ATLAS TRANSLATES

He turned off the lights.

The candles burned brightly, with wisps of smoke rising from the ancient bronze incense burner. The curtains hung like mist, and a jade-colored silk mat lay on the ivory couch. The hall was quiet, with a gentle night breeze blowing.

Through the bamboo curtains, Jin Yue and other maids entered the small room carrying silver washbasins.

Under the dim candlelight, Jin Yue saw Miss Luo Lingyu still unconscious on the couch, with their young master kneeling beside her.

Lu Yun had white gauze covering his eyes, his black hair falling loosely around his face. He leaned forward carelessly, holding a cooling cloth to wipe the sweat from the unconscious lady’s face.

Though he couldn’t see, his mood seemed unaffected. Jin Yue watched as he wiped left and right with the white cloth. Then he simply tossed the cloth aside and placed his fingertips directly on the lady’s dewy skin.

The touch was as delicate as snow.

Finding it pleasurable, Lu Yun’s hand caressed the lady’s cheeks, pinching and kneading her face…

Seeing their master like this, Zhi Yue, the maid following behind Jin Yue, felt her chest tighten and lowered her head glumly.

Jin Yue chided: “Young Master, stop teasing Miss Luo… What will you say when she wakes up and finds her face all red from your pinching?”

Lu Yun acted innocent: “How am I teasing? I can’t see, how is this my fault?”

Luo Lingyu had only fainted from being frightened by her potentially tragic future fate. Lu Yun had carried her to rest on the cool ivory couch, while Jin Yue and the other maids massaged her chest and wiped her sweat. Finally, the young lady let out a soft moan and opened her eyes. The moment she stirred awake, Lu Yun paused and withdrew his hand from her cheek, seeming rather disappointed.

Jin Yue smiled: “The young lady is finally awake. Our young master was very worried.”

Luo Lingyu shielded her eyes from the candlelight with her hand. As soon as she opened them, she saw Lu Yun sitting beside her, his face “looking” down at her.

Jin Yue and the other maids tactfully withdrew after a brief word, though Zhi Yue was reluctant to leave and had to be dragged away by the other maids with a hand over her mouth.

Having just woken up, Luo Lingyu didn’t notice the friction between the maids, her attention only on Lu Yun.

Lu Yun’s robes were loose and slightly open. He sat gracefully like reclining jade. His elegant face was partially hidden by his long hair – refined eyebrows, high nose bridge, and lips like crimson. He had always been strikingly handsome. The only difference today was the white gauze covering his eyes. Upon seeing the gauze, Luo Lingyu’s earlier memories came flooding back, and grief welled up inside her.

She sat up and frantically grabbed his sleeve. Her hand wanted to touch his face but felt it improper, so it ended up awkwardly resting on his clothes.

Luo Lingyu asked anxiously with a trembling voice: “Your eyes… your eyes… are they alright?”

Lu Yun paused for a moment.

Then the eyes under the gauze narrowed slightly, understanding what Luo Lingyu was thinking.

The young master who had been sitting casually just moments ago now lowered his face under Luo Lingyu’s gaze, his lips showing a bitter smile. He let out a long sigh… When he sighed like this, the color drained from Luo Lingyu’s face again.

Seeing Lu Yun’s face turned toward the window, covered in gauze, with that bitter smile, he looked dim, fragile, and pitiful.

Luo Lingyu’s heart clenched as she heard Lu Yun say: “If I were to… become blind, what would become of me?”

Luo Lingyu: “…”

She placed her hand on his, trying to stay calm while retrieving a useful piece of information from her chaotic memories: “No, that won’t happen… Aunt told me earlier that your eyes would be fine…”

Lu Yun sighed again: “That was before. When the doctor came back later, that’s not what he said.”

Luo Lingyu: “…”

Lu Yun spoke softly with melancholy: “If my face is ruined, if I become blind… will Sister Lingyu still stay by my side?”

Luo Lingyu’s whole body trembled heavily.

Lu Yun had ended up like this because he saved her, and she was very worried about his injury. But at the same time, she also worried about her own fate. Lu Yun’s status was not something she could afford to offend. If he really… she wouldn’t be able to stay in Jianye anymore. Not only would she be unable to stay in Jianye, but in the Lu family’s eyes, ten cousin sisters wouldn’t be worth as much as Lu Yun’s eyes. She had come to Jianye seeking marriage prospects, yet this was the result she got…

Having already fainted once from fright earlier, this time when the tragic matter was brought up again, Luo Lingyu was stronger. After a long silence, she tremblingly, forcedly showed a smile and said: “I will stay with you… If Brother Xuechen hadn’t stepped forward, it would have been my face that was ruined today. Even if the Lu family doesn’t mention it, I know how much you’ve helped me. If you really become blind, if your face is really ruined, I will definitely stay by your side as a servant, taking care of you for life.”

Tears rolled down from her eyes.

The fingers resting on his clothes also trembled slightly.

When she said this, it was as if she could see her ideal husband and happy marriage growing wings and flying away from her. Her bright future had dimmed, falling from a noble lady to such a fate… becoming a servant was the only way to appease the Lu family’s hatred and repay Lu Yun’s kindness…

Lu Yun suddenly reached out his hand and pressed it against her face, feeling her tears.

Lu Yun asked coldly: “Staying by my side, does it trouble you that much?”

Wiping her tears, Luo Lingyu sobbed continuously, “I am also from a noble family. Other noble ladies all have proper marriages, but because I have no parents to protect me, I have to become a servant, losing all face. My younger sister will also be looked down upon because of me… I am considered a rare beauty, I’ve practiced music, chess, poetry and painting diligently for over ten years and excel at all of them, I’m not behind anyone in cooking, dancing and women’s work either… My fingers are full of calluses, even my index finger pad has been worn rough. I pick flower dew at dawn and grind fragrances at night… yet I have to, I have to…”

Lu Yun leaned closer, his face almost touching hers, forcing her tears to retreat. Luo Lingyu held her breath, watching the white gauze on his eyes enlarge before her.

Lu Yun stroked her wrist: “Have to what? If you had put even just twenty or thirty percent of the effort you spend on other young masters on me, you wouldn’t be so miserable.”

Luo Lingyu: “Nonsense. I’ve never put effort into other young masters.”

Lu Yun was stunned, then laughed. He knew she was a heartless person, but hearing her admit it herself still made him feel happy.

Lu Yun lowered his eyes, his fingers pressed against hers, because he could feel that she had indeed put effort into him. The young master chuckled, his breath intermingling with hers. Perhaps because his eyes were covered by gauze and he couldn’t see, his face lightly brushed against hers.

His hot breath made Luo Lingyu’s cheeks turn blood red, tears still glistening in her eyes, while her heart started beating rapidly.

Lu Yun laughed by her ear, his lips almost touching her earlobe. Trembling, Luo Lingyu tried hard to resist the urge to cover her ears.

With her face and ears red, her beautiful eyes turned, responding to his teasing. Seeing his face also slowly turning rosy, feeling his heated breath.

As he rubbed against her lips and ears, seeming to be aroused… Luo Lingyu said softly: “If you really can’t recover, I’m willing to serve you for life. But since I’m so beautiful, why can’t you give me the proper status I deserve, to make me more willing?”

Lu Yun paused, then smiled: “Give you thousands in silver?”

Luo Lingyu’s eyes lit up.

Lu Yun listened closely to her reaction, hearing her breathing quicken. He paused, then continued: “And give you a golden house to keep you in.”

Luo Lingyu nodded happily.

Lu Yun’s hand wound through her hair, his lips curved in what seemed like mockery or a smile: “Good fields and mansions, thousands of shops, the title of primary wife. Everything I have, I’ll share with you, how about that?”

At this, Luo Lingyu was truly overjoyed, nodding repeatedly and laughing out loud.

Lu Yun was amused by her, he couldn’t help but pinch her face again, laughing and scolding: “How can you love money and power so much?”

Luo Lingyu covered her cheeks, her face hurt from his pinching, and she couldn’t help but let out some whimpering sounds.

Her voice was as soft as a cat’s meow, whimpering twice, and Lu Yun’s expression subtly changed.

Suddenly, he wanted to tear off the gauze covering his eyes, wanted to press her down beneath him, wanted to get closer, to see what expression she was making, what she looked like.

His heart stirred restlessly, but reason reminded him that his facial wound hadn’t healed, barely pulling back his uncontrolled emotions.

But when Lu Yun spoke again, his voice had already become somewhat hoarse and tense: “…Lingyu, let me ask you.”

Luo Lingyu: “Hmm?”

Lu Yun: “Since you know I can give you everything you want, why did you treat me that way?”

Luo Lingyu’s eyelashes trembled slightly as she lifted her eyelids, her beautiful eyes like rippling waves as she gazed at his handsome face. His voice was neither high nor low, perhaps because his eyes were covered by gauze, that soul-consuming pressure wasn’t pressing down on her, giving her room to breathe under his beauty.

Lu Yun hadn’t said it explicitly, but it was well understood – they both knew he was talking about the previous matter of selling the glass bracelet.

Luo Lingyu lowered her eyes: “…”

He still couldn’t let it go, couldn’t get over it. Even though he had convinced himself to give her a way out, wanting to reconcile with her, the glass bracelet remained a thorn in his heart. As proud as Lu Yun was, if he didn’t remove this thorn, he couldn’t convince himself.

Luo Lingyu’s hand trembled slightly in his grip. There were many things she might never say, never admit in her lifetime. If things had developed normally, she definitely wouldn’t show weakness in front of him. But if Lu Yun was ruined like this, and she had to compensate him for life… she would have to show weakness, ah, had to make him feel that she was the one being wronged.

Luo Lingyu told the truth: “Because… you are different.”

Lu Yun’s eyes under the gauze narrowed slightly.

Luo Lingyu looked up at him: “I both fear you and don’t fear you. I both think this is all there is, yet know it won’t just be this.”

Lu Yun remained silent.

Luo Lingyu: “If other young masters gave me a bracelet, I might not sell it. Because I wouldn’t dare, wouldn’t dare give such a big handle to others, I’m afraid that if it came out, people would know how cold and heartless I am, and how poor. But it doesn’t matter with you. You already look down on me, you know I would do whatever I do. When you gave me the bracelet, it was clearly just because you were moved by my appearance. If it was just because of my looks, how much thought could you have put into it? Indeed, you never asked about me afterwards. Lu Xuechen, you clearly didn’t care yourself, how can you blame me for not caring?”

Lu Yun’s jaw tensed slightly: “I’ve never thrown away anything you gave me.”

Tears welled up in Luo Lingyu’s eyes again, shimmering: “But I’m poor!”

Lu Yun: “…”

Luo Lingyu: “I can’t sell others’ things, so I could only sell yours. You’re just angry, you never thought about how difficult my situation was. Other ladies are noble in character, neither corrupted by wealth nor subdued by power, even if they were dying of poverty they would maintain their integrity. But I am a person without integrity. You knew this from the start, why are you settling accounts with me only now?”

Lu Yun immediately pinched her face again, making her cry out in pain.

Lu Yun said playfully: “Sister Lingyu is still eloquent, turning black into white. But remember, with me, you must maintain your integrity. The things I give you, what I give you, I don’t want you to return them to my face. Next time if I find out you’re playing me…”

His voice lowered.

His breath intertwined with hers again.

Their noses touched.

He grabbed her shoulders and suddenly pushed her down, pressing on top of her. Just an inch apart, Luo Lingyu looked up at his face, his hair scattered across her face. Luo Lingyu’s breathing quickened, her limbs turning soft.

Knowing he couldn’t see, her eyes flickered, her voice becoming more coquettish than usual: “What will you do?”

Lu Yun chuckled, his face pressed against hers, saying a few words that suddenly made her blush and push him away.

Because he whispered in her ear: “…Make you unable to get out of bed.”

As they were fooling around like this, laughing and their lips about to touch, Luo Lingyu was teased until her face was red and she had no strength.

Outside, the maid Zhi Yue’s voice called out: “Young Master, your medicine is ready. The doctor said to apply it as soon as it’s done brewing, otherwise if the gauze is left on too long, the scar at the corner of your eye will leave a mark, and it would be bad if it further damages your eye?”

Lu Yun and Luo Lingyu in the room: “…”

Lu Yun’s face suddenly darkened, like a black pot.

Luo Lingyu blinked, suddenly laughing: “Brother Xuechen… your maid seems very… hmph.”

Luo Lingyu suddenly pushed him away and sat up, shouting: “Lu Xuechen, you tricked me? Your eyes weren’t injured, and your face isn’t ruined?!”

So she doesn’t have to be a servant and sacrifice herself?

Zhi Yue was just unhappy about that flirtatious cousin sister being alone with the young master at night, their laughter never ceasing. When she was listening outside with a heart full of jealous fire, as soon as the medicine was ready, she hurried to deliver it. The next moment, she saw Luo Lingyu hurriedly leave the room, not even looking at her, leading the courtyard maids away like the wind.

Zhi Yue couldn’t catch the cousin sister’s expression, she anxiously carried the medicine into the room, and was met with Lu Yun’s uncertain expression on the ivory couch.

Lu Yun pondered: “Zhi Yue, how old are you?”

Zhi Yue’s heart stirred, and she replied bashfully: “Young Master, this servant is already fifteen.”

Lu Yun: “Fifteen already, old enough to make decisions, old enough to marry.”

Zhi Yue urgently said: “This servant doesn’t want to marry! Sister Jin Yue hasn’t married yet, this servant wants to serve Third Young Master for a few more years…” She looked up, suddenly seeing Lu Yun’s cold expression.

A cold wind blew, and she suddenly came to her senses, thinking of who her young master was.

Zhi Yue bit her lip and quickly showed her determination: “This servant… this servant wants to stay by Third Young Master’s side, serve Third Young Master for life, serve… serve the future mistress for life.”

Lu Yun smiled ambiguously: “Whether the future mistress likes it is another matter. You still want to serve me for life?”

Zhi Yue: “Yes…”

Lu Yun: “How will you serve?”

Zhi Yue didn’t understand his meaning.

Third Young Master Lu smiled: “Serve me in my bed, how about I raise you as a concubine?”

Zhi Yue was shocked, finally realizing he was truly angry. As she was alarmed, she saw Lu Yun coldly say: “Kneel.”

She fell to her knees with a thud, the medicine bowl spilling, cold sweat covering her back.

…

As for Luo Lingyu, she hadn’t really taken the maid Zhi Yue’s little thoughts to heart. Like her and Lu Yun, they both had many admiring servants. If one couldn’t handle these small matters well, Lu Yun wouldn’t be Lu Yun who was famous throughout Jianye. She returned to her own residence with an unsettled mind, then went to check on her already sleeping younger sister, giving some instructions to the maids.

Ling Xi wanted to say something but held back, wanting to tell Luo Lingyu about the news that Madam Qin seemed to have arrived in Jianye.

Unfortunately, Luo Lingyu was preoccupied and didn’t notice Ling Xi’s expression, turning and leaving.

Luo Lingyu had no desire to sleep, her emotions were turbulent and she couldn’t sleep. Her mind was full of the earlier playful moments with Lu Yun in the “Clear Courtyard”, his smile, his lips, their ambiguous yet never clearly defined relationship… Still maintaining that air, seeing who would admit first, seeing who liked the other more.

Love once spilled is hard to gather back, but for someone as proud as Lu Yun, he definitely needed to trace back to the very beginning, to explain the reasons clearly… Her pride was no less than his, was it?

Luo Lingyu sat heavily at her desk, grinding ink for a long time, then lifted her brush and wrote two lines of poetry on the paper – “A thousand autumns ask for one word from you, may love be as immovable as mountains.”

She stared at these two lines for a while, deep in thought. Outside the door came Second Young Master Lu’s voice: “Cousin sister, are you asleep? I’ve come to check on you.”

Lu Xian had already been led to the door. Luo Lingyu casually used a paperweight to hold down the paper, then went to open the door with a smile. The moonlight was like autumn water rippling across waves, shining on the front of the house as Lu Xian was led in by Luo Lingyu for a casual chat.

Lu Xian looked her over: “About today’s events, cousin sister, are you alright?”

Luo Lingyu found it strange that he would come in the middle of the night to ask about this, so she brushed it off with a perfunctory answer.

Lu Xian watched her intently: “Third Brother is injured and cannot move easily, you should take care of him more.”

Luo Lingyu was surprised: “Of course…”

Although Lu Yun had deceived her, making her think he would never recover, while she secretly resented this, she also knew she should take care of him.

Lu Xian gazed at her, very concerned: “Don’t ignore him just because his injury is minor…”

Like in the dream, when cousin Luo only had eyes for the Prince of Hengyang and didn’t care about Lu Yun’s injured wrist at all.

Luo Lingyu: “…”

Her chest heaved with slight anger: “What do you mean by that, Second Cousin? He’s already in that state… how is that a minor injury?”

When his cousin sister gave him a “you’re so heartless” look, Lu Xian wasn’t angry, but rather smiled happily. With his mind at ease, Lu Xian had time to scan the room, and in doing so, he spotted the still-wet ink on the desk. Lu Xian walked over, smiling: “Cousin sister still has the mood to write…” Luo Lingyu couldn’t stop him, and her writing fell into Lu Xian’s hands.

Lu Xian was about to compliment her good handwriting, but when he saw these words, he suddenly froze. Lu Xian remembered that he usually didn’t pay attention to cousin Luo and didn’t recognize her handwriting. But now seeing this piece of writing, he recognized the handwriting – because in the dream, when Jianye city fell and the Taichu Palace was destroyed, Lu Xian had vaguely seen this handwriting.

“A thousand autumns ask for one word from you, may love be as immovable as mountains.”

At that time, Lu Xian thought this was written by cousin Luo to His Majesty Liu Mu. People thought this was the Empress’s declaration of love to His Majesty. In the dream, cousin Luo had never explained… If Luo Lingyu wrote this at this moment… then even just before she was about to be named the Princess of Hengyang, she had loved Lu Yun, hadn’t she?