ATLAS TRANSLATES

In the yard outside, Xia Lu took off his shoes and entered his room. His face was as white as jade, and he remained silent. His features were delicate, with phoenix-like eyes that curved slightly upward. When not smiling, he appeared noble and handsome rather than flirtatious.

When Lu Yun gave her an unclear glance, Luo Lingyu stood up with a flushed face.

She understood the meaning behind that look and had to stay strong. She felt embarrassed, knowing Lu Yun’s disgust towards her — both then and now. Truly living up to being the Luo cousin.

If she had any other option, she wouldn’t have come begging Lu Yun… Luo Lingyu thought to herself that she was different from other noble ladies. Whether others got the “Flower Goddess” title or not wouldn’t affect their daily lives. But her position in Jianye truly needed this “Flower Goddess” title to establish her reputation. In this era, scholars and gentlemen all respected talented and beautiful women… If she wanted to marry well, shouldn’t she have something to show for it?

Luo Lingyu decided to go all in: Her image in Third Young Master Lu’s eyes was already so bad, it couldn’t get much worse. Since there was an opportunity, why should she give up?

Although she was mortified and wanted to leave immediately, on the surface, Luo Lingyu maintained the elegant demeanor of a noble lady.

Jin Yue felt somewhat uneasy. Third Young Master had returned, yet they were so caught up chatting with Miss Luo that no one remembered to greet him at the courtyard entrance. This was truly disrespectful and had wronged their Third Young Master. Jin Yue hurriedly instructed Zhi Yue and the other maids to clean up the table, while she herself followed Lu Yun who was walking behind the screen, quietly explaining why Miss Luo was here.

Luo Lingyu sat back down, with gentle eyes and a slightly dazed expression. To hide her discomfort, she watched the maids bustling about preparing to serve Third Young Master Lu. Her eyebrows twitched, and she stood up, smiling as she stopped the maid Zhi Yue: “Let me make the tea? Please let Third Cousin try my skills.”

Before coming to Jianye, Luo Lingyu had seriously studied tea making from a teacher. Her technique was so elegant and refined that she could fool most people.

Zhi Yue pursed her lips. She disliked this Miss who always seemed to have ulterior motives.

When Jin Yue had let Miss Luo into the room earlier, she had even criticized Jin Yue about it. But now that the Young Master was back, Zhi Yue didn’t dare argue in his presence.

Since Miss Luo wanted to make tea, Zhi Yue stepped aside, feeling somewhat gleeful — You think you know our Third Young Master’s tastes? Our Third Young Master has always been particular about food and drink. If you make even the smallest mistake, he won’t like it.

Zhi Yue waited expectantly to watch what would happen. However, when Third Young Master Lu came out from the inner room wearing casual clothes, he glanced at the maids who were aimlessly dusting with feather dusters and said flatly: “Everyone leave.”

Zhi Yue reluctantly left after getting a glare from Jin Yue, following the other maids out.

In the room, only the sound of tea brewing could be heard. Through the bamboo screen, Zhi Yue turned back unwillingly and saw the steam wreathing around the lady’s face, the white mist making her striking beauty appear softer.

The lady’s red lips, white skin, and gentle gaze toward Third Young Master Lu was enchantingly beautiful.

Then she saw the playful expression in Third Young Master Lu’s phoenix eyes.

Zhi Yue’s heart suddenly jolted, and she felt strangely lost.

In the room, with the maids gone, Luo Lingyu also relaxed a bit. If Lu Yun wanted to scold her in front of the maids, where would her face be? But if he only scolded her when they were alone, Luo Lingyu’s thick skin could handle it. Absentmindedly brewing tea, she occasionally glanced at Lu Yun sitting on the couch reading a book. He was still ignoring her with an expressionless face… probably still angry.

Luo Lingyu wondered what kind of person Lu Yun would like her to be.

It seemed he disliked all the ways she presented herself to others… The more beautiful and kind others found her, the more he probably scoffed inside. Since she needed his help, she should try to be what he likes… After thinking for a while, Luo Lingyu steeled herself: Perhaps Third Young Master Lu would accept her most when she wasn’t being fake… Maybe if she was more genuine with him, he wouldn’t find her so annoying…

Lu Yun suddenly shouted: “The water’s boiling!”

Luo Lingyu was startled by his sudden outburst. Her hand trembled, but her instinct for self-preservation made her pull back. This retreat saved her from getting scalded by the overflowing water – not a single drop touched her fingers. Even such a small action revealed her true nature… Luo Lingyu secretly glanced at Lu Yun, who had leaned back with a sigh, looking at her with an even more inscrutable expression.

Luo Lingyu clutched her hand fearfully: “…Weren’t you reading? How did you know the water was boiling?”

Lu Yun glanced at her: “Worried you’d take revenge by burning down my room.”

Luo Lingyu: “I’m not that bad!”

Lu Yun suddenly smiled and tossed aside his book: “How would I know if you’re bad or not?”

The flirting was as usual. Luo Lingyu’s face turned red from his words. Hiding her nervousness, she tried to stay composed as she moved the teapot off the fire. She didn’t care about the elegant techniques her teacher had taught her anymore – just getting the tea safely to Lu Yun was enough. She handed him the tea and sat down across from Third Young Master Lu, still shaken. Third Young Master Lu picked up the tea and took a sip, his expression softening slightly. Luo Lingyu’s skills had always been much better than her behavior. She never failed when it came to abilities…

Whether it was cooking, poetry, dance, music… or now tea making.

Lu Yun’s mind wandered, thinking slowly about how if she married someone, that husband would be so fortunate to have such a capable wife. Whether sincere or not, she would at least make her husband feel comfortable and at ease when he came home… With his cousin’s skills, winning a man’s heart should be effortless. That Third Young Master Qi who wanted her as a concubine would be so lucky… Third Young Master Qi probably couldn’t even tell if Luo Lingyu was being sincere.

His heart suddenly felt troubled.

Luo Lingyu sat properly, looking clearly at Third Young Master Lu drinking tea. She didn’t understand why as he drank, his expression went from somewhat warm at first to increasingly cold. Worried that perhaps she hadn’t made the tea well, she couldn’t wait any longer… Luo Lingyu leaned forward and spoke: “Brother Xue Chen, I am a woman who despises poverty and loves wealth…”

“Pfft—!” Third Young Master Lu was in the middle of tasting the tea when he heard the lady’s particularly sincere statement. He spat out his mouthful of tea and started coughing uncontrollably.

Third Young Master Lu was in quite a mess. After spitting out the tea, his hands, sleeves, and even his robe were stained with yellowish-brown liquid that trickled down. He coughed severely, his jade-like face turning bright red as he covered his mouth with his sleeve, his shoulders shaking. With a bang, the teacup in his hand went flying, splattering tea and leaves all over the carpet on the ground.

Luo Lingyu was dumbfounded: “…”

Was that really necessary?

Did he have to be so shocked?

Luo Lingyu quickly went to help him up. She saw him both coughing and laughing, his beautiful eyes misted with tears, shining like fallen stars. Third Young Master Lu had never met a woman who would openly say she “despises poverty and loves wealth.” He found it incredibly amusing and turned his head to look at Luo Lingyu, who was red-faced and very unhappy as she patted his back.

Lu Yun held back his laughter: “I’m— I’m— I’m sorry… This is the first time I’ve seen someone be so honest about themselves…”

Luo Lingyu was annoyed: “Weren’t you the one who wanted me to show my true self? Yet you laugh like this!”

“Cousin was wrong,” Lu Yun seemed to be in an extremely good mood. He looked up at her, his eyes full of tender feelings that made Luo Lingyu, who was close to him, feel somewhat uncomfortable. He grabbed her hand through his sleeve briefly, “Continue speaking, cousin promises not to laugh anymore.”

Luo Lingyu gave him a glare, looking down at his smiling spring-like face. Her heart pounded, and she couldn’t help but smile along with him.

The cold atmosphere in the room softened considerably as the two stood and sat, looking at each other and laughing. Outside, rain fell steadily. The maids rolled up the curtains, and Jin Yue and the others glanced back inadvertently to see the two in the room, appearing like a perfect match between talent and beauty, looking at each other with smiles and hints of affection. Jin Yue’s heart skipped: Her young master was nineteen… and had never teased a lady like this before.

In the room, Luo Lingyu sat back down and continued analyzing herself to Lu Yun: “…So, Brother Xue Chen, I won’t say anything else. No matter how nicely I speak, you won’t believe me anyway. Ah, you’ve already decided I’m a bad woman…” After getting a glance from Lu Yun, Luo Lingyu coughed and quickly withdrew the melancholic expression from her face, “Anyway, just tell me your conditions for helping me change the score.”

This time she was truly sincere and direct. Lu Yun asked first: “Do you know what score I gave you now?”

Luo Lingyu: “…Someone saw you gave me a ‘C’.”

Lu Yun made a sound of acknowledgment and stood up. Luo Lingyu waited anxiously, and after a while, saw Lu Yun come out from the inner room with a booklet. He casually tossed it to her. Luo Lingyu caught it nervously and opened it, immediately recognizing it as a “Flower Goddess Scoring Book.” The handwriting was flowing and graceful, like a dragon soaring through the wilderness – it must be Lu Yun’s writing. Luo Lingyu glanced happily at Lu Yun: Could she really look at something like this?

Third Young Master Lu sat down, propping his head with his finger, looking at her with an indifferent smile.

Luo Lingyu opened the booklet with reverence. Indeed, these were this year’s Flower Goddess scores. Lu Yun had watched all the performances over five days and scored each one. Overall, Third Young Master Lu’s scoring was quite strict. “C” was his normal grade, meaning most people were merely average in his eyes; only two or three people received an “A.”

The scores were divided into A, B, C, with each further divided into “upper, middle, lower.”

Luo Lingyu looked at “Chen Xiu” – even Chen Xiu only got a “C.” So even previous Flower Goddesses were just average in his eyes. And after Luo Lingyu’s name, the “C” had been crossed out and replaced with a “B.” Luo Lingyu was immediately delighted: “Did you not like my dance at first, but then thought it was good later?”

Lu Yun’s voice was clear as jade, showing some indifference: “No. That dance of yours, while novel to look at, was quite ordinary in skill, truly just average to me. But…” He paused, Luo Lingyu’s figure was indeed, very… However, he was also displeased, not liking that all the young men had seen her good figure together. After considering for a moment, Lu Yun simply skipped over this part, “…later when the bell chimes were added, I realized I had underestimated you. Your bell arrangement combined court music with clear commercial music, grand yet light and clean, sorrowful but not harmful, joyous but not excessive, with an uplifting tone. I saw your broad-mindedness…”

Lu Yun looked at her: So broad-minded that he doubted if this was really his cousin Luo.

Luo Lingyu’s face stiffened slightly. The bells… She gripped the booklet tighter. The bells were still with her, and she was thinking of finding time to return them to Young Master Zhou. The bells weren’t modified by her – Young Master Zhou had helped her arrange the music in just half a day. Young Master Zhou had good intentions… but Lu Yun thought the best part of her dance was those bells…

Luo Lingyu: “Anyway, you’re willing to help me change it? What are your conditions for changing it to ‘A upper’?”

Lu Yun smiled: “The conditions are indecent, I’m afraid you won’t agree.”

Luo Lingyu: “…”

This was the first time she’d met someone who called their own conditions indecent.

Luo Lingyu’s heart trembled, and she quietly moved back a bit, her face twisted in doubt: “Do you want to… sleep with me?”

She stared at Lu Yun. Third Young Master Lu was so handsome and refined, sitting there casually and freely, like a clear jade mountain. Even when speaking of “indecent” things, he still had a smile on his face, yet somehow didn’t make people dislike him. In this era, private relations between men and women were open, with no talk of preserving one’s reputation. Lu Yun just looked at her, and Luo Lingyu’s face reddened slightly, thinking: This condition wasn’t impossible, after all, Lu Xue Chen was so handsome… Just, wouldn’t her sacrifice be a bit too great?

Lu Yun looked at her shy appearance, stunned: “…”

Lu Yun smiled: “That’s not it.”

Luo Lingyu: “…Oh.”

Lu Yun said deeply: “I have three conditions.”

“First, I want you to dress as you did that day and dance alone, just the two of us. If you’re willing to dance for me like that, I’ll give you an ‘A lower.’”

“The second requirement… I haven’t thought of it yet. We can discuss it after you agree to dance, or after you finish dancing.”

Luo Lingyu was puzzled, frowning: “Actually, dancing… I don’t dance well, you know that too. But if you want to watch, I don’t mind. But, Brother Xue Chen, how is this condition indecent?”

Lu Yun coughed once and turned his face away, not speaking anymore — he looked toward the drizzling rain outside the window, thinking of the lady’s chest he had seen that day.

It was the “Screen Dance,” where all bodily movements were seen through a white silk screen, subtly enticing people. Other young men thought it was Lian Qi Niang, and after the competition ended, they all went to Cheng Yu House to find Lian Qi Niang. But Lu Yun knew that such a good figure belonged to Luo Lingyu… He covered his face with his sleeve, refusing to answer Luo Lingyu.

He thought about it day and night, until he couldn’t resist anymore…

…

The rain fell steadily. Having just returned to the Lu residence and encountering the rain, Second Young Master Lu Xian ran soaking wet to take shelter under a tree in the pavilion. Lu Xian was kind-hearted, and when taking shelter from the rain himself, he wouldn’t let his recently recovered servant boy brave the rain to fetch him an umbrella. Master and servant were thus trapped in the rain, feeling melancholy for a long while, staring absent-mindedly at the green lake splashing droplets under the pavilion.

The evening sky hadn’t completely darkened yet. As Second Young Master Lu watched the lake water, he suddenly saw a little radish head jumping around by the lake, humming a gentle tune. The young lady held one umbrella and carried another in her arms. Yet she wouldn’t hold it properly, letting it slip off her shoulder every now and then. She raised her head and reached out to catch the rain, her snow-white face with black eyes, looking brightly at the rain falling into her eyes…

Second Young Master Lu smiled: “Huan’er, what are you doing? Playing outside in the heavy rain, aren’t you afraid your sister will scold you?”

Luo Yun Huan was secretly throwing away her umbrella to play in the rain, happily lifting her skirt to splash in the water. As she walked along the edge of the great lake playing, she suddenly heard a man’s smiling greeting from above. Startled, Luo Yun Huan looked up and saw Second Young Master Lu leaning over to look at her from the pavilion. Luo Yun Huan hesitated for a moment, sweetly called out “Second Cousin,” and then pattered up the stairs, running towards the pavilion behind the double-sided corridor.

Though she was tiny, she ran fast, splashing through the rainwater. Lu Xian watched her climb the stairs, worried she might fall, but in the blink of an eye, she had run up to the pavilion. The little lady blinked: “Second Cousin!”

Lu Xian looked at her and thought of Luo Lingyu. Lu Xian smiled at her: “You run so fast, but you must be careful not to fall, understand? Who would have thought that while your sister pants after three steps, you can run so well.”

Luo Yun Huan giggled: “Because sister always forces me to study, so I often sneak out to play. She doesn’t like moving herself, but she doesn’t scold me for running and jumping, I think she actually likes me being more active.”

Lu Xian was surprised, noticing that Luo Lingyu’s education of her sister seemed to go in a completely different direction from her own conduct. Luo Lingyu was a lady with her own ideas, Lu Xian noticed, but he didn’t think too much about it. He asked: “Why are you still outside in the heavy rain? What do you want to do?”

Luo Yun Huan pouted and showed Second Cousin the umbrella in her arms: “It’s raining, I’m going to bring sister an umbrella.” Knowing Lu Xian would continue asking, she simply said everything at once, “Sister went to play with Third Cousin.”

Lu Xian: “…”

He unconsciously frowned – why was it Third Brother again?

Lu Xian didn’t want to show his emotions in front of a child, so he said: “Would Third Brother really not spare your sister an umbrella?”

Luo Yun Huan muttered something under her breath, lowering her head. Though young, she was worried that if her sister couldn’t negotiate well, Third Cousin might throw her out without even letting her have an umbrella. Luo Yun Huan had already seen clearly that Third Cousin was somewhat prejudiced against her sister… When she raised her head again, the little lady’s water-drop eyes stared at Lu Xian. After looking at Second Cousin for a while, she generously offered her umbrella: “Second Cousin, are you trapped in the rain? Take this umbrella. When I find sister, we can share one umbrella on the way back.”

Lu Xian’s eyes were gentle as he patted her little head: “Huan’er is so thoughtful. But Second Cousin won’t take advantage of a child. Give this umbrella to my servant so he can go back and fetch an umbrella. I’ll take you, and we can share one umbrella. Second Cousin will escort you to ‘Clear Courtyard’ to pick up your sister, alright? Second Cousin actually has something to discuss with your Third Cousin.”

Luo Yun Huan thought for a moment: “Okay… but Second Cousin, do you really have business with Third Cousin, and aren’t just looking after me? I don’t want adults to take care of me.”

Lu Xian patted her little head again, sighing inside. Both were eight or nine years old, but Luo Lingyu’s sister was much more clever than his family’s Fourth Young Master Lu Chang. Little Fourth Brother still felt shy around him, unlike little Huan’er who was so natural and composed… Living in someone else’s home while taking care of her sister, Cousin Luo had it tough.

And so, parting ways with his servant, Lu Xian held Luo Yun Huan’s hand. The tall and small figures shared one umbrella as they went to “Clear Courtyard” to find people. Fine rain fell like ox hair weaving through heaven and earth, with misty clouds everywhere. Along the way, Lu Xian tried his best to tilt the umbrella toward the little lady who only reached his waist. Luo Yun Huan was carefree, hopping and skipping, happily looking up to chat with him.

She was purely adorable.

When they reached “Clear Courtyard” and entered the gate, everything was quiet. After the rain started, the courtyard’s maids and servants naturally wouldn’t be foolish enough to stand in the open rain. The two masters were peacefully talking in the room, while the maids and servants went to other rooms to chat and avoid the rain, even finding a game of checkers to play. They occasionally glanced outside, waiting to see if Third Young Master and Miss needed them. Just as the maids and servants were enjoying their game, Second Young Master Lu arrived at “Clear Courtyard” leading his little cousin.

To avoid the rain, Lu Xian held Luo Yun Huan’s hand, leading her under the tree shade. Stepping on wet fallen flowers and leaves, Luo Yun Huan suddenly heard the creaking sound of a door opening. She looked up, and through the thick, dark tree shade, saw the bright room’s door open and a lady’s graceful figure emerge. That was definitely her sister.

Luo Lingyu walked out while turning to talk to Lu Yun who followed behind. Though it was raining heavily outside, she wasn’t in a hurry to leave, instead listening to Lu Yun whisper something in her ear. Lu Yun went back inside, and Luo Lingyu waited. After a while, Lu Xian and Luo Yun Huan under the tree shade saw Third Young Master Lu come out again carrying something.

The elegant young man gestured for the lady to lower her head as he put his bamboo hat and rain cape on her. In the dim lamplight from the room, Lu Yun bent down to examine her beautiful face hidden under the bamboo hat. The rain cape and hat were much bigger than her whole person, and he said softly: “There, now you won’t get rained on.”

Luo Lingyu was very troubled and glared at him: “It’s so big that I won’t get rained on, but I’ll be completely buried in it. Take it back, I don’t want your things.”

After the rain, the ground outside was wet. As the lady stepped, her foot slipped and she cried out as she started to fall. Just as she was about to slip, Lu Yun who was standing right in front of her reached out and caught her waist, and she fell right into Third Young Master Lu’s arms.

Third Young Master Lu looked down, his gaze deep and dark.

Luo Lingyu looked up, her eyelashes trembling slightly, her face flushed red.

She scolded him once and pushed him away, standing up properly from his embrace.

Further away, Luo Yun Huan couldn’t hold back anymore and emerged from under the tree shade: “Sister—!”

She ran to her sister’s and Third Young Master Lu’s side. Both of them crouched down to look at her. The little lady spoke with a beaming smile, and both Third Young Master Lu and Luo Lingyu listened with smiles. The three of them together were exceptionally harmonious. After saying a few words, Luo Yun Huan pointed outside: “…came with Second Cousin… eh, where did Second Cousin go?”

Lu Yun put his hand on the little lady’s shoulder, looking toward the empty space under the tree shade where she was pointing, his eyes dark and thoughtful.

But Lu Xian had already left dejectedly by himself, no longer caring about umbrellas. Walking in the rain, his mind was exploding. All he could think about was what he had just seen – Third Young Master Lu, his brother, looking at Luo Lingyu with that kind of gaze. It definitely wasn’t how a brother looks at a sister, but how a man looks at a woman.

The two of them standing under the building, their clothes touching. When Lu Xian looked, one lowering his head and one raising hers, like an embrace, like gazing at each other lovingly.

And even earlier, Lu Xian had seen something similar, that time at Zhongshan archery, Lu Yun and Luo Lingyu were like this too. Sweetly intimate, with hidden feelings blooming in dark, subtle places, silently, continuously growing and growing…

Lu Xian’s face was ashen, not just because of this, but because this scene seemed familiar. In his dreams, there had been such a moment. In the dream, Luo Lingyu returned from elsewhere with the Prince of Hengyang, just after the “Flower Goddess Selection” had ended. Having missed it, Cousin Luo was somewhat regretful. In the dream, Cousin Luo remembered she had left something and came to the Lu residence to retrieve it. At that time, Lu Xian had caused Cousin Luo to leave the Lu residence due to his own reasons, and feeling guilty, he went to actively help his cousin.

In the dream it was also a rainy night like this, with the same tree shade. He caught a glimpse of Lu Yun and Luo Lingyu talking outside the building.

Almost embracing but not quite, one head lowered, one raised. As their gazes met, Lu Yun had been wearing a stern expression, but after a few words was made to smile by Luo Lingyu.

In the dream, Lu Xian had only glanced briefly without thinking much of it. He walked out to call Luo Lingyu, and when she turned to look at him, her expression was already normal, and Lu Yun hadn’t said anything more.

That scene in the long dream had passed in just a moment, but now a similar scene was happening before his eyes. Lu Xian’s heart trembled: Could it be… could it be… Third Brother and Cousin Luo… in that world of his dreams, were they… in love?

If that was the case… she later married the Prince of Hengyang… Third Brother left Jianye for the frontier…

Like a thunderbolt from a clear sky!

That night, Lu Xian fell severely ill and dreamed again.