Sour Orange

[Print edition available] On the day Chen Sui left Weaver Girl Town, he gave her a bag of oranges. "These oranges are so sweet. I know you like sweet things, so I brought them for you." The car picking him up kept honking outside, urging him on. She didn't even have time to say thank you. And the words she'd kept hidden for years had to remain unsaid, too: I like you. She ate the oranges he gave her. Each one tasted more sour than the last, just like every moment he didn't love her. - The summer she was sixteen, the children in town agreed to go together to burn incense at the temple. She saw the boy she'd secretly loved standing not far away, hands clasped, posture straight, eyes closed as he made a wish to the deity. She quietly prayed in her heart: Please make every wish Chen Sui makes come true. Please, please. The summer she was twenty-six, the day after they registered their marriage, Chen Sui took her back to the little temple where he'd made his wish. She asked, "Are you going to make a wish?" The sunlight outside the temple was soft and warm. Chen Sui turned to her, his handsome face as calm and devout as it had been back then. "I'm here to give thanks for the wish coming true." * Childhood friends / healing and redemption (just a little) / from school days to city life * Weibo: Shen Jingchun Next up: "Green Apple" Blurb: The summer after the college entrance exams, the childhood friend she'd secretly loved threw a party. They hadn't seen each other in years, and everyone else there was a stranger. Luo Qingqing was afraid she'd feel awkward going alone, so she dressed up carefully with a young girl's hopes in her heart and invited a classmate and friend to come along. The party was dimly lit. The boys and girls sat together playing flirtatious games. Li Chengyu looked over through the smoke, a cigarette between his teeth, and came over to greet them. His gaze lingered on her friend. He smiled, holding the cigarette in his hand. His handsome face had a roguish edge, and his manner was flirtatious, with a touch of mischief. "Your friend? She's pretty hot." - Her friend was a natural beauty, and Li Chengyu was outstanding from head to toe, a born winner. Everyone thought they were made for each other, and Luo Qingqing did too. She could only hide her feelings and, like everyone else, smile as she tried to bring them together. Unfortunately, she was too clumsy to keep her secret hidden. One day, Li Chengyu backed her into a corner, step by step. "If you like me, why are you pushing me toward someone else?" "Li Chengyu, I'm pretending. Pretending I don't like you." * Outgoing (or so she seems) × roguishly handsome flirt * Bittersweet before it turns sweet; childhood friendship turns into love * All content warnings are in the blurb. If you're not okay with them, don't read. Theme: Care about the growth of young people.