I Didn't Give You Flowers

/Print edition updates on Weibo: @Xiao Qiexi 1. The day Shi Pian and Chen Hanqiu walked through the school gates together, the whole No. 1 High School went wild. Chen Hanqiu was the school's pride, ranked first in his grade for three years running and a top contender in major national competitions. Admirers pursued him one after another, and he was also the school's last line of defense against Shi Pian. Shi Pian tugged on the boy's school uniform tie, her eyes bright and shining as she asked with an innocent air, "They're all so afraid of me. Why aren't you?" Chen Hanqiu lowered his eyes and leaned lazily against the wall. His dark, lowered gaze fell on her rosy cheeks. He replied casually, "Because no one can say no to you..." Shi Pian blinked and waited for him to continue. "...when you threaten them." Shi Pian: "..." Unhappy, she jumped onto Chen Hanqiu's back and counted on her fingers. "You promised me..." "First, you'll walk me to and from school." "Second, you won't talk to other girls." "Third, you'll give me a bouquet on graduation day." The boy hooked an arm under her knees and answered in a lazy, gentle voice, "Got it." On graduation day, Shi Pian put on her favorite dress and ran toward the school building, climbed the long flight of stairs, and hurried to her classroom. From inside, she heard two voices: "Tsk, you even brought flowers. You really like Shi Pian, huh?" "...Like her?" He gave a soft scoff. That day, Chen Hanqiu waited with the flowers until nightfall. Shi Pian never came. 2. They met again at a banquet six years later. The banquet hall was packed with distinguished guests, and the crowd had two hot topics: first, Chen Hanqiu had risen to a high position at a young age; second, the little princess of the Shi family had returned from abroad. Sadly, neither of the people at the center of these conversations was there. In the garden behind the banquet hall, Shi Pian looked coldly and impatiently at the person blocking her way. "Is this supposed to be funny? If you have something to say, say it." Chen Hanqiu lowered his eyes, his throat dry. After a long pause, he said quietly, "I... never gave you flowers." Those words made Shi Pian's eyes turn red. She thought that her youth had finally come to an end. [Reading Note]: Happy ending, slow-burn slice of life. Theme: Stand on the shoulders of giants and gaze up at the stars.