Lu Yun was a hypocrite, pretending to be noble.
He pushed Luo Lingyu against the corridor pillar, saying he would back off if she wasn’t willing. But he retreated very slowly.
When she barely hooked her arms around his neck, he turned and pressed against her, his lips meeting hers.
The crushed flower juice had a fresh and fragrant taste, even more fragrant than when they accidentally touched at archery in Mount Zhong. Just as he occasionally remembered and imagined at night – soft and sweet, stirring the hot blood throughout his body, focusing on where their lips met.
The young man’s eyelashes brushed against the lady’s. Her eyelashes trembled rapidly. As he held her waist and drew her into his embrace, her fingers on his neck shook violently. Her snow-white face turned red, and she dared not open her eyes.
It was precisely because her eyes were closed that her other senses became especially keen. She fully felt Lu Yun’s invasive kisses. It was a complete kiss, not just lips touching. His tongue entered her mouth, tangling with hers.
Luo Lingyu felt uneasy and scared all over, but the young man’s scent enveloped her. When he kissed her, he was forceful and unquestionable, yet he didn’t completely overpower her. He gave her a chance to resist—
Luo Lingyu’s trembling hands clutched his collar: at this point, she would absolutely not resist.
During this entangled, breathless kiss that seemed to steal their souls, both their hearts beat faster and faster.
Their teeth and tongues inexpertly rubbed together, sometimes colliding painfully, but mostly creating a spine-melting sensation.
His kisses made her waist soft and limbs numb. She couldn’t breathe properly and slid down along the corridor pillar. Even then, Lu Yun wouldn’t let her go.
The lady sat on the steps, still held in the young man’s embrace. His sleeves blocked the faint light from outside as he held her softened body. Luo Lingyu’s face was extremely red as she was forced to tilt her face up, accepting his lingering, tender kiss.
He kissed her so passionately and fervently that Luo Lingyu’s heart pounded thunderously. At one point, she almost believed Lu Yun loved her deeply.
Why else would his emotions be so unstable?
Above them, the magnolia and peach trees had pink and white petals clustered thickly on their branches. When the night breeze blew gently, petals rained down magnificently, falling on the young couple kneeling and sitting in the corridor. Petals covered their shoulders, hair, and sleeves, with more petals floating down to where their lips were entwined.
Fresh, fragrant petals caught between their lips. Luo Lingyu opened her eyes to see that even then, Lu Yun didn’t pull away.
His eyelids were lowered, his eyes naturally carrying warmth and tenderness when looking down. She stared at the petals caught between his teeth. He moved his teeth and tongue, and the petals followed their passionate kiss, falling between Luo Lingyu’s lips and teeth, swallowed by her.
In the long cold night, the petals were sweet, crushed between their lips – they truly seemed like secret lovers.
Exciting and forbidden!
Luo Lingyu: “Mmm…”
Her whole body trembled!
She melted in his embrace!
Suddenly, she heard footsteps from the building behind them – a maid getting up at night. Luo Lingyu was startled. Lu Yun picked her up and hid them in the shrubs under the corridor. Her face pressed against his rapidly beating heart. Being held in the young man’s arms, her body took on his scent. Luo Lingyu’s eyelashes trembled, carrying traces of moisture.
When the maid’s sounds disappeared, she lifted her head to see Lu Yun’s dark eyes filled with suppressed desire.
Lu Yun looked at her for a long while before saying hoarsely: “It’s late. You should go back.”
Luo Lingyu lowered her head. Her mind was in chaos, not knowing what to say. The lady’s face was still red as blood: “…Mm.”
Lu Xian, had already silently left, lost in spirit, when the two were kissing so passionately.
He had been sick for several days and was even more uncertain about his dreams. He had never noticed before that two men were competing for one woman. He couldn’t help wanting to seek out cousin Luo to ask her some questions. Before he could ask anything, he saw Lu Yun and Luo Lingyu embracing and kissing, and he already understood.
Lu Xian walked in the cold dew of the deep night, trying hard to remember bits and pieces of his dream. Some fragments of words, some occasional revelations… He bit his cheek, seeming to both cry and laugh: “So that’s how it is… so that’s how it is… Third Brother, you’ve been hiding this all along…”
If Luo Lingyu and Lu Yun had feelings this early in reality, it wouldn’t be much different from the dream, right?
So far, the variables in the dream were when he first woke up from his fever, and when Prince Hengyang met Luo Lingyu. That means in that world of his dream, at this time, his third brother Lu Yun and Luo Lingyu were already secretly involved.
In the dream world, Lu Xian eventually became a mid-level official. After Lu Yun died at the border, Lu Xian had helped collect Lu Yun’s belongings. With their master gone, the servants of the “Clear Courtyard” had no one to rely on. The maids and servants were either sold or arranged to serve other masters. When Lu Xian went to his brother’s “Clear Courtyard,” he saw a desolate garden. The servants were gone, with only one maid, Jin Yue, left to sort through Lu Yun’s old belongings.
Jin Yue had married before Lu Yun went to the border. She returned to the Lu family specifically to help Lu Xian organize the Third Young Master’s old things. Jin Yue took out a letter from a hidden compartment in the study and gave it to Lu Xian: “This is an unfinished letter from Third Young Master… He wrote it when he left, but later wanted to burn it. I snatched it from the fire basin when he left. I thought this letter might be useful someday… I didn’t expect this letter would be his final farewell.”
Jin Yue’s eyes filled with tears as she covered her mouth and turned away sobbing — “Our Third Young Master has lost everything. His Majesty won’t let people mention him, and all his old writings and paintings were burned. No one dares to keep anything. Only this letter remains… Second Young Master, if you remember our master, please keep just this tiny bit of his possessions.”
Lu Xian took out the letter, which was mostly burned black. Jin Yue hadn’t managed to save it in time. The letter Lu Xian saw had different handwriting from Lu Yun’s usual flowing, free style. Lu Yun had changed to a graceful, restrained, and heavy style. Each character was written in thick ink, as if every word had been contemplated for a long time. In this letter, Lu Xian could only see the last few words—
“My heart for you, the sun and moon bear witness. Paper is short but feelings are long. Yet feelings do not last. If, if…”
Even this half-burned letter was unfinished.
In the dream, Lu Xian raised his head and asked Jin Yue: “…Who was this letter written to? Why wasn’t it finished? When exactly did he write it?”
Jin Yue was too overcome with tears to speak, just shaking her head, unwilling to tell Lu Xian the answer. How could she tell Lu Xian that the relationship his third brother had wanted to salvage… was already beyond salvaging? That person had already become the supreme ruler – even with the Lu family’s great power, there was no precedent for fighting with the emperor over a wife.
In that dream world, Lu Xian only vaguely knew that his brother had loved a lady during his lifetime. But he didn’t know who that lady was, or who those final “ifs” were written for…
Now, as dream and reality mirrored each other, Lu Xian’s heart ached terribly — paper is short but feelings are long, yet feelings do not last.
So in the dream, that letter from Third Brother was written to cousin Luo. Then everything made logical sense — in the dream, when Lu Yun went to the border, Luo Lingyu was already betrothed to Prince Hengyang but not yet married. While Lu Yun was at the border, the old emperor passed away and the new emperor ascended the throne. Overnight, Luo Lingyu went from being a future princess to a future empress. The new emperor was impatient – as soon as he ascended the throne, he had the grand wedding. Not long after came Lu Yun’s death.
Even when leaving Jianye for the border, Lu Yun had still thought about winning back cousin Luo. Despite his immense pride, he wrote a letter but didn’t send it. Perhaps he wanted to wait until he was calmer, until she was calmer. But once he left, there was no way to win her back…
Lu Xian covered his face, his shoulders trembling slightly. His whole body shook with pain as if experiencing it himself – he finally knew the secret his third brother had been hiding all along. Slowly, he gritted his teeth and staggered back up, supporting himself against a tree. He swayed under the cold moonlight as he vowed in his heart—
Regardless of whether the dream was true or false! He couldn’t let what happened in the dream happen in reality!
Even if Prince Hengyang might become emperor… if cousin Luo was meant for his third brother, he would help his third brother. His third brother had lost his parents young, people came and went around him, and though many seemed to admire the Plum Seeker Scholar, Lu Yun had never really had anyone close to him. If his third brother finally liked a lady, even if heaven fell and earth cracked, Lu Xian would help his third brother fulfill his unfinished wish!
Lu Xian felt he needed to think carefully: the dream had given him so many warnings, where should he start to change all the outcomes from the dream.
…
Luo Lingyu was especially pleased lately.
She finally sold her glass bracelet. Lingxi brought back a lot of money. Not only did it cover their shortage, there was plenty left over. Luo Lingyu was absolutely delighted. At the same time, her “Flower Goddess” selection was going well. While Princess Pingning and Lady Chen Xiu fought intensely, the less influential Luo Lingyu stood out in comparison. Many who were torn between scoring Princess Pingning or Lady Chen higher simply gave their votes to Luo Lingyu instead.
Plus, Lu Yun took her to meet the other four scholars… Even if she didn’t become the Flower Goddess, getting even brief comments and praise from them was a good thing.
Sitting in front of her mirror in the early morning to brush her hair, Luo Lingyu held her cheeks. The lady reflected in the cloudy bronze mirror had a beautiful face, with a somewhat sly and satisfied smile. Luo Lingyu rested her chin on her hand and thought shyly: besides all those good things… she felt her marriage prospects had become much clearer.
Lu Yun had kissed her.
Even if it was just to negotiate terms, even if he might have just been momentarily bewitched, but if he could be bewitched once, he must have been bewitched many times before… Could it be that Lu Yun actually liked her?
That would be wonderful.
Among all the young men in Jianye, after considering everyone, Luo Lingyu truly felt that Lu Yun, whom she had liked from the start, was the best choice. Lu Yun lived alone in his courtyard, with no parents.
If she married him, she would share his great power and wealth without having to navigate the world’s most difficult mother-in-law relationship.
Lu Yun was also a scholar – whether in the South or North, even if they left the Lu family to travel the mountains and waters together, a scholar’s reputation would make their life particularly easy.
Finally, Lu Yun was her cousin. Her aunt Lu Ying was Lu Yun’s aunt, adding kinship to kinship.
The prestige of the Luo family of Nanyang meant nothing in Jianye. If she married another man, with her family powerless, if there were any conflicts between husband and wife after marriage and she had no one to rely on, Luo Lingyu would need to bow her head again and again. But Lu Yun was different. Although her aunt didn’t care much about her, she was still her relative. If Lu Yun bullied her after marriage, she could still tell her aunt and have her aunt stand up for her…
If she could marry Lu Yun, Zhou Young Master, whose background was still unclear, would be eliminated from her list of potential matches.
She never expected that after all the twists and turns, by coincidence, after several times of embarrassing herself in front of Lu Yun, and several times discovering he had incredible secrets… he could still like her… What did Lu Yun like about her?
Her beauty perhaps?
When Luo Lingyu thought of this, her heart stirred. She reopened her makeup box and once again applied powder and rouge, carefully grooming herself. She ground the silvery-white powder in her hand – this was made according to a beauty recipe from a medical book she found recently. When applied to her hands, they truly became delicate and smooth.
Luo Lingyu lowered her head, carefully rubbing the powder in her hands, and took out paper and brush to patiently write out comparisons between different types of powder.
Not only was Luo Lingyu naturally beautiful, her dedication to maintaining her beauty was unmatched by most.
Outside the window, birds chirped. Luo Yunhuan rubbed her eyes, opened her mouth in a small yawn, kicked off her shoes and entered the room barefoot, mumbling: “Sister, I have small pimples on my face. Do you still have that fragrant powder you put on me last time?”
Lingyu was tidying the room and hearing this, frowned slightly. After following the young miss for over a month, even someone as slow as Lingyu knew this young miss’s family was quite poor and couldn’t afford Jianye’s big expenses. The powder the little miss mentioned wasn’t cheap.
Just as Lingyu was about to advise the little miss not to ask for things carelessly, she saw Luo Lingyu reply in a very good mood: “Lingyu, find it for her. When it’s finished, ask me for more, I’ll make new ones.”
Luo Yunhuan’s eyes widened.
Actually she had just woken up and was still confused. Right after speaking she realized she shouldn’t have said that – how could they afford powder for her? Luo Yunhuan was about to take back her words when she saw her sister, who was bent over the desk writing with her back turned, happily agree. Luo Yunhuan pattered over and peered at her for a long while. Her sister’s eyes held spring, radiantly beautiful beyond compare.
Luo Yunhuan whispered: “…Sister, have you changed your marriage candidate again? Does your new candidate treat you very well, sending you money?”
Luo Lingyu: “…”
She gave her sister a reproachful look and warned: “Don’t say such things carelessly. I’ve been constant from beginning to end, never changing. Remember to say this no matter who asks.”
Luo Yunhuan’s eyes grew even wider as she hugged her sister’s neck, her bright eyes sparkling with joy: “…So you’ve switched back to Third Cousin again? Did Third Cousin give you hints? Did he? Did he?”
Because she had saved Lu Yun before, Luo Yunhuan had always felt fondly towards him. She had been sad that her sister couldn’t find a suitable husband she liked – how she wished these two people she liked could be together! Now… Luo Yunhuan kept asking Luo Lingyu in a small voice, shaking her until her bones nearly fell apart, but the satisfaction and joy in her eyes couldn’t be hidden.
Luo Lingyu modestly said: “Oh my…”
While they were playing in the room, a maid called from the courtyard: “Young Miss, someone from Third Young Master’s place is here with a message.”
Luo Lingyu gave Luo Yunhuan a dignified look. The little miss immediately straightened up, returning her sister a “leave it to me” look before bouncing out.
Through the curtain, Luo Lingyu heard her little sister sweetly calling “Sister Jin Yue” outside. Luo Lingyu pricked up her ears and heard Jin Yue chat with Luo Yunhuan about trivial matters before getting to the point: “Our master has gone to court. Before leaving he asked me to tell the young miss. Third Young Master says young miss shouldn’t go out today, but wait for him. After he returns from court, he will take young miss to Little Mei Mountain to meet a scholar.”
Luo Yunhuan obediently said: “Alright! I’ll tell my sister… Ah, my sister is writing, she’s busy.”
Since the young miss was busy, Jin Yue wouldn’t disturb her. She gazed deeply at the bamboo curtain, faintly seeing the young miss’s slender silhouette behind it. Previously it was always the young miss asking their Third Young Master out, this was the first time Third Young Master took the initiative to invite the young miss. The young miss was indeed limitless as she had thought.
Behind the curtain, Luo Lingyu heard Jin Yue’s words and her heart immediately started pounding heavily.
She could no longer write characters and got up to pace around the room, her cheeks gradually heating up: her Third Cousin seemed very busy.
After kissing her that night, he hadn’t appeared before her again. He said he would introduce her to scholars, but had let Second Cousin accompany her to talk instead. Only today did he have time.
Luo Lingyu twirled around and returned to her dressing table to look in the bronze mirror and groom herself again: “Lingyu, Lingyu! Have the measurements for my new clothes this month been adjusted? Don’t save them, I want to wear them today. Flower Goddess Day? I have other new clothes for Flower Goddess Day. Oh, has Wa’er secretly used my black makeup? Why is there so much less? Huan’er…”
The “Snow Trace Courtyard” became busy again around the young miss’s grooming.
When Lu Yun finished court and returned to his own courtyard to change clothes, by the time he reached his cousin’s courtyard, Luo Lingyu still hadn’t finished grooming. Lu Yun calculated the time: “Two hours… I’ve finished court and she still hasn’t finished her makeup?”
Lu Yun found it inconceivable, recalling his cousin’s face. She already looked that beautiful… how much more beautiful did she want to be? Was it necessary to spend so much time?
However, Luo Lingyu still refused to come out, insisting he wait.
Lu Yun didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, and could only go to the main room to drink tea while waiting for the lady. After just two cups of tea, he unexpectedly heard the announcement that Lu Xian had come to visit his cousin.
Why did his second brother keep coming to find Luo Lingyu? Lu Yun frowned slightly, turning his head to see his second brother already entering through the curtain.
Seeing him sitting there, Lu Xian’s eyes actually showed joy: “Third Brother, you’ve finally finished being busy and are taking cousin Luo out to play?”
Lu Yun: “…”
Second brother’s attitude was strange.
Lu Yun: “Not really finished being busy, just taking her to meet someone in passing.” He maintained his composure, raising his brow slightly, “Was Second Brother planning to take cousin out? Did I schedule the wrong time?”
“No no no,” Lu Xian quickly waved his hands, smiling at his third brother, “Your timing is very good, very good. With you accompanying cousin Luo, I can rest assured.”
Lu Xian looked at him and sighed deeply: “Third Brother, you must cherish the fate between people. Know that deep feelings don’t last long, paper is short but feelings are long. If you miss it, it will be a lifelong regret.”
Lu Yun: …Second brother was even stranger.
He put down his tea, his expression becoming slightly solemn: “…Does Second Brother perhaps have a lady he likes, to have such deep feelings? It couldn’t be… Luo Lingyu?”
His face quietly sank, his eyes narrowing.
Lu Xian: “…”
Utterly stunned!
Meeting his third brother’s faint gaze, Lu Xian recalled how he had made excuses to chat with cousin these past two days, probably causing his third brother to misunderstand.
Lu Xian hurriedly cleared himself: “What are you thinking? There are absolutely no private feelings between cousin Luo and me. I just… fell ill these past days and became more sentimental.”
Lu Yun said faintly: “Second Brother truly is a sentimental person.”
Lu Xian: “…”
Thinking if it wasn’t for you, would I torture myself like this? You rascal even mock me and don’t appreciate it…
“Both cousins are here?” Just as the two brothers were about to become restless, Luo Lingyu finally arrived fashionably late. Her voice was clear and slightly sweet, bright and crisp, like sunlight entering the dim room, making both kneeling young men look up at her.
The lady wore her hair in an ethereal bun, her long hair thick and black like clouds. Her willow eyebrows were long and fine, her eye corners slightly upturned. The beauty had snow-white skin and red lips, wearing red flowers on snow-cyan. She entered gracefully, her gaze only lightly sweeping over the two men. Even though Lu Xian had no private feelings for Luo Lingyu, he couldn’t help being stunned for a moment, lowering his head with a red face in discomfort.
Lu Xian laughed twice: “Cousin’s attire for going out with Third Brother? Very good, very good.”
Luo Lingyu’s face reddened at his laughter, but she didn’t know what Lu Xian was laughing about.
Lu Xian was truly strange, following Lu Yun and Luo Lingyu all the way out of the Lu family compound, seeing them onto the long-roofed carriage. Lu Yun lowered his eyes and asked his second brother with a half-smile if he wanted to go with them.
Only then did Lu Xian cough: “His Majesty is unwell, I’m looking for a doctor to enter the palace to see His Majesty, so I won’t trouble you. You two, have a good time relaxing, no need to rush home.”
Lu Yun and Luo Lingyu stared wide-eyed: “…”
Second Cousin’s words sounded as if they were eloping.
Lu Xian eagerly instructed the two at length, only feeling at ease after watching the ox cart leave Wu Yi Lane. In his dream, this part had also existed.
Lu Yun went to visit a scholar, old friends chatting… but at that time, the Lu Xian in the dream didn’t know Lu Yun went together with Luo Lingyu. Now that he knew, he felt strange in his heart. Lu Xian felt as if he had witnessed the whole secret between his third brother and cousin –
What he didn’t know in the dream, in reality, made him suddenly realize: So at that time, Lu Yun was with Luo Lingyu again!
They were always together!
Lu Xian returned satisfied, tidied himself up before entering the palace to see His Majesty. He recalled that in the dream world, the old emperor died of red toxin. Now he still couldn’t figure out if Prince Hengyang was suitable to be emperor. But what needed to be addressed first was warning about His Majesty’s health… As long as His Majesty lived longer now, there would be time to slowly consider things.
Unexpectedly, while Lu Xian rushed about for Lu Yun’s sake, in others’ eyes it was a different scene. Lady Lu received worried intelligence from her maid Lü Yao: “My lady, these past days, servants often see Second Young Master visiting cousin. But Third Young Master also visits cousin. Just now Third Young Master and cousin went out, Second Young Master reluctantly saw them all the way out of the compound. The servant saw that Second Young Master himself wanted to go…”
Lady Lu steadied herself: “Second Young Master told me about Third Young Master’s affection for Miss Luo. Second Young Master said he has no affection for Miss Luo, he wouldn’t lie to me.”
Lü Yao became more worried: “But servant not only feels Second Young Master has feelings for cousin, servant sees… Second Young Master seems to be in unrequited love. Cousin clearly likes Third Young Master more… This is the situation of two men fighting over one woman! What if Second Young Master fights with Third Young Master over cousin? What if Second Young Master likes cousin but cousin doesn’t like him, how will Second Young Master cope with his secret sorrow?”
Lady Lu’s lips trembled: “…”
Her son Lu Xian not only had feelings for Luo Lingyu, but was the one who lost to his brother and was brokenhearted?!
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