When Luo Lingyu looked closely again, she saw the shadows of sparse bamboo by the window. The wind rustled, blowing the curtains and letting in a chill. Behind the green window curtains, there was no trace of anyone. It was as if the pair of peach-blossom eyes she had seen earlier were just a dream.
Luo Lingyu was momentarily confused.
Outside the tent, Madam Lu called out, “Miss Luo?”
Luo Lingyu responded and quickly followed her out.
In the main hall, many young men and women surrounded the pitiful-looking Fourth Brother Lu, Lu Chang. Among the crowd, Luo Lingyu caught a glimpse of her younger sister jumping around, her small face glowing like jade. However, Luo Yunhuan was too short, and Luo Lingyu couldn’t see her clearly. Her gaze then shifted to Lu Ying, who was smiling at her and Madam Lu.
Lu Ying was dressed in a blue-gray robe with long boots, her hair styled in two buns. Her outfit was practical for travel, popular among the women of Jianye, but her makeup was striking—a red dot on her forehead and hair strands framing her ears. The golden and green leaf ornaments in her dark hair added a touch of feminine charm to her otherwise bold appearance.
Lu Ying’s attire made her look… like someone who knew how to have fun.
Luo Lingyu bowed sincerely, greeting her with genuine warmth. “Aunt, how are you!”
Lu Ying, whose husband had passed away early and whose son was traveling abroad, had returned to her family home in Jianye. She was rarely home, often out enjoying herself. Even when her niece Luo Lingyu came to visit, Lu Ying hadn’t paid much attention. Her carefree lifestyle displeased the strict Madam Lu, who rarely left the house. The two women had little in common and seldom interacted. If it hadn’t been for Luo Yunhuan coincidentally calling Lu Ying for help that night, Lu Ying wouldn’t have bothered speaking to her sister-in-law.
Lu Ying smiled. “Sister-in-law, what were you and Lingyu talking about inside?”
Madam Lu replied stiffly, “Just some casual conversation.”
Seeing the tension between the two, Luo Lingyu quickly changed the subject with a smile. “Aunt, did you just return from outside? Were you horseback riding?”
Lu Ying said, “Playing polo. I had a few too many drinks tonight and came back late, missing your little gathering. Otherwise, I would have joined in. Another day, I’ll take you to play polo.”
Luo Lingyu’s smile stiffened slightly. Polo? That was one of the few things she wasn’t good at.
Madam Lu sneered, “It’s a wonder you even remember you have a niece.” Her eyes swept over Luo Lingyu’s stunning face. Already irritated and disliking both women, her tone was particularly sharp. “Making yourself at home, as if you’re not an outsider.”
Lu Ying shrugged. “This is my home. If you’re unhappy, take it up with my mother.”
Madam Lu was left speechless, her lips trembling.
Due to Madam Lu’s interference and Lu Ying’s arrival, the small gathering ended abruptly. The attendees were in low spirits. After the young men said their goodbyes, the women silently decided to leave the next day. With Madam Lu around, they didn’t want to stay and risk her displeasure.
Seeing the expressions on the faces of the young ladies, Madam Lu felt a twinge of regret, realizing she might have offended some influential families.
Because of this, when Luo Lingyu offered to personally escort Madam Lu and Lu Ying back, Madam Lu didn’t refuse.
However, Luo Lingyu’s efforts to please both women were in vain.
Madam Lu and Lu Ying, unable to get along, used Luo Lingyu as a talking point.
As they walked back, Madam Lu took every opportunity to criticize Lu Ying for neglecting her niece, pointing out the differences between the north and the south, and between Ruoyang and Jianye. She blamed Lu Ying for the misunderstandings that had occurred that night.
Lu Ying looked somewhat embarrassed. Her feelings for Luo Lingyu were indeed shallow. She had allowed Luo Lingyu and her sister to stay at the Lu family out of respect for her late husband.
Madam Lu’s accusation that she didn’t care for Luo Lingyu wasn’t entirely wrong. Lu Ying didn’t know what had happened that night or what Luo Lingyu had done. As Madam Lu continued to criticize her, Lu Ying’s confidence waned.
Luo Lingyu kept her head down, following the two women in silence.
The maids following behind, including Lingyu, watched as the young lady became the target of the two women’s frustrations.
Seeing Luo Lingyu’s slender, upright figure, they sighed, thinking how unfair it was that she was caught in the middle. Tomorrow, the other young ladies would surely leave, leaving Luo Lingyu alone in the Lu household… It was a difficult situation, and they felt sorry for her.
Finally, after escorting the two women back, Luo Lingyu walked silently along the path toward her courtyard. The maid holding the lantern, Lingyu, glanced at her and saw the glimmer of tears in her eyes, like stars about to fall. The tears shimmered like ripples on a lake, making her look fragile and beautiful…
As they walked along the stone corridor, with a row of pine trees on the left and a clear lake outside, the light reflected off Luo Lingyu’s porcelain-like cheeks. She looked up, seeing the scattered lights of the nearby courtyards. Suddenly, she asked, “Is this the only path from ‘Snow Trace Courtyard’ back to the other courtyards?”
Lingyu, puzzled by the question, answered respectfully, “Yes… but it’s a bit out of the way. Why are we taking this route, Miss?”
Luo Lingyu replied, “I’m a bit tired. Let’s sit and rest for a while.”
The maid, feeling sorry for the young lady who had endured so much that evening, didn’t question her. She and the other maids stopped with their lanterns, standing about ten steps away. They watched as Luo Lingyu sat by the railing, gazing at the misty water outside the corridor. Tears welled up in her eyes.
She couldn’t hold back her sobs.
Lingyu and the other maids immediately lowered their heads, not daring to look.
As Luo Lingyu let her tears fall, she calculated the time. She wondered if the young men who lived farther away had already passed by. If they hadn’t, it would be perfect… Her tearful, vulnerable appearance would surely catch their attention.
She was already wronged, and if no one saw her silently crying, wouldn’t she feel even more wronged?
Luo Lingyu leaned on the railing, her tears streaming down. She cried so hard that her shoulders shook, and soft sobs escaped her throat.
Yet, her profile remained stunningly beautiful.
The gathering at “Snow Trace Courtyard” hadn’t fully dispersed. Lu Ying had just arrived, and Third Brother Lu and Liu Chu had already left without informing the servants. Third Brother Lu led Liu Chu to dig up a jar of wine he had buried years ago. They found a large lake connected to the Qinhuai River, tied the boat’s rope to a wooden stake on the shore, and sat on the boat with the wine jar. Liu Chu followed closely.
The two young men sat on the boat, shaded by pine trees, under the clear moon. They drank freely, enjoying life to the fullest.
Lu Yun glanced at Liu Chu sitting across from him, poured him a drink, and noticed Liu Chu’s distracted expression. Lu Yun scoffed, leaning back with his elbow resting on his knee. The aroma of wine filled the air as Lu Yun studied Liu Chu for a while, then said in a strange tone, “Don’t tell me you’ve also taken a liking to my cousin Luo?”
“Ever since we left ‘Snow Trace Courtyard,’ you’ve been absent-minded.”
And Liu Chu had only stood by the window with him, catching a glimpse of Luo Lingyu.
Liu Chu snapped out of his thoughts. “No, it’s not that… she just… looks familiar.”
Lu Yun smirked. “All beautiful women look familiar.”
If it were anyone else, Lu Yun wouldn’t care, but Liu Chu’s interest… Lu Yun took a sip of wine, feeling a pang of irritation. His expression turned cold, and for a moment, he seemed as aloof as snow on a mountain peak.
Lu Yun said casually, “Luo Lingyu isn’t much of a beauty… When you sent me to Yicheng to meet with commoners, I actually met a real beauty. The scholar Zhou Tan is renowned for his talents, but he’s a commoner, often looked down upon by the nobility. When I met him, I saw his daughter, Zhou Yangling. If you want to collaborate with commoners, you can’t avoid Zhou Tan, and his daughter Zhou Yangling is also a good choice.”
Liu Chu suddenly exclaimed, “Ah!” He stood up abruptly, causing the small boat to sway. He ignored it, his tone excited. “I remember now… you… you…”
Lu Yun raised an eyebrow. Liu Chu, who usually avoided speaking due to his stutter, rarely got this worked up.
Liu Chu calmed down and managed to say coherently, “I’ve seen Cousin Luo before. She… just arrived in Jianye. I rode past her.”
That day, the spring light was as radiant as a sunset. The young Fifth Prince, Liu Chu, and a dozen noblemen from Jianye rode past the dock on horseback. A beautiful young lady had just disembarked, her sleeves fluttering in the wind as she looked around. Her beauty was like a painting, unforgettable.
Lu Yun’s eyes darkened slightly, and he said calmly, “She’s my cousin.”
Lu Yun was about to say more when his ears caught the sound of a woman sobbing softly above them. He looked up and saw the dense shadows of the trees, the cool moonlight, and the faint outline of a woman’s figure beyond the branches.
Lu Yun and Liu Chu exchanged glances, wondering if their conversation had been overheard. It was unlikely—they had spoken in low voices, and the wind was blowing downward… But just in case, the two men fell silent and pulled the boat back to shore.
A moment later, Luo Lingyu heard a faint, almost sighing male voice behind her. “Cousin…”
Tears streaming down her face, Luo Lingyu was initially pleased that her crying had finally been noticed by a young man passing by after the gathering. But the familiar, jade-like voice made her pause. Before she could think too much, she quickly wiped her tears and stood up, turning around with her best expression, soft and timid. Her teary eyes blinked—
It was Third Brother Lu.
He was indeed as handsome and graceful as jade… but after what had happened between them… and after he had just scolded her… Why did he keep appearing in front of her?
Luo Lingyu asked cautiously, “Cousin… do you… admire me that much?”
She completely missed Liu Chu, who was tying the boat’s rope behind Lu Yun.
Lu Yun raised an eyebrow. Who admired her?!
Author’s Note:
Luo Lingyu and Lu Yun are like two people who just stand there, thinking, “Am I flirting with you?”
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