In late May, as the Japanese encroachment became increasingly obvious – they had actually stationed troops privately along the Jinling-Yunzhou railway line and were brazenly transporting large numbers of elite soldiers directly to Yunzhou – Central Government Chairman Chu Wenfu repeatedly turned a deaf ear and played dumb. This triggered nationwide public outrage, with student movements and demonstrations surging like rising winds and scudding clouds in resistance to Japan. The situation suddenly became turbulent and unstable.
At this moment of confrontation between both sides, Yu Changxuan received orders from Yu Zhongquan to lead the elite of the Sixth Security Regiment into Yunzhou overnight. Yu Changxuan employed both carrot and stick tactics, striking at the mountain to warn the tiger, actually forcing Japan to withdraw troops from along the Jin-Yun railway line within half a month, greatly pacifying public sentiment. This achievement naturally attracted attention from both domestic and foreign observers. Young Master Yu Changxuan of the Yu family made his first appearance in the political arena and achieved complete victory. Upon returning from Yunzhou, he was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army Ministry and promoted to Major General.
When Yu Changxuan returned from Yunzhou, he naturally went to the residence first, then rushed back to Fengtai at night. He heard Qiu Luo say that Ye Pingjun had not yet slept. Originally afraid of disturbing her, upon hearing this he became delighted and went directly upstairs to the bedroom. Pushing open the door, a wave of warmth hit his face. He saw Ye Pingjun sitting on the bed wearing a soft pink nightgown, her black hair coiled at the back of her head in a small chignon, adorned with a gold-plated tourmaline hairpin. She held something in her hands, playing with it. Hearing the door, she looked up, and seeing him, smiled: “Sister Jinxuan said you should be back today. Sure enough, she just left and you arrived.”
Yu Changxuan sat on the bedside and looked at her complexion in the lamplight – it was quite good, which put him somewhat at ease. He saw she held a small white jade tiger in her hands, very fierce-looking, with ice-clear lustrous coloring: “This thing is quite interesting. Where did you get it?”
Pingjun smiled slightly: “Sister Jinxuan just gave it to me. I said I didn’t want it, but she insisted on giving it. In the end I was too embarrassed not to accept it. I must buy something as a return gift for Sister Jinxuan another day.”
The nightgown she wore was slightly large, with extremely long sleeves that covered her hands, only revealing slender fingertips. Yu Changxuan reached out to hold the hand clutching the small jade tiger, looking down into her eyes and smiling: “Silly, don’t you understand Second Sister’s intentions? By calculation, isn’t our son born in the Year of the Tiger? Wait until next year – I’ll have her send over a jade rabbit.”
She immediately blushed, pushing him with feigned anger and laughter. But he reached over to touch her abdomen, actually saying: “It’s been over two months. Why isn’t your belly bigger yet?”
Pingjun couldn’t help laughing at his words: “What’s your hurry? My mother said it generally doesn’t show until four or five months.”
He made a suddenly enlightened expression, suddenly stood up, and with both hands scooped her up along with the cotton quilt, embracing her completely. Startled, she cried out as her body lifted into the air. Her head tilted and rested against his chest as she said frantically: “What are you doing? Going crazy again?”
Yu Changxuan held her steadily in his arms, looking down and smiling: “I want to hold our son.”
Pingjun said with mock anger: “Is this how you hold a son? Put me down quickly.”
Yu Changxuan laughed: “Don’t worry, my hands are very steady – I won’t drop you.” He spun around quickly with her in his arms. Pingjun said frantically: “Put me down quickly – I’m dizzy.” Only then did he bend down and carefully place Pingjun back on the bed, tucking the quilt around her. He removed his military jacket and cap, casually throwing them on the nearby sofa, then also leaned on the bed and pulled her into his arms, saying softly: “Pingjun, this is our first child. I promise you, everything I have in the future will be his.”
Pingjun smiled: “Just now you said to hold our son. How do you know it’s a son?”
Yu Changxuan reached over again to touch her soft abdomen, smiling: “He told me.” She quickly pushed his hand away, smiling and glaring at him: “Speak properly – no moving your hands around. Why do you say it’s a son just because you say so? I prefer daughters – I want to have a daughter.”
Yu Changxuan actually hesitated slightly, not wanting to go against her wishes. After a long time: “A daughter… a daughter would be good too, but she’d have to be as beautiful as you…” His tone paused, then he leaned by her ear as if consoling: “After all, it’s our first child. A son would be better – in the future he could play with little brothers and sisters. How wonderful that would be.”
She smiled again, quietly listening to him speak. Unconsciously she placed her hand in his palm. His hands had gun calluses from years of practice shooting, feeling hard to the touch, yet giving one a very solid feeling. For her, this was familiar to the extreme. She was accustomed to such intimate closeness with him. He suddenly said: “Pingjun, you must remember well who I am.”
She said softly with a smile: “You are Yu Changxuan.”
Hearing this, Yu Changxuan turned and gently pressed her beneath him. Afraid of hurting her, he used both arms to prop himself up slightly, looking down at her beautiful face, those eyes bright as autumn water beneath black eyelashes, saying tenderly: “Wrong. I am the child’s father, your husband.”
Lying on the pillow, her heart couldn’t help but warm. Still too embarrassed to look directly into his black pupils, she turned her head lightly to look aside, only letting the corners of her soft lips curve into a slight smile. But he persisted: “Say it, isn’t that right? Isn’t it?”
He reached over to tickle her again. She dodged while laughing, gradually laughing until she could barely breathe. Suddenly her shoulders felt warm as he leaned down to embrace her, holding her very gently. She still said frantically: “Don’t… be careful… careful of our child…” Yu Changxuan laughed once, turning on his side to hold Pingjun in his arms: “In a while, Fourth Sister Yingxuan will return from abroad. Father usually dotes on Sixth Sister the most and listens to Fourth Sister most. I’ll take you to meet Father and Mother, plus with Second Sister speaking on the side, giving you proper status will absolutely be no problem. At most Father will give me another beating.”
Since becoming pregnant, she was always sleepy. Now lying in his arms listening to him speak, her eyes unknowingly closed. He was still talking, but looking down he saw she was sleeping with even breathing. That lustrous white little face resting against his chest had an infinitely peaceful appearance. She had finally accepted him.
Yu Changxuan felt extremely content. What he now embraced was his most beloved woman and the child his most beloved woman would bear for him. This feeling of happiness was so real that compared to it, those former days of indulging in pleasure and debauchery seemed light as dust, so faint they left no trace. He only wanted to hold her tighter. The fragrance of her hair floated faintly into his breath. He slowly lowered his head by her ear, saying softly: “Pingjun, I love you.”
She rested in his arms, eyes closed, sleeping as sweetly as a child. He lay on his side there, not moving at all, afraid of waking her. The bedroom was so quiet only their breathing could be heard. The small green silk-shaded lamp cast warm yellow light. In this beautiful scene of “half-illuminated by candlelight, golden emerald; musk fragrance lightly crossing embroidered hibiscus,” he gazed at her peaceful sleeping face and suddenly felt that in this world, nothing could be better than this moment.
He wanted only this moment, long and lasting, through all lifetimes.
By mid-June, Jinling was located in the south where it was the season of blooming flowers. At four in the afternoon, the Army Ministry was also quiet. Gu Ruitong walked down the corridor carrying several files and documents, going all the way to outside Yu Changxuan’s office. Two guards stood on either side of the door. Seeing Gu Ruitong, they immediately stood at attention and saluted with their rifles. Gu Ruitong nodded, reached out to knock on the door, and after receiving permission, walked in.
Upon entering, he saw Yu Changxuan sitting upright at his desk, looking quite sternly at a newspaper. He didn’t need to guess to know it was definitely the “Famous Daily.” Yu Changxuan saw Gu Ruitong enter and casually folded the newspaper in his hands, throwing it to Gu Ruitong. Then he picked up a blue and white porcelain teacup with intertwining lotus patterns, took a sip of tea, and said flatly: “If Jiang Xueting is so determined to court death, there’s nothing I can do about it.”
Gu Ruitong unfolded the newspaper and saw on the front page in large characters a poem: “North of the river, weapons clash and meet; South of the river still sings songs of prosperity. The Flying General of Dragon City becomes a laughingstock; Barbarians have already passed Jade Gate Pass. The delicate lady Yu Ji in beautiful makeup; The Western Chu Overlord sinks his imperial enterprise. Pitiful is the Yue family’s ‘Full River Red’; Spilling forth Xi River’s mad blood and tears.”
Yu Changxuan said: “How did Father handle it?”
Gu Ruitong stepped forward and placed an official document in front of Yu Changxuan: “Your Excellency issued the order this morning – suspend the ‘Famous Daily’ and dismiss Jiang Xueting from his position as Academic Affairs Committee member at Nanming Military Academy. He just called again, saying he suspects among these people are those with ulterior motives attempting to disrupt the current situation, which cannot be unguarded against or uninvestigated. He ordered us to deploy the military police immediately to arrest the relevant personnel.”
Hearing this, Yu Changxuan pondered slightly: “When Father gets angry, no one can stop him. But this Jiang Xueting belongs to the Mou family. Now the Mou and Tao families are allied – their power is not what it used to be. If Father acts so hastily, I’m afraid it will anger the Mou family and give them ammunition to use against us!”
Gu Ruitong said: “Your Excellency has always hated these scholars who get agitated at the drop of a hat, believing they mislead the country with empty talk!”
Yu Changxuan nodded, only sitting there silently. His thick eyebrows slanting into his temples were tightly locked together. He held a lighter, tapping it on the desk intermittently. Gu Ruitong saw some hesitation on his face and naturally knew what Yu Changxuan was worried about: “Fifth Young Master, otherwise…”
Yu Changxuan flicked the lighter aside, saying flatly: “Do as Father says – arrest him!” He picked up his pen and quickly signed his name on the right side of the document, then screwed the pen cap back on. The cap spun rapidly between his fingers before quickly screwing back onto the pen.
Around eight o’clock in the evening, a floor lamp with apricot-red pleated silk leaves on one side of the carved wooden screen was brightly lit. Pingjun wore a loose brocade plain-colored qipao and soft slippers, sitting quietly on the living room sofa, arranging several sprigs of bellflowers in a Yongzheng official kiln gold-painted flower vase. After arranging them, she adjusted them slightly, and just as she was about to drink some tea, she heard from outside: “Miss Ye, you shouldn’t drink tea now.”
Ye Pingjun turned her head to see Qiu Luo hurrying over, changing the teacup in front of her for another cup of honey water mixed with rose syrup, smiling: “Miss Ye is pregnant now. If something went wrong, Fifth Young Master would definitely take our servants’ lives first.”
Ye Pingjun smiled: “It’s only been three months – how could something go wrong so easily? You’re all so nervous, I might as well just lie in bed and not come down.”
Qiu Luo smiled: “I’d rather Miss Ye just lie there obediently and not move. I saw you sleeping earlier and didn’t want to wake you for dinner. Since you’re sitting up now, let me help you to the dining room to eat something.”
Reminded by Qiu Luo, Ye Pingjun realized she was somewhat hungry. She stood up without needing Qiu Luo’s help and walked to the dining room herself. She saw several dishes already set on the table – a clear-stewed Yunnan ham, a plate of pagoda-shaped crispy treats, a plate of sliced osmanthus duck, and beside them a small dish of cold mixed cucumber.
As soon as Ye Pingjun sat down, Qiu Luo brought over a bowl of red glutinous rice porridge that she had just cooled, placing it in front of Ye Pingjun: “At noon Miss Ye said she wanted porridge. This red glutinous rice nourishes blood and qi – please eat more.” Ye Pingjun smiled and accepted it, but only ate it with the side dish of cold mixed cucumber. After eating half a bowl, she felt somewhat full and satisfied. Then she heard footsteps outside the Western-style arched doorway of the dining room, along with faint conversation. Pingjun knew this must be Yu Changxuan returning. She couldn’t hear clearly what he said, but heard a young maid’s clear voice reply: “Miss Ye is in the dining room.”
Pingjun held the porridge bowl and smiled, dimples appearing in both cheeks. Those familiar footsteps came this way, and indeed Yu Changxuan walked in. Seeing her eating, he smiled: “Great, when I’m not home, you’re here eating good things.”
Pingjun smiled: “Do you think I’m a child, sneaking food when you’re not around?”
Yu Changxuan removed his outer coat. Qiu Luo came to take the coat and military belt, while another young maid brought him a hot towel. Yu Changxuan took the hot towel to wipe his hands. She smelled a faint alcohol scent on him: “Where did you drink?”
Yu Changxuan said: “Went to Li Boren’s house for chrysanthemum hot pot, had a few drinks.”
Pingjun smiled slightly, lowered her head to scoop a spoonful of porridge, but didn’t eat it, putting the spoon back in the bowl. Yu Changxuan sat beside her, seeing this, and smiled: “I know you don’t like their family. Can’t I just go less often?”
Pingjun pushed the porridge bowl forward: “If you have official business to discuss with them, then you should go. Am I going to stop you from doing proper work?” Yu Changxuan smiled and changed the subject: “You’ve only eaten half a bowl – why did you stop?” Pingjun said: “I don’t feel like eating anymore. This porridge is cooked well. Since you’ve been drinking, have some porridge to warm your stomach.”
Yu Changxuan nodded. Pingjun said to Qiu Luo nearby: “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 to see Yu Changxuan had already picked up her remaining half bowl of porridge. After eating a few bites, Pingjun looked at him and smiled.
Yu Changxuan said: “What? Is there something on my face?”
Pingjun shook her head, still smiling, and used chopsticks to give him a piece of ham. Yu Changxuan said: “What are you doing tomorrow?” Pingjun said: “I was supposed to go out with Sister Jinxuan, but she just called saying Zening is sick and she can’t get away. Tomorrow I’ll have to go to ‘Jiangji’ myself to pick up the qipao I ordered last time.”
Yu Changxuan was somewhat worried, but seeing her cheerful expression and knowing she rarely went out, he couldn’t bear to refuse. He only said: “Then take several more guards with you.”
Pingjun always listened to him in this regard, so she smiled and nodded in agreement.
The next day, Pingjun took Qiu Luo to “Jiangji” to pick up the qipao she had ordered earlier. The car stopped outside “Jiangji.” Pingjun didn’t like such ostentation, so she said she would go in to get the clothes herself without needing guards to follow, only taking Qiu Luo into “Jiangji.” The owner of “Jiangji” always remembered such important customers as Second Miss Jinxuan of the Yu family, and naturally didn’t forget Pingjun who accompanied Jinxuan. Seeing Pingjun enter, he immediately approached with a full smile, first inviting Pingjun to sit, then calling a clerk to go upstairs for the clothes. He personally brewed lotus heart tea, serving it in blue and white porcelain teacups. Seeing Pingjun had her hair up, he addressed her as: “Young Madam, please have tea.” Pingjun saw his politeness and couldn’t refuse, so she received it with both hands, took a sip, smiled, and set the tea down.
Ye Pingjun saw a small wine cup on the counter. Smelling the aroma, she suddenly smiled: “That’s Three White Wine, isn’t it? Is the owner from Wuqiao?”
This Three White Wine was indeed Wuqiao’s specialty rice wine. The owner was delighted to hear this: “Is Young Madam also from Wuqiao?”
Ye Pingjun smiled: “I used to live in Wuqiao, and there was an old nanny who lived with our family who was also from Wuqiao. She often brewed this Three White Wine. I’ve been smelling it since childhood. Wuqiao’s white orchids cover the mountains – when they bloom, it’s like a sea of snow, extremely beautiful.”
The owner smiled: “Wuqiao is so close to Jinling. If Young Madam wants to go, just take the family car – it’s only two or three hours’ journey. Whatever beautiful scenery there is, you can see it all.”
Pingjun was smiling when suddenly there was commotion outside on the street, followed by chaotic footsteps and people running about. Suddenly there was a gunshot, startling Pingjun who stood up from her chair. The owner immediately changed expression, pointing to a clerk by the door: “Quick, close the door first.”
The clerk rushed to close the door, but before he could pull the bolt, with a crash, two people burst through the door like bandits, charging straight in. Ye Pingjun was frightened and stepped back, but looking closely, she suddenly went deathly pale, her soul flying away – one of the two people who burst in was Jiang Xueting.
Jiang Xueting was equally shocked to suddenly see Pingjun. Unconsciously he took several steps toward her, but was immediately pulled back by his companion who shouted: “They’re catching up from behind – upstairs!”
That companion pulled at Jiang Xueting but couldn’t budge him, seeing Jiang Xueting standing there in a daze. He shouted: “Mr. Jiang!”
Only then did Jiang Xueting come to his senses, being dragged upstairs by that person. But ultimately they had wasted time. Four or five military police burst in from behind, carrying police batons and firearms, fierce as if ready to devour people. The leader spotted Jiang Xueting and the other man running upstairs, drew his gun without a word and fired!
In that instant, Pingjun felt her entire mind go blank. Acting purely on bodily instinct, she lunged forward and forcefully struck the shooting policeman’s arm. Using such force, the policeman couldn’t maintain his footing and crashed directly into the door panel beside him. The shot went wide, hitting the fitting mirror diagonally across, which shattered with a crash, glass scattered everywhere. Jiang Xueting and the other person had already run upstairs. The other military police rushed up to pursue. The policeman Pingjun had knocked aside was furious beyond measure, charged forward and kicked Pingjun, cursing: “Damn woman, tired of living, fucking dare to block my gun!”
That kick landed directly on Pingjun’s stomach!
Pingjun’s body flew backward, crashing into the chair beside her with a bang. Qiu Luo cried out in shock: “Miss Ye…” She came forward to help Pingjun, who was already ashen-faced, tightly clutching her stomach, unable to speak. The military police who had rushed upstairs came down and said to another: “Captain Cai, the one surnamed Jiang jumped out the window and escaped.” Fourth Team Captain Cai Fuhu of the Military Police was furious: “Damn it, we’ve been chasing for two days and he escaped again. Go out and chase him!”
Those military police rushed out. Cai Fuhu turned and walked to Ye Pingjun who was convulsing on the ground, grabbed her hair and yanked her up: “You damn woman, you made me lose another great opportunity for merit. I’ll take your life today!”
Pingjun was barely breathing, clutching her stomach with large beads of sweat rolling down her forehead. She struggled to open her mouth but couldn’t make a sound. She heard Qiu Luo kneeling on the ground beside her, crying and begging: “Please don’t hurt our young miss. Our young miss is pregnant – you can’t touch her. Please have mercy…”
Cai Fuhu sneered coldly: “Pregnant? Even better!” He lifted his foot and kicked Ye Pingjun in the stomach two or three more times, this time even more viciously, each kick harder than the last. Pingjun’s face was deathly pale, her throat full of a bloody taste. She felt as if something was being torn from her body – the pain made her wish she could die on the spot. Tears rolled down unconsciously. Various sounds roared in her ears. She desperately tried to open her mouth. Qiu Luo’s cries covered her voice as she kept shouting: “Don’t hurt our young miss… please, spare our young miss…”
The owner, who had been kneeling nearby too terrified to move, suddenly shouted: “Blood! Blood!…” Fresh red blood slowly flowed from beneath Pingjun’s qipao, quickly pooling into a large stain on the ground. Pingjun curled up convulsing. Cai Fuhu showed his yellow teeth in a vulgar expression, leering: “It’s better this one’s gone. I’ll make you a new one – consider it payback!” He aimed another kick at her abdomen. The owner couldn’t watch anymore and rushed forward, desperately holding onto Cai Fuhu to prevent him from advancing: “Sir, please stop kicking – this is a human life!”
Qiu Luo was still crying, repeating those phrases: “Spare our young miss, please…” The owner, seeing Ye Pingjun’s pitiful state, no longer cared about himself and desperately grabbed Cai Fuhu, shouting loudly: “Sir, please stop! If nothing else, this young madam is connected to the Yu family. She and Second Miss Yu…”
He had only said the word “Yu” when Cai Fuhu suddenly froze there, instantly transforming from a fierce demon into a wooden statue. Ye Pingjun curled up on the cold ground, her vision suddenly going black in waves. The inescapable agony dragged her consciousness desperately downward. She struggled to open her parched lips, making faint sounds.
“…Yu… Chang… xuan…”
Icy tears slid down her cheeks. The severe pain made her body convulse in waves. Her tightly clenched teeth chattered uncontrollably. His voice echoed in her ears – he had said: “Pingjun, this is our first child. I promise you, everything I have in the future will be his.”
Her head weakly tilted to one side, disheveled hair clinging to her cold, pale face. Her body gradually grew lighter, her vision completely black. The temperature around her slowly cooled as only warm blood flowed from her body, carrying away a tiny life… flowing away…
During Jinling’s plum rain season, the weather was cold and dreary, with dampness seeping into one’s bones. The pattering rain struck Fengtai’s pines, cypresses, and maples with chaotic sounds. The rain knocked down large clusters of oleander from the courtyard, scattering pink petals everywhere. Even lotus flowers in the pond had lost several petals. The white jade hairpin flowers growing in the shade against the wall were covered with a layer of rain mist and chill over their tender green.
Sixth Group Guard Captain Feng Tianjun returned to Gu Ruitong’s office to see Gu Ruitong standing by the floor-to-ceiling window with a dark expression, holding a cup of tea in one hand. Feng Tianjun said: “Chief Gu, those guards are all detained in the military police quarters. How should they be dealt with?”
Gu Ruitong angrily said: “Beat them! Beat them to death! These bastards – we told them to carefully protect Miss Ye, yet they dared neglect their duty to go drinking, causing such a huge mess! Do they still want to live?!” He casually smashed the teacup in his hand to the ground. Feng Tianjun was startled, then heard footsteps outside. It was Deputy Wu leading several guards pushing through the door, all soaked with rain. Deputy Wu wiped rainwater from his face and said directly: “Chief Guard Gu, we caught him. We captured him at the southern suburb cemetery.”
Gu Ruitong looked up to see Cai Fuhu, who had fled for a day and night, pushed in bound hand and foot, covered in wounds. Upon seeing Gu Ruitong, his turbid eyes immediately brightened. He fell to his knees with a thud, trembling as he shouted: “Chief Gu, I recognize you! You’re a good man. When my brother committed crimes, you forgave him. Save me! I really didn’t know that woman was Fifth Young Master’s… no… that young madam… If I had known, even with a hundred times the courage, I wouldn’t dare…”
He pleaded incoherently there. Gu Ruitong walked quickly to him with a cold face and kicked Cai Fuhu in the face with full force. Cai Fuhu fell backward immediately, unable to say a word, not only dislocating his jaw but spitting out two bloody front teeth…
After this kick, Gu Ruitong looked up at two guards: “Drag this beast to see Fifth Young Master!”
Two guards came forward to drag Cai Fuhu to Yu Changxuan’s study. Gu Ruitong walked ahead, reaching Yu Changxuan’s study door. Gu Ruitong knocked: “Fifth Young Master, we’ve caught him.” Then he waved his hand, grabbed Cai Fuhu’s collar himself, and with a swing pushed him into the study. Immediately came a “bang” – a gunshot that seemed to explode right by Gu Ruitong’s ear.
Gu Ruitong’s heart nearly stopped a beat. He saw Cai Fuhu with hands bound behind him, forehead touching the ground, brain matter splattered, writhing and convulsing on the carpet. Gradually, large bloodstains flowed from beneath his forehead. Yu Changxuan stood before the sofa, gun raised, firing “bang bang bang bang” – four more shots at Cai Fuhu’s body. Gu Ruitong rushed forward to raise Yu Changxuan’s arm: “Fifth Young Master, enough!”
As he lifted Yu Changxuan’s arm, two more “bang bang” shots rang out. Yu Changxuan’s finger was locked on the trigger. The last two bullets shattered a pair of large glazed famille rose vases with lion heads and ball flowers. This time Gu Ruitong firmly pressed down Yu Changxuan’s arm, shouting repeatedly: “Fifth Young Master, he’s already dead.”
Like a sharp knife suddenly thrust into his chest.
Yu Changxuan gripped the pistol tightly, breathing irregularly and rapidly, murmuring a word that came out filled with desperate coldness: “Dead…”
His gun-holding arm was rigid and straight, his eyes cold as needle points. The doctor had also told him – the child was dead! As if a heavy punch had struck him, he didn’t even have strength to fight back. How could he possibly be dead? He had valued this child so much – this was his first child. He had even enthusiastically planned the child’s entire future, firmly believing this child was the beginning of happiness between him and her…
No one would imagine how much he loved this child! It was his and her shared bloodline!
But the child was dead.
Yu Changxuan stood there rigidly, his spine straight as if about to snap at any moment. Veins bulged at his temples, throbbing. Both hands were clenched into tight fists, his eyes blazing with flames as if ready to devour someone. Seeing his appearance, Gu Ruitong couldn’t help but feel frightened and called: “Fifth Young Master.”
Then came a door sound as an attendant brought in Qiu Luo. Upon entering, Qiu Luo immediately saw Cai Fuhu’s horrific corpse lying on the carpet. She was immediately frightened until her legs shook like chaff, trembling as she knelt on the ground. She knew why she had been brought here and had prepared her words long ago. She immediately cried: “Fifth Young Master, spare my life! I never thought Miss Ye would rush forward to block that man’s gun for Jiang Xueting. I couldn’t stop Miss Ye. I begged him to spare Miss Ye too, but he was simply mad…”
Before she finished speaking, there was a “crack” sound – Yu Changxuan had smashed the empty pistol against the wall, his eyes bright as lightning looking over. Qiu Luo was immediately frightened into silence. Gu Ruitong frowned, looking at Qiu Luo: “Qiu Luo, I ask you – when Miss Ye was severely wounded and couldn’t speak, while you were unharmed, why didn’t you immediately report Fifth Young Master’s name?!”
Qiu Luo looked at Gu Ruitong with tearful eyes: “Chief Gu, I did say it. I said Fifth Young Master’s name, but he wouldn’t listen…”
Gu Ruitong snorted, pointing at Cai Fuhu’s corpse: “Just now Cai Fuhu confessed right here to Fifth Young Master. From beginning to end, you never said the word ‘Yu.’ Otherwise, even with enormous courage, he wouldn’t dare harm Fifth Young Master’s people. Did you really think there would be no witnesses?!”
This sentence immediately blocked all of Qiu Luo’s excuses. Qiu Luo was terrified, kneeling there in panic, her eyes showing horror. After a long time, she turned to Yu Changxuan, pleading tearfully: “Fifth Young Master…”
Yu Changxuan stood facing the window, the night outside thick and heavy. His complexion seemed swallowed by shadows, becoming even more iron-blue. He only said coldly to Gu Ruitong: “Drag her out and shoot her!”
“Fifth Young Master!” Qiu Luo trembled all over like chaff, unable to move on the ground.
Yu Changxuan’s expression was terrifyingly dark. He turned and strode out quickly, almost as if charging forward recklessly, going straight to the upstairs bedroom. He kicked the door, which slammed against the wall with a “bang,” frightening the young maid carrying medicine until she nearly dropped the medicine bowl.
Yu Changxuan said slowly: “Everyone out.”
His voice was very low, calm like the stillness before a storm. Several maids serving here quickly lowered their heads and left. Pingjun leaned softly against the headboard, still running a low fever, her face white as snow, long hair disheveled and scattered by her pillow. She weakly opened her eyes to look at him once, then two streams of tears rolled down her cheeks.
Yu Changxuan walked over step by step. He finally stood before the bed, looking at her in her extreme weakness. The light from the small green-shaded lamp beside the bed illuminated her, making her skin even more bloodless, pale to near transparency. He looked at her, his pupils filled with dark coldness.
Yu Changxuan reached out and pulled her up from the bed with one hand. She raised her head, long hair hanging down in disarray. A fire seemed to burn in his heart, ready to consume everything like dead wood and rotten grass. He said word by word: “Ye Pingjun, listen well – I won’t spare anyone who hurt you!”
She was fragile as a wisp of smoke. Under the lamplight, her shoulders were as thin as paper. His eyes showed bone-chilling coldness, almost cruel. His fingers stopped at her neck, his tone suddenly cold and ruthless: “But I also won’t spare anyone who hurt my child! Including you.”
Pingjun slowly opened her eyes, tears falling drop by drop from the corners of her eyes. She said with difficulty: “Kill me then!”
His expression darkened as he gripped her neck with one hand, pressing her against the pillow. She felt the world spinning, her head nearly exploding with pain, her breathing suddenly becoming rapid and painful. He was so angry he was nearly mad: “I really want to kill you. I really want to 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 more important than this child’s life?! How ruthless your heart is!”
She closed her eyes as unstoppable tears soaked into the soft pillow.
Looking at her tear-stained face, he suddenly sneered coldly: “I know you did it on purpose. You hate me with gritted teeth. You deliberately wanted to treat me this way. This child was just your tool for revenge against me. You wanted to kill him to torment me!”
She suddenly opened her eyes, her body shaking violently. She saw the hatred burning like flames in his eyes, the hatred that seemed ready to devour her. He used such words to cut her heart sentence by sentence. She opened her lips and said with effort: “This was my child too. I wouldn’t hurt him…”
He violently interrupted her: “You vicious woman, you killed my child for Jiang Xueting!”
Tears fell from her eyes like scattered pearls. She was clearly agitated, both cheeks burning bright red. She saw the angry mockery on his face and said with difficulty while breathing hard: “You can’t torture me like this. I never thought that way!”
He was furious beyond measure: “But you did it!”
Her fingers trembled as the corners of her lips curved into a mournful arc. She knew no matter what she said, he wouldn’t believe her. She felt pain like ten thousand arrows piercing her heart. She was truly desperate, only saying inaudibly: “Let me go.”
He remained fixed there, breathing chaotically and excitedly, but finally slowly released his hands. The moment he let her go, she struggled up from the bed with all her strength, stumbling toward the balcony.
The floor-to-ceiling windows were suddenly pushed open by her as cold rain hit her face. Her frail body was almost instantly blown back by the cold wind. She fought against the wind to rush outside, about to jump down. She wanted him to know how much she loved this child – she would rather die with this child!
Her shoulders suddenly tightened as he pulled her back with one hand. She struggled desperately to get out. He was truly angry to the point of madness and slapped her across the face. Her weak body fell with that slap, silently collapsing onto the carpet, bright red blood seeping from the corner of her mouth. She could no longer move.
Outside was the crackling sound of rain. Cold rain swept straight in through the wide-open floor-to-ceiling windows, heavy curtains flying in the wind. She curled up on the ground, trembling like a wounded small animal. She had been tormented to her limit, exhausted, no longer having any vitality.
The room was so quiet as if everything had died, only the sound of wind and rain coming in waves. Thick night pressed down overwhelmingly like a long nightmare from which one could never wake. He looked at her for a long time, his dark pupils showing painful despair, actually covered with a layer of moist mist. Warm liquid seemed about to surge from his eye sockets. The corners of his mouth trembled and twitched: “Ye Pingjun, I originally wanted to marry you, yet you treated me this way.”
She lay silently on the rain-splattered carpet, a corner of her nightgown rising and falling with the wind.
The separated floor-to-ceiling window doors were blown by the wind, striking against the carved railings on both sides of the balcony with crackling sounds, like the sound of bone marrow being crushed bit by bit, making one’s heart feel waves of cold. He turned to look at the dark sky. His tense body swayed silently, his chest as if pressed by heavy stones, making it hard to breathe. Even breathing was like heart-rending knives.
He finally said: “Go. I never want to see you again.”
After several days of continuous rain, this afternoon finally cleared for a while, but by evening it was overcast again. Sixth Sister Yu Qixuan had just returned from school, getting out of the car at the residence gate. After walking just a few steps, the small rain boots on her feet were covered with muddy rainwater. She entered the main hall, leaving a trail of small footprints on the carpet, then stood in place stamping her feet: “Such rainy weather is really annoying. Xiao Mei, bring me a new pair of shoes.”
Usually when she called like this, male and female servants would definitely rush out competing to help. Today was very strange – upstairs and downstairs were completely silent, as if everyone in this big mansion had suddenly gone mute. Qixuan was about to shout when she saw maid Xiao Mei running from the side hall with a pair of soft satin embroidered shoes: “Sixth Miss, wear this pair.”
Qixuan sat down to change shoes: “Why is it so quiet? What happened?” Xiao Mei bit her finger, her face showing fear, saying quietly: “It’s terrible. This afternoon Master somehow got so angry that he beat Fifth Young Master unconscious. The maids inside say Fifth Young Master became a bloody mess.”
Hearing this, Qixuan’s face immediately went white. Though she usually liked arguing with Fifth Brother most, emotionally she was closest to him. She nearly cried immediately, calling “Fifth Brother, Fifth Brother…” as she ran upstairs. She saw Yu Changxuan’s room surrounded by doctors and nurses. She was about to rush in when Second Sister Jinxuan pulled her back: “Don’t go over there first. They’re treating him – don’t go add to the chaos.”
Jinxuan led Qixuan back to the north hall, where she saw eldest sister-in-law Yu Minru accompanying Madam Yu. Madam Yu sat on the sofa trembling and crying. Deputy Wu Zuoxiao stood nearby saying: “…Originally Your Excellency was just asking Fifth Young Master why he shot Military Police Fourth Team Captain Cai Fuhu. Actually, if Fifth Young Master had found some excuse to brush it off, it would have been fine. Who knew Fifth Young Master would stubbornly resist sentence by sentence. Your Excellency’s temper was even more… Madam, you weren’t here – we couldn’t stop it at all. Later Fifth Young Master was beaten until he couldn’t even kneel. Your Excellency was also heartbroken and was about to stop, but then Fifth Young Master actually said…”
Madam Yu said tremblingly: “What did Changxuan say?”
Deputy Wu looked extremely troubled, saying intermittently: “Fifth Young Master actually continued resisting stubbornly, bringing up Your Excellency’s Battle of Yanmen Mountain years ago, saying Your Excellency back then… was faithless and unrighteous, betrayed friends for glory to gain today’s official advancement, saying… might as well beat him to death, that the Yu family should be cut off from descendants…”
Before Deputy Wu finished speaking, Madam Yu cried “Ah!” and immediately trembled: “Changxuan has gone mad, clearly knowing Yanmen Mountain is his father’s sore spot that no one has dared mention for over ten years! He… he really wants to die… this confused thing, he’s really going to be the death of me…”
Qixuan beside them leaned against Jinxuan, frightened into tears: “What is Fifth Brother doing? Why did he argue with Father like that?” Jinxuan squeezed Qixuan’s hand, her eyes also red: “Sixth Sister, Mother is already very upset – don’t cry anymore.”
While Madam Yu was crying here, an attendant officer came over: “Madam, Fifth Young Master has opened his eyes.” Madam Yu hurriedly stood up from the sofa, but got up too quickly and stumbled. Jinxuan and Minru quickly supported Madam Yu as they walked to Yu Changxuan’s bedroom.
The bedroom was deathly silent. Nurses and attendant officers stood to one side. Doctor Dai saw Madam Yu and removed his stethoscope from his ears: “Madam Yu.” Madam Yu saw large clumps of bloody gauze on the bedside table, her tears flowing even more uncontrollably. Reaching the bedside, she cried: “Changxuan…”
Yu Changxuan lay unconsciously on the bed, slightly opening his eyes. The light in his pupils was scattered, as if not recognizing anyone. He confusedly closed his eyes again. He was wounded all over and couldn’t be covered with quilts, only having a light thin blanket softly covering one layer. His exposed arms were all purple-blue, swollen very high, appearing torn and mangled – not to mention other places. Madam Yu wailed greatly, nearly fainting, needing to be supported by Jinxuan and Minru to stand. Doctor Dai said to Jinxuan: “Better take your mother out first.”
Jinxuan nodded, supporting Madam Yu out with Minru. Then they heard Yu Changxuan suddenly making faint, unclear sounds. Jinxuan was startled, but Madam Yu didn’t hear clearly and said frantically: “What is Changxuan saying?” Jinxuan quickly said: “He groaned twice – doesn’t seem like speech.”
Qixuan nearby said: “Seemed like he said… something about jun…”
Jinxuan said: “He’s still thinking about Army Ministry matters.” She brushed it off this way. Minru wiped tears from her eyes: “I thought it sounded like a person’s name.” Jinxuan blocked Minru’s words: “Probably not. Elder sister-in-law and we all heard clearly – he was saying ‘what jun,’ not ‘jun what.'”
Minru pursed her lips, about to speak. Regarding their sister-in-law disputes, Madam Yu had long seen through everything. Now upset and irritated, she gave face to neither, frowning: “What time is this? You’re still wasting thoughts on these things here. All of you shut your mouths.”
This stopped both Jinxuan and Minru’s words. They all accompanied Madam Yu to the north hall. Jinxuan let Qixuan and Minru stay there to accompany her while she had her own thoughts. She left the north hall and saw Deputy Wu still standing at the stairway, so she walked over and lowered her voice: “What happened? What happened between Changxuan and Pingjun?”
Wu Zuoxiao said: “This… Second Miss should ask Fifth Young Master.”
Jinxuan gritted her teeth angrily: “Look at his condition now – how can I ask? Go look at your Fifth Young Master – he’s still thinking about that woman. Tell me quickly, what exactly happened? He’s so confused now – if he says some inappropriate things in his sleep that Mother hears, I can still cover for you.”
Seeing he couldn’t hide it, Wu Zuoxiao told her everything that happened at Fengtai over ten days ago. Jinxuan naturally looked shocked. After a long time: “Such a thing happened? Where is Pingjun now?” Wu Zuoxiao said: “Gone. We initially thought Miss Ye went to her mother’s at East Goodness Bridge. Later Chief Guard Gu sent people to investigate, only to discover the house at East Goodness Bridge was also empty. She and her mother are both gone.”
Jinxuan stood there stunned for a long time: “What does Changxuan say?”
Wu Zuoxiao said: “Since Miss Ye left, Fifth Young Master returned to the residence and never mentioned Miss Ye again. We didn’t dare say anything either. We all thought he had forgotten the matter, but who knew today this would happen…”
After hearing all this, Jinxuan finally understood the cause and effect of today’s events. Now she felt heartbroken for her brother and even more pained for that unborn child. She pulled out a handkerchief from the qipao buttons at her side to wipe her tearful eyes, standing there saying quietly: “He didn’t forget. He finally got serious for once in his life – how could he possibly forget.”
Yu Changxuan’s injuries took nearly half a month before he could get out of bed and walk a few steps. As soon as his condition improved slightly, he returned to Fengtai. Madam Yu couldn’t stop him no matter how she tried, so she had no choice but to comply. Doctor Dai came to Fengtai daily to change Yu Changxuan’s medicine, then returned to the residence to report to Madam Yu.
After some rain, the room’s windows were open, dark green Western-style curtains fluttering in the wind. Alternating warm and cool breezes made one feel waves of irritation.
Yu Changxuan lay in bed, staring fixedly out the window. The scenery outside seemed shrouded in mist, gradually becoming unclear. The light in his dark pupils seemed scattered. He felt cold – a coldness emanating from within his heart. Light from outside fell on the ebony window lattice, fragmented and broken.
On the huanghuali wood dressing table hung a long mirror with carved lacquer patterns. He still remembered how she looked combing her hair before the mirror, just like that first night when he woke from sleep to see her sitting at the dressing table in the moonlight, slowly combing her long hair, her pale fingers brushing through the black strands.
He called her name: “Pingjun.” She silently turned her head toward him, her eyes misty with moisture. He said softly: “I will definitely treat you well.”
The pillow still seemed to retain her fragrance, faint like blooming jade hairpin flowers. He remembered every night with her when she curled up like a child in his arms, long eyelashes resting on her soft white skin, breathing evenly in sleep. He was intoxicated and entranced by such fragrance. He gazed at her sleeping face for long periods, yet feared waking her, not daring to move even slightly.
He had loved her so much.
The room was completely silent when several light knocks came from outside the door. Gu Ruitong’s voice came from beyond: “Fifth Young Master, we’ve found Miss Ye.”
In the evening, he saw her outside a flower nursery at the south gate.
When she walked over, she held a small pot of white camellia flowers in her hands, carrying it very carefully. Beside her was Bai Liyuan, always smiling and reaching out to pick the perfectly bloomed camellias. She protected the flowers while dodging Bai Liyuan, her face showing gentle, peaceful smiles.
He sat in the car watching her. An attendant officer beside him reported: “Among Miss Ye’s classmates is one called Bai Liyuan, whose father is the principal of Mingde Girls’ School. She helped Miss Ye open a small flower shop in the alley ahead.”
He said quietly: “She’s smiling.”
The attendant officer was confused for a moment, not understanding what he wanted to do: “Fifth Young Master…”
He watched her figure gradually disappear in the distance. On the broad street, people came and went. The sky showed brilliant evening clouds. The air was as warm as a cotton quilt pressed against one’s body. Everything seemed hazy like a dream. He slowly leaned back against the car seat, saying softly: “Don’t disturb her.”
He would eventually come back to find her, just not now.
Jinling’s plum rain season quickly passed. Through blazing summer sun, fragrant golden autumn, and harsh winter snow, time flew by. In the blink of an eye, another winter arrived. This year was extremely cold – snow began falling in early December. Since Jinling’s temperature was slightly higher than the north, snowflakes turned to water drops before hitting the ground, making it even more bone-chillingly cold.
In the Tao residence, eldest daughter Tao Yayi wore a black wool cloak with only a jeweled gold chain visible at the turned collar, hanging diagonally to the other side – this was the most fashionable attire for government officials’ wives in Jinling. Tao Yayi’s lips were painted with crimson rouge, the latest “Miss” shade from Paris this season. She sat steadily in a Western soft chair, saying unhurriedly: “Jiang Xueting is no longer what he used to be. My father-in-law acknowledged him as an adopted son, making him a member of the Mou family. Now he’s also the government’s Propaganda Minister with unlimited prospects. He treats you well too. When he comes, why do you give him such cold looks? If you don’t marry him, who else will you marry?”
Tao Ziyi, home on vacation from abroad, stood nearby impatiently pulling at pearl curtains, saying with raised head: “I’ll tell you the truth – I want to be Fifth Young Master Yu’s wife!”
Tao Yayi angrily said: “Nonsense! Think about it – the Chu family has no successors and ultimately no chance of greatness. In the future, it will definitely be the Yu and Mou families competing for the world. Since I married into the Mou family, don’t think about Yu’s Fifth Young Master. Can our Tao family, with only two sisters total, have one with the Yu family and one with the Mou family? Which side would Father stand on then?”
Tao Ziyi tossed her head and walked to sit at the piano nearby, pressing keys one by one stubbornly: “Father can stand wherever he wants – I don’t care.”
Hearing this, Tao Yayi became furious. She immediately stood up pointing at her and scolding loudly: “You can’t afford not to care! Even if you want to marry Yu Changxuan, you have to see if Yu Changxuan can return alive from the front lines. Since early autumn, he’s led troops to fight Xiao Beichen and has been defeated nine times out of ten battles. Now he’s surrounded by Xiao family forces. The Yu family has truly lost face to the Jiangbei Xiao family this time. Do you still expect him to turn defeat into victory?!”
Tao Ziyi’s tears immediately flowed out. She slammed her hands hard on the piano with a “boom,” then turned around crying and shouting: “I won’t let you curse him like that! He will definitely come back. I won’t marry anyone. I’ll return to England and not get involved in your muddy waters!”
Tao Yayi was truly trembling with anger, laughing bitterly: “Second Sister speaks so lightly. If this is muddy water to us, what a pity for such a clean person like you. Why don’t you think about me? For our Tao family, I even married that fool from the Mou family. And you’re here crying dramatically. Are you more wronged than me?! Who should I cry to?!”
Seeing her sister’s distress, Tao Ziyi, who had always been somewhat spoiled, began crying loudly. She turned and ran toward the door, crying as she ran: “I said I didn’t want to return home, but you insisted I come back. Turns out you were scheming to make me marry that boy surnamed Jiang. What is he anyway? Having his own name and surname, yet acknowledging someone else as father. I just won’t marry him, absolutely won’t!”
Servants downstairs saw Second Miss running down in such thin clothing and soft satin embroidered shoes, frantically trying to stop her. Tao Ziyi, full of grievances, ran out of the main hall in one breath, through the second gate to her family’s flower garden courtyard. She ran too hastily and collided head-on with someone. Both froze and stepped back simultaneously. Tao Ziyi looked at the person before her angrily: “Who are you?”
Ye Pingjun wore an ordinary cotton dress with faint bangs hanging over her forehead. Her black hair was braided into a long plait behind her head, tied at the end with a goose-yellow velvet ribbon. Her attire was extremely simple and plain, but one could tell at a glance she wasn’t a Tao family servant. Hearing Tao Ziyi’s question, she smiled: “I’m here to deliver flowers. Someone from your household ordered a pot of jade hairpins at our flower shop yesterday.”
Tao Ziyi was at the height of her fury. Sure enough, she saw Ye Pingjun holding a pot of jade hairpins, obviously meant for the flower room. She immediately snatched the pot of jade hairpin flowers: “I clearly like yellow roses most – why buy jade hairpins? Are even you people going to bully me like this?!” She directly smashed the pot on the muddy ground, then viciously stomped on it, stamping while saying angrily: “I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!”
Ye Pingjun stood dazedly on the bluestone path, watching that pot of jade hairpins instantly trampled to pieces. Suddenly footsteps approached – the Tao family servants all ran out asking Second Miss to come inside. Tao Yayi’s voice also carried over: “In this freezing weather, you can’t throw tantrums like this. Come back quickly – can’t we talk things over properly?”
Servants surrounded Tao Ziyi and left. Ye Pingjun still stood on the bluestone path as the noisy voices gradually faded. She lowered her head looking at the thoroughly destroyed pot of jade hairpin flowers. After standing dazed for a long time, she heard someone behind her say: “Miss Ye.” It was the old woman who managed the flower room coming over. Ye Pingjun looked apologetic and was about to speak when the old woman said: “You don’t need to say anything – I saw everything. This Second Miss Tao… ai…”
Ye Pingjun said: “Could you lend me a small spade? I’ll clean this up.”
The old woman nodded. Soon she returned with a flower spade and small bag to help Pingjun clean up the roots and scattered soil. The old woman said: “Look, these roots are fine. There’s a small Buddhist hall over there, specially built for the Buddhist lady. Jade hairpins are planted beside it. Though they’re all withered now, if you plant these roots there, they might still survive.”
Pingjun nodded. Soon she buried the roots in the flower bed beside the Buddhist hall, then left the Tao residence and returned to her small flower shop in West Gate Alley. This tiny shop actually belonged to Liyuan’s family. Thanks to Liyuan’s support, she and her mother had a place to settle.
Pingjun entered the shop as Madam Ye emerged from the inner room holding some coins. Seeing Pingjun, she smiled: “That big customer came again.”
Pingjun paused: “What did he order this time?”
Madam Ye smiled: “This time it’s coral tuberose, jasmine, white orchids… all out-of-season flowers. He really buys the most expensive things… Look, he gave the deposit readily too. Oh yes, seeing how generous he was, I gave him a free string of white orchid flowers. This month we’ve really benefited from such a big customer supporting our business…” Before her mother finished speaking, Pingjun asked: “Which way did he go?” Madam Ye pointed south: “That way, just left.” After hearing this, Pingjun pulled the stack of coins from her mother’s hand and ran out.
She chased south all the way. Just past the alley, she indeed saw a military car parked there with four guards standing on both sides. A tall young military man with his back to her was speaking with a man in a Western suit and hat – the very man who came to Pingjun’s flower shop every four or five days to order many expensive flowers.
Pingjun stepped forward. A guard immediately shouted at her: “Stop!” Pingjun stopped, only saying softly to the tall military man with his back to her: “Mr. Gu.”
That straight figure paused slightly before slowly turning around. Under the military cap was a handsome face – indeed Gu Ruitong. He held a string of white orchid flowers in his hands, just given to him by the gentleman before him. Seeing Pingjun, Gu Ruitong was stunned for a moment before saying: “Miss Ye, Fifth Young Master said he cannot let you suffer hardship.”
Pingjun lowered her eyes. In that instant, countless feelings turned in her heart. After a long silence, she asked softly: “How is he… now?”
Gu Ruitong said: “He’s well. He was slightly injured fighting at Xindian before New Year, nothing serious.” His tone paused before continuing: “Miss Ye, Fifth Young Master now… is different from before…”
Pingjun said: “He was always so pampered. If he could really suffer some setbacks and gain experience, it would be good for him.” Gu Ruitong only nodded without saying more. Ye Pingjun stepped forward, placing the stack of coins in his hands, smiling: “I’ve already left Fengtai. I don’t want this money.”
When the money was handed to Gu Ruitong, he saw a small chilblain on her slender finger and exclaimed: “Your hand…” Ye Pingjun used her other hand to pinch the frostbitten finger, brought it to her lips to breathe on it gently, then smiled softly at Gu Ruitong: “This makes it better.”
After saying this, she turned away from Gu Ruitong and walked quietly toward home. That slender figure remained gracefully erect, the black braid hanging down her back, the small section of goose-yellow velvet ribbon at the end swaying gently with her movement like a small dandelion blooming in early spring.
Pingjun was always accustomed to keeping busy. For several days running, she moved several potted landscapes from the flower nursery, arranging all the newly acquired plants in the warm room to create a lively, flourishing appearance. She placed newly cut plum blossoms in vases by the shop’s small window.
This afternoon, Madam Ye had gone out. The flower shop had a small stove burning, creating pleasant warmth. Pingjun sat beside a small flower stand inside the shop, tending to a pot of bleeding heart flowers. Behind her was a large flower stand piled high like a mountain of flowers. This stand faced the shop entrance. As Pingjun worked busily, she heard someone behind the large flower stand ask: “Do you have yellow roses?”
Pingjun turned around. The large flower stand somewhat blocked her view – she could only see someone standing there. She smiled and answered: “Yes, how many would you like?”
“One hundred and eight.”
Hearing this, Pingjun knew this must be big business. She quickly set down her spray bottle and walked around the flower stand toward the person standing in the open space, smiling: “That’s quite a lot – I’m afraid we can’t gather them all at once…” Her gaze settled on that person’s face and her complexion instantly went white. She actually stepped backward, seeing the person standing in the shop center wearing a light gray windbreaker and leather gloves, with gentle eyes that held a hint of gallantry – it was Jiang Xueting.
Seeing Pingjun suddenly, Jiang Xueting was also startled, crying out: “Pingjun!” He hurried toward her and accidentally kicked over a small jasmine potted plant with a “crack.” Immediately a shadow flashed outside the door as two gun-carrying guards rushed in, calling: “Minister Jiang.”
Jiang Xueting turned and waved his hand: “It’s nothing – wait for me outside.” The two guards said “Yes!” stood at attention with a rifle salute, and walked out.
Jiang Xueting turned back to look at Pingjun, immediately stepping forward excitedly to take her hands, his face full of smiles: “I finally found you! This is ridiculous – we spoke back and forth for several sentences without recognizing each other’s voices.”
Pingjun looked at his unguarded smile and smiled back: “Exactly. You even broke a flower pot in our little shop – remember to compensate me.” She withdrew her hands from his, turned to clean up the small jasmine plant that had been kicked over. Jiang Xueting saw her acting so calmly while he became increasingly agitated. Without hesitation, he stepped forward and pulled Pingjun into his arms, saying excitedly: “Pingjun, where have you been all this time? I’ve been searching for you everywhere…”
Perhaps because he had just come in from outside, the cold air hadn’t left his body. Pingjun’s body stiffened – that embrace felt as if it froze to her very bones. Even his voice seemed to carry coldness. He was smiling, yet Pingjun felt only unfamiliar coldness. She simply couldn’t control wanting to escape from his arms. Suddenly footsteps sounded outside, followed by Madam Ye’s surprised voice: “Xueting.”
Pingjun quickly struggled out of his arms, turning around and calling: “Mother.”
Madam Ye’s gaze settled on Jiang Xueting. Jiang Xueting had no parents from childhood and wasn’t accepted by his older brother and sister-in-law. He had practically grown up in the Ye household. Madam Ye had been like a nurturing mother to him, caring for him with motherly concern. Jiang Xueting smiled: “Aunt.” Madam Ye had already walked quickly forward, grasping Jiang Xueting’s hands in hers, her eyes actually brimming with tears: “My child, you’ve finally made something of yourself… it wasn’t in vain that our Pingjun back then for you…”
Pingjun said: “Mother, don’t say anymore.” Madam Ye quickly stopped speaking but couldn’t help shedding tears: “Every time I make osmanthus cakes, I think of you. I always wonder what Xueting would do if he wanted osmanthus cakes, since this child can’t stand anyone else’s cooking… Perfect timing – I made some this morning. Let me bring them for you to eat.”
Madam Ye walked cheerfully to the back room. Soon she brought out a plate of white osmanthus cakes, setting them on the table: “Pingjun, pour Xueting some tea. Xueting, please sit.”
Jiang Xueting’s gaze remained fixed on Ye Pingjun, not hearing Madam Ye tell him to sit. Madam Ye paused, thinking Xueting and Pingjun probably had more to say to each other. She said nothing and lifted the curtain to enter the inner room. Ye Pingjun took the tea canister from nearby. Seeing Jiang Xueting still standing there, she smiled: “Look, my mother still remembers your favorite foods. Go sit and eat.”
Only then did Jiang Xueting sit down, taking a piece of osmanthus cake from the plate. But he picked it up and looked at it twice before taking a bite, then put it back. Pingjun stood nearby pouring tea, her gaze only flickering slightly as she slowly placed the teacup before Jiang Xueting, smiling slightly: “This isn’t good tea – please make do with it.”
Jiang Xueting quickly picked up the tea and took a sip: “How is this not good tea? It tastes wonderful to me.”
Pingjun smiled slightly and continued: “You were asking about yellow roses earlier. Let me help you count how many we have in the shop. If there aren’t enough, I’ll go to the flower nursery nearby to arrange some for you.”
Jiang Xueting paused slightly, smiling: “A friend opened a jewelry store, so I’m preparing to send him a flower basket.” After speaking, he raised his eyes to look at Ye Pingjun, saying quietly after a moment: “Pingjun, why are you treating me so coldly?”
He finally asked this question. Ye Pingjun stood there silently, gazing at that entire row of flower stands, unable to say a word for a long time. Jiang Xueting set down his teacup: “Aren’t we childhood sweethearts? What does it mean for you to treat me this way now?”
She was suddenly stunned by the question, staring blankly at the flourishing colorful flowers filling the flower stands. A bewildered look gradually appeared in her eyes as her interlocked fingers silently twisted together, her heart feeling strangely tight. Childhood sweethearts… she had walked such a long circle only to return here, but everything seemed different now, even this person before her seemed different. Her palms slowly began to perspire…
Jiang Xueting walked over, taking her hands and calling softly: “Pingjun.”
Her eyes showed confusion and detachment as she said quietly: “Jiang Xueting, where I went these past two years, what I did – don’t you want to ask?”
Jiang Xueting smiled slightly, reaching out to embrace her and tenderly smoothing some loose hair at her temples, saying gently with a smile: “Silly girl, why would I ask about those things? They’re all in the past now. You’ve already returned.”
Her heart suddenly began aching in waves. A roaring sound echoed in her ears like tidal waves or ocean swells – that was the sound of Fengtai’s pines and cypresses rustling in mountain winds. During her long days at Fengtai, all of this had been imprinted in her mind: his footsteps, the faint scent of gunpowder on his body, his every bit of doting affection for her, even the child they had almost shared together…
So it was all in the past now?