The Lament of Autumn - Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Scattering Clouds and Startled Dreams; Old Acquaintances Return Amidst Wind and Rain

In late May, the Fuso Empire's aggressive maneuvering became increasingly blatant. They unilaterally stationed troops along the railway line from Jinling to Yunzhou and brazenly transported large numbers of elite soldiers directly into Yunzhou. Yet, Chu Wenfu, the chairman of the central government, repeatedly feigned ignorance, triggering nationwide outrage. Student movements and protest rallies erupted like a rising tide, vehemently opposing Fuso, and the political landscape was suddenly plunged into instability.

During this standoff, Yu Changxuan received orders from Yu Zhongquan to lead the elites of the 6th Security Regiment into Yunzhou overnight. Through a mix of soft and hard tactics—intimidating the tiger by attacking the mountain—Changxuan managed to force the Fuso forces to withdraw from the Jin-Yun railway line within half a month, greatly pacifying public sentiment. This feat naturally drew the attention of both domestic and foreign observers. For the first time in his political career, the Yu family’s fifth young master, Yu Changxuan, emerged into the limelight with a resounding victory. Upon his return from Yunzhou, he was appointed as the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Ministry of the Army and granted the rank of Major General.

Upon returning from Yunzhou, it was only natural for Yu Changxuan to first report to the official residence, but by nightfall, he rushed all the way back to Fengtai. When he heard from Qiu Luo that Ye Pingjun had not yet slept, he, who had been afraid of disturbing her, became overjoyed. He went straight upstairs into the bedroom. Pushing the door open, a wave of warmth greeted him. He saw Pingjun sitting on the bed, wearing soft, pink pajamas. Her jet-black hair was coiled at the nape of her neck into a small bun, pinned with a gold-gilded, tourmaline-inlaid hairpin. She was holding something in her hands, fiddling with it. Hearing the door open, she looked up, and seeing it was him, she smiled. "Sister Jinxuan said you would be coming back, and she was right. She just left, and you arrived."

Yu Changxuan walked to the bedside and sat down, checking her complexion in the light; it was quite good, which put his mind slightly at ease. He saw she was holding a small white jade tiger in her hands; it looked quite fierce, and its texture was icy, moist, and translucent. He said, "This thing is quite interesting; where did you get it?"

Pingjun smiled, pursing her lips. "Sister Jinxuan just gave it to me. I said I didn't want it, but she insisted. In the end, I felt too embarrassed not to accept it. Another day, I must buy something to return the favor to Sister Jinxuan."

The pajamas she wore were a bit large, and the sleeves were extremely long, wrapping her hands completely and revealing only her slender fingertips. Yu Changxuan reached out and took her hand—the one clutching the small jade tiger—into his, and bowing his head, he looked into her eyes and smiled. "Silly, how can you not understand Second Sister's intention? Counting the months, isn't our son born in the Year of the Tiger? Just wait for next year; I'll have her send over a jade rabbit." She immediately blushed, pushing him with a mix of feigned anger and laughter, but he reached out to touch her abdomen and actually said, "It's already been over two months, why isn't your belly showing yet?"

Pingjun couldn't help but laugh at his words. "What are you in such a rush for? My mother said it generally takes four or five months for it to show."

He feigned a sudden realization, then abruptly stood up, hooked his hands under her, and scooped her up into his arms, quilt and all. She let out a cry of alarm as her body rose into the air, and she tilted her head to rest against his chest, panicking. "What are you doing? Are you going crazy again?"

Yu Changxuan held her firmly in his arms, bowing his head to smile. "I want to hold our son."

Pingjun laughed and scolded, "Is that how you hold a son? Put me down quickly."

Yu Changxuan laughed. "Rest assured, my hands are steady as can be; you won't fall." He held her and spun around in place quickly. Pingjun cried out in alarm, "Put me down! I’m dizzy." Only then did he bend down and carefully place Pingjun back onto the bed, covering her with the quilt again. He took off his military coat, tossed it along with his military cap onto the sofa, and then reclined on the bed, pulling her into his arms, whispering with a smile, "Pingjun, this is our first child. I promise you that everything I have in the future will be his."

Pingjun laughed. "Just now you said you wanted to hold our son; how do you know it’s a son?"

Yu Changxuan reached out to touch her soft abdomen again, laughing, "He told me." She hurriedly pushed his hand away, glaring at him with a smile. "Talk properly, no touching. Why should it be a son just because you say so? I happen to like girls; I insist on having a daughter."

Yu Changxuan hesitated slightly, not wanting to go against her wishes. After a long moment, he said, "A daughter... a daughter is also fine, but she must grow up to be as beautiful as you..." His tone paused, and he leaned into her ear as if to console her. "After all, it is our first child; a son is still better. In the future, he can lead his younger brothers and sisters to play; wouldn't that be great?"

She pursed her lips and smiled, listening to him quietly, and unknowingly placed her hand in his. His palms were calloused from years of practicing with firearms, feeling hard to the touch, yet they gave one a sense of deep reliability. To her, this touch was already familiar to the point of being indelible. She was used to this intimacy with him. He suddenly said, "Pingjun, you must remember well who I am."

She replied with a soft laugh, "You are Yu Changxuan."

Hearing this, Yu Changxuan turned and gently pinned her underneath him. Afraid of hurting her, he propped himself up slightly with his arms, lowering his head to gaze at her beautiful face—at those eyes, bright as autumn water under jet-black lashes—and smiled gently. "Wrong. I am the child's father, and your husband."

Lying on the pillows, her heart could not help but warm. She was still too shy to meet his dark pupils directly, so she gently turned her head away to look to one side, though her soft lips curved into a smile. He, however, was relentless. "Am I not? Am I not?"

He reached out to tickle her again, and she dodged and laughed, gradually becoming breathless. Suddenly, she felt warmth on her shoulder as he lowered himself to pull her into his arms. He held her very lightly, but she still panicked, whispering, "Don't... be careful... careful of our child..." Yu Changxuan gave a laugh and turned on his side to hold Pingjun in his embrace. "In a while, when my fourth sister, Yingxuan, returns from abroad... my father dotes on my sixth sister the most, but listens to my fourth sister. I will take you to see my father and mother, and with my second sister speaking up on the side, securing your status will absolutely not be a problem. At worst, I'll just get a beating from my father."

Ever since she became pregnant, she was always tired. Lying in his arms now, listening to him talk, her eyes closed involuntarily. While he was still talking, he looked down to find her sleeping with steady, even breathing. Her fair, pale little face rested against his chest, looking infinitely at peace. She had finally accepted him.

Yu Changxuan felt a sense of immense joy in his heart. What he held in his arms at this moment was the woman he loved most and the child she would bear for him. This feeling of happiness was so real; by comparison, those days spent chasing vanity and pleasure felt as light as dust, so faint that not even a trace remained. He only wanted to hold her tighter. The fragrance of her hair wafted into his breath, and he leaned down slowly to her ear, softly saying, "Pingjun, I love you."

She nestled in his arms, eyes closed, sleeping as sweetly as a child. He lay there on his side, not moving an inch for fear of waking her. The bedroom was so quiet that only their breathing could be heard. In the soft, hazy, warm glow of the green-silk lantern, he gazed at her peaceful sleeping face, and suddenly felt that in this world, there could be nothing better than this moment.

He only wanted this moment to last—long and enduring, for lifetimes to come.

By mid-June, Jinling, located further south, was in the season of full blooms. It was four in the afternoon, and the Ministry of the Army was quiet. Gu Ruitong walked down the hallway, holding several dossiers and documents, until he reached the office of Yu Changxuan. Two guards stood on either side of the door; upon seeing Gu Ruitong, they immediately stood at attention and offered a salute with their rifles. Gu Ruitong nodded, knocked on the door, and after receiving permission, walked in.

Once inside, he saw Yu Changxuan sitting at his desk, looking at a newspaper with a rather grim expression. Without needing to guess, Gu Ruitong knew it must be the Ming Bao. Seeing Gu Ruitong enter, Yu Changxuan folded the newspaper in his hand, tossed it to Gu, and picked up a blue-and-white lotus-patterned teacup, took a sip, and said coldly, "If Jiang Xueting is so intent on seeking death, there is nothing I can do."

Gu Ruitong unfolded the paper and saw a poem printed in large characters on the front page: “Warriors clash on the northern banks, yet the southern banks still sing songs of a flourishing age. The flying general of Dragon City has become a joke, and the barbarians have already crossed the Jade Gate Pass. The fair maiden, Consort Yu, is draped in fine rouge, while the Overlord of Western Chu sinks his imperial ambition. Alas, the Yue family's 'Full River Red' is cast aside, soaked in the mad blood and tears of the Xi River.”

Yu Changxuan asked, "How is Father dealing with it?"

Gu Ruitong stepped forward and placed an official document before Yu Changxuan. "The Commander issued the order this morning. The Ming Bao is to be suspended, and Jiang Xueting is to be stripped of his position as a school affairs committee member at the South Bright Military Academy. The Commander just called again, saying he suspects there are people among them with sinister intentions, attempting to incite chaos, and that we must not fail to guard against or investigate them. He has ordered us to dispatch the Military Police and arrest the relevant personnel immediately."

Upon hearing this, Yu Changxuan pondered for a moment. "When my father gets angry, there is no stopping him. However, this Jiang Xueting is a member of the Mou family. Now that the Mou and Tao families are in league, their power is not what it used to be. If Father acts so rashly, I fear he will anger the Mou family and hand them a weapon to use against us!"

Gu Ruitong said, "The Commander has always hated these scholars who incite public sentiment at every turn, convinced that empty talk ruins the nation!"

Yu Changxuan nodded but sat there in silence. His thick eyebrows, slanted like flying blades, were tightly locked together. He gripped a lighter, tapping it on the table rhythmically. Seeing the hesitation on his face, Gu Ruitong naturally knew what he was worried about and said, "Fifth Young Master, otherwise..."

Yu Changxuan flicked the lighter aside and said coldly, "Do as my father says. Arrest them!" He picked up a fountain pen and quickly signed his name on the right side of the document, then twisted the cap back on; the cap spun rapidly between his fingers before securing itself onto the pen.

At past eight in the evening, the floor lamp, shaded by apricot-red pleated silk on one side of the carved flower screens, was fully lit. Pingjun wore a loose, plain-colored silk brocade cheongsam and soft slippers, sitting quietly on the living room sofa, arranging a few sprigs of bellflowers in a painted gold-floral vase from the Yongzheng official kiln. After finishing and adjusting them slightly, she was just about to have a sip of tea when she heard someone say from outside, "Miss Ye, it’s not good for you to drink tea right now."

Ye Pingjun turned her head and saw Qiu Luo walking over in a flurry. She took away the teacup in front of her and replaced it with honey water mixed with rose dew, saying with a smile, "Miss Ye is now with child; if there were to be any mishap, the Fifth Young Master would surely take the lives of us servants first."

Ye Pingjun laughed, "It’s only been three months or so, how could a mishap happen so easily? With you all being so frantic, I might as well just lie in bed and never get up again."

Qiu Luo laughed, "I would actually prefer that Miss Ye just lie there obediently and not move. I saw you sleeping earlier and didn't have the heart to call you for dinner. Since you're up now, let me help you to the dining room to eat something."

Reminded by Qiu Luo, Ye Pingjun finally felt a bit hungry. She stood up and, without needing Qiu Luo's help, walked to the dining room. She saw that several dishes had already been set on the dining table: a clear-stewed Yun-style ham, a plate of crispy snacks shaped like a pagoda, another plate of sliced osmanthus duck, and a small dish of cold dressed cucumber on the side.

As soon as Ye Pingjun sat down, Qiu Luo brought over a bowl of red-polished rice porridge, which she had just cooled, and placed it in front of Ye Pingjun. "I heard you say at noon you wanted to eat porridge; this red rice is good for blood and energy, have a little more." Ye Pingjun smiled and accepted it, but only ate it with the side dish of cold cucumber. She had only eaten half a bowl when she felt quite full. Then, she heard a sound of footsteps from outside the western-style archway of the dining room, accompanied by the faint sound of voices. Pingjun knew this must be Yu Changxuan returning. She couldn't clearly hear what he was saying, but she heard a little maid reply crisply, "Miss Ye is in the dining room."

Pingjun, holding that bowl of porridge, lowered her head and smiled, small dimples appearing on her cheeks. Those familiar footsteps headed this way, and sure enough, Yu Changxuan walked in. Seeing her eating there, he smiled, "Good, I’m not home, and you’re here eating good things."

Pingjun laughed, "Do you take me for a child, stealing food while you're away?"

Yu Changxuan took off his coat, and Qiu Luo came over to take his coat and service belt. Another maid brought a hot towel to hand to him. Yu Changxuan wiped his hands with the hot towel, and she smelled the faint scent of alcohol on him, saying, "Where did you drink?"

Yu Changxuan replied, "Went to Li Boren’s house to have chrysanthemum hotpot and had a few cups."

Pingjun smiled slightly and lowered her head to scoop a spoonful of porridge, but didn't eat it, putting the spoon back into the bowl. Yu Changxuan sat beside her and, seeing this, laughed, "I know you don't like his family, so I'll go less often, how about that?"

Pingjun pushed the porridge bowl forward. "If you have official business to discuss, then go. Do you really think I would stop you from doing your duty?" Yu Changxuan laughed and changed the subject. "You only ate half a bowl, why aren't you eating more?" Pingjun said, "I don't want to eat anymore right now. This porridge is cooked well, and you've been drinking, so have some porridge to warm your stomach."

Yu Changxuan nodded. Pingjun said to Qiu Luo, "Go get another bowl of porridge." Yu Changxuan said, "No need, I’m not hungry anyway; I’ll just finish your half-bowl." Pingjun turned her head, and seeing Yu Changxuan already holding the half-bowl of porridge she had left, taking a few mouthfuls, she looked at him and smiled.

Yu Changxuan asked, "What’s wrong? Is there something on my face?"

Pingjun shook her head, still smiling, and used her chopsticks to place a slice of ham for him. Yu Changxuan asked, "What are you doing tomorrow?" Pingjun said, "I had originally planned to go out with Sister Jinxuan, but she just called to say that Zening is sick and she can't get away. I have to go to 'Jiang's' myself tomorrow to pick up the cheongsam I ordered last time."

Yu Changxuan was initially a bit worried, but seeing her smiling face, he knew it was rare for her to go out, so he couldn't bear to refuse, only saying, "Then take a few more bodyguards with you."

Pingjun had always listened to him in this regard, so she smiled and nodded in agreement.

The next day, Pingjun took Qiu Luo to "Jiang's" to pick up the cheongsam she had ordered earlier. The car stopped outside "Jiang's." Pingjun didn't particularly like such a grand display, so she said she would go in to pick up the clothes herself and didn't need the guards to follow, taking only Qiu Luo into the shop. The owner of "Jiang's" had always kept a big customer like the Yu family's second young lady, Jinxuan, in his mind, and naturally hadn't forgotten Pingjun, who followed Jinxuan. As soon as he saw Pingjun enter, he walked up with a face full of smiles, first inviting Pingjun to sit down before calling a shop assistant upstairs to fetch the clothes. He himself personally brewed lotus-heart tea, served it in a blue-and-white porcelain cup, and because Pingjun’s hair was coiled up, he called her "Young Mistress, please have some tea." Pingjun saw how polite he was and felt it hard to refuse, so she accepted it with both hands, took a sip, smiled, and put the tea down.

Ye Pingjun saw a small wine cup on the counter and, smelling the scent, suddenly smiled, "Is that Sanbai wine? Is the owner from Wuqiao?"

This Sanbai wine was indeed a specialty rice wine from Wuqiao. The owner was delighted to hear this. "Is Young Mistress also from Wuqiao?"

Ye Pingjun smiled, "I once lived in Wuqiao, and there was an old nanny who lived with my family who was also from there; she often brewed this Sanbai wine, and I’ve smelled it since I was small. In Wuqiao, the white orchids are everywhere in the mountains; when they bloom, they look like a sea of snow, truly beautiful."

The owner laughed, "Wuqiao is so close to Jinling; if Young Mistress wants to go, just call the family car, and you’ll be there in two or three hours. Whatever beautiful scenery there is, you can see enough of it."

Pingjun smiled, but suddenly heard a burst of clamor from the street outside. Immediately following it was the sound of chaotic footsteps, shadows darting about, and then suddenly, a gunshot, which startled Pingjun and made her stand up from her chair. The owner’s expression also changed immediately, and he pointed to the assistant by the door. "Quickly, close the door first."

The assistant rushed to close the door. Before he could even pull the bolt, with a hula sound, two people broke through the door like bandits and intruders, charging straight in. Ye Pingjun was first so frightened that she took a step back. When she looked closely, her face turned pale as snow in an instant, and she was scared out of her wits—one of the two who had broken in was none other than Jiang Xueting.

When Jiang Xueting caught sight of Pingjun, he was even more shocked and unconsciously took a few steps toward her, but he was immediately pulled by his companion, who shouted, "They’re chasing from behind! Go upstairs!" His companion pulled Jiang Xueting, but he didn't budge. Seeing Jiang Xueting standing there in a daze, he shouted loudly, "Mr. Jiang!"

Only then did Jiang Xueting recover his senses and was dragged upstairs by the man, but the delay had cost them. Behind them, four or five military police armed with batons and firearms charged in, as ferocious as if they were going to eat someone. The leader caught sight of Jiang Xueting and his companion running upstairs and, without a word, drew his gun and fired!

In that instant, Pingjun felt her whole mind go blank. Driven only by her body’s instinctive reaction, she lunged forward to violently strike the arm of the military policeman who was firing. She used so much force that the policeman lost his footing and slammed into the door frame on the side. The shot went wide, hitting the dressing mirror diagonally opposite. With a hua sound, the entire mirror was shattered, breaking into pieces all over the floor. Meanwhile, Jiang Xueting and the other man had already run upstairs, and the rest of the military police rushed up to pursue them. The policeman who had been knocked aside by Pingjun was furious; he rushed up and gave Pingjun a kick, cursing angrily, "You stinking wench, tired of living, are you? Damn it, you dare to block my gun!"

That kick landed squarely on Pingjun’s stomach!

Pingjun’s body flew backward, and with a kuang sound, she knocked over a chair on the side. Qiu Luo screamed in terror, "Miss Ye..." She came up to support Pingjun, but Pingjun was already pale as death, clutching her stomach tightly, unable to speak. She saw the several military police who had charged upstairs come back down and say to another, "Captain Cai, the one surnamed Jiang jumped out the window and escaped." Cai Fuhu, the captain of the 4th Company of the Military Police, was enraged. "Damn it! Chased him for two days and he got away again! Go out and chase him!"

Those military police rushed out. Cai Fuhu turned and walked to Ye Pingjun, who was convulsing into a ball on the ground. He reached out and grabbed Ye Pingjun’s hair, pulling her up. "You stinking wench, you made me lose another great opportunity to win merit. I’m going to take your life today!"

Pingjun clutched her stomach with her last remaining strength, beads of sweat the size of beans rolling down her forehead. She tried hard to open her mouth, but couldn't make a sound. She heard Qiu Luo kneeling on the ground, crying and begging, "Please don't touch our young mistress. Our young mistress is pregnant; you cannot touch her. I beg you for your great kindness..."

Cai Fuhu let out a cold laugh. "Pregnant? That’s even better!" He lifted his foot and gave Ye Pingjun’s stomach two or three more kicks, this time kicking even harder, each one more ruthless than the last. Ye Pingjun was pale as death, her throat filled with the smell of blood. She felt as if the pain of having something stripped from her body made her wish to die on the spot. Tears rolled down uncontrollably without her knowing it. There were all kinds of sounds rumbling in her ears. She tried to open her mouth desperately; Qiu Luo's crying and shouting drowned out her voice. Qiu Luo kept shouting, "Don't touch our young mistress... please, let our young mistress go..."

The owner, who was so frightened that he was kneeling on the side and didn't dare to move, suddenly screamed, "Blood! Blood!..." They saw bright red blood slowly flowing from underneath Pingjun’s cheongsam, and soon a large pool of blood gathered on the ground. Pingjun curled her body up and convulsed. Cai Fuhu revealed two rows of yellow teeth, wearing a lecherous expression, and drooled, "If this one falls out, it's even better; I'll have one with you, consider it a repayment!" He aimed another kick at her abdomen. The owner couldn't bear to watch, rushed up, and hugged Cai Fuhu tightly to prevent him from moving forward. "Military officer, please don't kick anymore, it’s a human life!"

Qiu Luo was still crying, repeating, "Spare our young mistress, I beg you..." The owner, seeing Ye Pingjun’s tragic state, no longer cared about himself, grabbed Cai Fuhu with all his might, and shouted loudly, "Military officer, stop now, if for nothing else, this young mistress has ties to the Yu family! She is with the Yu family's second young lady..."

He had only managed to say the word "Yu" when Cai Fuhu suddenly froze. In the blink of an eye, he went from a ferocious devil to a wooden statue. Ye Pingjun curled up on the cold ground, her vision suddenly turning black. The unbearable pain was pulling her consciousness down desperately. She struggled to open her dry lips and made a faint sound.

"...Yu... Chang... Xuan..."

Cold tears slid down her cheeks one after another. The intense pain caused her body to convulse, and her tightly clenched teeth couldn't help but chatter. His voice echoed in her ear; he had said, “Pingjun, this is our first child. I promise you that everything I have in the future will be his.”

Her head slumped limply to one side, her messy hair sticking to her cold, pale face. Her body gradually became lighter, and the world before her eyes turned even darker. The temperature around her gradually grew cold, with only warm blood flowing out of her body, taking a tiny life with it... flowing out...

During the plum rain season in Jinling, the air was cold, desolate, and dreary, with the dampness seeping right into one's bones. The patter of rain falling on the pines and maples of Fengtai created a chaotic sound. The rain knocked down large patches of oleander in the courtyard, scattering pink petals all over the ground. Even the lotus flowers in the pond had lost a few petals. As for the white jade orchids growing in the shade against the wall, a layer of rain mist—a layer of chill—covered that hint of tender green.

The captain of the 6th group of bodyguards, Feng Tianjun, returned to Gu Ruitong's office, where he saw Gu Ruitong standing before the floor-to-ceiling window with a gloomy face, holding a cup of tea in one hand. Feng Tianjun said, "Officer Gu, those bodyguards have all been locked up in the Military Police station. How should we deal with them?"

Gu Ruitong said angrily, "Beat them! Beat them to death! This bunch of bastards! We told them to guard Miss Ye carefully, yet they dared to neglect their duty privately to go drinking and caused such a huge disaster! Do they still want to live?!" He smashed the cup of tea in his hand to the ground on impulse. Feng Tianjun was startled, and then heard a burst of footsteps outside. It was Adjutant Wu bringing a few guards inside, all soaked in rain. Adjutant Wu wiped the rain from his face and said directly, "Chief Guard Gu, the man has been captured. He was caught at the cemetery in the southern suburbs."

Gu Ruitong raised his head and saw Cai Fuhu, who had been on the run for a day and a night, being pushed in, tied up with ropes, and covered in wounds. Upon seeing Gu Ruitong, his pair of muddy eyeballs lit up instantly, and he knelt on the ground with a thump, shivering and crying, "Officer Gu, I recognize you, Officer Gu! You are a good person. It was you who spared my brother when he committed an offense! Please save me, I really didn't know that stinking wench was the Fifth Young Master's... no... that young mistress... If I had known, even if I were given a hundred guts, I wouldn't have dared..."

He was there, pleading in a tangled, incoherent way. Gu Ruitong, with a cold face, walked quickly to him and gave Cai Fuhu a kick in the face. That kick was full of force. Cai Fuhu tumbled backward directly, unable to say a word, moaning. Not only was his jaw dislocated, but he even spat out two bloody front teeth...

After giving that kick, Gu Ruitong looked up at the two guards and said, "Drag this beast to see the Fifth Young Master!"

Two guards stepped forward and dragged Cai Fuhu into Yu Changxuan’s study. Gu Ruitong walked in front until they reached Yu Changxuan's study door. Gu Ruitong knocked and said, "Fifth Young Master, the man has been captured." Then, he waved his hand, grabbed Cai Fuhu by the collar himself, and pushed him into the study with a flick of his wrist. Immediately following that came the bang of a gunshot; the sound of the shot seemed to explode right in Gu Ruitong's ear.

Gu Ruitong’s heart almost stopped for half a beat. He saw Cai Fuhu with his hands tied behind his back, forehead pressed to the floor, his brains splattered and head cracked, twisting and convulsing on the carpet. Gradually, a large pool of blood flowed out from beneath his forehead. Yu Changxuan stood before the sofa, gun raised, firing four more shots into Cai Fuhu’s body, one after another—bang, bang, bang, bang! Gu Ruitong hurriedly rushed up to raise Yu Changxuan’s arm. "Fifth Young Master, that’s enough!"

As he lifted Yu Changxuan’s arm, he heard two more shots, bang, bang! Yu Changxuan’s finger was locked tight on the trigger; the final two bullets shattered a large pair of famille rose porcelain lion-head vases. This time, Gu Ruitong pressed down firmly on Yu Changxuan’s arm, shouting repeatedly, "Fifth Young Master, the man is already dead."

It was like a sharp knife, instantly stabbing into his chest.

Yu Changxuan gripped the pistol tightly, his breathing chaotic and rapid, and muttered a word, a sound that carried a despairing chill: "Dead..."

His arm holding the gun remained stiff as a board, his gaze filled with a profound coldness like the point of a needle. The doctor had also told him, “The child is dead!” It was as if a heavy punch had struck him; he didn't even have the strength to fight back. How could it be dead? He valued this child so much; this was his first child, and he had even enthusiastically envisioned everything for the child's future. He firmly believed this child was the beginning of his and her happiness...

No one could imagine just how much he loved this child! It was the shared blood of him and her!

But the child was dead.

Yu Changxuan stood there stiffly, his back as straight as a board, as if it could snap at any moment. The veins in his temples bulged, throbbing uncontrollably, and his hands were clenched into death-grips. His eyes erupted with a flame that seemed ready to devour someone. Watching him, Gu Ruitong couldn't help but feel a chill and called out, "Fifth Young Master."

Just then, the door opened, and attendants brought Qiu Luo in. As soon as she entered, she saw the gruesome corpse of Cai Fuhu lying on the carpet, and she was so terrified on the spot that her legs shook like chaff. She knelt on the ground, shivering. She knew why she had been brought, and having prepared her excuses, she immediately cried, "Fifth Young Master, please spare my life! I really didn't expect Miss Ye to lunge forward to block that man's gun for Jiang Xueting. I couldn't stop Miss Ye, and I begged him to let Miss Ye go, but he was simply crazy..."

Before she could finish her words, there was a pa sound—it was Yu Changxuan smashing the gun, now out of ammunition, against the wall. His gaze swept over, bright as lightning. Qiu Luo was so frightened that she immediately stopped speaking. Gu Ruitong frowned, looked at Qiu Luo, and said, "Qiu Luo, I ask you, at the time Miss Ye was severely wounded and unable to speak, you were unharmed—why didn't you immediately call out the Fifth Young Master’s name?!"

Qiu Luo looked at Gu Ruitong with tear-filled eyes. "Officer Gu, I said it. I said the Fifth Young Master’s name, but he wouldn't listen..."

Gu Ruitong snorted, pointed to Cai Fuhu’s corpse, and said, "Just now, Cai Fuhu confessed to the Fifth Young Master right here. You didn't say a single word about 'Yu' from beginning to end. Otherwise, even if given the courage of heaven, he wouldn't have dared to commit violence against the Fifth Young Master’s people. You really thought there was no proof of death?!"

This sentence immediately blocked all of Qiu Luo's excuses. Qiu Luo was scared out of her wits, kneeling there in a panic, her gaze revealing terror. After a long while, she turned to Yu Changxuan, pleading and crying, "Fifth Young Master..."

Yu Changxuan stood facing the window. The night outside was heavy, and his face seemed to be swallowed by the shadows, becoming increasingly pale. He only said coldly to Gu Ruitong, "Drag her out and shoot her!"

"Fifth Young Master!" Qiu Luo’s whole body trembled like chaff, and she lay on the ground, unable to move.

With a dark and terrifying expression, Yu Changxuan turned and strode out. He walked fast, as if he were crashing and colliding into things, all the way to the bedroom upstairs. He kicked the door, and the door panel kuang-ed against the wall, scaring the little maid holding the medicine bowl so much that she almost dropped it.

Yu Changxuan said slowly, "All of you, out."

His voice was very low, quiet as the calm before a storm. The several maids waiting there hurried out with their heads bowed. Pingjun leaned weakly against the head of the bed; she was still running a low fever, her complexion as white as snow, her long hair scattered messily against the pillow. She opened her eyes weakly to look at him, and two lines of tears rolled down her cheeks.

Yu Changxuan walked over step by step. He finally stood before the bed, looking at her, who was weak to the point of exhaustion. The light from the green-shaded little lamp beside the bed shone over, making her skin appear bloodless, pale to the point of transparency. He looked at her, his pupils filled with deep, dark coldness.

Yu Changxuan reached out and yanked her up from the bed. She tilted her head back, her long hair hanging down messily. Inside his heart, it was as if there were a fire burning, intent on incinerating everything. He said word by word, "Ye Pingjun, listen well: I will not let a single one of those who hurt you go!"

She was as fragile as a wisp of smoke. Under the lamp, her shoulders were as thin as paper. His gaze revealed a chilling cold, almost cruel, his fingers lingering on her neck, his tone harsh and cold. "However, I will not let a single one of those who hurt my child go! Including you."

Pingjun slowly opened her eyes, tears rolling out from the corners one by one. She said with difficulty, "Kill me then!"

His expression darkened. He gripped her neck and pressed her back onto the pillows with one hand. She felt the world spinning, her head throbbing as if it would explode, her breathing becoming suddenly sharp and painful. He was so angry he was almost mad. "I really want to kill you. I truly hate you so much I could kill you." He gripped her neck tightly. "Just for that worthless Jiang Xueting, you actually destroyed my child, you killed my flesh and blood! Is Jiang Xueting’s life really more important than this child’s life?! You have such a cruel heart!"

She closed her eyes, and her unstoppable tears seeped into the soft pillow.

Looking at her tear-filled face, he suddenly let out a cold laugh. "I know you did it on purpose. You hate me to the bone in your heart. You did this to me on purpose. This child was just a tool for you to take revenge on me. You wanted to kill him to torment me!"

She snapped her eyes open, her body trembling violently. She clearly saw the hatred burning like fire in his eyes—the loathing that seemed as if it were about to consume her. He used such words, one by one, to gouge at her heart. She opened her lips and said laboriously, "This is my child; I would never harm him..."

He interrupted her fiercely, "You vicious woman! You killed my child for the sake of Jiang Xueting!"

Tears poured from her eyes like scattered beads. She was obviously becoming agitated, her cheeks burning a bright red. Seeing the resentful mockery on his face, she breathed with difficulty and said, "You cannot torment me like this! I never thought that way!"

He was beside himself with rage. "But you did it!"

Her fingers trembled, her lips curving into a sorrowful arc. She knew that no matter what she said, he wouldn't believe her. She only felt the pain of being pierced by a thousand arrows. She was truly despairing, and said in a voice barely audible, "Let me go."

He stood there, panting with chaotic excitement, but finally, he slowly released his hold. The moment he let her go, she summoned all her remaining strength to struggle up from the bed, stumbling toward the balcony.

The floor-to-ceiling window was abruptly pushed open by her, and the cold rain mist greeted her. Her thin body was blown back by the icy wind almost instantly. She charged against the wind, intent on jumping. She wanted him to know how much she loved this child; she would rather die with this child!

Her shoulder was suddenly tightened—it was he who had grabbed her back. She struggled to break free with all her might, and he was truly enraged to the point of madness; he slapped her across the face. Her weak body collapsed with the force of that slap, falling silently onto the carpet, blood oozing from the corner of her mouth, unable to move anymore.

Outside the window was the patter-patter sound of rain, and the cold rain mist swept straight in. Both floor-to-ceiling windows were wide open, and the heavy curtains flew about with the wind. She curled up on the ground, trembling like a wounded little animal. She had been pushed to her limit, exhausted, and no longer had a shred of life left in her.

The room was so quiet that it felt as if everything had died. Only the sound of the wind and rain outside came in waves. The heavy night pressed down, vast and all-encompassing, like a long, eternal nightmare from which one could never wake. He watched her for a long time, and in his dark eyes, a painful despair emerged, veiled by a layer of misty moisture. Warm liquid seemed about to gush from his eye sockets, and the corners of his mouth trembled. "Ye Pingjun, I had originally wanted to marry you, yet you treat me this way."

She lay silently on the carpet, splashed by the rain, a corner of her pajamas rising and falling with the wind.

The two floor-to-ceiling window doors were blown by the wind, hitting the railings on either side of the balcony wall again and again, making a kala-kala sound, like the sound of bone marrow being crushed and broken bit by bit, sending a chill through one's heart. He turned his head and looked at the dark sky, his tense body swaying silently. His chest felt as if it were being pressed by a heavy stone, making it hard to breathe; even his breath was a knife, cutting into his heart.

Finally, he said, "Go away. I never want to see you again."

After days of rain, the sky finally cleared for a short while that afternoon, but by evening, it grew overcast again. The sixth sister, Qixuan, had just returned from school and stepped out of the car outside the residence. After walking a few steps, her little rain boots were covered in muddy rainwater. She entered the hall, leaving a trail of little footprints on the carpet. She stamped her feet and said, "This rainy day is truly annoying. Xiaomei, get me a new pair of shoes."

Usually, if she had shouted like this twice, there would have been male and female servants rushing out, but today was very strange. There was not a sound, upstairs or downstairs, as if everyone in the mansion had suddenly gone dumb. Just as Qixuan was about to yell, she saw the maid Xiaomei running over from the side hall with a pair of soft-satin embroidered shoes. "Sixth Young Mistress, wear this pair."

Qixuan sat down to change her shoes. "Why is it so quiet? Did something happen?" Xiaomei bit her finger, a look of fear on her face, and whispered, "It’s terrible. I don't know why the Master was in such a terrible temper this afternoon; he beat the Fifth Young Master until he passed out. The maids inside said the Fifth Young Master was covered in blood."

When Qixuan heard this, her face went white instantly. Although she liked to argue with her Fifth Brother the most, she was actually the closest to him. On the spot, she almost shed tears, calling out "Fifth Brother, Fifth Brother..." and ran upstairs, where she saw that Yu Changxuan’s room was surrounded by doctors and nurses. She was about to charge in but was pulled back by her second sister, Jinxuan, who said, "Don't go over there first; they are treating him. Don't go there to add to the chaos."

Qixuan was pulled back to the north hall by Jinxuan, where she saw the eldest sister-in-law, Minru, accompanying Mrs. Yu. Mrs. Yu was sitting on the sofa, trembling all over and shedding tears. Adjutant Wu Zuoxiao was saying on the side, "...Originally, the Commander just asked why the Fifth Young Master executed the captain of the 4th Group of the Military Police, Cai Fuhu. In fact, if the Fifth Young Master had just found a reason to muddle through, it would have been fine. Who would have thought the Fifth Young Master would contradict him point-by-point? The Commander's temper was even... Madam, you were not here, and we couldn't stop it at all. The Fifth Young Master was beaten until he couldn't even kneel. The Commander felt pained and wanted to stop, but at that moment, the Fifth Young Master actually said..."

Mrs. Yu’s voice trembled. "What did Changxuan say?"

Adjutant Wu looked troubled, speaking in fragments. "The Fifth Young Master insisted on contradicting him, mentioning the Commander's Battle of Yanmen Mountain years ago, saying that the Commander at that time... was faithless and unrighteous, betraying friends for glory in exchange for his current promotion and nobility. He said... he might as well be beaten to death, so the Yu family would simply end in ruin..."

Before Adjutant Wu could finish, they heard Mrs. Yu let out an "Ah!" and she immediately trembled. "Changxuan is crazy! He knows that Yanmen Mountain is his father's fatal weakness; no one has dared to mention it for over ten years! He... he is really seeking death... this foolish thing is truly going to be the death of me..."

Qixuan, on the side, leaned on Jinxuan and cried, "What is Fifth Brother doing? Why does he have to quarrel with Father like this?" Jinxuan squeezed Qixuan’s hand, her eyes also red. "Sixth Sister, Mother is already having a hard time; don't cry."

Just as Mrs. Yu was crying, an aide-de-camp came over and said, "Madam, the Fifth Young Master has opened his eyes." Mrs. Yu hurriedly stood up from in front of the sofa. It was because she rose too quickly that she stumbled. Jinxuan and Minru hurriedly came up to support Mrs. Yu and walked toward Yu Changxuan’s bedroom.

The bedroom was deathly silent. The nurses and aides all stood to one side. When Dr. Dai saw Mrs. Yu, he took the stethoscope from his ears and called out, "Mrs. Yu." When Mrs. Yu saw the large bundles of bloody gauze on the cabinet by the bedside, her tears flowed even more uncontrollably. She went to the bedside and cried out, "Changxuan..."

Yu Changxuan lay on the bed, dazed, opening his eyes slightly. The light in his pupils was scattered, as if he didn't recognize anyone, and he foolishly closed his eyes again. His body was covered in injuries and he couldn't be covered by a quilt, so he was only loosely draped with a thin blanket. His arms, which were exposed, were all bruised and purple, swollen high, and his skin was torn open. Not to mention elsewhere. Mrs. Yu was in deep agony and almost fainted, and had to be held up by Jinxuan and Minru to stand. Dr. Dai said to Jinxuan on the side, "It would be better to support your mother out first."

Jinxuan nodded and, together with Minru, supported Mrs. Yu out. They heard Yu Changxuan suddenly make a vague, faint sound. Jinxuan was startled, but Mrs. Yu hadn't heard clearly and panicked. "What did Changxuan say?" Jinxuan hurriedly said, "He just groaned twice, it didn't sound like speaking."

Qixuan said on the side, "It sounded like... something about 'Jun'..."

Jinxuan said, "He is still worrying about affairs at the Ministry of the Army." She brushed it off that way, while Minru on the side wiped her tears and said, "I think it sounds like a person's name." Jinxuan blocked Minru's words. "I’m afraid not. Eldest Sister-in-law and the rest of us heard it clearly; what he said was 'Jun' something, not 'Jun' at the start."

Minru pursed her lips and was about to speak. As for the fight between the sister-in-laws, Mrs. Yu had long since seen through it. At this moment, she was upset and confused, so she gave no one face and frowned. "What time is it now? You are still here wasting your minds. All of you, shut your mouths for me."

This silenced Jinxuan and Minru. They accompanied Mrs. Yu to the north hall. Jinxuan let Qixuan and Minru stay there to keep her company, while she herself had a thought. She walked out of the north hall and saw Adjutant Wu Zuoxiao still standing at the staircase, so she walked over and lowered her voice. "What is going on? What happened between Changxuan and Pingjun?"

Wu Zuoxiao said, "This... Second Young Lady will have to ask the Fifth Young Master."

Jinxuan gritted her teeth and said hatefully, "How can I ask him in his current state? You go see your Fifth Young Master, he’s still thinking about that woman. Tell me quickly, what happened? If he mumbles something he shouldn't in his sleep and Mother hears it, I can at least try to cover for you."

Seeing that he couldn't hide it, Wu Zuoxiao told her everything that had happened at Fengtai over ten days ago. Jinxuan was, of course, stunned. After a long while, she said, "There is such a thing? Then where is Pingjun now?" Wu Zuoxiao said, "She’s gone. At first, we thought Miss Ye went to her mother's place at Dongshan Bridge, but later, Chief Guard Gu sent people to investigate and found that the house at Dongshan Bridge was also empty. She and her mother had both left."

Jinxuan was even more stunned. After a long while, she said, "What does Changxuan say?"

Wu Zuoxiao said, "After Miss Ye left, the Fifth Young Master returned to the residence and never mentioned Miss Ye again. We didn't dare to speak of it either, and we all thought he had forgotten the matter, but who knew that today this would..."

Only after listening for so long did Jinxuan understand the cause and effect of today's incident. At this moment, she felt heartache for her brother and even more pain for the unborn child. She took a handkerchief from her cheongsam button, wiped the tears from her eyes, and stood there saying in a low voice, "He hasn't forgotten. He has only been serious once in his life; how could he possibly forget?"

Yu Changxuan’s body was covered in injuries, and it wasn't until nearly half a month later that he could walk a few steps off the bed. Once his condition had improved just a little, he returned to Fengtai. Mrs. Yu couldn't stop him, so she had no choice but to yield. Dr. Dai came to Fengtai every day to change Yu Changxuan’s dressings and then returned to the residence to report to Mrs. Yu.

It had just rained a little. The room’s windows were open, and the dark green Western-style curtains swayed with the wind, alternating between hot and cool breezes, blowing on one's body and making one restless.

Yu Changxuan lay on the bed, staring fixedly out the window. The scenery outside seemed to be veiled in a layer of fog, gradually becoming unclear. The gaze in his dark pupils seemed scattered. He felt cold—a coldness emanating from within. The light outside the window shone on the ebony lattices, shattered and broken.

On the yellow rosewood dressing table hung a long mirror carved with recurring patterns. He still remembered how she looked dressing before the mirror, just like that first night they were together. He had awakened from his sleep to see her sitting before the dressing table in the moonlight, slowly combing her long hair, her fair fingers brushing through her jet-black hair.

He called her name, "Pingjun." She turned her head to him in silence, her eyes veiled in misty moisture. He said to her softly, "I will surely treat you well."

Her fragrance seemed to linger on the pillow, faint and subtle, like a blooming jade orchid. He remembered every night spent with her, curled in his arms like a child, her long lashes resting against her soft, pale skin, sleeping with steady breathing. He was intoxicated and obsessed with this fragrance. He would gaze at her sleeping face for a long time, afraid of waking her, not daring to move an inch.

He loved her so much.

The room was silent. A few light knocks came from the door, and Gu Ruitong’s voice came from outside. "Fifth Young Master, we’ve found Miss Ye."

In the evening, he saw her outside a flower factory at the South Gate.

When she walked over, she was holding a small pot of white camellias, cradling them very carefully. Following her was Bai Liyuan, who was always giggling and trying to reach out to pick the camellias that were blooming just right. She was protecting the camellias while dodging Bai Liyuan, a gentle, quiet smile on her face.

He sat in the car, watching her. An aide-de-camp beside him reported, "Among Miss Ye’s classmates is one named Bai Liyuan, whose father is the principal of Mingde Girls' School; she is helping Miss Ye run a small flower shop in the alley ahead."

He said in a low voice, "She is smiling."

The aide-de-camp was puzzled, not understanding what he wanted to do, and asked doubtfully, "Fifth Young Master..."

He watched her back gradually fade into the distance. On the broad street, people came and went, and the evening sky was covered in brilliant sunset clouds. The air was as warm as a quilt pressing on his body. Everything was as dreamlike as a blur. He leaned slowly back against the car seat and whispered, "Do not go and disturb her."

He would eventually return to find her, just not right now.

Jinling’s plum rain season soon passed. The blazing summer sun, the fragrance of golden autumn, the harsh winter snows—time flowed on. In the blink of an eye, another winter had arrived. This year the weather was extremely cold. It was only early December, but it had already begun to snow. The temperature in Jinling was slightly higher than in the north, so the snowflakes turned into water droplets before they even hit the ground, feeling bone-chillingly cold.

Inside the Tao Mansion, the eldest daughter, Tao Yayi, wore a black woolen cape, with a gem-encrusted gold chain hanging diagonally from the lapel to the other side—this was the most fashionable attire for the wives of officials in the Jinling government. Tao Yayi had scarlet rouge applied to her lips, the latest "Miss" shade from Paris this season. She sat steadily on a Western-style soft chair and said unhurriedly, "Now that Jiang Xueting is not what he used to be, my father-in-law has recognized him as a foster son; he is now a member of the Mou family, and he is the government's Minister of Propaganda; his future is boundless. He treats you well, too, so why do you give him a cold glare every time he comes? If you don't marry him, who else will you marry?"

Tao Ziyi, on vacation from abroad, stood to the side, impatiently pulling the pearl curtains again and again. She raised her head and said, "I’ll tell you the truth: I am determined to be the Yu family's Fifth Young Mistress!"

Tao Yayi said angrily, "Nonsense! Think about it, the Chu family is now left without successors and ultimately has no chance of making it big. In the future, the world will inevitably be contested between the Yu and Mou families. Since I have married into the Mou family, don't you go thinking about the Yu family's Fifth Young Master. Is it really the case that our Tao family only has two sisters, with one marrying into the Yu family and one into the Mou family? Where do you expect Father to stand when the time comes?"

Tao Ziyi flicked her head, turned, and sat down at the piano on the side, hitting the keys one by one. She said stubbornly, "Wherever Father wants to stand, let him stand. I don't care."

Upon hearing this, Tao Yayi’s temper flared. She stood up, pointed at her, and scolded loudly, "You can't care! Even if you want to marry Yu Changxuan, you have to see if Yu Changxuan can return from the front lines alive. He has been leading the army against Xiao Beichen since early autumn, losing nine battles out of ten. Now he is being tightly surrounded by the Xiao army. The Yu family has truly lost all face by falling into the hands of the Xiao family from the north this time. Do you still count on him to turn defeat into victory?!"

Tears immediately flowed from Tao Ziyi’s eyes, and she slammed her hands onto the piano with a hong sound. She turned her head, crying and shouting, "I won't let you curse him like that! He will always come back. I won't marry anyone. I’m going back to England; not getting involved in this muddy water of yours is fine, isn't it?"

Tao Yayi was truly trembling with rage. She let out a sharp, angry laugh. "Second Sister speaks very lightly. We are in 'muddy water,' and it's a pity for such a 'clean person' like you. Why don't you think about me? For the sake of our Tao family, I even married that idiot son of the Mou family. You, on the other hand, are here crying and wailing to me—are you more aggrieved than me?! Who am I supposed to cry to?!"

Seeing her sister get worked up—she had always been somewhat spoiled—Tao Ziyi started crying loudly and turned to run out the door, crying as she ran, "I said I didn't want to return to China, but you insisted I come back, all to plot against me, to make me marry that brat surnamed Jiang! Who does he think he is? He has his own name and family, yet he acknowledges someone else as his father. I won't marry him, I specifically won't marry him!"

The servants downstairs saw the second young mistress running down like this, wearing thin clothes and soft-satin embroidered shoes, and were so scared they hurried to stop her. Tao Ziyi, with her heart full of grievance, ran out of the hall in one breath and followed the inner courtyard to her own small flower garden. She was running too fast and bumped into someone head-on. She was stunned, and they both took a step back. Tao Ziyi looked at the person in front of her and asked angrily, "Who are you?"

Ye Pingjun was wearing an ordinary cotton skirt, with a few wisps of bangs hanging over her forehead. Her jet-black hair was braided into a long plait at the back of her head, tied at the tip with a goose-yellow velvet string. Her attire was extremely simple and plain, but at a glance, one could see she was not a servant of the Tao family. Hearing Tao Ziyi ask this, she smiled, "I’m here to deliver flowers. Someone in your family ordered a pot of jade orchids in our flower shop yesterday."

Tao Ziyi was in the middle of a rage. Sure enough, she saw the pot of jade orchids in Ye Pingjun’s hands, clearly intended for the greenhouse. She snatched the pot of jade orchids away and said, "I clearly like yellow roses the most, why buy jade orchids? Are even you trying to bully me like this?!" She threw the pot of jade orchids onto the mud ground directly, and hatefully stomped on it with her feet, shouting angrily as she did so, "I want your life! I want your life! I want your life!"

Ye Pingjun stood blankly on the bluestone slabs, watching the pot of jade orchids get trampled into a pulp in the blink of an eye. Then, she heard a burst of footsteps coming toward them. It turned out to be the Tao family servants running out to invite the second young mistress inside. Tao Yayi’s voice also came over, "It’s freezing cold out here, you don't have to throw a temper tantrum like this. Quickly come back to me, can’t we discuss things properly?"

Servants flocked around Tao Ziyi as she walked away. Ye Pingjun still stood on the bluestone slabs, the clamorous human voices around her gradually fading. She lowered her head to look at the pot of jade orchids that had been trampled into a pulp, standing there in a daze for a long time. Then she heard someone behind her say, "Miss Ye." It was the old woman who managed the greenhouse coming over. Ye Pingjun, with a face full of apology, was just about to speak when she heard the old woman say, "You don't have to say anything, I saw it all. This Second Miss Tao... sigh..."

Ye Pingjun said, "Can you lend me a small shovel? I will clean this up."

The old woman nodded and, not long after, turned back to bring a flower shovel and a small bag, helping Pingjun gather up the flower roots and remaining soil. The old woman said, "Look, these flower roots are perfectly fine. There is a small Buddha hall over there, built specifically for the Madam who believes in Buddhism. A few jade orchids are planted on the side; although they are all withered at the moment, if you plant these roots there, who knows, they might still survive."

Pingjun nodded, and in no time, she had buried the roots in the flower bed beside the Buddha hall. Only then did she turn and leave the Tao family, returning to her own small flower shop located in Ximen Hutong. This tiny shop was actually part of Liyuan’s family house; it was thanks to Liyuan’s funding that she and her mother had a place to stay.

As Pingjun entered the shop, Ye Madam happened to be walking out from the inner room, holding some coins. Seeing Pingjun, she smiled, "That big customer has come again."

Pingjun was stunned. "What did he order this time?"

Ye Madam smiled, "This time it’s coral tuberoses, jasmine, white orchids, and so on... all flowers out of season. He really buys whatever is the most expensive... look, the deposit is given readily. Oh, that’s right, I saw he was so generous, so I gave him a string of white orchids for free. This month, we really owe so much to such a big customer for taking care of our business..." Before her mother could finish, Pingjun said, "Which way did he go?" Ye Madam pointed to the south. "He went that way, just left." After hearing this, Pingjun took the stack of coins from her mother’s hand, turned, and ran out.

She chased south all the way. As soon as she crossed the hutong, she saw a military jeep parked there. Four guards stood on either side of the car, and another tall, young military man stood with his back to her, talking to someone wearing a Western suit and a fedora. The man in the suit and fedora was the one who visited Pingjun’s flower shop every four or five days to order many expensive flowers.

Pingjun stepped forward, and a guard immediately shouted at her, "Stop!" Pingjun stood still and just said softly to the tall military man standing with his back to her, "Mr. Gu."

That stiff back paused slightly before slowly turning around. Beneath the military cap was a handsome face—it was indeed Gu Ruitong. He was still holding that string of white orchids, which had just been handed to him by the man in front of him. Gu Ruitong saw Pingjun, paused for a moment, and said, "Miss Ye, the Fifth Young Master said you must not suffer any hardship."

Pingjun lowered her eyes, a thousand emotions swirling in her heart in an instant. After a long silence, she asked softly, "How is he... doing now?"

Gu Ruitong replied, "He is fine. He was injured a bit when attacking Xindian before the New Year, but it’s not serious." His tone paused before adding, "Miss Ye, the Fifth Young Master is now... different from before..."

Pingjun said, "He is so arrogant; if he can truly suffer some losses and gain some experience, that would be good." Gu Ruitong only nodded and said nothing more. Ye Pingjun walked forward, handed the stack of coins to him, and smiled. "I have already left Fengtai. I don't want this money."

The money was handed over to Gu Ruitong’s hand. Gu Ruitong saw a small case of frostbite on her slender finger and blurted out, "This hand of yours..." Ye Pingjun used her other hand to pinch the finger with the frostbite, breathed gently on it, and smiled lightly at Gu Ruitong. "That’s better."

After she finished that sentence, she turned away from Gu Ruitong and walked quietly toward her home. That slim, thin figure was still standing tall, her jet-black plait hanging behind her back, the small goose-yellow velvet string at the tip swaying gently as she moved, as if it were a small dandelion blooming in early spring.

Pingjun was always used to being busy. For several days, she brought back several pots of bonsai from the flower factory, placing the newly purchased potted plants in the warm room, creating a vibrant, lively look. She inserted newly broken plum blossoms into vases and placed them in front of the small window of the shop.

That afternoon, Ye Madam went out. The small stove in the flower shop was burning, and the heat was soothing. Pingjun sat near the small flower rack inside the shop, tidying up a pot of peony. Behind her was a large flower rack stacked like a mountain of flowers. The rack faced the shop door. Pingjun was busy when she heard someone standing behind the large rack asking, "Do you have yellow roses?"

Pingjun turned her head back. The large flower rack blocked her line of sight slightly, and she only saw someone standing there. She answered with a smile, "Yes, how many do you want?"

"One hundred and eight."

Hearing this, Pingjun knew it must be a big sale. She hurried to put down the spray bottle, went around the layer of the flower rack, and smiled at the person standing in the open space. "With so many, I’m afraid I can’t put them together at once..." Her gaze lingered on the person’s face for only a moment before her face turned pale instantly, and she took a step backward. The person standing in the center of the shop was wearing a light gray trench coat and leather gloves, his eyes moist and hidden with a sense of chivalry—it was Jiang Xueting.

When Jiang Xueting caught sight of Pingjun, he was also stunned, crying out involuntarily, "Pingjun." He moved to walk to her, eager, and accidentally kicked over a small flowering bonsai. With a pa sound, a shadow flashed outside the door, and two guards with guns rushed in, calling out, "Minister Jiang."

Jiang Xueting turned back and waved his hand. "It’s nothing, you all go out and wait for me." The two guards said, "Yes!" stood at attention, saluted with their rifles, turned, and walked out.

Jiang Xueting turned back to look at Pingjun, excitedly reaching out to grab her hand, his brow filled with smiles, and said repeatedly, "I have finally found you! This is truly a joke—we were talking like this for several sentences and neither of us recognized the other."

Pingjun looked at his smile, which was devoid of any malice, and laughed along, saying, "Exactly, and you even smashed a flower pot in our little shop; remember to compensate me." She pulled her hand from his grip, turned, and walked aside to tidy up the small peony pot that had been kicked over. Seeing her be so calm, Jiang Xueting felt even more uneasy. Without hesitation, he stepped forward and pulled Pingjun into his arms, excitedly saying, "Pingjun, where did you run off to after all this time? I’ve been looking for you everywhere..."

Perhaps because he had just walked in from outside, the chill on his body had not yet dissipated. Pingjun’s body stiffened; she felt that the hug seemed to be frozen to the bone, and even his voice seemed to carry a coldness. He was smiling, yet Pingjun just felt a distant chill. She simply couldn't control her desire to escape from his embrace. Suddenly, she heard a burst of footsteps outside, followed by Ye Madam’s astonished voice, "Xueting."

Pingjun hurriedly broke free from his arms, turned, and called out, "Mom."

Ye Madam’s gaze rested on Jiang Xueting. Jiang Xueting had been without parents since he was small, and his brother and sister-in-law had not tolerated him. He had practically grown up in the Ye family. Ye Madam had been very kind in raising him, caring for him like a loving mother. Jiang Xueting smiled. "Aunt." Ye Madam had already hurried up and grasped Jiang Xueting’s hand in her own, her eyes brimming with tears. "You child, you’ve finally made something of yourself... not in vain for our Pingjun to have..."

Pingjun said, "Mom, stop talking." Ye Madam hurriedly stopped but couldn't help shedding tears, saying, "I... every time I make osmanthus cake, I think of you, and every time I think, what if Xueting wants to eat osmanthus cake? This child isn't used to what others make... just right, I made a little this morning, I’ll go get it for you to eat."

Ye Madam walked toward the inner room in such a high spirit. After a while, she brought over a plate of white osmanthus cakes, placed them on the table, and said, "Pingjun, pour Xueting a cup of tea. Xueting, sit down."

Jiang Xueting’s gaze remained fixed on Ye Pingjun; he didn't even hear Ye Madam telling him to sit. Ye Madam was startled, thinking that Xueting and Pingjun probably had many more words to say, so she didn't say anything and turned to lift the curtain and go into the inner room. Ye Pingjun picked up the tea canister from the side and, seeing Jiang Xueting still standing there, smiled. "Look, my mother hasn't forgotten the things you love to eat. Go sit and eat."

Only then did Jiang Xueting sit down, pick up an osmanthus cake from the plate, but he took it and looked at it twice before taking a bite, then put it back down. Pingjun stood by and poured tea, her gaze merely flickering for a moment before she slowly placed the cup of tea in front of Jiang Xueting, smiling slightly. "This isn't good tea, so make do with it."

Jiang Xueting hurried to pick up the tea and took a sip. "How is this not good tea? It tastes truly great to me."

Pingjun smiled slightly and continued, "Didn't you want to buy yellow roses just now? I’ll go count how many we have in the shop, and if it’s not enough, I’ll go to the flower factory on the side to bundle some for you."

Jiang Xueting paused slightly and smiled. "Because a friend opened a jewelry store, I was prepared to send a flower basket to him." After he finished speaking, he raised his eyes to look at Ye Pingjun, and after a long while, whispered, "Pingjun, why are you treating me so coldly?"

He had finally asked that question. Ye Pingjun stood there in silence, gazing at the entire row of flower racks, unable to say a word for a long time. Jiang Xueting put down his teacup. "Aren't we childhood sweethearts? What does it mean for you to treat me like this now?"

She was immediately stunned by the question, gazing blankly at the flower racks filled with potted plants—an abundance of blooming, colorful flowers. A sense of confusion gradually appeared in her eyes, her hands wringing together silently, her heart pulling with pain. Childhood sweethearts... She had traveled such a long circle and had somehow returned to the beginning, but it seemed as if everything was different; even the person in front of her was different. Sweat slowly began to ooze from the palms of her hands...

Jiang Xueting walked over and held her hand, calling out in a low voice, "Pingjun."

Her eyes were filled with confusion and detachment. She said softly, "Jiang Xueting, where I went these past two years, what I did... don't you ask?"

Jiang Xueting smiled slightly, reached out to pull her into his arms, and gently straightened the hair that had fallen on her temples with infinite tenderness, whispering with a smile, "Silly girl, why should I ask about those things? They are all things of the past. You have already returned now."

Her heart suddenly began to throb with pain. A thunderous roar sounded in her ears, like the tide, like the ocean waves—it was the sound of the pines and cypresses of Fengtai under the mountain wind. The long days she had stayed in Fengtai had engraved all of this into her mind: his footsteps, the faint scent of gunpowder on his body, his every bit of doting love for her, and even the child they had almost shared...

So, were they all just things of the past?