Pingjun's heart twisted painfully, her fingers unconsciously tightening around the cold buttons of his military uniform. "Let me go quickly—what if someone comes and sees us?"
Instead, Yu Changxuan held her even closer, smiling faintly. "I'd like to see who would dare approach."
She hardly dared lift her head to look at him, yet his gaze lingered on her temple, where a small wound had already healed. Softly, he said, "Pingjun, I haven't dared to see you all this time. I could only vent my anger on myself. From now on... I'll be more careful, alright?"
He was an intensely proud man, raised in such an environment that from birth till now, he had never spoken softly to anyone. Yet now, his words carried an apology, tinged with an awkwardness utterly unlike the carefree Fifth Master everyone knew. This only made her heart soften uncontrollably.
He said, "Pingjun, don't blame me. I was truly furious that day."
Ye Pingjun's stiff, tense fingers slowly relaxed. Her heart was a tumult of emotions, and she felt her eyes growing hot. "How could I dare blame you? I've fallen to this state—neither human nor ghost—who would I dare blame?"
Yu Changxuan said, "Still angry? Then let me make it up to you again. Once your mother recovers, I'll take you and her to Black Bridge to relax, stay for a few days. How does that sound?"
He had put so much thought into it—even knowing she had lived in Black Bridge as a child. Her nose stung, and after a long pause, she replied stubbornly, "I'm just an ungrateful wretch. There's no need for you to treat me so well."
Yu Changxuan laughed. "I insist on treating you well." He held her tightly, breathing in her warm, delicate fragrance. Softly, he murmured, "You have no idea how much I've missed you all this time—it's driven me nearly mad."
His tone was so tender, so deeply affectionate, that she suddenly grew fearful. It was as if a crack had split the frozen ice, and she felt herself about to fall. An indescribable dread surged within her chest, sharp as a blade, twisting her heart. Her cheeks, pressed against his chest, grew burning hot, and in an instant, unstoppable tears fell like broken pearls.
His voice, firm and resolute as stone, whispered beside her ear, "Pingjun, I won't let you suffer. I'll give you status. One day, I'll give you a proper place."
In the blink of an eye, it was New Year's Eve. The Yu Family Mansion was naturally a hundred times busier than usual. From daybreak, the steward Zhou Tai had the servants cleaning and tidying throughout the estate, adorning the halls with fragrant pine and cypress branches. Outside the main gate, flags of all nations were hung, and the covered corridor was strung with a long line of electric lights. Zhu Ma led the young maids in replacing the flowers on the stands. In such an affluent household, there was a dedicated greenhouse cultivating out-of-season blooms, always ready to adorn the mansion.That evening, the electric lights blazed brightly, illuminating the entire official residence as if it were daytime. The sound of firecrackers could be heard near and far. Ze Ning clamored repeatedly to go outside and set off firecrackers with the guards, but Madam Yu stopped him each time. After finishing the reunion dinner and watching the fireworks for a while, it was already around one o'clock in the morning. As Jin Xuan stepped out of the living room, she saw Yu Changxuan standing in the corridor, lost in thought. She smiled faintly and walked over, saying, "People say newlyweds are inseparable, like lovebirds. But you two haven't even settled anything yet—how can you already be pining like this?"
Yu Changxuan turned and saw it was Jin Xuan, replying with a laugh, "What are you talking about, Second Sister? I don't understand."
Jin Xuan pointed at him with her handkerchief-clad hand and chuckled, "Your soul has already flown off to Maple Terrace, yet you're still pretending here. Alright, Father and Mother have just gone upstairs to rest. If you have something to attend to, hurry along."
Her words struck a chord with him. Yu Changxuan turned to Jin Xuan with a smile and said, "Then I'll be off. If anything comes up, Second Sister, please cover for me." Jin Xuan nodded. Overjoyed, Yu Changxuan immediately dashed downstairs and out the main gate, where Wu Zuoxiao and others were already waiting with the car. He got in, and the car drove straight out of the official residence, heading directly to Maple Terrace.
On this New Year's Eve night, the sounds of fireworks and firecrackers were everywhere. The clamorous festivities made it hard for anyone to sleep. Ye Pingjun was utterly exhausted and had just drifted off on her pillow when she heard knocking at the door. Qiu Luo's voice came from outside, "Miss Ye, Fifth Master is here."
Ye Pingjun, her mind heavy with drowsiness, reluctantly sat up in bed and responded, about to get up, when the door swung open. Yu Changxuan strode in eagerly, but upon seeing her weary state, he froze. After a long pause, he said, "I was only thinking of seeing you, but I forgot how late it is—you must be sleeping."
Ye Pingjun replied casually, "You're always pampered and surrounded by admirers—how could you think of others?"
Yu Changxuan was taken aback and fell silent for a moment before saying, "Then why don't you go back to sleep? I..." Seeing the chill still clinging to him, Ye Pingjun rubbed her forehead and rose from the bed. "Are you hungry?" she asked. Yu Changxuan smiled, "A little. The meal at the official residence was too greasy—I only had a couple of bites."
Pingjun turned to Qiu Luo, who was standing nearby, and said, "Go boil some of the osmanthus sweet dumplings I brought back from East Benevolence Bridge earlier and bring them for Fifth Master to eat." Qiu Luo promptly acknowledged and left. Pingjun threw on a coat and walked over to sit on one of the sofas arranged in a row. Picking up the small box of glistening pearls, she turned on the small lamp with the multicolored gauze shade nearby. Noticing Yu Changxuan still standing there, she asked, "What are you doing standing there?"
Yu Changxuan chuckled and said, "I just came in from outside—the cold hasn't left me yet. You're not wearing much. If I come closer, you'll surely shiver."How clever she was. Hearing his words, she laughed, "So you've finally learned to consider others? Don't think I don't know—you're clearly displeased with my 'many stars surrounding the moon' comment and are using this to mock me. Fine, with Fifth Master having such a temper, I dare not say such things again."
He stood there with a faint smile, watching as she effortlessly exposed his thoughts. He simply walked over and said, "It's truly cold outside. If you don't believe me, feel my hands and you'll know."
He stretched both hands out flat, right in front of her. Holding a box of pearls, she tried to shrink back, but he caught her in an embrace instead. A wave of cold air enveloped her, mingling with the warmth, and she couldn't help but sneeze twice in succession. Pulled tightly into his arms, she flustered, "Sit aside, let's talk properly."
Releasing her, he chuckled, "I've brought you something nice. Take a look." He stood up and went outside, returning shortly with a pot of Hosta flowers in his hands. The slender jade hairpin flowers were in full bloom, pure as jade nestled among tender green leaves. She was momentarily stunned, her eyes filled with wonder, as he said, "I planted these for you myself in the greenhouse, timing it just right—neither early nor late—waiting for this day to bring them to you."
Outside was a bone-chilling winter, but the bedroom was as warm as spring. The pot of white jade hairpin flowers appeared gracefully before her eyes, the pristine blossoms like serene maidens, naturally elegant and exuding a delicate fragrance. The corners of her lips lifted, her gaze soft as water, and she smiled faintly. Yu Changxuan watched her and whispered, "So beautiful."
Thinking he meant the flowers, she reached out to gently stroke the tender leaves and said, "Of course these flowers are the most beautiful. Haven't you heard? 'The Jade Pool Fairy at the Banquet of Flowing Hues, lost her hairpin in drunkenness, and it transformed into a flower.' That's about the jade hairpin flower." Seeing her smile, her delicate profile like fragrant petals, a thousand charms swirling about her brows, her black hair cascading like a waterfall over the jade hairpin, he adored it all. Leaning closer, he said tenderly, "I've only heard, 'With lutes and zithers in harmony, all is tranquil and beautiful!'"
Her fingers paused lightly on the leaf, feeling his breath near her cheek. Just then, the door creaked open as Qiu Luo entered with a bowl of tangyuan, smiling, "Fifth Master, time for tangyuan."
Seizing the chance, she pushed him away but felt her wrist tighten—he had grasped her hand. Yu Changxuan's gaze fixed on Ye Pingjun's face, and without turning his head, he said calmly, "Leave!"
Qiu Luo immediately bowed her head and left.
Pingjun felt a surge of fear. Yu Changxuan held her hand, slowly leaning closer to whisper, "Your smile is truly beautiful. Smile for me again." His eyes held a mesmerizing light. She forced a flustered smile, likely a perfunctory one. He wrapped his arms around her and chuckled, "That one doesn't count."She was practically pinned halfway against the sofa by him, clutching the box of pearls against his chest as her heart raced like a frantic rabbit. Her entire face burned crimson, and she pleaded in a trembling voice, "The pearls will spill. Let me up." He chuckled, "Fine. I asked you to smile, but you refused. Don't blame me for what happens next."
Startled, she watched as he reached out to tickle her. Pingjun was instantly torn between embarrassment and panic—unable to fend him off yet helplessly gasping with laughter until her mind spun into disarray. Clutching the pearl box like a lifeline, she pressed it against him, her cheeks flushed and breath ragged as she begged, "Stop this... the pearls... they'll scatter..."
With a sudden sweep of his hand, the box of pearls cascaded from her grasp, scattering in a glittering shower across the floor. In that instant, an invisible grip seemed to seize her heart. He leaned in, his lips claiming hers, stealing the very air around them until she felt suffocated, teetering on the edge of consciousness. Frantic, she pushed against his chest with her fists, too overwhelmed to form words—uncertain whether fury or desperation consumed her. His fingers tangled in her dark hair, leaving no room for escape, forcing her to drown in this whirlwind of reckless passion...
It was too late to resist. He advanced like a conqueror plundering territories, while she retreated in disarray. The world spun before her eyes, sharp pain piercing through as though her very soul were being shattered and remolded. Gradually, she softened, reborn in the fire of his possession—no longer herself, but his.
Crystal curtains, crystal pillow, warm fragrance invites dreams, mandarin duck brocade. Slippery pearls trickled from her hand, soundlessly vanishing into the plush carpet beyond retrieval... Only the delicate scent of white jade hairpin flowers wove through their shared breaths, subtle and lingering.
How could such eternity find its vessel?
By late May, the escalating aggression from Fusang had grown unmistakable. They audaciously stationed troops along the Golden Mausoleum-to-Cloud Province railway and openly deployed elite forces to Cloud Province. Yet Chu Wenfu, chairman of the central government, repeatedly turned a blind eye, igniting nationwide outrage. Student protests and demonstrations surged like storm clouds, rallying against Fusang as political turmoil erupted abruptly.
Amid this standoff, Yu Changxuan was dispatched by Yu Zhongquan to lead elite troops from the Sixth Security Regiment into Cloud Province under cover of night. Employing both coercion and persuasion, Yu Changxuan skillfully pressured Fusang into withdrawing their forces from the Golden Cloud Railway within a fortnight, significantly calming public unrest. This groundbreaking feat drew global attention, marking Yu family's Fifth Master, Yu Changxuan, as a triumphant newcomer to the political arena. Upon returning from Cloud Province, he was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army, promoted to the rank of major general.Upon returning from Cloud Province, Yu Changxuan naturally went to his official residence first. It was already late at night when he hurried back to Maple Terrace, where Qiu Luo informed him that Ye Pingjun was still awake. Initially worried about disturbing her, he became delighted upon hearing this and went straight upstairs to the bedroom. As he pushed the door open, a wave of warmth greeted him. He saw Ye Pingjun sitting on the bed, wearing a soft pink nightgown, her jet-black hair tied into a small bun at the back and adorned with a gilded tourmaline hairpin. She was holding something in her hand, playing with it. Hearing the door open, she looked up and, recognizing him, smiled. "Sister Jin Xuan said you’d be back soon, and she was right. She just left, and here you are."
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