Story: The Love Stained by Rouge Fruit
Behind their house was a vast open field. With the first rain of early summer, an unnamed grass would grow wildly in the field. Soon, clusters of dark green oval leaves would bloom with small white flowers.
Those delicate, pale single-petal flowers were not beautiful, but after they withered, they would produce tiny fruit the size of beans. When the fruit ripened, a gentle squeeze would release a crimson juice, like rouge. So, she gave them a beautiful name—rouge fruit.
Whenever she had free time, she would pick some rouge fruit: then, imitating city women, she would carefully apply the rouge juice to her nails and toes. She was already young and beautiful, and with those vibrant colors, she became even more captivating.
He liked her delicate appearance after applying the rouge and also enjoyed personally applying the vibrant juice to her nails and toes. At first, he was clumsy, but gradually, he became adept, applying it more evenly and charmingly than she did.
That early summer, she went to the city to work with a few sisters. When the rouge fruit ripened again, she gradually forgot about the wild fruit that once brought her so much beauty.
She still liked to apply beautiful colors to her nails and toes, but now she used expensive nail polish bought from the supermarket. She also discovered that wearing lipstick made her even more alluring.
He continued to go to the field behind their house, picking handfuls of rouge fruit and storing them in a small wooden box in a cool corner.
These little fruits were easy to preserve and wouldn’t rot for half a month. However, to ensure the color of the rouge fruit, he would pick some fresh ones every few days, replacing the old ones.
His purpose was to have rouge fruit ready to adorn her beauty when she returned home. She sent more and more money home, but their meetings became fewer and fewer. He only knew she was working in a foreign-owned clothing factory.
One day, she suddenly called, her voice cold: “Let’s divorce…”
He was stunned for a long time before asking, “Why?”
She didn’t answer him, only saying, “I’m not who I used to be…”
It was a rainy evening when he finally found her at that hotel after much effort.
She was drinking with several customers, her lips painted crimson, and the fake colors on her nails were like invisible arrows piercing his eyes and hurting his heart.
Suddenly, he understood the meaning behind her previous words. He forcefully pulled her out of the private room.
She had drunk a lot, but the thick makeup couldn’t hide her panic.
After a long while, she asked, “Are you surprised?”
He shook his head bitterly and said, “I haven’t touched your money. But why have you become like this!”
She didn’t explain, only told him those were very powerful guests, and she couldn’t offend them. Saying that, she turned and walked back into the private room, no matter how he pleaded and pulled.
She drank herself into a stupor. Late at night, with the help of a colleague, he finally managed to carry her back to her rented house.
She cried, lying motionless on the bed, letting her tears wash away the alcohol in her body. He, as before, held her hair with one arm, watching her fall asleep with tears.
Then, he took a towel soaked in warm water and carefully wiped off the remaining lipstick from her lips, and then wiped the paint off her nails and toes.
He took out a small wooden box from his pocket, opened it, revealing the rouge fruit he had picked for her. Just as before, he carefully applied the natural and vibrant juice to her nails and toes.
Bright sunlight poured in through the gaps in the curtains.
When she woke up, the first thing she saw was his hand, stained red by the rouge fruit. At that moment, she raised her hand and found that the long-missed rouge had also stained each of her nails and toes.
She froze, then knelt in front of him, crying, “If I come home…will you still pick rouge fruit for me like before?”
He held her tightly, tears streaming down his face…
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
