This is a tender narrative that spans thirty years, telling the story of Shen Xingmian and Lu Zhiyan's long love journey from their youthful days in school to their long life together.
When he was seventeen years old, under the moonlight on the rooftop, he sorted out the wrong question book for her and secretly drew her focused profile; in the university studio, she was the inspiration for all his creations, and he was the most loyal reader of her words. After graduation, the two of them joined hands and took root in Beijing. They planted sunflowers in a small rental house, and used the aroma of sweet and sour pork ribs and the dim light of the table lamp late at night to piece together their daily fireworks.
In his exhibition, every painting hides her figure; in her collection of poems, every line reflects his tenderness. From the proposal under the magnolia tree in spring, to the wedding vows in the ginkgo forest, from the warmth of a family of three to the quiet years of reunion, their story has no dramatic ups and downs, but is full of affection in countless small moments - the hot soup waiting for overtime nights, the detailed notes during the prenatal check-up, the shared burdens when the children cry, and the hands that are still clasped even when the hair is gray.
As time goes by, the sunflowers in the sunroom bloom every year. They have grown from being young and surrounded by children and grandchildren, and have used their lives to prove that: the best love is when you understand my love and I guard your dreams. Tenderness settles in the firewood, rice, oil and salt, and illuminates each other in the long river of time. This is a story about companionship and perseverance, and also about the most authentic appearance of love and family.
Purpose: Campus Redemption Essay