Stories: Love Under The Old Tree
The cold was biting. Qingzi threw on a black coat and hurried outside, braving the howling wind as she trudged through the snow, leaving behind deep, uneven footprints. She needed to reach the old tree at the mountain top before the snow got heavier, to tie a red ribbon inscribed with “Dongshan, I miss you.” The mountain path was difficult, full of bumps and obstacles. Yet Qingzi was happy because it was snowing.
The snow was heavier at the summit, bending the old tree under its weight, burying the lone grave beneath a thick layer of white. Qingzi took off her red gloves and carefully brushed the snow off the grave. She couldn’t damage the gloves; Dongshan had given them to her. Despite her hands turning red from the cold, Qingzi continued until the tombstone was clear. She said, “Dongshan, it’s snowing. Can you see it?”
Snowflakes danced and swirled in the air, covering the village deep within the mountains. It was the first snowfall of the winter, falling quietly sometime last night. When Qingzi woke up, the world outside her window was a blanket of white.
Standing before the grave, Qingzi took out the red ribbon and tied it to a branch overhead. It was the fifth ribbon. She smiled as she patted the snow off herself, put on her red gloves again, and sat down against the tombstone. She murmured, “Dongshan, I tied the fifth one.” But the only response was the cold wind, an old tree, a grave, and a young girl—how desolate.
Five years ago, when Dongshan was still a university student, they met. Dongshan was the only university student to come from this mountain village. He was very handsome, with a clear, innocent look in his eyes like a child. Qingzi was a typical city girl, with fair skin, and her parents were both professors, giving her an air of cultural sophistication. She was one of the top students in school, and they were in the same class, with Qingzi sitting in front of Dongshan.
Many boys pursued Qingzi, but she paid them no mind. Perhaps it was fate, or love at first sight, but Qingzi started noticing Dongshan behind her. He always spoke little and didn’t follow the trend of chasing girls. When Qingzi looked back at him, he always responded with a warm smile.
One day, Qingzi turned around and handed Dongshan a note that said, “I like you.” Her face turned red, and she didn’t know what his response would be. Her heart pounded so hard she thought it would jump out of her chest. She couldn’t focus on the lesson, lost in her shy cage until she felt a tap on her back. Turning around anxiously, she saw Dongshan’s familiar smile, but this time he mouthed, “I like you too.” Though silent, it was enough. Qingzi’s face broke into a smile.
From then on, they confirmed their relationship. Unlike other couples, they spent most of their time together in the library or during classes, occasionally throwing flirtatious glances. Dongshan’s smile turned from simple to doting. Sometimes, he would pat Qingzi’s head, saying, “Qingzi, let’s stay together forever, so I can always pat your head.” Qingzi enjoyed this brotherly love and always responded with a firm, “Hmm.”
In their senior year winter break, Dongshan took Qingzi back to his hometown. Qingzi was initially taken aback. The place wasn’t accessible by car, requiring a two to three-hour hike to reach Dongshan’s home. Dongshan walked ahead, pulling her along to ease her climb. Despite the exhausting journey, the beautiful scenery and Dongshan’s company made her happy.
The villagers, hearing that Dongshan brought a city girl home, came to see. They were warm and simple people, and they liked Qingzi, praising Dongshan for being promising and bringing home a beautiful, educated girl. Dongshan’s parents were overjoyed.
The next day, Dongshan took Qingzi to the mountain top. He said, “This was my favorite place as a child. Here, you can quietly enjoy nature. If you shout, you can hear the echo through the valley.”
Qingzi had never seen such a view: misty mountaintops surrounded by rolling peaks, and the most beautiful, the old tree with red ribbons fluttering in the wind. It must be hundreds of years old. In such a setting, she couldn’t resist shouting, “Ah…”
“It really echoes!” Qingzi exclaimed, hugging Dongshan in excitement.
Dongshan laughed at her silliness. “You’re such a little fool.”
“Who are you calling? I’m a talented girl!”
“Yes, my Qingzi is a talented girl. Do you know why I brought you up here?”
“To enjoy the scenery?”
“Besides that,” he pointed to the old tree, “those red ribbons were tied by me since I was a child. All my wishes are tied there. I naively thought that being close to the sky, passing gods might see them and grant my wishes. And it seems they did, because my wish came true!”
Qingzi giggled, “There’s no such thing as gods. I’m an atheist.”
As she laughed, Dongshan seriously tied a red ribbon with the words: “Dongshan holds Qingzi’s hand, and they grow old together.”
Qingzi was stunned, looking at Dongshan smiling under the old tree. She tiptoed and kissed his thin lips, a kiss like a dragonfly skimming water. It was their first kiss, and as they shyly recovered from it, snowflakes began to fall, dusting them with the first snow of the winter, beautiful and pure.
Dongshan led Qingzi into a cave under the tree, his resting place on the mountain. Watching the snow from the summit with his beloved was a moment not to be missed. Qingzi snuggled tightly in his arms, listening to his heartbeat and feeling his warmth. She preferred looking at her handsome lover over the snow.
Qingzi said, “Dongshan, I like you, like you very much.” Dongshan, taking his eyes off the snow, gazed lovingly at her, “I know, I like you very much too.” With those words, Qingzi kissed him again, not a light kiss but a deep one. Dongshan held her, placing her on the fur-covered stone bed, their hearts ablaze despite the snow outside…
In the afternoon, the snow stopped. Dongshan and Qingzi descended the mountain. In the cave, Dongshan had said, “Qingzi, let’s get married after the New Year, okay?” Lying in his arms, Qingzi nodded and softly said, “Okay.” Back home, he told his parents, who agreed, just waiting for Qingzi to inform her parents. A few days before the New Year, Qingzi went home and told her parents about her plan to marry Dongshan. They knew about her relationship and didn’t object, just waiting to pick an auspicious day.
But fate is fickle. A few days after returning, Qingzi received a letter from Dongshan’s family, saying Dongshan was gravely injured while saving a child hanging from a tree. She rushed to the hospital, where Dongshan was already in a coma. Hearing her call, he woke up, still smiling with his familiar doting look. His voice was weak, “Qingzi, I’m sorry. You must live well without me.”
Qingzi’s tears flowed uncontrollably, her voice trembling, “How can you leave me?”
Seeing Qingzi cry broke Dongshan’s heart. He wanted to wipe her tears but couldn’t. Smiling through his pain, he told her, “Don’t cry.” Then, he passed away, full of regret.
Qingzi leaned gently against him, not daring to exert force, afraid he would hurt. She tried not to cry out loud, but her tears wouldn’t stop, feeling a deep, heart-wrenching pain.
According to Dongshan’s wish, he was buried beside the old tree on the mountain top.
Five years had passed. For these five years, Qingzi stayed in the mountain village, where Dongshan’s presence lingered. Every first snowfall of winter, she would climb the mountain and sit silently by Dongshan’s grave.
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
