ATLAS TRANSLATES

In this era, there were no strict rules separating men and women, and among nobles and upper classes, mixed interactions were commonplace.

However, marriage still had its constraints — before marriage was fine, but after marriage one must remain faithful.

Due to such societal views, when Luo Lingyu was pressed against the bed by Lu Yun’s kisses, her waist went soft, tossing in waves of emotion, but she only kept her eyes closed.

Her fingertips gripped the skin at the back of his neck, sometimes light, sometimes hard, both inviting and resisting.

He had lit a fire, throwing the spark into her embrace. She trembled from the heat, then turned to the side, clinging to the young lord’s shoulders and burying her head to bite her lip, whimpering and crying.

The young lord sighed, his tongue entering her lips, comforting her emotions while teasing: “Does little sister Yuyu have a courtesy name?”

Luo Lingyu didn’t know why he brought this up, just shook her head breathlessly, her long hair swaying in his arms: “No.”

Her coming-of-age ceremony was performed by Lu Yun, how could anyone have given her a courtesy name?

Lu Yun held her face, pressing his forehead against hers. The young lord’s eyes curved like crescent moons, swimming with clarity, lingering with affection: “Since I held your birthday ceremony, why don’t I give little sister Yu a courtesy name? You’re always whimpering and crying… how about the courtesy name ‘Yingying’?”

Luo Lingyu’s eyes were filled with tears, wavering: “…”

Teasing her again!

She punched his chest hard twice, but still couldn’t vent her frustration.

The lady was both embarrassed and shy, her whole body dizzy, so annoyed that she bit his neck, and heard him let out a long “mm.”

Patient and husky, his voice grazed past her heartstrings, making her whole heart tingle. Her face flushed red, thinking how could he moan like this, like this… making her chest numb and her mind confused. His kisses were sometimes light, sometimes heavy, and she leaned into him, being pulled by him into a daze…

Lu Yun particularly loved the two mounds on her chest. Those two handfuls of snow were enough to make him lose his reason. Their necks rubbed together, close yet far, and he was tireless in this.

A drop of water fell on her neck, burning hot like fire. Luo Lingyu opened her eyes hazily, holding his head, seeing sweat drops falling from his forehead on his handsome face buried between her jade skin. The reddened, rippling corners of his eyes, slightly wet and disheveled temple hair. That sweat drop like clear water, flowing over the young lord’s straight nose bridge and moist red lips. Swaying, a drop of water fell on the snowy peak, and her mind lost its guard, being stripped away.

Lu Yun stared in a daze, his gaze never leaving.

Luo Lingyu curved her body, crying softly: “No… no more… I can’t take it…”

Third Young Master Lu came to his senses, humming a laugh leisurely: “What have I done to you, that you already can’t take it?”

His voice was like floating ice breaking through fire, shattered jade flowing with light. With one laughing comment, Luo Lingyu instinctively felt he had said something not quite proper. He seemed to have made a risqué joke to her, Luo Lingyu half-understood, looking up at him. With one look, she saw regret flash across Third Young Master Lu’s eyes.

He reproached himself for speaking carelessly, shouldn’t have made such frivolous comments in front of an unmarried lady.

Seeing she was about to speak, Lu Yun interrupted: “I misspoke, don’t ask me what that meant.”

Luo Lingyu paused, then a playful and clever look rose in her eyes. She embraced him, teasing with a smile: “I know Third Young Master Lu has read extensively, what books haven’t you read? Pretending to be uninterested in desires for so many years, you’ve nearly driven yourself mad. Minister brother, you’ve really had it tough.”

She felt quite sympathetic — Lu Yun’s true nature was frivolous, he liked teasing people and flirting with ladies. But his looks were too good, his talents too excellent, too attractive to ladies. With too many fierce ladies around, and him looking down on everyone, he could only pretend to be aloof…

Luo Lingyu’s comfort greatly pleased him, she truly was a clever lady who knew how to speak and please people. Lu Yun’s eyes were tinged with smile as he bit her lips one by one. As the two’s lips and teeth entangled again, his light laughter spilled out: “Fortunately now I have little sister Yu…”

Luo Lingyu’s body arched, her voice drawing out: “Mmm…”

Her body was covered in sweat, the bed curtains hot. Suddenly, her chest was no longer being bitten with that dull pain, and the weight on her body lightened, no longer pressing so hard she could barely breathe. At the height of passion, Luo Lingyu looked up in surprise to see Lu Yun, covered in sweat, forcibly roll off her body, releasing her.

Luo Lingyu’s heart rose and fell: …what happened?

Why did he stop?

She didn’t mind, hadn’t refused… why did he just stop like this? She hadn’t known before that he was so proper like a Confucian student.

There must be… some trick here.

Lu Yun lay on his side next to her, and as Luo Lingyu kept doubting, he reached out to stroke her face. He strongly suppressed his improper thoughts, seeing her open her water-filled eyes in confusion, clothes disheveled.

The lady beside him was like a blooming spring flower, beautiful enough to move one’s heart.

Lu Yun couldn’t help but lean over to suck on her parted red lips again, using this to ease his desires.

Lu Yun kissed her again and again, but kept his body separate from hers, maintaining a certain distance.

Lu Yun sighed: “I won’t bully you anymore…”

His heart was in disarray, and quite self-mocking. He felt he really couldn’t withstand Luo Lingyu’s charm, always wanting to be close to her.

Yet when she was being obedient, she tempted him like this: “Minister brother, what’s wrong? You gave me such big account books, you can do whatever you want, I won’t resist.”

Lu Yun covered his face with his sleeve: what he feared was exactly that she wouldn’t resist.

Lu Yun suddenly lowered his sleeve, leaning beside her, reaching out to hook a strand of her black hair scattered on his sleeve. As the black hair twined around his fingers, his smile carried a teasing flavor: “…Who gave you such big account books?”

Luo Lingyu grew slightly anxious, afraid he would suddenly deny it: “Just this evening, the ones you had Sister Jin Yue bring over! Look, those ones! So many!”

She hurriedly sat up, the hairpins in her hair having fallen during their earlier passion, a head of black hair falling around her cheeks. The lady was beautiful enough to make Lu Yun narrow his eyes, but the lady herself grabbed his arm, forcing Lu Yun to sit up and look through the gauze curtains. Luo Lingyu shook his arm, making him look at the thick account books placed on the desk.

Lu Yun: “…”

He acted as if suddenly realizing: “Oh, you mean those.”

Luo Lingyu looked at him expectantly.

Lu Yun turned his head to look at her: “You’ve misunderstood. Those weren’t meant as a gift to you.”

Luo Lingyu: “…”

Lu Yun: “It was just to discuss a collaboration. Am I crazy, to give you my family assets to squander? Is your appetite that big?”

Luo Lingyu: “…”

Lu Yun looked down at her: “You really thought those were freely given to you? Is that why you threw yourself at me, being so submissive?”

Luo Lingyu: “…No!”

Great shame and anger!

She pounced on him, biting and hitting Lu Yun, pushing and scratching. Luo Lingyu pulled at him: “Get off my bed!”

Lu Yun couldn’t stop laughing, pulling her into his arms, seeing she was truly angry. Money was like a second life to his sister Luo, power couldn’t be seen, but money could be seen at all times. Such obvious things placed on her desk, yet Lu Yun said they weren’t for her, how disappointed Luo Lingyu was!

She also felt embarrassed — she was always losing face in front of him.

Indeed, he had never had Jin Yue say these were freely given to her. But she had been gentle as water all evening, moaning beneath him. She probably did truly like him, willing to be intimate with him. But after this, it really made it seem like she had offered herself for the account books. Lu Yun had always looked down on her, he must think so now. And she so wanted him to think she wasn’t the unprincipled person he thought she was… Luo Lingyu’s eyes reddened, tears dotting them.

She argued: “I’m not… I didn’t…”

Lu Yun looked at her for a long while, the frivolous expression on his face retreating, falling slightly silent. Seeing her red-rimmed eyes, anger mixed with anxiety. He judged her thoughts, and after a good while, reached out to wipe her tears, kissing her face.

Lu Yun said softly: “I know. Little sister Yu is just this kind of person… I’ve long known.”

“Let’s… take things slowly.”

He nuzzled against her ear, their feelings entangling — don’t pressure me too much about marriage, and I won’t demand saintly character from you. You dislike me, I also find fault with you.

When I first got to know you, I already knew what you were like. I also struggled for a long time, even now I’m still struggling. You’ve never demanded anything of me, how could I turn around and demand you completely change the flaws you already have? A little progress, little by little… everyone has their flaws, can’t people with flaws still love?

Lu Yun and Luo Lingyu got off the bed together, she helped adjust the jade ring in his hair, while he clumsily tried to help her arrange her hair. After a while, the hair got messier and messier, even pulling Luo Lingyu’s scalp painfully. Luo Lingyu gradually grew impatient, pushing away the clumsy Third Young Master Lu who still insisted on showing off his talents, and simply tied her hair in a simple bun before sitting at the desk.

Lu Yun took the opportunity to sit down: “Just to explain… we can deal with these tomorrow and later, you should sleep tonight.”

Luo Lingyu stubbornly said: “No! I can’t sleep when I see large sums of money that haven’t been organized properly.”

Lu Yun gave her a disdainful glance, which she returned with a glare. He then smiled, slowly explaining: “There are more refugees flowing into Jianye, the imperial treasury is empty with little money, while the noble families are rolling in wealth. Prince Chen and I want to persuade the noble families to each open their granaries to aid the poor. But the noble families currently have no unified policy, only their ladies are helping the refugees individually. I can’t take the lead, but I must do something to ease the pressure. These account books I gave you are my letter of intent.”

Luo Lingyu was reluctant: “You’re giving it all away? That’s… that’s too much… you should keep more for yourself.” If he became penniless, she would have to hesitate whether to marry him or not… Lu Yun shouldn’t make her face such a choice.

Lu Yun took a sip of cold tea to calm the turbulent emotions he felt facing her: “That’s why I’m giving this part to you. I see your cosmetics shop is doing well, I’ve put your name on these few shops. Go ahead boldly, I won’t blame you if you lose money, consider it practice. But for the extra money earned from managing them, look at the proportions and use it on the refugees for me.”

Luo Lingyu bit her lip, tilting her head to look at him: “You’re using my business abilities in exchange for disaster relief? Why do you trust me so much, why not find someone else? What if I really lose it all for you?”

Lu Yun calmly continued drinking tea. He didn’t raise his eyes, his lips curving: “You know why.”

Luo Lingyu’s heart became incredibly soft — Lu Yun was truly very good to her. Taking out such large assets for her to practice with. He didn’t even want the money she earned, because he didn’t lack this portion. First was for refugee relief, second was to teach her how to handle affairs. And the best way to teach her was to give her free rein, let her do as she wished. Only after hitting her head and bleeding, knowing the pain, could she grow fastest.

Yet the pressure wasn’t as great as when she had opened the cosmetics shop with Zhou Young Master. Although Zhou Young Master also didn’t care about money, saying she could manage it however she wanted. But this was different, Zhou Young Master’s things weren’t hers. If she lost money, she would feel she had let down Zhou Young Master’s trust. Since opening the cosmetics shop, Luo Lingyu stayed up late every day, crying while staying up late. She had a strong personality, never speaking of her failures in front of others, only silently working hard behind the scenes…

But Lu Yun was different.

She felt she would definitely marry him. So if she lost his assets, the guilt wouldn’t be so heavy…

Luo Lingyu walked over and silently hugged the young lord who couldn’t stop drinking tea. Lu Yun’s body stiffened, and the lady had already lowered her head, her fragrance enveloping him as she kissed his lips. Just this one kiss made the desire he had barely suppressed with tea surge up again.

Looking at her slender waist, he wanted to break her in his arms, to devour her…

Lu Yun’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he frantically pushed her away: “…Don’t come near me.”

Lu Yun stayed with Luo Lingyu for over an hour, until dawn, when even Luo Lingyu who was focused on reading the accounts couldn’t help yawning several times. Outside, the rain was dripping steadily, slowly stopping. The room was quiet, with the lady sitting in front reading accounts, and the young lord sitting behind drinking tea. When she had questions about his assets, he would say a few words. Most of the time, they were silent.

Lu Yun quietly watched her from behind.

His gaze fixed on her, moved away, then returned again.

He gradually discovered his increasingly uncontrollable desire for her, even just looking at her, doing nothing else, felt as if he could gaze until the end of time. And always vaguely felt that even if there were past lives and present lives, he must have been watching her from behind like this…

“Go to sleep.” When Luo Lingyu quietly looked over, Lu Yun had finally finished his tea and stood up.

Luo Lingyu saw his posture and stood up. Opening the door, it was pitch black outside, with the sound of water dripping onto the blue bricks. Luo Lingyu stood in the dim lamplight, turning to wait for him, half-seriously half-teasingly testing him: “It’s so late, and still raining, do you really not want to stay here a while longer, and leave when it’s almost dawn?”

Lu Yun: “…Don’t test me.”

He could resist before, but now it wasn’t certain.

Once he had slept separated from her by a screen, then he could still remain calm; now just thinking about being in the same room with her made him restless, with endless inappropriate thoughts.

Luo Lingyu pressed her lips together in a smile, handing him the umbrella. She was a person who knew propriety, when pleasing people she would truly do it to the utmost. Seeing Lu Yun was leaving and the servants were all asleep, Luo Lingyu simply took up an umbrella herself and went out with him, wanting to see him out of the courtyard. Without doubt, this behavior particularly pleased Lu Yun, making him turn back to look at her several times.

The young lord’s gaze was burning, his feelings threading through.

Luo Lingyu lowered her head, blushing.

But her strength was in pleasing people, half-knowing half-puzzled about matters of love, yet she couldn’t help having many doubts. She was still preoccupied with him pushing her away earlier in the evening.

When sending Lu Yun out the courtyard gate, as the two walked one in front one behind on the mossy path, Luo Lingyu muttered: “Are you really going back so late? Won’t you stay and look at the accounts with me some more? Once you leave, who knows when we’ll meet again.”

Saying this, her tone carried some resentment.

The lady continued: “Aren’t you skilled in metaphysics? Why are you now following Confucian principles? Are you cultivating yourself, or is there another reason? I see people…”

“Plop,” as they passed by, a flower fell from the tree, and Lu Yun’s voice grew slightly formal: “Lingyu.”

Luo Lingyu looked over with curious doubt, seeing the young lord with his umbrella closed, when he turned around, he held a flower in his hand. White jade-colored petals, several buds, tangled on tree branches, trembling slightly in his hand. He gave the flower branch to her, speaking softly and affectionately: “This flower is called ‘Lady’s Chatter.’”

Luo Lingyu: …What? Lady’s Chatter? Is there really a flower with such a name?

Lu Yun: “You doubt a scholar’s learning is less than yours?”

Luo Lingyu: “Is there really a flower called ‘Lady’s Chatter’? Aren’t you just talking about me?”

Lu Yun: “Yes, there is.”

“Years ago when a certain Buddha was practicing in his third life in the mortal realm, he was tempted by a demon transformed into a woman. That demon entangled the monk daily, having learned nothing of worldly ways, only knowing to bring flowers to the monk’s door each day. Later when the monk achieved his golden body and went to the thirty-three heavenly Buddhist realms, the demon transformed into a devil and blocked his way. Later the monk and demon achieved extinction together, leaving only this flower in the mortal world. Before achieving Buddhahood, the monk named the flower ‘Lady’s Chatter.’ That’s what this is.”

“Little sister Yu should read more Buddhist scriptures.”

He swayed the flower branch in his hand, the flowers clustered together, sliding past the lady’s jade-like beautiful face. His eyes were curved, lips smiling, as the flowers fell against the lady’s cheeks, gentle and affectionate.

When the young lord called “lady,” it was serene, tender, loving. Looking at her again and again, pressing flower after flower against her cheek. On the wet path in the rainy night, Third Young Master Lu threw the flowers into Luo Lingyu’s arms, looking at her once more, the expression in his eyes making the lady wistful as she held the flower branches tight.

Luo Lingyu cherished and embarrassedly held the flowers in her arms, watching him walk away with his umbrella before returning.

…

As soon as she returned, she started searching through ancient books.

Hearing that Second Young Master Lu had recently become obsessed with studying Buddhism, Luo Lingyu specially borrowed books to read Buddhist scriptures.

After searching through three thousand Buddhist scriptures, she couldn’t find the so-called “Lady’s Chatter” story.

She finally realized Lu Yun had deceived her again, using an unknown flower to trick her affections.

Luo Lingyu was angry, not knowing whether she should throw away that branch of “Lady’s Chatter” displayed in her room.

…

“Lu Yun! Lu Yun!”

In vast snow and lingering mist, a road without end, a world without borders.

Luo Lingyu cried out miserably, like a blood-weeping cuckoo, stumbling through the thick fog. She was filthy all over, her long dress covered in mud. The lady walked desolately through the mortal world, covering her face as she cried…

Second Young Master Lu woke with a cold sweat, sitting dazed in place. Not knowing what night it was or where he was, Lu Xian was bewildered, looking up to meet the inquiring gaze of Liu Mu, Prince of Hengyang. Liu Mu held a book in his hand, finding it strange that he was covered in sweat: “Had a nightmare?”

Lu Xian: …How had he started dreaming again?