In this era, there were no strict segregation rules between men and women, and among the nobility and upper class, intimate relations between unmarried men and women were commonplace. However, marriage still had its constraints—pre-marital relations were permissible, but fidelity was expected after marriage.

Given these contemporary attitudes, when Lu Yun pressed Luo Lingyu down on the bed and kissed her passionately, she melted into his embrace, swept away by waves of emotion, her eyes closed. Her fingertips traced the skin at the nape of his neck, alternating between light and firm touches, simultaneously inviting and resisting. He had ignited a flame and cast it into her heart, causing her to tremble from the heat. She turned to her side, clinging to her young lord’s shoulders, burying her face and biting her lip as she whimpered softly.

The young lord sighed deeply, his tongue seeking hers as he comforted her emotions, teasing: “Does little sister Lingyu have a courtesy name?”

Luo Lingyu didn’t understand why he brought this up, so she shook her head breathlessly, her long hair swaying in the crook of his arm: “No.” After all, it was Lu Yun who had hosted her coming-of-age ceremony—who else would have given her a courtesy name?

Lu Yun cradled her face, pressing his forehead against hers. The young lord’s eyes curved like crescents, clear and bright, brimming with affection: “Since I celebrated your birthday, why don’t I give little sister a courtesy name? You’re always whimpering softly… how about the courtesy name ‘Yingying’?”

Luo Lingyu’s eyes glistened with tears, wavering: “…”

He was teasing her again!

She pounded his chest twice in frustration, but it wasn’t enough to satisfy her indignation.

The young lady felt both embarrassed and shy, her whole body dizzy with emotion. Annoyed, she bit his neck, earning a long, deep “mmm” from him. It was a sound of restraint and huskiness that grazed her heartstrings, making her whole body tingle. Her face flushed red as she wondered how he could make such a sound, such a… that made her chest ache and her mind confused. His kisses alternated between gentle and firm, and she responded to him, letting him draw her into a state of delirious enchantment…

Lu Yun particularly loved the two mounds of flesh on her chest. Those two handfuls of snow-white skin were enough to make him lose his reason. Their necks intertwined, sometimes close, sometimes distant, and he never tired of it.

A drop of water fell on her neck, burning hot as fire. Luo Lingyu opened her eyes hazily, embracing his head, and saw sweat dropping from his forehead onto his handsome face buried between her jade peaks. His eyes were red and rippling with desire, his temple hair damp and disheveled. The sweat drop was like clear water, flowing down the young lord’s straight nose and moistened red lips. When it fell wavering onto the snowy peaks, her spirit was captured, stripped away.

Lu Yun stared in a daze, his gaze unwavering.

Luo Lingyu arched her body, whimpering: “No… no more… I can’t take it…”

Third Young Master Lu came to his senses, laughing languidly: “What have I done to you, that you already can’t take it?”

His voice was like ice breaking through the fire, like scattered jade flowing with light. At his words, Luo Lingyu instinctively felt he had said something improper. He seemed to have made a risqué joke, and Luo Lingyu half-understood. Looking up, she saw regret flash briefly across Third Young Master Lu’s face.

He reproached himself for speaking carelessly, thinking he shouldn’t make such frivolous remarks to an unmarried young lady.

Seeing she was about to speak, Lu Yun interrupted: “I misspoke, don’t ask me what I meant.”

Luo Lingyu paused, and then mischief and cunning rose in her eyes. She embraced him, teasing: “I know Third Young Master Lu has read extensively, what books haven’t you read? All these years pretending to be pure and aloof, you’ve nearly driven yourself mad. Brother Xuecian, you’ve suffered.”

Thinking about it made her sigh—Lu Yun was naturally frivolous, enjoying teasing and flirting with young ladies. Yet his appearance was too handsome, his talents too exceptional, too alluring to women. With so many bold women around, he looked down on them all, so he could only pretend to be above it all…

Luo Lingyu’s consolation greatly pleased him; she truly was a clever young lady who knew how to speak and how to please people. Lu Yun’s eyes filled with laughter as he bit her lips one after another. As their lips and teeth entwined again, his soft laughter spilled out: “Fortunately, now I have little sister Lingyu…”

Luo Lingyu’s body arched, her voice drawing out: “Mmm…”

Their bodies were covered in sweat, the bed curtains hot with passion. Suddenly, her chest was no longer being bitten to a dull ache, and the weight on her body lightened, no longer pressing her until she could barely breathe. At the height of passion, Luo Lingyu looked up in surprise to see Lu Yun, his head covered in sweat, forcibly roll away from her body, releasing her.

Luo Lingyu’s heart rose and fell: …what happened?

Why did he stop?

She didn’t mind, nor had she refused… why did he just stop like this? She hadn’t known him to be so proper, like a Confucian student.

There must be… some trick to this.

Lu Yun lay on his side next to her, and as Luo Lingyu’s doubts mounted, he reached out to caress her face. Fighting back his desires, he saw her confused, water-bright eyes and disheveled clothes. The young lady lay beside him like a blooming spring flower, beautiful enough to move one’s heart. Lu Yun couldn’t help but lean in to suck once more on her parted red lips, trying to ease his desires. Lu Yun kissed her again and again, but kept his body separate from hers, maintaining a certain distance. Lu Yun sighed: “I won’t bully you anymore…”

His heart was in disarray and self-mocking. He felt he truly couldn’t withstand Luo Lingyu’s allure, always wanting to be close to her.

Yet when she was docile like this, she tempted him so: “Brother Xuecian, what’s wrong? You gave me such thick account books, you can do whatever you want, I won’t resist.”

Lu Yun covered his face with his sleeve: what he feared was precisely that she wouldn’t resist.

Lu Yun suddenly lowered his sleeve, leaning close beside her, reaching out to hook a strand of her black hair that had scattered across his sleeve. As the black hair wound around his fingers, his smile took on a teasing quality: “…Who gave you such thick account books?”

Luo Lingyu grew slightly anxious, afraid he would deny it: “Just this evening, the account books you had Sister Jinyue deliver! Look, all those! So many!”

She hurriedly sat up, the hairpin that had come loose during their passionate moments falling out, causing her black hair to scatter around her face. The young lady’s beauty made Lu Yun narrow his eyes, but she grabbed his arm, forcing Lu Yun to sit up and look through the gauze curtains. Luo Lingyu shook his arm, making him look at the thick account books arranged on the desk.

Lu Yun: “…”

He acted as if suddenly realizing: “Oh, you mean those.”

Luo Lingyu looked at him expectantly.

Lu Yun turned his head to look at her: “You misunderstood. Those weren’t meant as a gift to you.”

Luo Lingyu: “…”

Lu Yun: “It was just to discuss cooperation. Am I crazy, to give you my family fortune to squander? Is your appetite really that big?”

Luo Lingyu: “…”

Lu Yun looked down at her: “You thought those were being given to you freely? Is that why you threw yourself at me, being so submissive?”

Luo Lingyu: “…No!”

Great shame and anger!

She pounced on him, biting and hitting Lu Yun, pushing and scratching. Luo Lingyu pulled at him: “Get off my bed!”

Lu Yun couldn’t stop laughing, pulling her into his arms, seeing she was truly angry. Money was like a second life to his little sister Luo, power might be invisible but money was always visible. Such obvious things were placed on her desk, yet Lu Yun said they weren’t for her—how disappointed Luo Lingyu was!

She also felt embarrassed—she was always losing face in front of him.

Indeed, he had never had Jinyue say these were being given to her freely. Yet she had been gentle as water all evening, whimpering beneath him. She probably did truly like him, willing to be intimate with him. But after this, it made it seem as if she had offered herself for the account books. Lu Yun had always looked down on her, and now he must surely think this… while she so wanted him to realize she wasn’t the unprincipled person he thought she was… Luo Lingyu’s eyes reddened, tears gathering.

She protested: “I’m not… I didn’t…”

Lu Yun looked at her for a long while, the frivolity disappearing from his face as he fell slightly silent. Seeing her red-rimmed eyes, anxiety mixed with her anger. He judged her thoughts, and after a good while, reached out to wipe her tears, kissing her face. Lu Yun said softly: “I know. Little sister Lingyu is just this kind of person… I’ve long known this.”

“Let’s… take things slowly.”

He nuzzled against her ear, their feelings intertwining—don’t pressure me too much about marriage, and I won’t demand you have the character of a sage. You dislike me, and I find fault with you.

When I first met you, I knew what you were like. I also struggled for a long time, and even now I’m still struggling. You’ve never made demands of me, so how could I turn around and demand you completely change the flaws you were born with? A little progress, little by little… everyone has their flaws, and can’t people full of flaws still love?

Lu Yun and Luo Lingyu got off the bed together. She helped adjust the jade ring in his hair, while he clumsily tried to help her arrange her hair. After a long while, the hair became messier and messier, pulling painfully at Luo Lingyu’s scalp. Luo Lingyu gradually lost patience, pushing away the clumsy Third Young Master Lu who insisted on showing off his talents, and simply tied her hair in a simple bun before sitting at her desk.

Lu Yun sat down beside her: “Let me just explain… we can deal with these tomorrow, you should sleep now.”

Luo Lingyu insisted stubbornly: “No! I can’t sleep when there’s a large sum of money that hasn’t been properly organized.”

Lu Yun gave her a disdainful glance, which she returned with a glare. He then smiled and explained slowly: “More refugees are flowing into Jianye, the imperial treasury is empty with little money, while the noble families are swimming in wealth. Prince Chen and I want to convince the noble houses to open their granaries and aid the poor. However, the noble houses haven’t yet unified their procedures, with only their young ladies individually helping refugees. I can’t take the lead, but I must do something to ease the pressure. These account books I’m giving you are my gesture of sincerity.”

Luo Lingyu was reluctant: “You’re giving it all away? That… that’s too much… you should keep more for yourself.” If he became a pauper, she would have to reconsider marrying him… Lu Yun shouldn’t make her face such a choice.

Lu Yun took a sip of cold tea to calm the turbulent emotions he felt facing her: “That’s why I’m entrusting this part to you. I’ve seen how well you manage your cosmetics shop, so I’ve put your name on these few establishments. Be bold in your management—if you make losses, I won’t blame you, consider it practice. But from the profits you make, use a portion, as you see fit, for the refugees.”

Luo Lingyu bit her lip, tilting her head to look at him: “You’re using my business abilities in exchange for disaster relief? Why trust me so much, why not find someone else? What if I lose it all for you?”

Lu Yun continued drinking his tea calmly. Without raising his eyes, his lips curved: “You already know the answer.”

Luo Lingyu’s heart softened completely—Lu Yun was truly being very good to her. Offering such large assets for her to practice with. He didn’t even want the money she earned, because he didn’t lack this portion. First, it was for refugee relief, and second, to teach her business. And the best way to teach her was to give her free rein, letting her do as she wished. Only by hitting rock bottom and feeling the pain could one grow the fastest.

Yet the pressure wasn’t as great as with the cosmetics shop she had opened with Young Master Zhou. Although Zhou also didn’t care about money, saying she could manage it however she wanted. But this was different—Zhou’s things weren’t hers. If she made losses, she would feel she had betrayed Zhou’s trust. Since opening the cosmetics shop, Luo Lingyu stayed up late every night, crying during those late hours. She had a strong personality and never spoke of her failures in front of others, only silently working hard behind the scenes…

But Lu Yun was different.

She felt she would marry him. So if she lost his assets, the guilt wouldn’t be so heavy…

Luo Lingyu walked over and silently embraced the young lord who couldn’t stop drinking tea. Lu Yun’s body stiffened, and the young lady had already lowered her head, her fragrance overwhelming, kissing his lips once. Just this one kiss and the desire he had barely suppressed with tea surged up again. Looking at her slender waist, he wanted to break her in his embrace, to devour her… Lu Yun’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he awkwardly pushed her away: “…don’t come near me.”

Lu Yun stayed at Luo Lingyu’s place for over two hours, until dawn. Even Luo Lingyu, focused on examining the account books, couldn’t help yawning several times. Outside, the rain dripped steadily, slowly stopping. The room was quiet, with the young lady sitting in front reviewing accounts, and the young lord sitting behind drinking tea. When she had questions about his assets, he would say a few words. Most of the time, they were silent.

Lu Yun quietly watched her from behind.

His gaze fixed on her, moved away, then returned.

He gradually discovered his increasingly uncontrollable desire for her, even if just watching her, doing nothing, as if he could gaze at her until the end of time. And somehow he felt that even across past and present lives, he must have watched her like this from behind…

“Sleep now.” When Luo Lingyu quietly looked over, Lu Yun had finally finished his tea and stood up.

Seeing his stance, Luo Lingyu rose. Opening the door, it was pitch black outside, with the sound of water dripping onto the blue bricks. Luo Lingyu stood in the dim lamplight, turning to wait for him, half-seriously testing him: “It’s so late, and it’s still raining, do you not want to stay a while longer, and leave when it’s almost dawn?”

Lu Yun: “…don’t test me.”

He could resist before, but now he wasn’t so sure.

Once he could sleep peacefully separated from her by a screen; now just thinking about being in the same room with her made him restless, filled with wayward thoughts.

Luo Lingyu pressed her lips together in a smile, handing him the umbrella. She was a perceptive person, when pleasing others she would truly do it to the utmost. Seeing the servants were all asleep, as Lu Yun was leaving, Luo Lingyu simply took up an umbrella herself and accompanied him out, intending to see him to the courtyard gate. Without a doubt, this behavior particularly pleased Lu Yun, making him look back at her several times.

The young lord’s gaze was intense, his feelings threading through the air.

Luo Lingyu lowered her head, blushing.

Yet her strength lay in pleasing others; in matters of love she was half-knowing and half-confused, yet couldn’t help harboring many doubts. She was still preoccupied with him pushing her away earlier that evening. As she walked behind him along the mossy path to see him out the courtyard gate, Luo Lingyu mumbled: “Are you going back so late? Won’t you stay and look at the account books with me? Once you leave, who knows when we’ll meet again.”

At this, her tone carried a trace of resentment.

The young lady continued: “Aren’t you skilled in metaphysics? Why are you now following Confucian ways? Are you cultivating virtue, or is there another reason? I see people…”

“Plop”—as they passed by, a flower fell from a tree, and Lu Yun’s voice grew slightly formal: “Lingyu.”

Luo Lingyu looked up questioningly, seeing the young lord with the umbrella had closed it and turned around, holding a flower branch in his hand. Jade-white petals, and several flower buds, entwined on the tree branch, trembling slightly in his hand. He gave her the flower branch, speaking tenderly: “This flower is called ‘The Lady’s Chatter.'”

Luo Lingyu: …What? The Lady’s Chatter? Could there be a flower with such a name?

Lu Yun: “You doubt a scholar’s learning is less than yours?”

Luo Lingyu: “Is there a flower called ‘The Lady’s Chatter’? Aren’t you just talking about me?”

Lu Yun: “There is.”

“In years past, when a certain Buddha was practicing in his third life in the mortal realm, he was tempted by a demon transformed into a woman. That demon entangled the monk daily, having learned nothing of worldly ways in the mortal realm, only knowing to bring flowers to the monk’s door each day. Later, when the monk achieved his golden body and went to the thirty-three heavenly Buddhist lands, the demon transformed into a devil and blocked his way. In the end, the monk and the demon achieved extinction together, leaving only this flower in the mortal realm. Before achieving Buddhahood, the monk named the flower ‘The Lady’s Chatter.’ That’s the story.”

“Little sister Lingyu should read more Buddhist scriptures.”

He waved the flower branch in his hand, its clusters of blooms brushing past the young lady’s jade-like face. His eyes curved, lips smiling, as the flowers fell against the young lady’s cheeks, gentle and romantic. When the young lord called “lady,” it was ethereal, tender, meaningful. Looking at her again and again, touching her cheeks with flower after flower. On the rain-wet path, Third Young Master Lu tossed the flowers into Luo Lingyu’s arms and gave her one more look, the expression in his eyes making the young lady wistful as she clutched the flower branch tightly.

Luo Lingyu cherished yet embarrassedly held the flowers in her arms, watching him walk away with his umbrella before returning inside.

…

Upon returning, she immediately began searching through ancient books.

Hearing that Second Young Master Lu had recently become obsessed with Buddhist studies, Luo Lingyu specifically borrowed books to read Buddhist scriptures.

After searching through three thousand Buddhist scriptures, she couldn’t find any reference to the so-called “Lady’s Chatter.”

She finally realized Lu Yun had fooled her again, using an unknown flower to trick her into feeling romantic.

Luo Lingyu was magnanimous, but she didn’t know whether to throw away that branch of “Lady’s Chatter” displayed in her room.

…

“Lu Yun! Lu Yun!”

Vast snow, wisps of fog, an endless road, a boundless world.

Luo Lingyu cried out tragically, like a blood-weeping cuckoo, stumbling through the thick fog. She was covered in filth, her long dress full of mud and marsh water. The young lady walked desolately through the mortal realm, covering her face as she wept…

Second Young Master Lu broke out in a cold sweat, suddenly awakening from his dream, sitting dazed in place. Not knowing what night it was or where he was, Lu Xian looked up in confusion, meeting the inquiring gaze of Prince Hengyang Liu Mu. Liu Mu held a book in his hand, finding it strange that he was covered in sweat: “Had a nightmare?”

Lu Xian: …why was he dreaming again?