Spring Returns

Chen Youjia & Shen Zh lin

Shen Zh lin returned to Chongjin City after taking a vacation abroad.

He passed the school they'd attended together.

He walked up to the flower shop he'd bought for her.

It was still open.

He saw Chen Youjia wearing light makeup, her hair casually fastened at the back with a claw clip. She was sitting in a pale yellow beanbag chair, holding a cat and stroking its head. A few cats and dogs played together at her feet, rubbing against her trousers. She wore a loose, off-white sweater and a long skirt that fell below her knees.

He knew she loved cats and dogs. Her dream was to take in a whole bunch of strays.

He saw that she'd made her dream come true.

Chen Youjia was a freelance artist known in the art world as the Art Thief Chen. No one knew her real name. She might paint only one picture every few weeks or months, but all her paintings were of flowers. People offered astronomical sums, but she refused to sell.

One day, a news alert appeared on everyone's phone.

Chen Youjia had sold her series titled "100" to a famous domestic bridal company for one hundred yuan.

Rumors swirled.

Youchen Company held a press conference.

A reporter asked:

"President Shen, what's your relationship with the Art Thief Chen? People couldn't buy her paintings for a million yuan, but she sold them to you for just 100."

"That girl's stubborn. I had to beg her all night before she'd sell them to me."

"So what's your relationship with her?"

"Oh, she's my fiancee."

That night, Chen Youjia registered her only public social media account and posted an update.

"I'm the Art Thief Chen. I'm not the modest, unassuming freelance artist you all think I am. On the contrary, I'm pretty bold and domineering in real life. I have things I love in every dimension: the first, second, and third. And of course, in the third dimension, there's the person I love most. He accepts all my flaws. He knows I love flowers, so he sent me flowers for 100 days in a row. That's why this series is called '100.' I spent a thousand days completing these one hundred paintings, then sold them to him for one hundred yuan. My task is complete.

"We all have our own lives, and we should slow down and live them. This is my first post as the Art Thief Chen, and it will be my last. I'm done rushing around, and now I'm going to be someone who is loved. I wish you all peace, smooth sailing, and happiness in everything."

After they got home,

Shen Zh lin began loosening his tie as soon as he walked in, staggering over to Chen Youjia.

Chen Youjia smelled the alcohol on him and knew he'd been drinking a lot.

He asked:

"So the hundred was for me, right?"

"Are you touched, my little rose?"

"Why do you always call me your little rose?"

"It stands for passionate love."

When spring came, someone escaped from the darkness, from that terrifying, gloomy cave.

Spring came and went, then came again.

Some people escaped forever and never went back, while others lost their light and curled back into that place.

Luckily, he had her, and she had him. Together, they escaped.

Dawn was about to break, and all things were about to come back to life.

Look, spring is back.

He said, "I'm not leaving."

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