[The Unyielding Himalayan Blue Poppy · The Warmth-Loving Weeping Begonia]
When she was a child, the big sister who had returned to town from Tibet brought back a pressed Himalayan blue poppy.
She said the Himalayan blue poppy blooms only once in its lifetime.
She also said that no matter how harsh its surroundings, it would never let worldly conventions tame it.
After her family members passed away, You Qingmai was saddled with false rumors.
Everyone said she was cursed by fate.
Then she met Pei Yanchuan. How could she describe the feeling?
It was like parting the clouds to find sunlight.
Once you've seen the sun, how could you easily give up such warmth?
Later, at a temple, a friend asked whether she wanted her fortune told.
You Qingmai shook her head. She didn't believe in that sort of thing.
Fate had always been in her own hands.
"Once the move is made, there's no going back. If you've already made your choice, why ask why?", You Qingmai's motto
Pei Yanchuan met a very strange girl.
She wasn't the prettiest or the smartest person in the crowd,
but his gaze was always drawn to her, unable to look away.
He was slow, so slow that it took him a long time to realize how he felt.
But luckily, she was still by his side, and he still had a chance.
"The world is vast, with mountains and rivers stretching far and wide. If you can't climb the great mountain of life, then enjoy the journey.", Pei Yanchuan's motto
"Qingmai, do you have a wish?"
"To go to Tibet."
To see the Himalayan blue poppy with her own eyes.
To experience its tenacious vitality for herself.
"Pei Yanchuan, do you know why I compare you to a weeping begonia?"
You Qingmai asked, looking him in the eyes.
"Why?"
"Because it's used to describe a beautiful person."
"How shallow."
Pei Yanchuan found it amusing.
Only she knew that wasn't the reason.
Weeping begonias love light, warmth, and sunshine.
They're the opposite of her in every way, yet they have an irresistible allure.
Qingmai, take light steps. May you calmly and gracefully step over every obstacle you encounter in life.
Reader's Guide:
* Happy ending, single-couple romance, one-on-one
* School life; the heroine has a secret crush at first, then the hero pursues her
* No intimate contact while either character is underage
* The title comes from the Book of Songs: "I follow the river upstream, but the way is long and hard."
* Blurb written on March 6, 2025
Theme: While chasing the sun, strive to become the sun yourself.
