A Rose for Me

Everyone at Lichuan No. 3 High School knew that Sui Sui had pursued Song Jingchi for a full three years. Just as the aloof heartthrob was finally falling from his pedestal, Rose didn't seem to care. Her breezy remark, "I'm done playing," hit everyone like a slap in the face. Sui Sui left without warning, but Song Jingchi remained calm. He worked on his test paper without expression, saying nothing. When the classroom emptied, Song Jingchi finally stopped writing and crushed the plastic pen barrel between his pale fingertips. On the day she returned from abroad, Sui Sui never imagined the first person she'd run into would be Song Jingchi. She forced a smile and greeted him. His expression was cool. He lazily raised his eyes and glanced at her, looking so indifferent it was as if he were wondering who she was. Then Sui Sui watched him walk right past her and toward another woman. Her eyes suddenly stung. She'd intended never to cross paths with him again, but things didn't go as she wished. When the day came that she had to ask Song Jingchi for help, he turned her away three times. In the cramped car, Sui Sui sat bolt upright as Song Jingchi gave a soft laugh beside her. "Miss Sui, weren't you pretty stubborn last time? Ready to swallow your pride now?" Sui Sui pressed her lips together and secretly reached out to tug at the corner of his jacket. Song Jingchi's expression froze. He slapped her hand away. "It won't work. Don't try to charm me." In so many dreams, she'd assumed he'd forgotten long ago, until she saw the truth in his diary. "One day, I watched the sunset forty-four times." Everyone says people only grow fond of sunsets when they're sad. "Were you sad the day you watched the sunset forty-four times?" "I was, Sui Sui. But I watched the sunset more than forty-four times." Seven whole years, more than two thousand days and nights. Every time the sun set, I thought of you. But at last, the boy got to see his rose again. The final lines are from The Little Prince. vb@Mimi Juan Theme: Taming someone means risking tears.