Mann this was a good conclusion to this short~ The author’s note seems to makes everything end on a bittersweet note, but the overall story is quite simple and sweet. Hope you enjoyed this short with me! If you’re wondering where you can read more short stories, you should definitely
This short was definitely designed to be a short; wouldn’t imagine it any other way ;3
Part Two
When their university admission notices came, w.a.n.g Xin excitedly called her. She had gotten into X University, Li Chengran had also gotten into X University, and Su Wan… had also gotten into X University!
She had initially said that they would never see each other again, but in a flash, those words became meaningless, as they fluttered about and disappeared.
Her family members were very happy that she had gotten into X University, and they granted Su Wan"s request that she had kept asking them for, for the last three years.
They allowed her to learn taekwondo.
Su Wan wanted to learn taekwondo solely because Li Chengran was also learning taekwondo.
She had finally gotten what she had always wished for. The only thing was, Li Chengran was in the advanced cla.s.s while she… was in the beginners cla.s.s.
As she ran around with a group of junior high students, wearing a white belt, Su Wan felt she had gotten too old. After a day"s practice, she felt she had already broken all her bones from fatigue, but when she was walking out of the building, she coincidentally b.u.mped into Li Chengran who was leaving his advanced cla.s.s.
Li Chengran looked at her, startled. Su Wan"s cheeks immediately reddened. "What… what a coincidence. You also happen to be learning here."
Every single person in their high school cla.s.s knew Li Chengran was learning here…
However, Li Chengran did not expose her lie and nodded, "Have you finished cla.s.s? We can go home together."
Su Wan went blank, "Oh, oh… uh, okay." Her heart was almost about to blossom with flowers.
Her house and his house were in the same direction. In the past, they had also returned home together via the public bus. Rarely would they not recognize anyone else on the bus. As they sat together, Su Wan could almost hear her own heart jump.
Actually, after they sat down together, they had not spoken much. Su Wan kept her head down, afraid to even peek at Li Chengran.
When she returned home, she had taken out her diary. Because she was too excited, Su Wan couldn"t write down a single word. Instead, she drew two children in her diary. One was her, the other was Li Chengran. They sat side by side, with Li Chengran looking outside the window while she looked at her own knees.
Looking at the two people who didn"t match, Su Wan felt her heart pump with scorching hot blood that warmed her entire body.
They had sat on the bus together ah.
Their arms were next to each other.
Their palms were so close to each other.
Su Wan covered her face, and rolled around on the bed happily.
Later after training, every time Su Wan pa.s.sed by the advanced cla.s.s door, she would always straighten her back and walk like she was walking on the red carpet. She would make sure she looked good, and walk slowly, glancing inside the entrance as she walked by. If she could secretly see Li Chengran"s figure in her eyes, she would feel so elated.
What did "But I have seen my husband, And how should I not rejoice?" mean 1? This was the very epitome of that phrase.
[1] "But I have seen my husband, And how should I not rejoice?" is a phrase that comes from the poem 風雨 (Wind Rain) from the Book of Poetry (詩經). The poem is a love poem. It is special because it uses the setting to depict the mood. The entire poem is 32 sentences, but the first two lines of every stanza begins with the setting. When the wind and the rain are battering at the same time, when the day is dusk, when the c.o.c.k crows randomly, a woman is longing for her husband. The wind and the rain descends and acts recklessly like her chaotic feelings. The dusky sky is just like the darkness of her mood, and the chaotic c.o.c.k crowing emphasizes the moodiness in the scene. At this time, her husband appears. How can she not be overjoyed? When she sees her husband, her chaotic feelings immediately become calm; when she sees her husband, it is like she has suddenly recovered from a heavy illness. In the beginning, the poem has so much depression, but later, it is full of happiness. The poem is full of dramatic changes, which serve to vividly create a feeling of pa.s.sionate love.
To read the poem, go
Later, Su Wan began to become unsatisfied with just seeing Li Chengran in the taekwondo building. One time when they came home together, Su Wan saw Li Chengran holding two sandbags, and she asked him what they were for.
Li Chengran answered, "It"s for heavy training. They build your strength."
Su Wan"s eyes brightened momentarily, "Can I borrow them for a few days?"
Li Chengran turned around and looked at her. The street lights outside the bus window streaked past, creating mottled light and shadows on their faces.
"I"ll give them to you then." He gave the sand bags to Su Wan.
Su Wan took them and her face immediately turned painful…the bags were… so…heavy…
How was she going to practice when these were so heavy?! She looked over at Li Chengran, but Li Chengran had already turned to look outside. Thus, Su Wan could only lug the two sandbags home.
There was no way she was actually going to use these sand bags to practice. She only wanted to borrow something of his, and then find an opportunity to return them.
But on the day she was to return the sandbags, Su Wan made a big mistake. She called Li Chengran"s cell phone, but he didn"t answer. He was probably at home, right? Thus, she called his home phone number, but who knew Li Chengran"s mom would pick up? Su Wan said she wanted to return Li Chengran"s belongings. His mother was very confused. "Isn"t Chengran at taekwondo practice?"
For a moment, Su Wan"s mind went blank, and she subconsciously said, "No, today there isn"t taekwondo cla.s.s."
When she finished, she realized something was wrong, but her words were like spilled water, and she could not take them back.
Mother Li hung up.
Su Wan worried for the entire afternoon.
When nighttime came, Li Chengran called her and asked her to return his sandbags.
Su Wan grabbed the sandbags, crestfallen, and looked at Li Chengran. Timidly, she handed them back. "What happened this afternoon…"
"This afternoon, I was out playing with Ah Mao."
Ah Mao was a high school cla.s.smate. They and a few others were usually together to play games at the internet cafes.
Su Wan knew she had done something wrong. She whispered, "Sorry… it was all a slip of my tongue… you weren"t scolded, were you?"
Li Chengran glanced at her and took the sandbags. However, he suddenly lifted his hand and rubbed her head for the first time ever. After he rubbed her hair so much, it turned into a nest, he said, patronizingly, "So dumb."
When he finished he turned around and walked off, almost as if he hadn"t bullied her just now.
"Hey! You!" Su Wan became subconsciously angry, but when Li Chengran had walked far away, she touched her head, and grabbed her hair as she laughed like a fool. Su Wan felt… there was probably no hope left for her.
Over the next few days, every night after she finished training Su Wan would always see Li Chengran outside on her way out of the taekwondo building. At first, she thought it was just a chance encounter, but later the feeling that Li Chengran was waiting for her became more and more obvious.
Even if the advanced cla.s.s didn"t have cla.s.s, Li Chengran would be waiting there for her after cla.s.s. They rode the bus back together.
Su Wan finally felt that her relationship with Li Chengran over summer break had made a bit of… headway?
One night on the way home, Su Wan mulled over this for a long time, when she finally summoned her courage, and stuttered, "L-l-li…"
Li Chengran looked back at her.
Su Wan"s face immediately flushed with blood. After a long time, her next words were left unsaid, and Li Chengran turned towards the front again. Su Wan became anxious, "Li Chengran…"
"Yes."
"How come… how come you"ve been waiting… waiting for me to go home these past few days?"
Li Chengran didn"t reply, as he continued to walk in the other direction.
Su Wan couldn"t be shy at this moment. She immediately lifted her legs and followed, "Li Chengran…Li Chengran!" In a moment of desperation, she tugged on Li Chengran"s clothes. Then, suddenly realizing what she had done, she hurriedly let go. After she let go, she couldn"t bear to let him go, so she anxiously held onto him again.
This was just like how it had been throughout this entire year. She was afraid when she grabbed onto him, but then she couldn"t bear to let go of him.
Li Chengran finally looked back at her.
Su Wan hung her head down. While she was still thinking about whether she should hold on or let go, a hand had already grasped her hand.
"With you asking so frankly, aren"t you afraid that the person you"re asking will become embarra.s.sed?" He said, but he didn"t seem the least bit embarra.s.sed. He made Su Wan perplexed, as if she could not process his words, "Plus, with such obvious actions, do you really need someone to explain everything to you before you"ll understand?"
Understand? She asked because she didn"t understand…
Li Chengran glanced at her. "You"re so dumb." As he said this, he became serious, "Su Wan, do you still remember when you called me one time and said you liked me?"
She remembered, she remembered it too vividly. She hadn"t even gotten a proper rejection to that love confession. How could she forget it?
"Is your love confession still valid?
"Is your love confession still valid?
"Are you still there?"
Su Wan wasn"t dumb, so she immediately turned red and said, "Yes yes yes."
Then, Li Chengran took out his phone. In a moment, Su Wan"s phone rang. Li Chengran had called her. Su Wan picked up her phone blankly, hearing Li Chengran say on the other end, "Su Wan, I like you too."
Su Wan started crying immediately, "What is this… how come you only replied today, how come…"
Li Chengran lifted his head to look at the sky, "I said I would reply to you at night."
He didn"t say which night…
And weren"t we supposed to be studying during junior year? What"s the point of thinking about trivial matters…
The author has something to say:
The story was based off of a story in real life, but the original story was a tragedy.
In reality, the girl secretly loved the boy for five years, but was never able to be together with the boy.
In the end, she let the boy and the girl he liked be together
Secret love is usually more oppressive in real life. In addition, it oppresses you everyday and at all moments. To take that first step is perhaps a good idea.
Furthermore, the last sentence is the truest sentence in this short story.