ATLAS TRANSLATES

On his way to the Clear Courtyard, a soft feminine body crashed into him, filling his arms with a sweet fragrance and flowing dark hair.

Having been entangled with many women before, Lu Yun felt no desire to indulge. He grabbed her arm to push her away, but when he looked down, he saw the beautiful young woman gazing up at him with eyes like clear rippling lakes, full of tender feelings.

His grip on her arm loosened, then tightened again. Coming back to his senses, he frowned: “Why is it you again, Cousin Luo?”

The young woman was breathing heavily from running. As she looked up at him, her breath touched his face. She pressed against him, her chest…

Lu Yun’s expression turned strange. Before he could speak, he heard footsteps approaching.

Looking up, he realized they were not far from the Clear Courtyard’s garden. Several maids were walking across the bridge over the clear lake, chatting and laughing.

Though Lu Yun had already spotted them, when he tried pushing Luo Lingyu away, she wouldn’t let go.

He raised an eyebrow and gave her a meaningful look that said: You’ll pay for this later! Don’t blame me for being rude.

Luo Lingyu held onto him tightly, thinking: This is the Plum Seeking Recluse… the real Plum Seeking Recluse in the flesh!

She felt heat at her waist as his hand pressed against her lower back, lifting her slightly.

As Luo Lingyu’s face turned red, Lu Yun’s wide sleeve swept up, bringing a cool breeze. Supporting her waist with one hand and using his sleeve to hide her face with the other, he spun them both behind a tree in the garden.

With their backs to the path, the passing maids continued chatting, completely unaware of their presence.

Lu Yun looked down lazily: “You were looking for me?”

“Yes!” Luo Lingyu replied.

She gazed up at him with a strange expression for so long that Lu Yun’s face darkened. Finally, she reluctantly looked away.

Their position was still awkward. When Lu Yun shifted his hand, he caught sight of her delicate white profile as she lowered her head. Flower petals drifted down from above, landing in her hair.

Third Young Master Lu felt his heart skip. His fingers tingled, and surprisingly, he didn’t push her away.

He wondered idly if she was trying to seduce him again or had other motives.

Seeing her gather her thoughts, she spoke softly: “I came specially to…”

Luo Lingyu paused. She felt Lu Yun was prejudiced against her. Sometimes he was kind, sometimes cruel. What if his dislike made him deny being the Plum Seeking Recluse?

Lu Yun leaned down, his breath ghosting over her nose. The handsome young man’s eyes were full of feeling as he made a soft sound of acknowledgment. Luo Lingyu’s heart trembled.

Her cheeks burned from his breath. After her mind cleared, she finally said: “I came to thank Third Cousin for the painting you sent me.”

“What painting?” Lu Yun thought for a while. “When was this?”

Luo Lingyu: “…”

She gritted her teeth. She had been so moved, but he didn’t remember at all?

But Luo Lingyu wasn’t one to give up easily: “The painting Jin Yue delivered that early morning, the one you gave me in return!”

Under his cousin’s eager gaze, Lu Yun thought again: “Ah… I don’t remember… Jin Yue probably just grabbed something random from my study. She didn’t tell me about it. If there’s a problem with the painting, you can return it.”

Luo Lingyu felt crushed: “…”

This man was so, so, so annoying!

How could he possibly be the Plum Seeking Recluse she had admired for years?!

Above her head, Lu Yun was leisurely enjoying how his cousin’s expressions and color kept changing, a faint smile in his eyes: …hmph.

Luo Lingyu took a deep breath. Her beautiful smile was barely holding up.

Still, she persisted. After dealing with Lu Yun many times, she knew he wasn’t a good person. She tried hard to merge the Third Brother Lu she knew with the scholar she admired.

The beautiful young woman closed her eyes and praised him: “That painting was by the Plum Seeking Recluse. Third Brother must know he’s a famous scholar. His paintings are excellent. His brushwork shows both detail and wisdom. His vision is grand. Whether painting people or landscapes, each piece has its own special charm. Many try to copy him, but none capture the essence. The painting you gave me was truly wonderful…”

Luo Lingyu’s eyelashes fluttered as she watched Lu Yun’s expression.

His eyes held a slight smile. His peach blossom eyes lowered tenderly, lips curved up as he listened.

Clearly, her words hit the spot. Praising him to his face made Lu Yun even more pleased.

Luo Lingyu deliberately asked: “Third Brother gave me his painting. Do you also think his work is good?”

Lu Yun said seriously: “Of course. He’s the best.”

Luo Lingyu suddenly understood: “…”

In her heart she cursed: Oh oh oh, you shameless man! You are the Plum Seeking Recluse! That’s why you love hearing my praise. Yet you still won’t admit it. You’re terrible!

Lu Yun, Lu Yun… her Third Brother was truly awful.

If kind Second Brother hadn’t pointed it out, who knows how long Lu Yun would have fooled her.

Thinking of this, she remembered her sister asking “doesn’t he look familiar?”

Could Lu Yun have deceived her before without her knowing?

“Cousin,” Lu Yun tapped her forehead. “Did you come find me just to praise the painting I… gave you?”

His lips brushed her ear as he whispered: “How boring.”

Luo Lingyu’s ears burned. She quickly covered them and jumped back, breaking free from his arms.

He hadn’t really been holding her, so when she moved away, Lu Yun’s arms were suddenly empty. The young man paused, looking down at his slightly curved hands.

Luo Lingyu touched her burning ear, her heart full of joy. She smiled because Lu Yun’s reaction proved the answer—

Though Third Brother was… he was still the Plum Seeking Recluse!

She stepped back, smiling: “Yes, I just came to praise your painting. I have nothing else…”

As she turned to leave, she suddenly spun back: “Oh wait! Second Brother invited me to Mount Zhong. Third Brother, come with us?”

Lu Yun: Second Brother again?

The smile faded from his eyes: “No.”

Usually when Lu Yun refused like this, Luo Lingyu wouldn’t say more. But now as she looked at him, she saw more than just him…

Luo Lingyu blinked her charming eyes. They were truly beautiful eyes, gazing deeply at someone, transmitting threads of feeling.

Lu Yun remained cold-hearted as Luo Lingyu said softly: “Come on, come on, come on…”

She repeated it over and over, staring intently. The gates of his heart loosened, letting in a flood that made Lu Yun’s heart tremble. He lost focus for a moment and vaguely said: “…mm…”

Luo Lingyu: “You agreed!”

Lu Yun: “…”

Luo Lingyu stood under the flowering tree, giving him a sweet smile.

Lu Yun watched her walk away, then lowered his head, looking annoyed. He had actually given in to her… just because of her beauty.

Lu Yun’s face darkened. He was not someone ruled by lust. He hated when women tried to seduce him. But Luo Lingyu, Luo Lingyu… even though he knew… still…

“Brother!”

It was Luo Lingyu’s voice again.

Lu Yun raised his head with a dark expression. Through the dense flowers, Luo Lingyu had backtracked to greet him again.

Lu Yun suppressed his heart’s trembling and said angrily: “Why aren’t you gone yet?!”

Luo Lingyu jumped at his expression. This was the first time she’d seen the handsome, elegant young man show such anger toward her…

Lu Yun had teased her many times. Now Luo Lingyu wanted revenge.

The young woman clutched her chest, batting her beautiful eyes to tease him: “Brother, can I call you ‘Brother Xuechen’ from now on?”

Lu Yun: “…”

What?

Brother Xuechen?!

Lu Yun sneered: “No!”

Luo Lingyu sighed. This time she finally left, truly disappointed.

Lu Yun stood frozen for a long while. When he could no longer hear footsteps, he sat on the ground, covering his face with his sleeve.

After the young woman left, her fragrance lingered. The young man sat silently by the tree for a long time, then couldn’t help laughing—Brother Xuechen? How did she know his courtesy name was “Xuechen”?

Luo Lingyu really was… hmph.

After resting another day and setting the time and place with the young ladies, Luo Lingyu happily packed, planning to go to Mount Zhong with Second Young Master Lu.

She hesitated, deciding not to bring her younger sister Luo Yunhuan. The little sister had been stubborn lately, unable to move past something, shoulders slumped silently all day.

Worried she might cause trouble on the trip, Luo Lingyu left her sister at home, telling her to study music, chess, poetry and painting properly.

Luo Yunhuan: “I’ll study hard and won’t cause trouble for sister…”

Luo Lingyu: “…I’m not worried about you causing trouble. How can we noble ladies be so timid? Ah, forget it. Take these two days to think things through. When I return from Mount Zhong, we’ll talk more.”

So Luo Lingyu left home in an ox cart to go to Mount Zhong with Second Young Master Lu Xian.

Just as Lu Xian’s group was about to leave, Luo Lingyu asked them to wait. After a while, they saw Lu Yun, the Third Young Master, arrive lazily.

He gave a casual greeting to his second brother, exchanged a look with Luo Lingyu, then jumped into the ox cart to sit.

Lu Xian looked at Luo Lingyu.

Luo Lingyu smiled: “We were waiting for Third Brother. Second Brother, let’s go.”

Lu Xian grew worried again: He knew his cousin and third brother were close… but were they too close?

Cousin, do you know you’re meant to marry the Prince of Hengyang? To be a princess, a future empress?

Lu Xian’s face went numb: Ah, Cousin Luo didn’t know.

That dream he had… he still didn’t know how much was true.

Sitting in the ox cart, Third Brother Lu closed his eyes to rest after boarding. Second Brother Lu lifted the curtain, looking complexly toward Mount Zhong—at Kaishans Temple on the mountain, where the Great Master presided.

Could the Great Master resolve his doubts and tell him if that dream was real or false?

How should he handle this?