I Gave You Peace, Yet Couldn't Give You Happiness

"May You Find Peace, Though I Could Not Keep You Safe": Zhou Yu'an × Gu Anran, the most beautiful regret of their school days.

He is Zhou Yu'an, the top student in his grade, gentle as water and always wearing a faint smile, like the warmest breeze of spring. She is Gu Anran, a lively, outgoing girl who loves art and likes to paint in the afternoon sunshine. Her smile shines like the stars. Their story began in their second year of high school. Zhou Yu'an was always quietly by Gu Anran's side, helping her with math, watching the sunset with her, and even holding an umbrella over her on rainy days.

“Zhou Yu'an, why are you so good to me?” Gu Anran once asked with a smile.

“Because you’re Gu Anran,” he replied softly, his eyes full of warmth.

Their love was like a summer breeze, warm and passionate. But after the college entrance exams, Zhou Yu'an received an offer from a prestigious university abroad, while Gu Anran had to stay in China for family reasons. On the day they parted, Zhou Yu'an held her tightly and said, “Wait for me to come back.” Gu Anran nodded, but the moment he turned away, tears streamed down her face.

Years later, Gu Anran became an illustrator, while Zhou Yu'an built a successful career overseas. They kept in touch now and then, but they could never go back to how things were. One day, at an art exhibition, Gu Anran saw a painting of herself and Zhou Yu'an in high school. It was titled "May You Find Peace". She stood before it, weeping, but Zhou Yu'an never appeared again.

The sunshine of youth still shone brightly. Their story, though, had ended that summer.