While Second Brother Lu was speaking in a calm tone, Lu Yun leaned back on the black lacquered couch, his white jade crown swaying slightly.
He adjusted his posture to better admire the beauty before him.
It was early spring.
Sunlight spilled onto the wooden floor outside the window. A young lady with double-loop buns knelt on a round couch, gently waving a fan.
She turned her head shyly to look at him.
Though her beauty was striking, her youthful face still held a touch of innocence.
The red hair ribbon tied to her hair fluttered in the wind, brushing against her clothes. Her long skirt flowed, and the red ribbon danced in the air. The way she bit her lip and tilted her head exuded the charm and liveliness unique to her age.
Not only was she radiant, but her figure was also graceful, her chest full like snowballs…
Lu Yun’s dark eyes grew even more intense, and the smile in his peach-blossom eyes deepened, making one’s face flush. He didn’t approve of Luo Lingyu’s character, but he was still a normal man. A beautiful woman kept glancing back at him, and he didn’t mind looking a little longer.
Second Brother Lu Xian, who had been speaking until his mouth was dry, noticed Lu Yun’s distraction and followed his gaze. He was surprised. “Cousin Luo, when did you arrive?”
Now that Lu Xian had seen her, Luo Lingyu couldn’t continue staring at Lu Yun. She kept her hands busy brewing tea and turned her jade-like face to smile sweetly. “Second Cousin, Third Cousin. I’ve been here for a while. The tea you’re drinking is what I brewed.”
Lu Xian was stunned. He looked down at the tea he had been gulping and then back at Luo Lingyu’s face. Her beauty was too dazzling, and his face flushed slightly, feeling somewhat awkward.
In contrast, Lu Yun, who was always at ease, seemed immune to Luo Lingyu’s beauty—his expression didn’t change at all.
Luo Lingyu’s eyes sparkled like autumn water. “The old madam asked me to pass a message to you, Second Cousin. She wants to know how you found that doctor last time. Her headaches have returned, and she found the medicine he prescribed very effective.”
Lu Xian lowered his head and replied gruffly, “It’s not a big deal. I’ll take someone to see Grandmother later.”
Luo Lingyu didn’t say anything more and continued quietly brewing tea.
Sunlight fell on her eyebrows, shoulders, and waist. Both cousins in the room were watching her. Luo Lingyu straightened her back, making her movements slower and more graceful. Her face was slightly tilted, her lips red, presenting her most beautiful side to the two cousins.
In the eyes of the two men, the sight of her sitting by the tea kettle, her head bowed, her hands holding a long-handled tea scoop, was mesmerizing. The familiar actions of brewing and serving tea, when performed by Luo Lingyu, became extraordinarily captivating.
For a moment, the room was silent, except for the sound of boiling water, like gentle rain.
After a while, Luo Lingyu glanced over and met Lu Xian’s gaze. Lu Xian’s face turned red, and he became even more flustered. Struggling to find a topic, he finally said, “Since you’ve been sitting here for a while, Cousin, perhaps you can help us settle a debate.”
Luo Lingyu, worried she might have overheard something she shouldn’t have, quickly said, “I didn’t hear what you two were discussing.”
Lu Xian didn’t mind and explained gently, “A young man once saved the life of a nobleman in his childhood. The nobleman, moved by gratitude, has been repaying him for ten years. Some believe the debt of gratitude has been sufficiently repaid, and the nobleman should now focus on his own ambitions. However, the nobleman believes he should continue repaying for a lifetime. Cousin, which side do you think is more reasonable?”
Lu Yun raised an eyebrow and also looked at Luo Lingyu.
Luo Lingyu’s mind raced.
She hadn’t actually understood what the two cousins were arguing about. Now that Lu Xian explained, she instinctively felt that the person who wanted to repay for a lifetime was Lu Xian, while the one who wanted to stop halfway was Lu Yun. Having been teased by Lu Yun before, Luo Lingyu, though still hopeful about marriage, didn’t think highly of Lu Yun’s character. Believing that Lu Yun wanted to give up halfway, she inwardly scorned him.
However, she didn’t show it on her face. Instead, she said softly, “Both of you are much older than me and have experienced more. You must each have your own considerations. Without knowing the full context, it would be presumptuous of me to offer advice, and I might end up embarrassing myself. Perhaps you could try to see things from each other’s perspectives and reach a compromise.”
Lu Xian was surprised, and his gaze toward Luo Lingyu brightened.
Lu Yun also looked at Luo Lingyu with a hint of surprise.
In truth, Lu Xian’s question was just a forced topic. Any young lady asked this question would likely praise both sides to avoid offending anyone. Luo Lingyu didn’t praise either side; she answered from her own perspective, honestly. This fresh answer clearly impressed Lu Xian.
Lu Yun glanced at Lu Xian, then at Luo Lingyu, and inwardly sneered: She really doesn’t discriminate.
Lu Yun stood up and casually told Lu Xian that he needed to go back to change his bandages, excusing himself. Lu Xian knew Lu Yun was just brushing him off, but with Cousin Luo present, he couldn’t say much. He watched as Lu Yun walked out gracefully, his long sleeves trailing on the ground.
As Lu Yun stepped out and put on his shoes, Luo Lingyu secretly glanced at him.
Lu Yun paused. As his sleeve brushed past Luo Lingyu, he suddenly leaned in, his handsome face close to hers. He whispered a few words into her ear, his voice like the sound of jade striking.
From Lu Xian’s perspective inside the room, it looked as though Lu Yun’s face was almost touching Cousin Luo’s. The young lady’s face turned as red as if it were on fire. Lu Xian immediately spoke up, displeased. “Third Brother, have you forgotten your promise to me? Don’t tease Cousin!”
In the past, Third Brother had never behaved this way with the cousins in the house. Why was he now indulging in such behavior?
Lu Yun straightened up and laughed heartily. Gone was his usual cold and aloof demeanor. After teasing Luo Lingyu with a playful look, he casually waved to Lu Xian behind him. “I know, I know. Stop lecturing me, monk.”
Lu Xian: “…”
Luo Lingyu couldn’t help but giggle, then quickly composed herself. She continued brewing tea, feeling a sweet sensation in her heart. Just now, Lu Yun had leaned in and whispered eight words to her: “Under the flowers and moon, don’t miss our meeting.”
Luo Lingyu was pleasantly surprised: She had always known she was beautiful, and Third Cousin wasn’t blind.
Third Brother Lu was finally giving her a chance.
Though Luo Lingyu was still under the eaves of Lu Xian’s house, her heart had already flown away. She pondered how to dress, what to say, and when to meet Third Brother… If she could marry Lu Yun, the financial struggles she and her sister faced would be over. After all, since arriving in Jianye, Luo Lingyu had realized—the little silver she had brought wouldn’t last long.
The young men and women of Jianye lived in such luxury, it was unlike anything she had ever seen.
Lu Yun had only said “under the flowers and moon,” without specifying a time. Luo Lingyu thought about it for a long time and decided he must be referring to the flower grove near his residence, Qingyuan. As for “under the moon,” the time frame was too broad. Unable to figure it out, and wanting to make a good impression on her cousin, Luo Lingyu waited half an hour after dusk before heading out.
When Lu Yun arrived deep in the flower grove, he saw her from afar. The young lady wore a yellow striped skirt with a light shawl and phoenix-head shoes. Under the moonlight, the breeze gently blew, and she unconsciously touched the jade earring below her ear, her brows slightly furrowed. She looked like a forest spirit, her clothes fluttering, her beauty ethereal.
For a moment, Lu Yun’s heart skipped a beat.
Luo Lingyu lowered her head, anxiously wondering if Third Brother had truly arranged to meet her here. In this era, private meetings between men and women weren’t a big deal, but Luo Lingyu was afraid she had misunderstood and would embarrass herself… Third Brother Lu’s attitude toward her was unpredictable. As time passed and he still didn’t appear, Luo Lingyu grew increasingly uneasy. She frowned, deciding to leave.
Just as she moved, a hand reached out from behind a tree, wrapping around her waist and pulling her back. Luo Lingyu was about to scream when another hand calmly covered her mouth. She was turned around and pressed against the tree. Flowers fell around her as she stiffened, her heart filled with fear. Then she heard a low, hoarse voice laugh. “Don’t panic. It’s me.”
Lu Yun!
Luo Lingyu looked up and met those bright, beautiful eyes. The hand covering her mouth moved away, and she stopped struggling. Her heart was still pounding, her face flushed. She stared uncertainly at Lu Yun, who was almost embracing her: His expression was flirtatious and frivolous, completely different from his usual aloof and indifferent demeanor.
Which one was the real him?
Luo Lingyu’s eyes flickered, and she whispered coyly, “Cousin, you scared me.”
Lu Yun chuckled.
His laughter made her face burn even more.
He leaned in, gently sniffing her neck and shoulder. Luo Lingyu’s body stiffened further. His face was almost touching hers, his hair brushing against her cheek. Luo Lingyu dug her nails into her palm to stop herself from pushing him away—
This was the man she had chosen as the most suitable for marriage.
He had finally taken the initiative. She’d be crazy to push him away.
Lu Yun’s face rubbed against hers, making her heart soften and her legs weaken. He asked in a low voice, “The tea you gave me this afternoon had the same fragrance as the pastries you sent. Did you add your own scented dew?”
Luo Lingyu calmly replied, “Yes, I added some scented dew I made myself. If you like it, Cousin, I can give you a bottle.”
Lu Yun’s laughter brushed against her ear, like a whisper. “I like it.”
That floating “like” made her heart itch as if a feather had brushed against it. His fingers gripped her waist, his flat chest pressed against her full bosom. His face buried into her neck and shoulder, sending shivers up her spine. Her mind went blank, and she couldn’t think of what to say.
Lu Yun’s eyes held a hint of mockery: Even at this point, she still didn’t resist? He had underestimated this cousin.
His hand touched her porcelain-like cheek, and he turned his face, his eyes filled with emotion as they focused on her lips. Luo Lingyu was stunned for a moment, then immediately understood what he wanted to do. Her eyelashes fluttered, and she closed her eyes. The hot breath against her cheek made her face burn even more. Her heart pounded like thunder, her body trembling…
But after a long while, the next step never came.
Luo Lingyu opened her eyes in surprise.
Lu Yun’s expression was cold. “Is this how you seduce men? From my second brother to me, you haven’t let a single man in the Lu family go. But let me teach you something: If you just stand there like a block of wood, not moving at all, no man would be moved unless he’s only interested in your looks.”
“Cousin, if you rely on your beauty to please others, they will only treat you lightly.”
Author’s Note:
Cousin: If you rely on your beauty, that’s all you’ve got.
Cousin Luo: One path is enough for me!
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