Waiting for Snow in the South

(A short story about secret love and healing, featuring school bullying, depression, a realistic setting, and two top students)

When she was twelve, Xu An met Xu Yan. They were rivals, deskmates, and each other’s salvation. They were so well matched that even their surnames were the same...

Xu An fell in love at first sight.

Xu Yan said, “Who are you? We’re not close. I’m not adding you. Thanks, excuse me.”

In seventh grade, Xu An bravely pursued love.

Xu Yan said, “We can give it a try.”

In eighth grade, they fell out and fought whenever they saw each other.

Their homeroom teacher merely remarked, “If you two class monitors want to argue, shut the door. Don’t embarrass yourselves in front of the other classes.”

In ninth grade, they became deskmates. Then came graduation.

Xu Yan said, “My dear Chinese class representative, let me copy your high school application, would you?”

Tenth grade.

Xu Yan said, “An’an, you have to keep moving forward bravely.”

Eleventh grade.

Xu Yan said, “If we’re caught in the same snow someday, then we’ll have shared a lifetime together.”

Xu Yan said, “An’an, I’ll wait for you. I won’t let you lose.”

In the end, Xu Yan said, “Xu An, keep moving forward. Don’t look back.”

On February 22, 2022, Xu An waited for the first heavy snowfall of early spring in the south, but she would never again see that bright-eyed, beautiful young man...

Truthfully, people in the south long for snow because it’s so rare. But they were both mistaken. Snow isn’t at all like it is in TV dramas: it doesn’t pile up on your head and turn your hair white.

Snow in the south is soft and powdery, nothing like the snow up north. Before it can even land on your head, it melts into drops of water. In the end, were they really unable to grow old together?