ATLAS TRANSLATES

After turning off the lights, Luo Lingyu finally learned that this glassware workshop belonged to Lu Yun.

Crystal beads, cups, goblets, vases, pendants… they had everything. Since it wasn’t open to the public, all these glass items were simply displayed by category rather than stored away. Luo Lingyu was dazzled by the selection, liking them more and more as she looked. She held up a glass pendant close to her eyes to examine it. Her clear bright eyes reflected in the colorful light, sparkling brilliantly. The pendant was still somewhat cloudy and not as clear as the ones usually seen from the Western Regions… The craftsmanship reminded her of the glass bracelet Lu Yun had given her before.

So the bracelet he gave her wasn’t actually from the Western Regions, but rather an unfinished product from his own workshop… Being clever, Luo Lingyu realized that if glass could be mass-produced, Lu Yun would not only make money but also have influence over trade between nations… How enviable.

“How’s the selection going, sister Lingyu?” The neutral male voice from behind startled the young lady examining the pendant, making her hand tremble.

Clutching her suddenly racing heart, Luo Lingyu turned around to find Lu Yun. Lu Yun stood silently behind her with a cold expression and downcast eyes, appearing like a ghost. Despite his handsome features, it was quite disturbing. Luo Lingyu complained: “You scared me to death… But Brother Xuechen, all your glassware here is beautiful, I love everything. I need time to choose carefully.”

Lu Yun replied flatly: “Take your time.”

Luo Lingyu gave him a strange look.

Usually when Lu Yun spoke with her, he always had a teasing tone, either showing disgust or flirting with her. Right now he was being so proper, just like the noble and dignified Lu Yun that others saw in public. His attitude toward her was the same as toward ordinary ladies. Luo Lingyu felt somewhat uncomfortable and blocked in her heart. She had just cried in front of Lu Yun and suspected he didn’t like her crying, but with him being so cold now, she didn’t know what to say… Luo Lingyu awkwardly turned her face away and lowered her head to continue looking at the glassware.

Standing slightly behind her, Lu Yun said quietly: “Does sister Lingyu still remember the bracelet I gave you?”

Luo Lingyu: “…!”

Her heart suddenly clenched, trying to keep her breathing steady. Luo Lingyu calmly smiled: “Of course I remember. The bracelet Brother Xuechen gave me was also from here, right? I really like it.”

Sunlight shone through the window lattice, creating spots of light. Standing in the corner by the wall, half of the young lord’s face was lit by sunlight, divided by his high straight nose – one half in light, one half in shadow. A deeply sarcastic smile appeared at his lips as he stood with his hands behind his back, the wide sleeves holding the glass bracelet he had retrieved from the old shopkeeper. In his heart, he had already determined certain facts, but he specifically wanted to hear how Luo Lingyu would explain it—to see how this cousin, with her quick wit, would explain things!

Lu Yun said coldly: “If you like it so much, how come I’ve never seen you wear it?”

Luo Lingyu retorted: “Of course I like it – that’s exactly why I can’t bear to wear it!”

She quickly turned around and glared at him: “Brother Xuechen, why do you keep bringing up that bracelet? You already gave it to me, you’re not thinking of taking it back, are you? I’m trying to look at the glassware, and instead of helping me choose, you keep interrupting – that’s too much!”

Lu Yun stood in the shadowy corner by the wall, watching her with quiet eyes.

Meeting Lu Yun’s gaze, Luo Lingyu’s heart skipped a beat, her fingers trembling as she caressed her beloved glassware. His eyes were very calm, but her instincts told her—he was angry.

A gentleman’s demeanor never shows anger on his face. As a contemporary famous scholar, Lu Yun’s every word and action was watched and emulated by countless people. Born into a prestigious family with deep learning and excellent education, even when angry, Lu Yun wouldn’t lose his composure in public. Yet his eyes, cold as ice picks, bore into Luo Lingyu.

Lu Yun: “Find that bracelet and show it to me.”

Luo Lingyu’s chest tightened: “…”

Abnormal behavior indicates something is wrong.

She complained: “What are you doing? I didn’t wear the bracelet out today. You gave it to me so it’s mine – you’re not trying to take it back, are you?”

Lu Yun continued staring at her: “Let me see where the bracelet I gave you is. It was the finest work from here, and I treasured it greatly. Let me see it, and you can pick any three items from here.”

Luo Lingyu uneasily put down the glassware she was holding. She had a gut feeling but didn’t want to believe it. Her heart was racing, her palms quickly becoming sweaty. She lifted her face and, as if suddenly thinking of something, tried changing the subject: “How could I casually take Brother Xuechen’s things? Actually, Brother Xuechen, we’re not that close… I’m just looking at these glass pieces, I won’t take them for free.”

Lu Yun gazed at her.

She tried to meet his gaze without flinching.

His gaze was intense – the longer he looked at her, the more sweat formed on her back. Neither spoke, both somewhat stubbornly holding their ground. By now, they had both sensed and concluded something, yet neither would admit it. After a while, Luo Lingyu saw Lu Yun’s lips curve into a smile as he spoke again: “Luo Lingyu, we can take our time. Today I must see that glass bracelet. You know what kind of person I am – sweet talk won’t work on me, nor will jokes and diversions.”

Luo Lingyu angrily said: “I told you I didn’t wear it out! I left it at home!”

Lu Yun raised his voice: “Then let’s go look!”

His voice suddenly elevated, unable to hide his anger anymore. The young lord’s dark expression as he scolded her was truly frightening. Although he didn’t raise his sleeves or move his feet, and hadn’t touched Luo Lingyu with even a finger, she was so startled she backed up several steps. As for Lu Yun, Luo Lingyu had disappointed him completely – even now she wouldn’t tell him the truth.

She was still lying to him right to his face!

She could tell such brazen lies to his face – what had she done when he couldn’t see her? Had she been playing him for a fool, watching him be blinded by beauty multiple times? Was she very pleased with herself?

Luo Lingyu finally couldn’t resist Lu Yun any longer.

The young lady lowered her eyes: “That bracelet… I lost it.”

Lu Yun said coldly: “Then let’s slowly complete this story about how you lost the bracelet.” He stepped forward as Luo Lingyu backed away, but he still blocked her retreat. She trembled, not daring to move, afraid he might suddenly hit her… Lu Yun just looked down at her mockingly: “It’s alright, Luo Lingyu. Keep stalling. I have all day to waste with you.”

“We’ll go back to the Lu residence now, to your ‘Snow Trace Courtyard,’ and call all your maids who were involved in this matter. Let’s get this story straight. We’ll take the carriage now – you have the whole journey to think about how to make up this story for me.”

He was as heartless now as he had been intimate when joking with her before. Tears were already welling up in Luo Lingyu’s eyes, but he acted as if he didn’t see them—Luo Lingyu finally recognized Lu Yun’s true face.

When his heart turned cold, he could be this cruel.

Her attempts to deceive him, to gain his sympathy and make him overlook things, were almost impossible tasks.

Lu Yun and Luo Lingyu returned to the Lu residence together. Sitting in the ox cart, Luo Lingyu still wouldn’t give up, still trying to construct as complete a story as possible. But as she secretly observed the cold expression of the young lord sharing the cart with her, her mind became increasingly chaotic, heavy, unable to think clearly. Luo Lingyu bit her lip, still stubbornly refusing to admit her mistake at this point.

Until they returned to “Snow Trace Courtyard.”

They even ran into Second Young Master Lu Xian on the way.

When Luo Lingyu reluctantly led Lu Yun back to her courtyard, she was truly delighted to unexpectedly see Lu Xian. With Second Young Master here, couldn’t he persuade Lu Yun to leave? Surely Lu Xuechen would listen to his older brother? But just as Luo Lingyu was about to greet Lu Xian, from afar, Lu Xian saw the two of them and froze. Lu Xian’s face showed a kind smile that said “I didn’t see anything” as he and his servant hurriedly left, avoiding the approaching Lu Yun and Luo Lingyu.

Luo Lingyu felt hopeless about him: “…”

After the two had passed, Lu Xian was still feeling deeply gratified: Sure enough, without the Prince of Hengyang, Third Brother and cousin’s relationship was progressing rapidly. In just a few months, at dusk, Third Brother could be invited alone to cousin’s “Snow Trace Courtyard.” With such an intimate relationship, that “brief romance” from his dream where they were on opposite sides would surely never happen.

Lu Xian was full of fighting spirit, feeling his strategy was absolutely correct. He really should talk more with the Prince of Hengyang – first to keep the Prince too busy to court their cousin, and second to make the Prince realize the power of the noble families. Now was not a good time for both sides to fall out.

…

The door closed, and before the reckoning, Luo Yunhuan was led by maids to sleep. In the main house, Lu Yun sat down, with Luo Lingyu following. Under several bronze lamps, all of Luo Lingyu’s collected items were pulled out. Calligraphy, jade pendants, sachets, silk fabrics were thrown everywhere – naturally, under Luo Lingyu’s pretense, the bracelet couldn’t be found.

Lu Yun just watched her coldly without speaking.

Lu Yun turned to look at the trembling maids: “Cousin came from Nanyang, unfamiliar with everything here. Grandmother took pity on her and sent you all to serve her. My cousin says she lost something, but you all know nothing about it. I suspect one of you maids has stolen while serving.”

“Keeping a thieving maid to serve cousin would be inappropriate, but releasing you might be exactly what you want. Let’s just beat you to death.”

His casual mention of “beating to death” caused all the maids being questioned in the room to fall to their knees with thuds, crying and begging “Third Young Master, spare us.” Luo Lingyu sat below him, wringing her hands, her face pale. Seeing his iron-faced impartiality now, she was already extremely frightened.

Lu Yun looked at Lingyu, the maid kneeling at the front: “And you as the personal maid, beating to death isn’t enough punishment. Tomorrow bring your parents here…”

“Lu Xuechen, that’s enough!” Luo Lingyu couldn’t watch anymore and suddenly stood up, “This is my courtyard, they are maids the Old Madam sent to serve me. Rewards and punishments should be decided by me! Although you are the Third Young Master of the Lu family, you should still give me some face in my own territory.”

Lu Yun smiled: “Then please, cousin, order them to be killed.”

He said: “Cousin is ruthless enough, surely you can give such an order.”

Luo Lingyu trembled with anger: “What do you mean ‘I am ruthless enough’? How contemptible do you think I am in your heart, how little do you think I value human life? Is it because of what I did to you that day? Because of that one thing, you’ll think I’m a bad person no matter what I do in the future?”

“I came alone to this foreign place with my sister to rely on relatives, and my only relative is an aunt with no blood relation to me. I didn’t know if she would value me, or how the Lu family would treat me! With an uncertain future, did I have to help you? My own future was already dim, why did I have to protect someone else?”

“It wasn’t my fault!”

“Why do you never trust me again because of that one thing?”

Luo Lingyu spoke through tears, teardrops gathering in her eyes like the tears of bamboo. The maids kneeling on the ground couldn’t understand what the two were talking about, but at least knew that Third Young Master seemed to know Miss Luo before she came to the Lu family, and they had some grievances – because of those grievances, he was biased against Miss Luo.

Hearing their lady’s choked sobs, the maids’ hearts ached with her.

Lu Yun kept his eyes lowered: “Half truth, half lies. Even now you want to keep acting, arousing sympathy, making me seem like the villain forcing you.”

Luo Lingyu glared at him hatefully, tears still on her cheeks, her face bloodless and white: this was truly the first time she had encountered someone like Lu Yun, who wouldn’t yield to either soft or hard approaches. All her methods of self-preservation – other young lords would soften seeing her cry like this, but only Lu Yun… only Lu Yun!

Lu Yun said concisely: “The bracelet.”

Luo Lingyu’s shoulders slumped, her lips bitten blood-red. She hated how Lu Yun wouldn’t give her face, but she truly felt that no more tactics would work on him. Seeing the maids about to be dragged out and beaten to death, each looking at her with tear-filled eyes… Luo Lingyu closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, she had finally given up her attitude: “I sold it.”

Lu Yun’s lowered eyelids twitched slightly as he looked up at her.

She seemed to hate and resent him extremely – behind the maids’ backs, relying on others not being able to see, she unleashed her disgust for him without restraint. He showed her no mercy, forcing her to tell the truth, exposing her true face. Her background was being stripped away bit by bit under his watch, her mask shattered by him. At this moment, she was both furious with and terrified of this person. She thought herself truly blind before—how could she have thought marrying Lu Yun would be a good thing?

Luo Lingyu said quietly: “All of you go out, I have something to say to Third Cousin.”

The maids were spared and left, closing the door. Maid Lingyu looked at her uneasily, seeing the tense atmosphere between Luo Lingyu and Lu Yun, and gave Luo Lingyu a look: Miss, do you need me to find your aunt to help you?

Luo Lingyu shook her head slightly.

Closing the door, Luo Lingyu sat down, dispirited. She took out an account book to show Lu Yun her daily expenses. Luo Lingyu said coldly: “I’m vain and materialistic. I really can’t bear living a life inferior to other noble ladies, I just have to keep up appearances. Whatever others have, I must have too.”

“Things given by men don’t matter. I’ll sell anything I can. You shouldn’t feel wronged that I sold your bracelet – if I had things from other young lords on hand, I would sell those too.”

Lu Yun’s heart was stabbed, his face somewhat stiff. His eyes lowered to look at the scrolls, jade pendants and other items thrown on the ground by the hem of Luo Lingyu’s skirt.

Luo Lingyu followed his gaze: “That jade pendant is from the Prince of Hengyang. The reason I haven’t sold it yet is, as you might guess, I think keeping this pendant might help continue a relationship with the Prince in the future. Besides, his pendant is a prince’s jade – even if someone bought it, it would cause trouble, so it’s not easy to sell.”

“The two paintings from the Plum Seeking Recluse, I’m not selling them now because I’m waiting for them to become more valuable before selling.”

“Oh, this is the tea that Qi Third Young Master gave me. His self-dried tea tastes ordinary to me, but I told him ‘I really like it.’ I can’t sell such poor quality tea… otherwise I would have sold it too.”

“And what Second Cousin gave me…”

Lu Yun stood up with a bang, kicking away the small table in front of him.

He shouted angrily: “Enough!”

He trembled, his jade-white face flushed red with anger: “You don’t need to deliberately say these things to provoke me… you don’t need to tell me about you and other young lords! Whether you’re in love or hate with them has nothing to do with me, I don’t want to hear these things! You…”

His anger was intense, his movements large. As his sleeves swept out, something suddenly fell from them with a clinking sound. Luo Lingyu and Lu Yun both looked – on the felt rug lay a glass bracelet. The bracelet stood up and rolled a few times, its light flowing – wasn’t it exactly the one Lu Yun had given to Luo Lingyu?

At this point, everything became clear.

Luo Lingyu lowered her eyes, her expression cold between her brows as she laughed coolly: “I wondered why you suddenly brought up this bracelet. So you knew what happened from the start, yet insisted on watching me jump around like a clown, being played by you. Are you very pleased, Third Cousin? Do you enjoy watching me act clever while actually being foolish?”

The fourteen-year-old lady’s cold and ruthless nature could be glimpsed from this.

Lu Yun stepped back twice: “Luo Lingyu!”

His emotions surged greatly, his hand trembling as he pointed at her, veins bulging on his forehead, his face almost grotesque with extreme anger. Seeing the famous jade prince of Jianye angered to this state, the elegantly seated young lady’s heart only trembled slightly, yet she still maintained a hard attitude, raising her face without yielding at all.

When she became stubborn, she never admitted defeat…

Lu Yun stopped talking to her, bent down and picked up the bracelet from the ground. Luo Lingyu sat quietly watching, motionless. Lu Yun then went to retrieve his other gifts from the pile of items thrown on the ground. Previously when Luo Lingyu was trying to please the entire Lu family, she had sent him many things, and he had returned many small gifts as well. Now all were here – Lu Yun crouched on the ground picking up his old possessions, speaking coldly: “After I return, I’ll send your things back to you. You don’t mind, do you?”

Luo Lingyu’s shoulders stiffened, her eyes welling up, almost crying again.

She held back her tears but still acted defiant: “Returning them is best. I don’t want to exchange things with you anymore – who knows when you’ll come to inspect me again!”

Lu Yun’s hand touched the painting scrolls on the ground and paused. There were three paintings total – two had been given to Luo Lingyu through him, and one… he carefully identified it as a painting from his youth that should have been given to Second Brother. He wondered how a painting given to Second Brother had made its way to Luo Lingyu.

During Lu Yun’s brief contemplation, Luo Lingyu saw him staring at the “Pum Seeking Recluse” paintings and suspected he would take those too. She couldn’t believe he could be so cruel as to take away even her cherished mementos. Luo Lingyu rushed over and snatched the three paintings from his arms: “These are mine! You can’t have them!”

Lu Yun: “My paintings…”

Luo Lingyu: “They’re mine! Take other things instead – I’ll give you the Prince of Hengyang’s jade pendant, Qi Third Young Master’s tea, Second Cousin’s flowers… take them, take them all! But the Pum Seeking Recluse’s paintings are mine, you can’t take them away!”

Having fallen out with him, she completely disregarded appearances. When Lu Yun fought with her for the paintings and wouldn’t let go, she lowered her head and mercilessly bit his wrist. Her teeth were fierce – if Lu Yun hadn’t dodged quickly, she would have literally torn a piece of flesh from him. Lu Yun’s eyes were overly bright with anger as Luo Lingyu raised her head, her long hair slightly disheveled against her face.

Lu Yun laughed angrily: “What would I want with the Prince of Hengyang’s jade pendant? What would I want with Qi Third Young Master’s tea leaves?”

Luo Lingyu: “Do whatever you want with them, but I won’t return the paintings.”

The two divided things between them as if separating households, messily deciding what belonged to whom. At this point, when Lu Yun was taking back his things, Luo Lingyu sadly discovered: in just the few months since she’d come to the Lu residence, she had accumulated so many things she never even looked at. None were from private exchanges – all were gifts properly given and received in public. The ones that seemed most private were those given by Lu Yun.

But now he was taking those back too.

Lu Yun left the house with a cold face, his arms full of items. As he descended the steps, Lu Yun’s heart alternated between hot and cold, his spirits low, feeling everything was pointless. His mind still recalled her gentle smiling face. As he turned his back…”Bang!” The window suddenly flew open and something flew out, hitting Lu Yun on the back of his head.

His head stung from the impact as Lu Yun stumbled.

That bit of fake dignity he maintained in front of her completely collapsed. With no trace of his usual grace, he turned back with a dark face to see what had hit him – a small bottle lying on the ground. Lu Yun: “Luo Lingyu!”

Luo Lingyu stood at the window, tears in her eyes but chin raised proudly, saying arrogantly: “What, it’s none of your business if I throw my own things! Lu Yun, go slowly – no need to see you off!”

She threw pile after pile of things into the courtyard through the window. Bamboo tubes, silk fabrics, bottles and jars… all were things that had been brought out earlier when they were quarreling and she was pretending to look for the bracelet. Lu Yun stood below the window, being bombarded by her items until his vision went black, forced to keep backing away.

Lu Yun: “You madwoman…”

Luo Lingyu cursed back: “Even if I’m mad, I don’t need you to take care of me!”

And so the two ended up like this – one standing below the window, one standing at the window. Luo Lingyu threw miscellaneous items out in heaps, viciously pelting Lu Yun. The Third Young Master was thrown into disarray by her assault, cursing her a few times, only to have her curse right back. Once she stopped trying to please Lu Yun, Luo Lingyu’s sharp tongue was fully a match for Lu Yun’s.

The maids cowered trembling under the corridor pillars: Third Young Master and Miss are quarreling… couldn’t they not vent their anger using other people’s gifts? What if the bottles and jars break?

They should just throw their own things!

But Luo Lingyu wouldn’t throw her own things, and Lu Yun wouldn’t throw his either – only gifts from other young lords and ladies were thrown at their feet as they mockingly taunted each other.

Finally Lu Yun found it utterly ridiculous. After being hit by another one of Luo Lingyu’s jars, he snapped “little girl” and remembered to storm off with a flourish of his sleeves.

As soon as he left, Luo Lingyu watched hatefully, then suddenly collapsed onto the table, crying. Meanwhile Lu Yun, who hadn’t walked far, stiffened – with his good hearing, he could already hear her muffled sobs as she lay on the table. She cried heartbrokenly, and hearing it pained him too. He stood for a long time under the magnolia tree in the courtyard, his feet heavy, almost unable to lift them — how he wanted to turn back immediately to comfort her.

But that would mean he had lost.

And she was so hateful!