The Lament of Autumn - Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Unseverable Threads of Passion Provoke Heartache; Fragrant Jade Hairpins Warm the Mandarin Duck Pillow

Yu Changxuan followed his father to the western front lines to inspect the military defenses. Having traveled for nearly a month, the group finally returned to the Yu family residence that evening. As soon as Mrs. Yu saw Yu Changxuan, she noticed he had lost a significant amount of weight compared to a month ago. Her heart ached for him immensely; without wasting words, she immediately hurried downstairs to arrange for the servants to prepare all the dishes the Fifth Young Master loved most.

Once his mother had left, Yu Changxuan saw his second sister, Jinxuan, sitting under a pink silk-shaded lamp, smiling at him. He walked over and sat to one side, diligently picking up a nearby "rain-clearing" azure imperial teapot to pour a cup of tea for Jinxuan. He presented it with both hands and smiled, "Second Sister, you’ve had a tough month. Please, have some tea."

Jinxuan took the tea but let out a laugh, saying, "Enough, don't try to butter me up. Tell me honestly, that girl—she clearly has ambition, so how could she just obediently become the golden canary in your cage? What kind of methods did you use to manipulate her?"

Yu Changxuan did not answer, only smiling, "So, Second Sister likes her too." Jinxuan nodded and said, "She is a good child; it is hard not to love her. It is just a pity that she happens to have such an awkward status, always destined to be looked down upon by others. Isn't this all a sin of your own making?"

Yu Changxuan said calmly, "I am determined to marry her."

Jinxuan smiled, just as young Zening came running in from outside, his hands grabbing a pile of biscuits. Jinxuan asked, "Where did you get those biscuits?" Zening replied, "Grandma gave them to me."

The people of Jinling have their own customs; they have always called their maternal grandmother "Popo" (Grandma) and their maternal grandfather "Gonggong" (Grandpa). Seeing Zening eating the biscuits with such relish, Yu Changxuan went to snatch the handful of biscuits from him. Zening, unable to win against him, stomped his feet and jumped up and down in frustration, shrieking. Jinxuan laughed and slapped the back of Yu Changxuan's hand, saying, "Stop bullying my son. Since you like children so much, why not have the one at Fengtai give you one?"

Yu Changxuan was suddenly startled. Jinxuan smiled as she picked up Zening and offered him a piece of advice, "Why don't you understand? If you really want to keep her, let her bear you a child. Don't forget, Mother thinks about holding a grandson all day long. If she were truly pregnant, Mother would be too busy doting on her to do anything else, and she would have to listen to whatever you say."

Yu Changxuan returned to Fengtai at a little past ten o'clock at night. His return was very sudden, yet he did not alert anyone. Adjutant Wu Zuoxiao went directly to the aide's office, while only the Chief of the Aide's Office, Gu Ruitong, followed Yu Changxuan all the way to the study. Yu Changxuan took off his coat, along with his pistol belt and gun, and handed them to Gu Ruitong, who hung them on the coat rack nearby. Turning around, he heard Yu Changxuan ask, "Has anything happened in these past few days?"

Gu Ruitong replied, "The Ministry of Army submitted some official documents. I have organized the important ones and placed them on your desk. Other than that, it has just been minor matters. However, according to the Fifth Young Master's request, I transferred Feng Tianjun from the Ministry of Army to serve as the team leader of the Sixth Intelligence Group in the Second Division of the Aide's Office. This kid is indeed a talent; in terms of sharpness, he is not even below Secretary-General Wang Ji."

Yu Changxuan casually flipped through the stacks of files on the desk and laughed, "Look at that, you’ve gathered all the best people for me. I expect Uncle Zhang will come to lecture me a few more times. You’ve worked hard these days; some other day, I will treat you to a drink at Kuiguang Pavilion." Gu Ruitong acknowledged this and turned to leave. Just as the door opened, he saw the head maid, Qiulu, holding an exquisite small tray, hurrying in. Upon seeing Gu Ruitong, she smiled and called out, "Officer Gu." Gu Ruitong lowered his eyes and walked out.

Yu Changxuan was still sitting behind the desk looking at the files when he saw Qiulu place the tray on the table. A waft of the refreshing fragrance of lotus leaf soup immediately filled the air. Qiulu smiled and said, "The Madam specifically called from the residence to say that as soon as the Fifth Young Master returned, you must be served this bowl of soup first. Please eat quickly, Fifth Young Master; I am still waiting to report back to the Madam."

Yu Changxuan did not eat the lotus leaf soup first; instead, he picked up a teacup from the side, took a sip, and asked, "How has she been this past month?"

Qiulu knew who Yu Changxuan was asking about, and she had long been prepared. She giggled and said, "We really don't know how Miss Ye has been doing. If the Fifth Young Master wants to know, he will have to ask Chief Gu."

Yu Changxuan looked up at Qiulu and slowly rotated the teacup in his hand, offering a faint smile, "How so?"

Qiulu giggled and said, "We silly maids, even if we wanted to take care of Miss Ye, we wouldn't be able to get a hand in. Miss Ye is well-read and sensible, so naturally, she has endless things to talk about with Chief Gu; maybe she even finds us maids to be an eyesore." No sooner had she finished speaking than a wave of heat surged toward her—Yu Changxuan had splashed the tea directly at her. The boiling water splashed onto her skin, causing a stinging pain. Terrified, Qiulu collapsed and knelt there, calling out, "Fifth Young Master!"

Yu Changxuan sneered and said coldly, "You mark my words: Gu Ruitong is like a brother to me. If you ever dare to say such things again, I will take your life first!"

Qiulu was trembling all over, unable to even speak a word. She heard Yu Changxuan say impatiently, "Get out!" Qiulu hurriedly stood up, panicked, and moved to collect the bowl and tray. Underneath the tray was something she had specifically brought along. At this moment, she dared not show it to Yu Changxuan, and just as she was about to leave, Yu Changxuan saw it clearly and asked, "What is that?"

Qiulu tremblingly took out that page, "It is a newspaper; I took it from Miss Ye's room. That day... I saw Miss Ye staring at this newspaper in a trance." Yu Changxuan scanned the words "Famous News" (Ming Bao) at a glance and reached out his hand. Qiulu hurriedly handed the newspaper to him and turned to run out in a panic. Yu Changxuan unfolded the newspaper and saw the "Short Notes on Threads of Passion" under the column. A dark, gloomy light flashed in his pupils as he stared at it coldly.

The night deepened further, and the study was so quiet it was somewhat unnerving. Only the pendulum of the large grandfather clock made a steady ticking sound. From far and near, one could hear the wind blowing through the trees at Fengtai, making a sound like crashing waves. Yu Changxuan sat alone in the study, with a cigarette between his fingers emitting curling white smoke. The smoke was about to burn to the butt, with a long ash forming, while at his feet, five or six cigarette butts had already accumulated.

He remembered when she lowered her head to thread beads, a small, short strand of hair would drape down over her forehead, brushing gently against her snowy white cheek. He walked over to smooth that strand of hair for her; the soft hair grazed his fingers, and his fingers accidentally touched the skin on her cheek—it was warm. He felt an itching sensation deep in his heart, as if a soft feather had brushed across it...

His hand shook, and the burnt-out cigarette butt fell to the floor. He stood up abruptly and crushed it with his military boots, stomping hard. He turned around and swept everything on the desk onto the floor. Even the telephone flew off, slamming against half of the wall, instantly transforming into a pile of broken pieces!

He finally gripped that newspaper tightly and strode out of the study. He went all the way upstairs. The hallway was covered in carpet, so no matter how fast he walked, he made no sound. He went all the way to the bedroom door at the end of the hallway, paused, and finally softened his steps, slowly pushing the door open.

The room was very quiet; a bit of Taiwanese agarwood was still burning in a small incense burner. Thick curtains hung all the way to the carpet, and the light was slightly dim, with only a small green silk-pleated lamp turned on at the bedside table, casting a dim, warm glow. She was lying on her side in the soft quilt, her left hand curled loosely under the pillow, sleeping soundly.

He casually threw the newspaper onto the carpet and stood before the bed, leaning down slightly, supporting himself with one hand on the side of the bed while reaching out with the other to gently stroke her cheek. Her skin felt soft and warm, and his breathing couldn't help but quicken. He lowered his head slowly, and even though her eyes were still closed, the eyelashes resting on her skin suddenly trembled wildly, and the left hand that had been slightly curled by the pillow slowly clenched into a fist...

He was already burning with anger, and at this, he sneered, "Keep pretending!" He actually grabbed that short strand of hair by her forehead and gave it an uncontrollable tug. She could even hear the sound of her own hair snapping. The pain was so sharp she drew a deep breath and opened her eyes, seeing his face immersed in the dim light, revealing a trace of cold severity.

He was full of fury, "Ye Pingjun, I have almost carved out my entire heart to give to you, and yet this is how you treat me!"

Her heart contracted suddenly, and she wanted to sit up, but her wrist felt a sharp pain, and the weight of him pressed down upon her. With one hand, he held down both of hers, pressing them directly against the pillow. His other hand went to unbutton her clothes. The buttons were thin and intricate, and he became impatient, pulling forcefully. A "rip" sounded as buttons scattered everywhere, just like the light in her eyes, which seemed to dissipate in that instant.

He lowered his head to kiss her. The kiss covered her lips, lingering and entwining, possessing a gentle fragrance that seeped into his nostrils—it was her body scent, soft and just a little warm... a sweet, intoxicating scent that made one unable to resist...

She kept her eyes tightly shut the entire time, clutching her hands in a death grip, letting him do as he pleased. She accepted her fate. His lips kissed her earlobe and whispered in her ear, "You must bear me a child."

Her body trembled, and she opened her eyes instantly. From somewhere came such great strength that she shoved him away. He had been lost in passion and, taken off guard by this resistance, let her escape his control. She had already covered her torn clothes and fled to the side of the bed. In those panicked eyes, there was actually a glint of steel, as she said, "Don't even think about it!"

Yu Changxuan sat up from the bed, watching her press herself against the floor-length curtains, looking at him with vigilance. He furrowed his brows tightly, and without a word, he stepped forward to embrace her. She gripped the heavy curtains tightly. His expression changed suddenly, and he instead pressed her directly against the curtains, raging, "I told you to bear it, so you will bear it for me!"

He tore at her clothes violently. She was beyond furious, but unable to overcome him in strength, she simply let go, staring at him with cold, clear eyes, saying word by word, "I tell you, even if I have your child, I will always find a way to make sure it is never born!"

His body went rigid, and he saw her lifting her head, looking at him coldly. Her gaze revealed a chilling resolution and determination. He gripped her shoulders, panting, and gritted his teeth, "You dare!"

She glared at him unyieldingly, and the two stood in a standoff as if they were mortal enemies. A few strands of hair fell from her already disheveled bun, setting off her pale face so that it looked as white as paper and as cold as snow.

A cold, angry light finally surfaced in the depths of his eyes. He had always been accustomed to being spoiled and doing as he pleased, never having encountered such resistance. Filled with hatred, he reached out and flung her away from him. He had not expected to exert such force in his loss of control; her body fell away like a thin straw, hitting the carpet, while her forehead hit the corner of the small bedside cabinet with a loud "thud."

Yu Changxuan turned his head abruptly.

Pingjun reached out to cover her forehead, her lips moving slightly. Bright red blood seeped out between the fingers covering her brow. He panicked and moved forward to support her, but she turned her head away, dodging his hand, and whispered, "I don't need you to care!"

Yu Changxuan froze, his hand hanging stiffly in mid-air.

Pingjun sucked in a breath of pain. She slowly lowered her head. The newspaper was tossed on the carpet like scrap paper. Blood dripped from between her fingers, staining her disheveled sideburns and falling onto Jiang Xueting's black-and-white photo on the paper, turning that page's "Short Notes on Threads of Passion" red.

In the morning, sunlight shone in from outside the opened curtains. In such late autumn weather, even the smallest beam of light made one feel warm. A large bouquet of osmanthus was inserted in a bean-green glazed carved vase. The scent of the fresh flowers surpassed that of the white satin sachet filled with clove powder hanging in the wardrobe. Ye Pingjun sat on the sofa, feeling as though her nostrils were filled with the scent of cloves.

She touched her temple; the wound was not large, and it had already been bandaged, though it still hurt a little.

The newspaper was placed neatly on the coffee table, with the blood-stained page pressed underneath. Then she heard the sound of the door; it was Qiulu entering.

She remained sitting there until Qiulu smiled and called out, "Miss Ye, were you looking for me?"

Ye Pingjun looked at the newspaper and said slowly, "Do not mess with my things again in the future. Also, I will have to trouble the Fifth Young Master to retrieve them for me."

Qiulu's face turned ugly instantly.

Ye Pingjun said calmly, "I told the Fifth Young Master that there are enough hands here and we don't need you. You are also getting on in age, so I might as well arrange for you to return to the countryside and get married. I had people start the arrangements this morning; your parents will come to pick you up tomorrow."

Qiulu turned deathly pale in an instant and "thumped" down onto the carpet, kneeling and crying out repeatedly, "Miss Ye, please, don't drive me away... I was wrong, I know I was wrong."

Pingjun smiled slightly and said slowly, "Do you think I am some spoiled young miss of a wealthy family, to be bullied and humiliated by you, to be driven to tears and vomiting blood because of a few words or a petty trick from you? You really miscalculated. I am not that magnanimous. Even if I forgave you time and time again, did you really think I couldn't handle you?"

She turned her head, casting her gaze upon the tear-drenched Qiulu, "A piece of advice: next time you want to deal with me, it would be best to choose a better opportunity and finish me off completely in one move. Otherwise, once I catch my breath, it will be your turn to die."

Qiulu had never expected Ye Pingjun to say such things and could only kneel there, terrified and weeping. Ye Pingjun watched her and said slowly, "You are truly foolish to the extreme. Who he wants is not something I can control, nor can you. What is the use of exhausting your energy here? Instead, it only makes everyone uncomfortable. Before I arrived, he didn't let you live in this room; do you think if you drove me away, he would let you move in here?"

Qiulu kept sobbing, saying over and over that she wouldn't dare again. Pingjun stopped speaking and slowly turned her head to look out the window. In the distance, she saw the maple leaves on Yuxia Mountain burning like flames. Such light stung her eyes fiercely. She felt a surge of warmth in her eyes, and she silently raised the corners of her soft mouth in a bitter smile, saying gently,

"Take this newspaper and burn it."

The winter in Jinling was naturally dry and cold, and after several consecutive bouts of sleet, the coldness seemed to pierce right into one's bones. It was around ten o'clock in the morning, and the Yu residence was heated with warm radiators. Flowers that did not belong to the season were inserted in vases. Mrs. Yu was in the living room teaching her grandson Zening calligraphy. She looked up and saw the butler, Zhou Tai, coming to deliver snacks, so she asked, "Hasn't the Fifth Young Master gotten up yet?"

Zhou Tai replied, "It seems not yet. Maid Zhu knocked on the door just a moment ago, but there was no response from inside."

Mrs. Yu was immediately worried, "This child has been following his father through wind and rain recently; it’s finally a few days of rest, I hope he isn’t sick from exhaustion. I will go up and take a look." She asked the servant nearby to feed Zening snacks and headed upstairs herself. She walked to Yu Changxuan's bedroom door and knocked several times, but there was no response from inside. Mrs. Yu grew anxious and said to the butler, Zhou Tai, who was nearby, "Open the door."

Zhou Tai took a large bunch of keys from his waist and separated one to open the door. Mrs. Yu pushed it open and saw Yu Changxuan lying in bed wrapped in the quilt. She said, "Changxuan, are you sick?" Yu Changxuan didn't want to speak, but seeing his mother’s tone becoming urgent, he threw off the quilt and sat up, saying, "I'm not a three- or four-year-old child, how could I be sick?"

Seeing him like this, Mrs. Yu panicked, "Cover yourself with that quilt. You’ll catch a cold going from hot to cold like this. If you’re tired, lie down for a while longer. Your father isn't home anyway. Look at your eyes—how have you been sleeping so long and ended up with two black circles?"

Yu Changxuan evaded the question, "Where did Father go?"

Mrs. Yu sat on the edge of the bed, noticing that he really didn't look very energetic, and reached out to touch his forehead to check his temperature. Yu Changxuan turned his head, revealing an impatient demeanor. Mrs. Yu smiled, "Alright, I know. You are an adult now, and it won't do for me to treat you like a child anymore. Today is the wedding of the Mou family's son and the Tao family's eldest daughter, Yayee; your father went to the wedding feast."

Yu Changxuan laughed, "The alliance between the Mou and Tao families—the intent is clear for all to see. Such a political marriage will likely get Father fired up for a while. You say, why doesn't the Chu family have a daughter? Otherwise, I could have gone myself and shared the burden for Father."

Mrs. Yu laughed, "That would be just right. It's rare for you to have such filial piety. The Chu family doesn't have a daughter, but the Tao family has a second daughter whom you also like very much. I'll go and talk to them about it for you one of these days."

Yu Changxuan said indifferently, "Forget it. Being the brother-in-law to that idiot son of the Mou family and being a notch below him—I won't do it. Mother, you know, that only seedling of the Mou family is a bit short in the brain department." A single sentence made Mrs. Yu unable to help but laugh; she extended a finger and poked Yu Changxuan on the forehead, "You, your mouth never has a good word; you’re enough to anger someone to death. Get up and eat something, don't go hungry."

Yu Changxuan acknowledged this, and only then did Mrs. Yu lead the butler Zhou Tai out. He collapsed back onto the bed, pulled the quilt over his head, and covered himself completely. After being covered for a long time, he suddenly sat up, looking filled with indignation. He grabbed the quilt and threw it to the floor, but that was not enough to vent the fire in his heart, so he simply stood up and kicked the bundle of quilt away viciously.

He thought he was truly going insane. How could it have reached this point? As soon as he closed his eyes, his head was filled with her. Her shadow was everywhere before him—every frown and every smile, every move she made—it couldn't be driven away. The soft fragrance on her body seemed to linger in his heart, that gentle fragrance that threw his whole being into chaos, unable to be dispelled...

Never having known lovesickness in one's life, only to fall into it, and once it begins, it brings misery.

He was truly mad.

Adjutant Wu Zuoxiao, having had nothing to do for several days, spent the afternoon in the guardroom of the main foyer chatting with several other aides when he heard a guard suddenly come out and say, "The Fifth Young Master is coming."

Wu Zuoxiao hurriedly stood up to greet him and saw Yu Changxuan in a complete riding outfit, even the spurs on his military boots shining brightly. He pointed his riding crop at Wu Zuoxiao and the others, saying, "Follow me, we’re going to the training ground to ride horses." Wu Zuoxiao said, "It’s snowing and raining outside; it’s not exactly good weather for riding. The Madam might be angry if she finds out."

Yu Changxuan pointed his crop at Wu Zuoxiao, "If my mother finds out, I will deal with you first."

Seeing that Yu Changxuan’s expression was very poor, Wu Zuoxiao hurriedly grabbed his military cap and led the guards to follow Yu Changxuan. After a few steps, he saw that there were faint dark circles under Yu Changxuan’s eyes and couldn't help but laugh, "Fifth Young Master, how come you’ve got these dark circles? How many days have you not slept?"

Yu Changxuan didn't even look back, snapping impatiently, "Is that any of your business?"

Wu Zuoxiao laughed, "If you can't sleep, go out for a walk. Don't stay cooped up in the residence all day or you’ll get sick."

Yu Changxuan was blunt and quick, "I want to!"

Wu Zuoxiao, like Gu Ruitong, had followed Yu Changxuan for many years and had long since fully grasped his temper. At this moment, he laughed, "Fifth Young Master, you haven't been to Fengtai for a long time. Fengtai is a good place; the scenery is beautiful, and the people are even more beautiful."

No sooner had Wu Zuoxiao finished speaking with a giggle than he saw Yu Changxuan stop walking and turn back to glare at him angrily, his eyes practically spitting fire. Wu Zuoxiao instantly felt his courage fail and adopted a posture ready to flee at any moment, "I mean, we brothers spend our days carousing with the Fifth Young Master, while Chief Gu is a brother to us too, left alone at Fengtai to keep an empty house—my heart just doesn't feel right about it."

Yu Changxuan didn't use the crop; he didn't say a word before kicking out. Wu Zuoxiao, in his panic, prioritized the most important thing to shout, "Chief Gu told me to tell the Fifth Young Master that there is someone at Fengtai who has been in the hospital for the past few days!" This was still too long, and he ended up taking a kick from Yu Changxuan, hearing him ask, "Who is in the hospital?"

Wu Zuoxiao grimaced and rubbed his calf, saying, "Miss Ye's mother has had a recurrence of an old illness, and it looks like it’s not going well this time. Chief Aide Gu said Miss Ye has been staying at the hospital for these past few days, never leaving her mother's side."

Yu Changxuan paused, just standing there looking at Wu Zuoxiao. The gaze was so focused that it made Wu Zuoxiao’s spine go cold, and in an instant, he had goosebumps all over. He saw a flash in Yu Changxuan's eyes as he turned and started walking back, saying, "Have a car prepared." Wu Zuoxiao ignored his aching calf and bravely rushed forward, asking as if courting death, "We’re not going riding? Not going riding anymore?"

Yu Changxuan was practically infuriated to death by him; he turned around and swung his whip at Wu Zuoxiao’s head, raging, "Can't you see for yourself! Is this weather for riding? It’s snowing and raining; are you trying to get me killed?!"

Wu Zuoxiao heard these words and found them extremely familiar. Watching Yu Changxuan walk away, he—who possessed a bit of a rascal’s spirit in his nature—felt great joy and pulled over another aide, hooking his arm and saying with feigned sorrow, "You see, it’s not easy for us in this line of work. All the bitterness and sorrow have to be swallowed, and we still have to pretend to smile at others."

The aide was stunned for a long time before responding, "Adjutant Wu, I don't think we are in the same line of work."

Since the beginning of winter, Mrs. Ye had caught several colds, which then triggered a lung condition. For the first few days, she could hold on, but later she gradually grew weaker and became bedridden again. Pingjun was terrified; she stayed at Jici Hospital for half the winter, caring for her mother all day. Exhausted from this, she lost another circle of weight.

This day, after feeding Mrs. Ye half a bowl of thin rice porridge, Mrs. Ye fell into a drowsy sleep. Pingjun sat by the bedside, watching over her mother. Everything around was silent. Every now and then, she would tuck the quilt in for her mother, and looking at her pale face, she couldn't help but feel a soreness in her nose, ready to burst into tears.

Suddenly, she heard rapid footsteps in the hallway outside. She was slightly startled and looked up. A person walked into the ward—it was Yu Changxuan. He caught her eye immediately. Her fingers trembled as she stood up from the chair. Mrs. Ye was also awakened by the footsteps and called out weakly, "Ping'er, who is it?"

Yu Changxuan stepped forward. Mrs. Ye slowly opened her eyes, and seeing it was Yu Changxuan, she struggled to sit up. Yu Changxuan reached out to gently press her down, saying, "Mother, lie still." That one form of address made Mrs. Ye hold her breath, staring blankly at Yu Changxuan. Yu Changxuan covered Mrs. Ye with the quilt again and shouted to the people outside in the hallway, "Come in."

A foreign military doctor walked in with two nurses, carrying their own medical kits. They stood in the ward and first stood at attention to salute Yu Changxuan. Yu Changxuan nodded. The doctor turned and placed the medical kit on the table, beginning to take out diagnostic tools. The two nurses walked over to help Mrs. Ye sit up. Pingjun helped her mother first and saw that her mother was slightly bowed, her eyes filled with tears. She whispered, "Mother."

Mrs. Ye responded gently, only using her fingers to lightly wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes, before she looked up at Ye Pingjun and Yu Changxuan with a faint smile, "With the doctor here to examine me, there’s nothing for you two to do. Go out for a walk."

Pingjun sat there without moving, looking down slightly at the corner of the table, her fingers tracing it slowly, her lips pressed shut, looking stubborn. Mrs. Ye looked at Pingjun and sighed, urging, "Ping'er, what kind of attitude is this? You won't even listen to me..."

Yu Changxuan smiled, "Let her stay here to take care of you. I will be just outside; if you need anything, Mother, you can call for me." As he spoke, he turned to look at Pingjun, but Pingjun kept her head lowered, eyes cast down, sitting silently as if she didn't see him at all.

Yu Changxuan retracted his gaze, said nothing more, and turned to walk out. The military doctor came up to examine Mrs. Ye, and they were busy for quite a while before stopping in the late evening. A guard walked in and said to the doctor, "The Fifth Young Master said that if you are finished with the examination, go out and report Mrs. Ye’s condition."

The doctor heard this and hurried out with the guard. After the injections and medicine, Mrs. Ye’s complexion looked slightly better, and she lay in bed letting out a soft sigh. Pingjun hurriedly stood up, "Mother, do you want to drink some water?"

Mrs. Ye slowly shook her head, took Pingjun's hand, and whispered, "Did you hear what he called me? He called me Mother. Child, this means he acknowledges you; he doesn't look down on you."

Pingjun pressed her lips together. Mrs. Ye breathed with some effort, shedding a few tears, and choked out, "Ping'er, go with him. I can see it; he really likes you. Stop thinking about Xueting. We’ve come to this point, you and Xueting... you have no such fate; why bother thinking about it..."

Her arm moved—Mrs. Ye was shaking her arm as if begging. Feeling aggrieved, Pingjun sat there, turning her head toward the window. She saw a few winter sparrows perched on the small ledge outside the window, shivering as they tucked their heads under their wings to stay warm. A layer of fine frost covered the edge of the window.

In the blink of an eye, half the winter had passed.

The strand of hair at her temple had grown long. She now tucked it behind her ear and braided it together with the rest of her hair, so she could still make two beautiful little buns; thus, it was impossible to distinguish which had been cut and which had not.

Actually, there was no need to distinguish.

Her mother said to her, "Child, I know he is waiting for you outside; go out and have a word with him."

She remained sitting there, rigid. Mrs. Ye grew anxious, coughing several times, holding her chest and gasping, "Why are you so disobedient!"

Pingjun slowly let go of her mother's hand, stood up, and turned to walk out. She pushed open the door to the ward and saw several guards standing in the hallway. It was evident that when someone of his status came, the corridor had been posted with guards. The military doctor was standing in front of him, saying something. He stood there straight as a sword, with the heavy dusk pouring in from the window behind him, appearing like thick fog.

Pingjun walked along the hallway. At the corner was the staircase. She went downstairs quickly, but heard footsteps following more and more closely behind. Her heart tightened, pounding. Just as she reached the bottom of the last step, she turned around in a panic. She felt warmth on her shoulders—he had already reached out and pulled her forcefully into his arms, starting with a soft sentence, "Don't be angry with me."

For some reason, a burst of stubborn anger surged from the bottom of her heart. She wanted to struggle against him, but he held her tight and wouldn't let go. The two stood under the stairs, silently pulling at each other, until finally, he stepped back into a corner and leaned against it, simply holding her even more firmly. She couldn't help but feel a bit ashamed and angry, "Go away!"

Yu Changxuan laughed, "You’ve already pushed me into a dead-end; where do you want me to go?"

He actually said that, making her unable to do anything but be angry, "How can you be the one to bite back?" Yu Changxuan chuckled, saying righteously, "I didn't." Pingjun pried his fingers apart one by one, "Nonsense, you clearly..." She felt her cheek suddenly grow hot—he had lowered his head to kiss her. She was startled, and he leaned against her ear, whispering with a smile, "Since you’ve said so, I’ll bite once, so as not to carry this false reputation in vain!"

Pingjun felt a painful knot in her heart; her fingers clutched tightly onto the cold buttons of his military uniform, "Let me go quickly, what if someone sees?"

Yu Changxuan held her tighter instead, smiling slightly, "Let's see who dares to come over."

She dared not look up at him, but he kept his gaze fixed on her temple, seeing that the small wound had already healed. He said softly, "Pingjun, I haven't dared to see you for this period of time. I could only vent my temper on myself. From now on... I will be more careful in the future, will you allow that?"

He was originally a person of extreme pride and arrogance, added to that upbringing, he had never said a soft word to anyone from birth until now. At this moment, saying such apologetic words to her, they actually contained a sense of clumsiness, entirely lacking the well-known dash of the Fifth Young Master, which only made the listener unable to resist softening her heart.

He said, "Pingjun, don't blame me. I was really burning with rage that day."

Ye Pingjun’s nervous, stiff fingers slowly loosened, and she felt such a mixture of emotions in her heart that her eye sockets swelled, "How would I dare to blame you? I’ve reached this point, neither human nor ghost—who would I dare to blame!"

Yu Changxuan said, "Still angry? Then I’ll make another apology. Once Mother is better, I will take you and Mother to Wuqiao to clear your minds and stay for a few days, alright?"

He was so thoughtful that he even knew she had lived in Wuqiao in her childhood. Her nose felt sour, but after a long time, she still retorted stubbornly, "I am a person who doesn't know what's good for me; you don't need to be so kind to me."

Yu Changxuan laughed, "But I happen to want to be good to you." He held her tight, his nostrils filled with her warm, fragrant scent, faint and ethereal. He whispered, "You don't know, for such a long time, I’ve missed you until I was going crazy."

His tone was so tender, filled with infinite affection. She suddenly felt panicked, as if a crack had suddenly appeared on a frozen ice surface. She felt she was about to fall through. A sense of unpredictable fear surged in her chest like a violent storm, sharp as a knife, almost shattering her heart. The cheek leaning against his chest began to burn hot. In that instant, unstoppable tears fell like beads with broken strings.

By her ear was his voice, the tone so certain, as solid as stone, "Pingjun, I will not let you suffer. I will give you status. One day, I will give you a proper, rightful status."

In a blink of an eye, it was New Year's Eve. The Yu residence was naturally a hundred times busier than usual. Since daytime, the butler Zhou Tai had been arranging for the servants to clean and organize the entire mansion, tying fragrant pine and cypress branches. Outside the main gate, the flags of all nations were hung, and long strings of electric lights were hung in the walkways. Maid Zhu led the young maids in changing the fresh flowers on the flower stands. As a prominent family of great wealth and standing, they naturally had their own greenhouses cultivated with seasonal flowers, ready at any time to decorate the residence.

By night, the electric lights were bright, and the whole residence was as luminous as day. The sound of firecrackers could be heard near and far. Zening kept shouting that he wanted to go out and set off firecrackers with the guards, but he was blocked by Mrs. Yu. By night, after eating the reunion dinner and watching the fireworks for a while, it was already around one in the morning. Jinxuan walked out of the living room and saw Yu Changxuan standing in the hallway in a daze. She smiled, walked up, and said, "Everyone says newlyweds are like mandarin ducks in a pond, but you two don't even have the first stroke written yet—why are you missing each other so much?"

Yu Changxuan looked back to see it was Jinxuan and laughed instead, "What is Second Sister saying? I don't understand."

Jinxuan pointed her finger, clutching a handkerchief, at Yu Changxuan and laughed, "Your soul has flown to Fengtai, and you're still pretending here. Alright, Father and Mother just went upstairs to rest. If you have anything to do, hurry and go busy yourself."

These words hit exactly what he was thinking. Yu Changxuan turned and smiled at Jinxuan, "Then I am leaving. If anything happens, Second Sister, please cover for me." Jinxuan nodded. Yu Changxuan was so happy he turned and ran down the stairs. He went out the main gate, saw Wu Zuoxiao and the others had long since brought the car, got in, and the car drove out of the residence, heading straight for Fengtai.

On this New Year's Eve, the sound of fireworks and firecrackers was everywhere. Such noisy excitement always made it hard for people to sleep. Ye Pingjun was very tired, and just as she was about to fall asleep on her pillow, she heard someone knocking at the door. Qiulu's voice came in, "Miss Ye, the Fifth Young Master is here."

Ye Pingjun felt heavy-headed and exhausted. She struggled to sit up from the bed and answered, preparing to get out of bed, when she saw the door already being pushed open. It was Yu Changxuan, walking in with high spirits. Upon seeing Ye Pingjun’s weary appearance, he immediately froze, saying after a long moment, "I only thought about wanting to see you, but didn't consider it was so late and you would be wanting to sleep."

Ye Pingjun smiled casually, "You are pampered and held aloft by others all day long; when would you ever think of how others are living?"

Yu Changxuan was startled, and after another moment of silence, he said, "Then why don't you continue sleeping, I..." Ye Pingjun saw the chill on his body, touched her forehead, and got out of bed, saying, "Are you hungry?" Yu Changxuan laughed, "Actually, I am a bit hungry. The meal at the residence was too oily, I only had a few bites."

Pingjun turned to Qiulu nearby, "Go cook some of the osmanthus tangyuan I brought back from Dongshan Bridge tonight and bring them for the Fifth Young Master to eat." Qiulu immediately acknowledged this and went out. Pingjun threw on a garment, walked over to sit in front of the row of sofas, picked up the small box filled with crystal pearls, and incidentally turned on the small lamp with a multi-colored gauze shade. Seeing Yu Changxuan still standing there, she said, "What are you standing there for?"

Yu Changxuan laughed and said, "I just came in from outside; the chill on my body hasn't dissipated yet. You’re wearing so little; if I walked over, you would definitely shiver."

She was so clever that upon hearing him say this, she laughed, "So you know how to think for others this time! Don't think I don't know—it’s clearly because I said that thing about being pampered that you’re unhappy and are using your words to knock me down. Fine, the Fifth Young Master has such a temper; I won't dare say such things in the future."

He stood there smiling slightly. Seeing she had pointed out his thoughts with one sentence, he simply walked over and laughed, "It’s truly cold outside. If you don't believe me, touch my hands and you’ll know."

He extended his two hands flat, reaching them directly in front of her. She was holding the box of beads and wanted to shrink back, but instead, she was held firmly in his arms. The chill truly attacked her; between the cold and the heat, she couldn't help but sneeze twice. Pulled into his embrace, she panicked, "Go sit to one side, let’s talk properly."

He let go and laughed, "I also brought you something good; take a look." He stood up and walked outside the door. Before long, he personally brought in a pot of jade hairpins (flowers). The slender jade hairpins were in full bloom, white as jade nestled between the tender green leaves. She was startled at first, naturally filled with amazement, and heard him laugh, "I planted this in the greenhouse personally for you. I calculated the days—not early, not late—just waiting for this day to bring it to you."

Outside was the piercing cold of winter, but the bedroom was as warm as spring. The pot of white jade hairpins appeared before her, nimbly and elegant. The white flowers were like quiet, beautiful maidens, naturally talented and spirit-like, overflowing with fragrance. Her lips curved up, her gaze watery, and she smiled slightly. Yu Changxuan watched her and whispered, "Really beautiful."

She thought he was talking about the jade hairpin flowers, so she reached out her finger to gently stroke the tender green leaves, "These flowers are naturally the most beautiful. Haven't you heard, 'The fairy of the jade pool feasts on the flowing red, and in drunkenness, she forgets her hairpin, transforming it into a flower.' That is what refers to the jade hairpin flower." He saw her lift her lips to smile, her glossy side profile appearing like fragrant petals. It was truly a thousand kinds of charm circling her brows, her dark hair like a waterfall falling over the jade hairpin. He loved it to the extreme, leaning over to whisper tenderly, "I have only heard, 'When the qin and se are played in harmony, is there not peace and tranquility!'"

Her finger paused gently on the leaf, and she felt his breath right by her cheek. Just then, the door sounded; it was Qiulu bringing the bowl of tangyuan, smiling as she said, "Fifth Young Master, eat the tangyuan."

She took this opportunity to give him a push, but felt her wrist tighten—it was him clutching her hand. Yu Changxuan’s gaze was fixed on Ye Pingjun’s cheek; without turning his head, he said coldly, "Out!"

Qiulu immediately walked out with her head lowered.

Pingjun felt afraid. Yu Changxuan gripped her hand and leaned over slowly, whispering, "You look so beautiful when you smile. Smile another one for me to see." His gaze held a hypnotic light. She smiled in a panic—she figured it must be an extremely perfunctory smile. He extended his arms to cage her and laughed, "That one doesn't count."

She was practically pressed half-reclining on the sofa, using the box filled with beads in her arms to press against his chest. Her heart was beating wildly like a small rabbit, her whole face burning, trembling as she said, "The beads are going to spill, let me get up." He laughed, "Fine, I told you to smile and you wouldn't, then don't blame me for being discourteous."

She froze. He had already reached out to tickle her. Pingjun was immediately ashamed and anxious, unable to block him, but couldn't help but laugh until she was out of breath. Her brain was a mess, as if clutching a life-saving straw, she used the box of beads to press against him, her cheeks flushed, panting, "Don't mess around... the beads... the beads... they are all spilling..."

His hand swung suddenly, and that box of beads went "clatter" as it fell from her hands, scattering and flying in every direction, falling all over the floor. In an instant, her heart seemed to be gripped tightly by an invisible hand. He had already lowered his head to kiss her. The surrounding air was snatched away by his urgency. She couldn't catch a breath, feeling as if she were about to faint. She nervously used her fists to press against his chest, panicking and unable to say a word, not knowing if she wanted to panic or get angry. His fingers wound into her black hair, refusing to let her dodge, forcing her to sink together with him into this crazy entanglement...

No matter what, it was already too late. He was like a conquering army, crazy and unbridled. She retreated at every step. Before her eyes, the world turned upside down, and that sharp pain was as if her entire soul had been hard-pressed and flipped over by him. She was finally softened; it was as if she had been reborn—her whole being did not seem to be her own... it was his!

The crystal curtain hides the pillow of polished stone; warm fragrance invites dreams on the mandarin duck brocade. Moist beads slip from her hands, falling silently onto the soft carpet, never to be retrieved... Only the fragrance of the white jade hairpins seeps, thread by thread, into their breathing.