The Afterglow of the Sunset

“Li Xingran, do you know what the language of osmanthus flowers is?”

“The language of osmanthus flowers? Diligence and harvest?”

“I’m not telling you, you silly melon.”

A story dedicated to youth, memories, and the future. Orphaned at a young age, Li Xingran lives with his maternal grandfather. The difficulties he faces from his uncles leave him growing up in a cold and lonely world. The only person who ever brightens his life is his kind grandfather. Then, while the two of them are living together, a girl named Qin Sirou suddenly enters their lives. They meet in elementary school, but lose touch after starting middle school. When they meet again, they end up attending the same high school. Li Xingran discovers that the wealthy young girl is hiding a secret she can’t tell anyone. What is Qin Sirou’s family really like, that it has wounded her so deeply? What kind of story will unfold as the two help each other heal? They make many beautiful memories together at school. But partings are part of life. As he takes his first steps toward adulthood, Xingran is forced to set aside the love weighing on his heart when Qin Sirou’s father makes him an offer. Alone, he searches for a way to survive. As the years pass, the two ultimately find themselves unable to overcome reality. Each gets caught up in their own life, hiding their once-fervent love in their hearts and letting time slowly erase it.

Perhaps there is no such thing as perfection in this world; more often, there is only regret. Every encounter has its own meaning, and an imperfect ending cannot invalidate the youth we once cherished. Like the evening glow before sunset, though it will soon fade, it still shines in all its beauty before it disappears.