After breakfast, Jingyue, a maid from the Second Branch’s “Clear Courtyard” of the Lu family, came to return gifts. Luo Lingyu had been supervising her sister’s studies while contemplating what schemes to employ today. Hearing that Jingyue had come, knowing she was Lu San Lang’s maid, Luo Lingyu dared not be negligent and personally went out to receive her.

Unexpectedly, Jingyue, with graceful dignity, first returned the flower note that had been sent.

The doors and windows were open. Lingxi sat by the window accompanying Luo Yunhua’s reading, while Lingyu directed servants in cleaning the courtyard. Both maids secretly peeked up to watch. Seeing Luo Lingyu’s slightly stiffened expression, Lingyu, who had grown up in the Lu mansion, sighed softly and lowered her head: having been assigned by Old Madam to serve the young miss, she naturally had the young miss’s best interests at heart. The young miss was beautiful as a flower and moon, and she also thought… but San Lang was as cold-blooded as ever, showing no consideration.

How could there be any reason to return a lady’s gifts in broad daylight? Not giving the young miss any face at all.

Luo Lingyu took the flower note, and looked down at it from side to side, remaining silent.

Jingyue curtsied gracefully: “It’s not specifically targeting Young Miss, but our young master never accepts such things from ladies, fearing misunderstandings. Young Miss must know, with our young master’s appearance… he truly dislikes excessive interaction with ladies. Young Miss should keep this well, and please don’t send more in the future.”

Luo Lingyu’s beautiful eyes flickered, thinking to herself: Don’t like private exchanges, is that so? Then you didn’t taste the flower dew I specially added either.

Luo Lingyu’s face flushed momentarily, and she nodded without saying more. As she was about to dismiss the visitor, Jingyue brought out a scroll painting, saying it was Lu San Lang’s return gift for the pastries and green tea. Luo Lingyu, under Jingyue’s watch and already having lost hope for this difficult third cousin, casually accepted the scroll. To show respect, in front of Jingyue, she called the two maids from the corridor to help open the scroll—

A bright moon rises over eastern mountains, and spring wind on a southern night.

The painting was mostly blank, showing only the moon between distant blue mountains, a boat on the nearby river, and a lady in green robes bending to scoop water on the boat. A few lines sketched the water waves, the black boat like a rock emerging from the water, the green-robed figure’s face unclear, yet in the painting’s vast atmosphere, from afar she seemed quite beautiful.

In the distance, majestic mountain ranges; nearby, a beauty on a night boat.

The brushwork was light and spirited, bold and harmonious, using just a few strokes to capture both form and spirit, stirring the soul, and leaving a sense of vast solitude.

While the painting already made Luo Lingyu’s eyes show amazement, what made her fingertips tremble as they brushed the painting was seeing the artist’s name in the corner—

The Plum-Seeking Recluse.

The Plum-Seeking Recluse was a famous contemporary scholar, known for his broad mindset and exceptional painting and calligraphy. Whenever his paintings appeared on the market, thousands competed for them. Even someone as worldly as Luo Lingyu deeply admired his talent and painting style. In previous years, Luo Lingyu had tried every means to collect the Plum-Seeking Recluse’s paintings, but without wealth or power, as a lone girl, she had searched in vain, feeling quite bitter.

Now, such a painting was before her eyes… and this painting wasn’t just by the Plum-Seeking Recluse, it also gave her a sense of familiarity… surely the master had a spiritual connection with her, and this painting was meant to be in her collection.

Jingyue saw Luo Lingyu staring intently at the painting, thinking that this perceptive young miss had seen through her master’s perfunctory gesture. Her face slightly reddened, and she coughed once, wanting to explain that although Lu Yun had painted this recently, San Lang hadn’t done it carelessly… Luo Lingyu quickly had the maids roll up the painting, and when she raised her eyes, they were bright and clear as black water.

Luo Lingyu’s face was even flushed with excitement as she said: “I see Third Cousin’s thoughtfulness. Please tell Third Cousin that Lingyu has achieved nothing, but will surely repay his kindness doubly in the future. Cousin’s care and concern for Lingyu, I understand in my heart and am moved to tears.”

“Lingyu was foolish before, misreading Cousin’s heart, even misunderstanding that Cousin disliked me… Lingxi, quick, bring my treasured rare copy of the Ming master’s work to give to Third Cousin.”

Jingyue: “…”

She was dumbfounded—Luo Lingyu had even referred to herself as “Lingyu,” placing herself in a submissive position to curry favor with Lu Yun. Lu Yun had merely sent a painting, and it was one Jingyue had chosen herself… Jingyue tried to explain several times, but Luo Lingyu, fearing she might take back the precious painting, didn’t give Jingyue any chance to speak.

When Jingyue returned to “Clear Courtyard” and reported to Lu Yun, she displayed the young miss’s gift to Lu San Lang with a mix of laughter and tears—

“The young miss seems to have misunderstood something.”

After Lu Yun asked what Jingyue had delivered, though his eyebrow twitched, he said nothing—well, perhaps what was meant to be hers should be given to her.

That painting.

It was painted of her, after all.

Only that in his heart he despised it and didn’t want to say so, while she didn’t know.

…

In the Second Branch, Lu Yun lived alone, and his style of conduct had been well-known to everyone for many years; hearing that Lu Yun hadn’t attended the academy since returning, Old Madam Lu sighed, Madam Lu couldn’t conveniently manage Second Branch affairs and said nothing, but only the current eldest young master of the household, Second Young Master Lu, hearing that his third brother was skipping classes again, furrowed his brows like mountains.

Elder brother is like a father, Second Young Master Lu arranged to talk with Lu San Lang, and Lu Yun, however unrestrained, still contained his nature and went to hear his second brother’s lecture.

The two brothers talked, sitting around a brazier in Lu Xian’s quarters. The doors and windows facing the sun were all open, with long willows swaying gently in the wind outside. Several maids sat in the corridor, brewing tea for the two young masters on a red clay stove. Inside, Lu Yun sat opposite his elder brother and took a sip of the tea brought by the maids, and the bitterness on his tongue immediately told him this was the tea Luo Lingyu had sent.

He had some too.

Lu Yun’s finger brushed over the white porcelain teacup, smiling ambiguously: “Cousin Luo came well-prepared, truly sending good things everywhere.”

Second Young Master Lu Xian’s face was steady, his features stern, staring at the casually seated youth opposite: “Cousin Luo is virtuous, quiet, beautiful, and attentive, having such thoughtfulness, the entire household praises her.”

Lu Yun raised an eyebrow: “Universal praise? I doubt that.”

Lu Xian immediately showed warning in his eyes: “Third Brother, don’t bully the newly arrived cousin. I heard about that day’s garden tour, Cousin Luo suffered much gossip because of you, leading to all this sending of tea and pastries afterward.”

A cold smile touched Lu Yun’s lips as he showed his frivolous side to his elder brother. He said carelessly: “I don’t provoke these ladies, I most detest them clinging to me. That day I was just teasing her, I was annoyed by her… Don’t worry, Brother, I know my limits, I won’t associate with her anymore.”

Lu Xian sighed; after so many years, he naturally knew how much his third brother attracted romantic attention. But speaking of limits, Lu Xian said: “What limits do you have? You’ve skipped all your academy classes, and since returning you’ve just been holed up indoors. I hear you’re injured—where are you injured? Have you seen a physician? For whom were you injured?”

Lu Yun brushed it off: “It’s nothing, just a private matter.”

Lu Xian: “…Fine, I won’t mention your ‘private matter.’ Father wants to secure you a position as vice minister at court, what do you think?”

Lu Yun didn’t raise his eyes, looking at the teacup in his hand, answering without hesitation: “I won’t go.”

Anger rose in Lu Xian’s eyes, his tone becoming somewhat severe: “Third Brother, you’re not young anymore, you should do something proper, not just play around all day. Father has tried several times to get you to enter court service but you always refuse, and now you’re even injured… Heh, even if you won’t say it, I know, you were doing Fifth Prince’s bidding again, killing for him, weren’t you?”

Lu Yun raised his eyebrows: “Brother shouldn’t speak so carelessly.”

Lu Xian softened his tone: “San Lang, I know you have a good relationship with that prince. He saved you when you were young, and wanting to repay him is gentlemanly. But over all these years, you’ve done so much in secret, killed so many people… even for the most precious life, surely this debt has been repaid?”

“Do you want to sacrifice your entire future for him?”

Lu Yun: “That’s what friends are for.”

“I see you truly won’t change your ways, determined to go down this path. He’s just a prince born of a concubine, he’ll never inherit the throne. Because you’re close to him, Father has been displeased for years. Our Lu family has never involved itself in succession disputes, you’re putting us in a difficult position.”

Lu Yun raised his eyes, pupils black as lacquer. He stared at Lu Xian for two beats, making Lu Xian’s heart jump, his momentum suppressed into silence. This pressure vanished in a flash, and when he looked again, Lu Yun was calmly drinking tea, saying: “My affairs have always been my own to decide. You needn’t try to persuade me. Even through mountains of swords and seas of fire, even if heaven’s lightning strikes, I will walk this path.”

Lu Xian fell back in anger: “You!”

…

Lu San Lang’s situation wasn’t exactly a secret, people often discussed it privately. Lu Xian lecturing his brother at home wasn’t the first or second time. Luo Lingyu had just come from Old Madam Lu, bringing a few words from the Old Madam to the Second Young Master. When she entered the courtyard, Lu Xian’s maids informed her of the situation, asking the young miss to wait a while before entering—

“Second Young Master and Third Young Master are arguing.”

“Arguing quite severely.”

Standing outside one could hear them arguing about some “prince,” Lu Xian angry, Lu Yun impatient. As Luo Lingyu hesitated whether she should leave, she saw maids coming out with empty teacups, worried that they didn’t dare go in to serve more tea. They watched from outside, seeing Third Young Master’s face darken, several times sweeping his sleeves as if to leave.

“Third Young Master is in a very bad mood…”

Luo Lingyu’s heart stirred, and after asking which teacup belonged to whom, she voluntarily took over brewing and serving tea.

She sat in the corridor personally brewing tea, watching the fire, a feather fan waving, and when the maids weren’t paying attention, took a small bottle from her sleeve and dropped one drop into one of the cups. After the tea was sent in, Luo Lingyu remained sitting by the window under the scattered willow shadows, her tea-brewing position directly facing the two young masters kneeling inside.

Lu Xian’s scolding continued, Lu Yun occasionally saying a few words, speaking very little. Most of the time only Lu Xian’s voice could be heard, and when Luo Lingyu occasionally glanced over, she saw Lu San Lang with lowered eyes, long hair scattered on his cheeks, his thick eyelashes casting fan-like shadows on his face. When the maid brought tea in again, he irritably took a drink.

With one sip, clear and sweet fragrance.

This tea’s clear taste came from the same source as the pastries tasted days ago…

Lu Yun suddenly raised his eyes to look outside. As he raised his gaze, his black lashes lifted slightly, and his clear black and white eyes, upon seeing someone, showed a smile both surprised and knowing. His eyes rose slowly, the rippling smile gradually appearing in them like electricity through the heart, making Luo Lingyu, who had been occasionally peeking and unexpectedly met his gaze, tremble. Peach blossom eyes easily held affection, even if he didn’t intend it, but his questioning gaze became flirtatious and alluring—

“Have you come to seduce Second Brother, or do you truly admire me this much?”