The Lament of Autumn

Pingjun was taken aback and asked, "What did he order this time?"

Madam Ye smiled and replied, "This time it's Coral Tuberose, along with jasmine, White Orchids, and such... all out-of-season flowers. He really spares no expense... Look, he paid the deposit without hesitation. Oh, and since he was so generous, I gave him a string of White Orchids for free. This past month, we've really relied on big customers like him to keep our business afloat..." Before her mother could finish, Pingjun interrupted, "Which way did he go?" Madam Ye pointed south, "He went that way, just left." Upon hearing this, Pingjun snatched the stack of banknotes from her mother's hand and dashed out.

She hurried southward, and as soon as she turned the corner, she spotted a military vehicle parked there. Four Guards stood on either side of the car, while a tall, straight-backed young soldier stood with his back to her, speaking to a man in a Western suit and a fedora—the very same man who visited Pingjun's flower shop every four or five days to place lavish orders for expensive blooms.

Pingjun stepped forward, but one of the Guards immediately barked, "Halt!" She stopped in her tracks and softly addressed the soldier with his back to her, "Mr. Gu."

The rigid figure paused slightly before slowly turning around. Beneath the Military Cap was a handsome face—indeed, it was Gu Ruitong. In his hand, he held the string of White Orchids that the man before him had just handed over. Seeing Pingjun, Gu Ruitong froze for a moment before speaking, "Miss Ye, Fifth Master said you must not suffer."

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

Gu Ruitong replied, "He's fine. He was slightly injured during the battle at Xindian before the New Year, but it's not serious." He hesitated before adding, "Miss Ye, Fifth Master is... different from before..."

Pingjun said, "He was always so spoiled. If he can learn some humility and gain experience through hardship, it might be for the best." Gu Ruitong merely nodded without another word. Ye Pingjun then stepped forward and handed him the stack of banknotes, smiling, "I've already left Maple Terrace. I don't want this money."

As the money passed into Gu Ruitong's hands, he noticed a small patch of frostbite on her slender finger and blurted out, "Your hand..." Ye Pingjun covered the frostbitten finger with her other hand, brought it to her lips, and gently blew warm air on it before smiling faintly at Gu Ruitong. "There, it's better now."

After saying this, she turned away from Gu Ruitong and walked quietly back toward her home. Her slender figure remained graceful and upright, her dark braid hanging down her back. The pale yellow velvet ribbon at the end swayed gently with her steps, like a small dandelion blooming in early spring.

Pingjun was always accustomed to staying busy. Over the past few days, she had moved several potted plants from the flower nursery, arranging the newly acquired potted plants in warm rooms to create a lush, vibrant atmosphere. She also placed freshly cut plum blossoms in vases, displaying them in the small window of her shop front.That afternoon, Madam Ye had gone out. The small stove in the flower shop was lit, filling the space with cozy warmth. Pingjun sat by a small flower stand inside the shop, tending to a bleeding heart plant. Behind her stood a massive flower rack piled high like a mountain of blossoms, positioned directly opposite the shop entrance. As Pingjun worked busily, she heard someone standing behind the large flower rack ask, "Do you have yellow roses?"

Pingjun turned her head. The towering flower rack slightly obstructed her view, but she could make out a figure standing there. She replied with a smile, "Yes, how many would you like?"

"One hundred and eight."

Hearing this, Pingjun knew it must be a substantial order. She quickly set down her watering can, circled around the flower rack, and addressed the person standing in the open space with a smile, "Such a large quantity might be difficult to gather at once..." Her gaze settled on the person's face, and her complexion instantly turned pale. She even took a step back. The man standing in the center of the shop wore a light gray trench coat and leather gloves, his eyes gentle yet hinting at a chivalrous spirit—it was Jiang Xueting.

Jiang Xueting was equally startled upon seeing Pingjun, exclaiming involuntarily, "Pingjun." In his haste to approach her, he accidentally kicked over a small Spring Welcoming Bonsai. With a "crash," two Guards carrying rifles rushed in from outside, calling out, "Minister Jiang."

Jiang Xueting turned and waved a hand, saying, "It's fine. Wait for me outside." The two Guards responded with a "Yes!" stood at attention, gave a rifle salute, and turned to leave.

Jiang Xueting turned back to Pingjun, emotionally stepping forward to grasp her hands, his brow filled with laughter as he repeatedly said, "I've finally found you. What a joke—we exchanged several words without recognizing each other."

Seeing his unreserved smile, Pingjun smiled faintly in return and said, "Indeed. And you broke one of our shop's flowerpots—remember to compensate me." She withdrew her hands from his and turned to tidy up the small overturned Spring Welcoming Bonsai. Jiang Xueting watched her calm demeanor, his own agitation only growing. Without hesitation, he stepped forward and pulled Pingjun into an embrace, excitedly saying, "Pingjun, where have you been all this time? I've been searching everywhere for you..."

Perhaps because he had just come in from outside, the chill still clung to him. Pingjun stiffened, feeling as if the embrace had frozen her to the bone. Even his voice seemed to carry a coldness. He was smiling, yet Pingjun felt an unfamiliar chill. She could hardly control the urge to escape his arms when suddenly, footsteps sounded outside, followed by Madam Ye's astonished voice, "Xue Ting."

Pingjun quickly broke free from his embrace, turned around, and called out, "Mom."Madam Ye's gaze rested on Jiang Xueting. Having lost his parents at a young age and being unwelcome in his elder brother's household, Jiang Xueting had practically grown up in the Ye family. Madam Ye had shown him the nurturing care of a mother, raising him with deep affection. Jiang Xueting smiled and said, "Aunt." Madam Ye quickly stepped forward, clasped his hands in hers, her eyes glistening with tears. "You've finally made something of yourself, child... It's no wonder our Pingjun once..."

Pingjun interjected, "Mother, don't say anymore." Madam Ye immediately fell silent but couldn't hold back her tears. "Every time I make Osmanthus Cake, I think of you. I always worry—what if Xue Ting wants to eat Osmanthus Cake? This child can never get used to anyone else's cooking... Luckily, I made some this morning. Let me bring it for you."

Beaming with joy, Madam Ye hurried to the small room at the back and soon returned with a plate of white Osmanthus Cake, placing it on the table. "Pingjun, pour Xue Ting a cup of tea. Xue Ting, please sit."

Jiang Xueting's gaze remained fixed on Ye Pingjun, so absorbed that he didn't hear Madam Ye's invitation to sit. Madam Ye paused, realizing that Xue Ting and Pingjun likely had much to discuss, and without another word, she turned and lifted the curtain to enter the inner room. Ye Pingjun picked up the tea caddy from the side and, seeing Jiang Xueting still standing, smiled and said, "See, my mother hasn't forgotten your favorite treats. Go sit and have some."

Only then did Jiang Xueting sit down. He picked up a piece of Osmanthus Cake, examined it for a moment, took a bite, and then set it back down. Pingjun stood nearby pouring tea, her eyes flickering briefly before she slowly placed the cup in front of Jiang Xueting and said softly, "This isn't particularly fine tea, but please make do with it."

Jiang Xueting quickly took a sip and replied, "What do you mean it's not fine? I think it's wonderful."

Pingjun gave a faint smile and continued, "Weren't you looking to buy yellow roses earlier? Let me count how many we have in the shop. If there aren't enough, I can get more from the flower farm nearby to make a bouquet for you."

Jiang Xueting hesitated for a moment before smiling. "A friend of mine has opened a jewelry store, so I wanted to send a flower basket as a gift." After speaking, he lifted his eyes to look at Ye Pingjun, then said in a low voice after a long pause, "Pingjun, why are you treating me so coldly?"

He had finally asked the question. Ye Pingjun stood there silently, gazing at the entire row of flower shelves, unable to utter a word for a long time. Jiang Xueting set down his teacup and said, "Aren't we childhood sweethearts? What does the way you're treating me now mean?"

The question stunned her. She stood there dazed, staring blankly at the lush, vibrant potted flowers covering the shelves. Her eyes gradually clouded with confusion, her intertwined fingers twisting silently, and her heart tightened with unease. Childhood sweethearts... She had wandered so far, only to return, yet everything seemed different now—even the person before her had changed. Slowly, her palms grew damp with sweat...

Jiang Xueting walked over, took her hand, and whispered softly, "Pingjun."Her eyes were filled with confusion and detachment as she whispered softly, "Jiang Xueting, where have I been these past two years? What have I been doing? Aren't you going to ask?"

Jiang Xueting smiled gently, pulling her into his embrace. With infinite tenderness, he smoothed the stray strands of hair at her temples and said softly, "Silly girl, why would I ask about those things? They're all in the past. You're back now."

A sudden ache throbbed in her chest, and in her ears echoed a roaring sound—like tidal waves, like ocean surges. It was the sound of the pines and cypresses at Maple Terrace rustling in the mountain breeze. During her long stay there, every detail had etched itself into her memory: the sound of his footsteps, the faint scent of gunpowder on him, his every doting gesture toward her, even the child they had almost shared...

So, were they all just things of the past?

Love had faded, and everything had changed.

Pingjun possessed a somewhat masculine determination in her character and approached everything with earnest clarity. She managed the small flower shop exceptionally well, so much so that even Jiang Xueting would sometimes tease her, saying she had truly taken on the demeanor of a little boss.

One afternoon, as Pingjun returned from delivering several potted plants, she noticed a car parked outside the shop. Stepping inside, she found Jiang Xueting already there, chatting with Madam Ye. On the table were walnut pastries from the renowned "Daoxiangcun" bakery and the traditional Jinling delicacy, Five-color Cake. Seeing Ye Pingjun return, Madam Ye smiled and said, "Ping'er, you're back just in time. Xueting says he wants to take you to the mountains for a spring outing."

Pingjun walked over, picked up a piece of the small cake, and said with a laugh, "The sun is almost setting. What kind of outing is that? I'm not going." Madam Ye replied, "Xueting is so busy these days, yet he still thinks of taking you out. How can you keep making excuses?"

Jiang Xueting turned to Pingjun with a smile. "Don't be lazy. Auntie is a devout Buddhist—let's go to the mountain and pay respects at the Guanyin Pavilion, alright?" Seeing she couldn't refuse, Pingjun smiled and said, "Alright then."

Jiang Xueting, having been promoted under the mentorship of the elder Mr. Mou, now served as the Minister of Propaganda for the Jinling Government and was a key member of the party. His status was naturally significant, and he was always accompanied by guards whenever he traveled. This time, however, he brought Ye Pingjun out without any guards, driving her himself to the suburban Guanyin Pavilion. He parked the car at the foot of the mountain, and the two began ascending the stone steps. All around, the mountain trees stood bare, and the chilly spring wind blew relentlessly. Though it was early spring, the grass remained patchy and sparse. After a few steps, Jiang Xueting said, "It's so cold, and you've been busy all day. Why don't we hire a sedan chair to take us up?"

Ye Pingjun laughed. "We're here to pay respects to Guanyin. Taking a sedan chair would show a lack of sincerity. Besides, we used to climb these steps one by one before—can't we do it now?" Jiang Xueting smiled and reached out to support her. "I'm just worried you'll get tired."