The Lament of Autumn

She gave a light smile. "Oh, congratulations then."

She took the ring he had given her from her pocket, placed it along with the box in his hand, and without saying another word, turned to fetch a bowl to serve him some cooked rice cakes. Her expression was extremely calm as she looked up and smiled at him. "Would you like some chili?" Jiang Xueting glanced at her, then suddenly stood up from the stove. His handsome face actually took on a faint, ashen pallor. He stood there silently for a long while before finally sneering coldly, "What right do you have to treat me like this?"

Ye Pingjun was slightly taken aback. "What do you mean by that?"

Jiang Xueting merely lifted his head and smiled faintly. "You know very well what I mean!"

She replied indifferently, "I don’t understand."

Jiang Xueting let out a "hmph," his face revealing an arrogant expression. "Then I’ll make it clear for you. I don’t mind that you’re greedy for vanity and followed Yu Changxuan. I’m even willing to accept you despite your tainted reputation—what more do you want from me?!"

Her body trembled.

It was as if a massive ice nail had suddenly pierced straight down from the top of her head, nailing her firmly to the spot. Staring in shock at Jiang Xueting, who continued to sneer, she cried out, "What did you say?"

Seeing her sudden loss of composure, Jiang Xueting felt as if he had seized her weakness. This reversal of fortunes made him unable to contain his smugness. He said lightly, "There’s no need to act all high and mighty in front of me! I’ve known about that matter for a long time. I don’t care what your reasons were back then. The fact that I don’t despise you now is already more than you deserve—and yet you dare put on airs in front of me? Since you were willing to be kept by Yu Changxuan, what difference does it make to be kept by me instead?"

Ye Pingjun’s heart sank heavily, the corners of her lips trembling slightly, not to mention the overwhelming sense of grievance that instantly invaded her entire being. She was utterly speechless. Seeing her like this, Jiang Xueting continued, "And don’t bother trying to defend yourself. That day at 'Jiang’s Place,' didn’t the boss say it himself? You’re the young mistress of the Yu family, and you were even pregnant with Yu Changxuan’s child. Did you think I was a fool?"

In an instant, she was overcome with a mix of anger and fury, her hands shaking. Another thought suddenly rose in her mind, sending a chill down her spine. She blurted out, "You were upstairs at the time?"

Jiang Xueting said coldly, "Of course. I was upstairs, and I heard everything clearly."

Her entire body trembled, her face turning deathly pale. "There was only one military policeman downstairs at the time, and you and your companion were upstairs. You were upstairs listening as that person tormented the child in my womb, and you did nothing?"

Jiang Xueting retorted angrily, "It wasn’t my child—why should I care?!"

That one sentence was enough.

She felt her hands growing numb. He stood before her, smug and self-righteous, repeatedly claiming she had wronged him, that he was magnanimously taking her back—only to find her so ungrateful. A roaring sound filled her ears, and her body grew cold. The child had slowly slipped away from her... It was as if a knife had been plunged straight into her heart, yet she was powerless. That excruciating, heart-wrenching pain was something she would never forget for the rest of her life.She stood up, her lips trembling, "Get out!"

Jiang Xueting abruptly pointed at her, resolutely declaring, "Ye Pingjun, don't you regret this!"

His furious roar actually struck her as laughable. She retorted, "Why should I regret it?!"

Jiang Xueting let out a cold laugh, deciding to pierce her heart with the cruelest words, "Do you really think the Yu family still rules the world? Just wait and see—I will never remain subordinate to others. I will rise to prominence sooner or later. Now that even Yu Changxuan has cast you aside, what gives you the right to act so high and mighty in front of me?! If you reject me today and come begging for my favor in the future, don’t expect me to take you back."

Ye Pingjun suddenly raised her hand and shoved the entire row of flower stands to the ground. With a thunderous crash, what seemed like a mountain of flowers collapsed into a chaotic mess on the floor. Even Jiang Xueting was startled by her decisive action and took a step back.

She had used such force that her hands now trembled uncontrollably. In the end, she was consumed by rage and hatred, her chest aching as if slashed by a knife, making it hard to breathe. Yet she managed to utter clearly, "Jiang Xueting, I wish you every success in climbing the ladder. Now, get out of my sight!"

By evening, when Madam Ye returned from outside, the flower shop had already been tidied up. However, the flower stand that usually stood in the center of the shop was missing. Slightly puzzled, Madam Ye called toward the inner room, "Pingjun." In an instant, Ye Pingjun emerged from the inner room, looking freshly washed and composed. She said to her mother, "Mom, I’m going to the Bai residence."

Madam Ye knew it was Bai Liyuan’s birthday that evening and nodded with a smile. "Once you go, Liyuan will surely insist you stay over. You’ve been working too hard lately—go and have some fun."

Ye Pingjun nodded in agreement. Madam Ye observed her attire: a pink cotton dress with embroidered collar details, an overcoat, and a pair of crescent satin shoes. It still seemed a bit too plain. "It’s someone’s birthday, a joyous occasion after all. You should dress more festively," she remarked. Then, taking a pair of flower scissors, she clipped a smaller pomegranate blossom from a nearby plant and carefully tucked it into Ye Pingjun’s hair bun. After gently smoothing her hair, she smiled and said, "There, now you’re ready to go."

Ye Pingjun smiled back and left the shop. At the entrance, she hailed a rickshaw. Glancing back, she saw her mother standing at the shop’s doorway and called out, "Mom, I’m off."

Madam Ye nodded. The rickshaw puller quickly set off, moving at a brisk pace. As they approached the corner of Ximen Alley, Ye Pingjun, seated in the rickshaw, looked back and saw her mother still standing at the flower shop entrance, watching her from afar. Behind her mother, the pomegranate plant blazed with vibrant red blossoms, brilliant as fire and glowing like sunset clouds.

Bai Liyuan’s home was a grand Western-style house in the French Concession, surrounded by black iron railings. As soon as Ye Pingjun entered, she found the house filled with her classmates from Mingde Girls’ School. It turned out Bai Liyuan had invited only her schoolmates to this birthday party, even excluding her own parents.Bai Liyuan was dressed in a beautiful apricot-red silk cheongsam with floral patterns, featuring a stand-up collar and butterfly frog closures, draped with a dazzling Indian fringed shawl, looking very lively. The moment she saw Pingjun, she cheerfully ran over, took Pingjun's hand, and sat her down on the sofa. A servant from the Bai family brought two cups of coffee. Bai Liyuan chattered away with Pingjun for a while before suddenly asking, "Pingjun, have you seen Jiang Xueting lately?"

Pingjun smiled and slowly shook her head. Bai Liyuan, blunt as ever, said, "You really shouldn't see him again. He's not the same as before. Relying on the Mou family's influence, he's become an important figure in the government now. I've heard he's been getting very close to the Second Miss Tao lately. Just the other day, I saw them dining at a Western restaurant. He even made a fuss because Miss Tao doesn't like red roses, specially sending the waiter to buy yellow ones. The way he fawned over her—I hardly dared tell you, afraid you'd be upset."

Pingjun picked up her coffee, took a slow sip, and gently set the cup back down. She smiled faintly at Bai Liyuan, who was watching her with concern, and said, "Why would I be so easily upset?"

Bai Liyuan laughed. "Exactly! I knew you were strong-minded, able to take things in stride." As they were talking, a clear, cheerful laugh came from nearby. "So this is where the birthday girl is hiding."

Bai Liyuan turned around and immediately smiled. "Brother Xie!" She took Pingjun's hand and stood up, introducing her cheerfully, "Pingjun, let me introduce you. This is the eldest son of my father's old friend Uncle Xie Yun—Xie Zhaohua."

Pingjun glanced at Xie Zhaohua in his Western suit and was taken aback. At the same time, Xie Zhaohua exclaimed, "Ah!" and blurted out with a laugh, "I know you."

Pingjun also smiled. "I know you too."

Bai Liyuan looked puzzled. "What are you two talking about?" Xie Zhaohua turned to her and explained, "This morning, when I was going out, I accidentally knocked over Miss Ye's pot of winter plum blossoms. Who would have thought we'd meet again here—'enemies often cross paths,' as they say."

Bai Liyuan giggled. "What a coincidence! Truly, foes are fated to meet." Knowing Bai Liyuan's tendency to speak without filter, Pingjun tugged at her sleeve and said, "Don't talk nonsense. What 'enemies'? If it weren't for Mr. Xie, I might have been hit by a car. If anything, Mr. Xie is my savior."

Xie Zhaohua's gaze lingered on Pingjun's face for a moment before he smiled slightly and said, "I wouldn't dare call myself a savior. Although this is the first time Miss Ye and I have formally met, Liyuan has told me so much about you that we're practically half-friends already."

Bai Liyuan stuck out her tongue playfully. "Brother Xie, you've sold me out again with that remark. Well, I suppose I'll never shake off my reputation as a chatterbox. I might as well accept it." Her words made both Xie Zhaohua and Pingjun laugh. The three of them sat down and chatted for a while. Xie Zhaohua, who had just returned from studying medicine abroad, shared stories about foreign customs and cultures. His humor even made Pingjun laugh, while Liyuan was doubled over with laughter.

Suddenly, an excited shout came from the entrance of the hall: "Great victory! Great victory! Our army has won a great victory!"The three of them turned simultaneously to see a girl who had just rushed in, still wearing her overcoat, standing in the center of the hall. She was scattering freshly printed newspapers filled with the scent of fresh ink throughout the room while excitedly shouting, "Just off the press—a great victory at the front! Our government's central forces have successfully broken through. Jiang Songren, commander of the Xiao Family Army, has defected to Yu Changxuan on the battlefield. The areas along the Xibei Railway have been occupied by our troops. The Xiao Army has retreated to Xiangping Pass, making a desperate last stand, but it's nothing more than a dying struggle."

This explosive headline spread like wildfire, stirring exhilaration among the crowd. The hall immediately erupted into a clamor of voices, with someone exclaiming loudly, "Fifth Master of the Yu family has been suppressed by the Xiao Family Army for over half a year—finally, he can hold his head high!"

Bai Liyuan was also overjoyed. She stood up and ran to the band on one side. Her father, who doted on his only daughter, had specially hired the Russian band from the Xiangxi Hotel to play at their home. Bai Liyuan spoke a few words in Russian to the bandleader, who nodded and raised his baton, striking up the "Ode to Joy."

The tune of the "Ode to Joy" was inherently exuberant, and with a group of innocent, spirited students singing hand in hand, the atmosphere grew even more lively. Suddenly, from upstairs, a shower of colorful paper scraps fluttered down like snowflakes, filling the air and pushing the excitement to its peak. Liyuan turned back happily and called out, "Pingjun!"

Pingjun responded with an "Ah," turning her head from beside the sofa to look at the joyful Bai Liyuan. She waved slightly and smiled. Amid the overwhelming commotion, she stood out as a point of tranquility within the fervor. Xie Zhaohua gazed at her for a moment and said softly with a smile, "Liyuan told me you two are very close friends. I thought you'd have similar personalities, but I never expected you to be so different."

Pingjun replied with a smile, "Liyuan is a lively person."

Xie Zhaohua chuckled and said, "Miss Ye is a quiet one." Pingjun lowered her head, looking at the coffee cup in her hand, and after a pause, murmured lightly, "I truly wish I could be as simply happy as she is."

Noting her hesitation, Xie Zhaohua said gently, "There's no need to envy her. Each person has their own merits. I, for one, greatly admire quiet girls like Miss Ye."

Pingjun looked up and met the warmth in Xie Zhaohua's smiling eyes. She was momentarily taken aback, then lowered her head again, silently staring into her coffee cup without another word.

By evening, Bai Liyuan insisted that Pingjun stay overnight at her home. Having partied hard, everyone was exhausted. After exchanging a few words with Liyuan and confirming their plan to visit the Qin River together the next day, Pingjun retired to the guest room. Glancing at the grandfather clock, she realized it was already around one in the morning. Feeling weary, she lay down on the bed, her eyes heavy with sleep. Just as she was drifting into a haze, a sudden, inexplicable panic jolted her awake. From outside the door came a flurry of hurried footsteps, and someone called out, "Miss Ye, Miss Ye, open the door quickly!"