, noticed by many young men along the shore… Third Young Master Qi exclaimed joyfully: “Sister Luo!”

He didn’t know if his Sister Luo had heard him, as the young lady turned the corner of the corridor and disappeared. After a moment’s surprise, Qi An hurriedly gave chase. Earlier he had indeed asked Second Young Master Lu to help ask Sister Luo’s intentions, as he was particularly shy about speaking with her directly. But now with Sister Luo right before his eyes… he couldn’t help but chase after her.

Some of the young men and women painting in the courtyard looked with surprise at their game of “cat and mouse,” while others hadn’t noticed at all. Only when several scholars raised their heads while painting did they discover that the young lady Luo who had been sitting in the pavilion for them to paint had vanished. But scholars were scholars—even though the young lady was gone, they remained composed for a moment before continuing to paint. Beauty lies in the bones, not the skin; they had already captured Young Lady Luo’s graceful figure in their hearts, and with the lady gone, they could give freer rein to their imagination… As everyone could see, the scholars’ paintings began to take a more imaginative direction…

Everyone praised them: “True masters indeed, only masters could conceive of such fantastical works.”

Meanwhile, Third Young Master Lu had just walked out of the quarters.

A trembling maidservant knelt under the eaves before the house, holding up a tray as she knelt outside being punished. She had considered herself beautiful and secretly admired Third Young Master Lu. She had deliberately soiled Third Young Master Lu’s robes so he would come to the back quarters to change. She hadn’t expected that while Third Young Master Lu was cold in public, in private his face would turn black as ink. She had barely touched the corner of his robe with a blushing face when he threw her out. Her wish to serve the young master in the quarters unfulfilled, she could only kneel outside in the cold wind.

After changing clothes, Lu Yun’s mood was still poor. The reason he disliked these recreational activities was that he always attracted various young ladies. He truly didn’t understand how brazen the women of this era were—if they wanted to entice him, why did they always offend him? Why did they dirty his clothes? Why did they always think that disrupting things around him was a way to find opportunities to interact with him, rather than offending him? And what made them think that mere beauty alone could captivate him?

He most despised those who tried to seduce him with their looks!

Dressed in his formal robes with flowing sleeves, Third Young Master Lu stood before the quarters. The gentle breeze swirled like waves, and Lu Yun’s tall, jade-like figure, as elegant as orchids and jade trees, made the garden’s splendor flow all around him. Third Young Master Lu looked down at the kneeling maidservant beside him, considering how to punish her, when he heard footsteps from the other end of the corridor. His brows twitched slightly as he heard Luo Lingyu’s trembling voice: “Lu Xuezhen!”

Third Young Master Qi-supported himself against a pillar as he ran over, and just as he caught his breath, he saw Young Lady Luo rush towards Third Young Master Lu at the doorway. Third Young Master Qi’s heart wavered, and he hurriedly followed.

Lu Yun slowly raised his eyes.

As he looked up, his brow bone lifted like wings about to take flight. The young master’s features were exceptionally fine, with deep black brows and eyes of striking handsomeness. As he gradually raised his eyebrows, the light and shadow woven between his brows and eyes was so soul-stirring that even Third Young Master Qi, a man himself, couldn’t help but feel ashamed. When Lu Yun raised his eyes, he had already recognized Luo Lingyu’s voice. His lips held a trace of a smile as he looked toward her, about to mock her for not staying still to be painted and instead running to find him. But he saw that Luo Lingyu, who had run before him, had anger in her beautiful eyes, with tears faintly glistening in them.

Lu Yun’s heart emptied, and he was stunned: “…Why are you crying? Who bullied you?”

When Luo Lingyu saw how handsome he was, the fire in her heart burned even more fiercely. He looked down on her, yet he dressed himself so magnificently, attracting flowers and butterflies everywhere. Luo Lingyu was so angry her chest hurt, her breasts trembling slightly, and as her gaze unconsciously moved downward when looking at Lu Yun, her mind exploded with fury—now she knew exactly where this hypocrite had always been looking at her!

Anger and grievance arrived simultaneously, making Luo Lingyu lose her usual composure. She saw the wine flask on the tray of the kneeling maidservant beside them, and without thinking, Luo Lingyu grabbed the flask and lifted it, hurling the half-full container of wine at Lu Yun. Lu Yun’s face turned cold—having just changed clothes, he was about to be drenched in wine again. He stepped backward while raising his sleeve to block. But Luo Lingyu’s reaction was so sudden that Lu Yun truly hadn’t expected it. His back against the door, he raised his sleeve, but the burgundy wine still splashed onto his neck. Red wine soaked into his collar, and several drops, due to the young lady’s angry throw, splattered onto Lu Yun’s jade-white face.

Lu Yun was furious and grabbed her hand that still meant to harm. Third Young Master Lu exclaimed in exasperation: “Luo Lingyu, have you gone mad?!”

He most hated how young ladies treated him—she wouldn’t learn the good things but had to learn the fierce ways of Jianye’s ladies.

Luo Lingyu retorted: “Even if I have gone mad, it’s nothing compared to your grand performance.”

Lu Yun’s eyebrow twitched, and his eyes caught sight of Third Young Master Qi who had followed behind. Seeing Luo Lingyu seemingly quarreling with her cousin, Qi An hesitated, hovering at the corridor’s entrance without approaching. Lu Yun lowered his head, slightly calmer: “How have I put on a performance?”

Luo Lingyu: “You act one way in public and another in private. If you look down on me, just tell me directly. It’s not as if all the young men in the world are dead—I don’t have to have you. Why did you have your second brother come to test me, to trick words out of me? You dislike me this much, you humiliate me like this?”

Lu Yun looked down, his eyelashes thick as dense curtains. The kneeling maidservant below looked up in shock and surprise, seeing that when she had spilled wine earlier, Third Young Master Lu had immediately erupted in anger. Yet now when splashed with wine by his cousin, with wine even splattering his face, Third Young Master Lu held onto his cousin’s hand without letting go, not yet addressing his disheveled state.

Lu Yun asked Luo Lingyu, his voice still calm: “How did I have my second brother test you, trick words from you?”

“You still won’t admit it!” Luo Lingyu’s eyes rimmed with red as she bit her lip, “You had him ask me about becoming a concubine. You see me as a concubine, you don’t respect me. I know you’ve always been proud and no one meets your standards, but why should I be humiliated by you like this? You just see me as easy to bully! You take advantage of me being an orphan, dependent on others, with no one to stand up for me, and you won’t even let me speak up for myself… I have nothing, I fight for myself, where did I go wrong to deserve such humiliation from you?”

Lu Yun’s eyebrow twitched slightly, but he remained calm: “You know your status isn’t sufficient for the young lords of Jianye, as a concubine…”

Luo Lingyu: “That’s none of your business! Whatever I do that you don’t like is not for you to manage, you’re not even my blood cousin. My aunt doesn’t care about me, and other members of the Lu family don’t care about me, what right do you have to manage me? Even if I become someone else’s concubine, it’s not for you to manage!”

Lu Yun’s grip on her wrist tightened, tight enough to cause pain.

He suddenly raised his eyelashes, beneath which his ice-jade-like pupils moved with dark intensity. Lu Yun stepped forward, his sudden imposing presence forcing Luo Lingyu to step back. Lu Yun spoke coldly: “Being someone else’s concubine doesn’t matter, but being my concubine does? If I humiliate you, but others don’t?”

Luo Lingyu: “…You…”

From behind, a weak voice came, extremely embarrassed: “Sister… Sister Luo…”

Luo Lingyu’s back stiffened, not expecting a third voice while speaking with Lu Yun. The kneeling maidservant below naturally wouldn’t dare speak out of turn, but how was there someone else behind her… Her eyes widened, glaring at Lu Yun. She had her back turned, while he was facing forward. He must have seen the person but didn’t stop her, letting her continue speaking…

With Lu Yun still gripping her wrist, Luo Lingyu immediately turned to look behind her, seeing Third Young Master Qi An walking out with a flushed, embarrassed face. Luo Lingyu remembered this young master, and her heart raced with uncertainty about whether her intimate interactions with Third Young Master Lu would be spread by him… Then she saw Qi An cup his hands in greeting, saying bashfully and weakly: “Sister Luo must have misunderstood. I didn’t want to overhear your conversation with Third Young Master Lu, but it concerns me… If I haven’t guessed wrong, Second Young Master Lu was asking on my behalf.”

Towards the end, he looked up at her, his eyes earnest, no longer referring to himself formally but using “I” instead.

Luo Lingyu was slightly dazed: “…What?”

Qi An was utterly ashamed: “That day when I first met Sister Luo, you were like an immortal, and I haven’t been able to forget. After several sleepless nights, seeing you again at the banquet, sitting beside me and talking with me. Your every expression, every smile remains vivid in my mind, and even more… I didn’t want you as a concubine but as a secondary wife. Perhaps to Sister Luo, they’re equally humiliating, I didn’t consider your feelings well… I thought my family wouldn’t agree, but didn’t think that you would be unwilling… Please don’t blame me, let me think for a few more days. Regardless, I had no intention to humiliate you.”

Luo Lingyu: “…”

After a moment’s stupefaction, seeing Qi An’s unbearable shame as he covered his sleeve and prepared to leave, Luo Lingyu suddenly stammered: “You… you…” She couldn’t remember for a long time who this young master was, only stuttering to salvage her mistake: “It’s not about you, I’m not really that concerned… Young Master… Young Master…”

But Qi An already thought she was just being polite, making him feel even more mortified. Making a distant bow to Luo Lingyu in farewell, Qi An hurried away. Luo Lingyu was so anxious that sweat appeared on her forehead—finally, a young master willing to consider marriage with her had appeared, and although she couldn’t remember who he was, there would have been countless future opportunities. She seemed to have offended this young master in one fell swoop…

Her fleeing destiny…

Being a concubine wasn’t that bad, with her methods, she would eventually make this young master give her…

But Qi An had already been driven away by her words, and her arm was still in Lu Yun’s grip. As Luo Lingyu tried to hurry after him, the person behind her pulled her back by the wrist. Luo Lingyu’s face flushed red as she heard Lu Yun’s cold voice from behind: “Now you understand what happened? Is splashing me with wine just going to end like this?”

Luo Lingyu: “…”

Lu Yun hadn’t shown anger before, staying calm while drawing out her words, and her attempt to chase after Qi An was partly to avoid Lu Yun, but she couldn’t escape… Luo Lingyu turned around guiltily and awkwardly to face the young master behind her. Her eyes level, she saw the wine-red liquid on his robes. A moment of suffocation as she realized she had dared to splash wine on him, had dared to splash wine on such a difficult Third Young Master Lu… Luo Lingyu trembled as she looked up with a placating smile: “Brother Xuezhen…”

Lu Yun wore an ambiguous smile: “Your Brother Xuezhen is very angry, and the consequences of his anger…”

Luo Lingyu’s face turned pale.

Lu Yun hooked her waist, pulling her toward the quarters. He walked backward with one arm around her waist, his other hand waving to dismiss the still-kneeling maidservant outside. The maidservant didn’t dare look further—these noble young masters and ladies always acted wildly, and servants like them pretended not to know. Luo Lingyu clutched at the doorframe, whimpering, but Lu Yun covered her mouth and forcefully closed the door, dragging her inside.

Lu Yun looked around, raising his hand.

Seeing where his eyes were fixed, where there was a jar of wine, Luo Lingyu’s legs trembled in fear. She suddenly remembered seeing Lu Yun’s interaction with Miss Chen Xiu before, when she had splashed him with ink, and Lu Yun had shown no mercy in splashing back. This person disliked others provoking him, and today she had provoked him so severely… Luo Lingyu threw herself forward, hugging Lu Yun’s waist.

With no servants present, Luo Lingyu’s cheeks flushed red, no longer caring about-face: “Brother Xuezhen, I was wrong. Please don’t splash me with wine, I still have to see people later, if you splash me with wine I won’t be able to live…”

Lu Yun: “Let go!”

Luo Lingyu wouldn’t: “Brother Xuezhen, what I said outside was nonsense. You take care of me the most, if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have today’s ‘Flower Goddess’ title. I remember all these kindnesses… In the Lu family, you’re the best to me, I’ll repay you in the future. Even if I said some wrong things, it was because I thought Brother Xuezhen didn’t care about me in his heart, I wouldn’t say such things to others…”

Lu Yun said coldly: “Sweet words… Let go!”

He tried to leave, but Luo Lingyu’s arms held him tightly, refusing to release him. Lu Yun was indeed extremely angry, indeed couldn’t stand women constantly splashing him with water, wine, this and that. Seeing wine in the room, he wanted to let Luo Lingyu taste the feeling herself. But Luo Lingyu was too clever, holding him very tightly and not letting go. Lu Yun grabbed the young lady’s hands at his waist, trying to pull her away, but she whimpered and held on even tighter.

Lu Yun’s face flushed red as he said softly: “Let go…”

Luo Lingyu still feared his lack of mercy: “No… Brother Xuezhen, listen to me…”

Lu Yun’s voice grew even lower, with a hint of hoarseness: “I’m not angry… loosen your hands…”

Luo Lingyu didn’t believe him at all, clearly feeling the stiffness in his body as she continued to try to persuade him.

Lu Yun grew quiet.

Luo Lingyu suddenly froze, stopping her words.

Their bodies were pressed closely together, and in their pushing and refusing, the thin spring robes inevitably rubbed against each other. When men and women embrace, situations easily arise, and while Luo Lingyu hadn’t noticed at first, she now felt something was wrong. The young master she was holding suddenly had a higher body temperature and something hot was pressing against her lower abdomen. Her forehead rested against his neck, the cold ornament touching the young master’s neck. Cool meeting heat, Luo Lingyu noticed Lu Yun’s breathing was irregular, the pulse in his neck beating strongly.

She looked up, meeting Lu Yun’s dark eyes.

Women actually have an inexplicable intuition about men, and when his gaze suddenly changed, Luo Lingyu loosened her arms and stepped back. She murmured: “Brother Xuezhen…”

Lu Yun’s eyes were dark and still, and at her soft call of “Brother Xuezhen,” the darkness in his eyes deepened, flames suddenly igniting in his pupils. Lu Yun watched her impassively, bending down to suddenly press his lips against hers. Luo Lingyu’s back stiffened in shock as a hand appeared at her waist, gripping her and pushing her against the door.

Luo Lingyu trembled: “You… mmph…”

Her words were cut off, swallowed by Lu Yun.

Leaning against the door, she vaguely sawdust floating in the room’s air, hearing the laughing voices of men and women outside. Light shone through the window lattice above, just brushing past Lu Yun and Luo Lingyu whom he pressed against the door to kiss. Luo Lingyu whimpered, raising her arms to push and hit him. But her raised hands were caught by Lu Yun’s. He held her hands, his dark still eyes fixed on her, his lips pressed against hers.

His expression was very calm, but his lips and tongue entwined with hers… like burning madness!

With just one kiss, Luo Lingyu’s back was filled with trembles, her legs too weak to stand. Her face was blood-red, her mind blank. Last time had been a negotiation, so this time was… was it punishment, compensation for him? His grip on her hands wasn’t tight, loosely holding her. His eyelids lowered, and beneath them, his jade-like eyes watched her unblinkingly.

It wasn’t a particularly forceful kiss.

Passionate, yet gentle.

She could break free at any time.

Luo Lingyu steeled her heart: Why should I break free? What a good opportunity to test his heart.

The young lady took a breath, her spine almost breaking from the pressure against it. After the long kiss, when he pulled away, their breaths mingled faintly, and Lu Yun’s hand brushed the disheveled hair on her cheek. He smiled carelessly: “With others, being a concubine or not doesn’t matter, as long as you have wealth and power. But with me, it won’t do. Absolutely won’t be my concubine?”

Luo Lingyu bit her lip.

She said softly: “…What are you doing now?”

His fingers slowly caressed her lips. He seemed to be slowly thinking about something, yet also quietly observing her. Their breaths touched as they spoke, their lips meeting with each word. His lips kept touching hers again and again, transmitting that soul-consuming trembling feeling to her. The young master’s voice was clear and deep:

“Then why do you tempt me?”

“I’m thinking about you… Sister Yu’er.”

His hand caught her hair strands between his fingers, gently kissing them while his eyes watched her. With just this slight kiss, Luo Lingyu’s face reddened even more, her heart in chaos. She heard Third Young Master Lu say: “Sister Yu’er, I’m thinking… you love power, love influence, love wealth. But can you love people?”

Lu Yun thought to himself: I want the heart.

For someone like you, I’m not sure… if you have a heart.