A Few Flavors of Love

He first met her in late spring, early summer on the campus. The sun was shining brightly, warm and gentle, and the maple trees along the shady path were lushly growing. The tender leaves were as smooth and radiant as her sixteen or seventeen-year-old face.

Someone called her name, and she turned back with a radiant smile. He happened to catch the smile on her face—bright eyes, brows full of joy, and white, neat teeth spreading in a beautiful curve. The sunlight danced on her face, just like spring was blooming on her cheeks. He had never seen a girl with such a brilliant and beautiful smile before, and suddenly a line of ancient poetry came to his mind: “A single smile can captivate a hundred beauties.”

At that time, they were still in the dark days of senior year. The endless daily exercises and overwhelming exams made him feel exhausted and powerless. Her fresh and bright smile undoubtedly gave him a strong boost in such a dull and dark backdrop.

Although the school explicitly prohibited romantic relationships in high school, he secretly fell in love with her, and she liked him too. Thus, their mutual affection spread secretly during the dark days of senior year, like an undercurrent.

Later, she was admitted to medical school and, a few years later, became a skilled doctor with a plain face. He also grew from an inexperienced boy into a mature and steady man through several years of experience, smoothly entering a government office. During this time, they, like other couples, experienced quarrels and laughter. In the sixth year when the maple leaves turned green, yellow, and green again, they entered the hall of marriage.

Four years later, on a morning when the maple leaves turned yellow, they divorced.

The reason for their divorce was simple: they couldn’t tolerate each other’s taste in food.

She was a doctor, and her profession made her never eat street food or go to restaurants without sterilized utensils. Her reason was that those foods and utensils were not clean. Additionally, she didn’t eat or allow him to eat food that was too hot, too spicy, too oily, too salty, or overly stimulating. Daily light soup and bland water, along with her constant white coat and unadorned face, made her heavy-flavor-loving husband feel that she was bland and even boring.

He was a civil servant, holding power, and people constantly sought his help. Frequent social engagements, today with this host, tomorrow with another. He loved heavy flavors—fresh seafood, spicy hot oil, fried and sautéed—all entered his mouth. Accustomed to rich and spicy food, he couldn’t stand the light soup and bland water she made at home.

He communicated with her, but she had her reasons—for health. His repeated endurance finally reached its limit. He started not eating at home, initially for one or two meals, then gradually for all three meals a day. Their communication also decreased, from “Have you eaten?” “Yes, what did you eat?” to just “Have you eaten?” and eventually not even bothering to ask.

Finally, their marriage ended on a night when he returned from a social engagement. Long-term indifference and accumulated resentment erupted like a flood breaching a dam in a moment of lost reason. Both were stubborn and unwilling to yield to each other, and neither spoke all night.

The next day, they went to the Civil Affairs Bureau and exchanged their red marriage certificate for a dark green divorce certificate.

From a joyous marriage certificate to a cold divorce certificate, their marriage lasted four years.

From strangers to lovers, to spouses, and back to strangers, everything returned to the starting point. Ten years had quietly passed.

When they were in love, love was the smile on her face, the immersion in full-hearted joy and happiness.

Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “