In early spring, in the third month, Shen Huayue, the famous flower girl of Fengshui County, received several flower-delivery orders. Amid the bright spring scenery, where early orioles competed for the warm trees, she met Wen Chenguang, a scholar who sold pork at a village butcher shop.
A large bunch of purple-pink parrot flowers, blooming in their full, playful glory, was delivered to his door.
With a smile, Shen Huayue politely offered her good wishes. "Young Master Wen, the sender hopes you'll be happy."
A branch of vivid, dewy peach blossoms, neatly trimmed and wrapped, was placed in his hands.
Shen Huayue smiled like a flower and exclaimed enviously, "Young Master Wen, peach blossoms symbolize romance. It looks like wedding bells may soon be ringing for you."
But within two days of each delivery, the flowers withered away, vanishing without a trace.
Unable to accept it, Shen Huayue hid near the butcher shop to find out what was going on.
"Parrot flowers are sweet, and they make a delicious soup when cooked with meat."
Wen Chenguang raised his cleaver and chopped off a piece of pork leg, weighed it, then casually broke off a few parrot flowers and handed them to Auntie Wang next door.
"Peach blossom and pig trotter congee promotes circulation, nourishes the skin, and strengthens the body."
Without a second thought, Wen Chenguang stripped the soft pink blossoms from the branch, wrapped them up with a huge, fatty pig trotter, and handed the package to Second Sister-in-Law Zhao, who had come to buy meat.
She had spent half a year carefully cultivating those fine flower varieties, only to see them cooked with pork?!
When Shen Huayue learned the truth, she was furious.
Shen Huayue angrily snatched the cleaver from his hand. "Are you really a scholar? Aren't scholars supposed to quote the classics, hold themselves aloof, and live above worldly concerns?"
Wen Chenguang, his greasy hand fresh from handling pork, calmly flipped through a book beside him. "If you can't fill your stomach, even the sages can't make sense."
Theme: Be content, yet keep striving; be gentle, yet steadfast
