Simple Love Story: You Are My Eternal Ordinary Life
Old Chen called, essentially saying that he will be on leave during the week of the Qixi Festival. He deliberately emphasized the words “Qixi” loudly, afraid I didn’t hear them.
For a woman who spends all day working, coming home, and taking care of children, holidays are just drowned out by other information such as parenting, beauty, and chicken soup, unless celebrated with great fanfare.
Mr. Chen is a soldier working at a military base 60 kilometers away from home. Yes, we are a long-distance couple. We met in 20xx, dated for four years, and have been married for a year and a half. Our marathon of emotions has progressed step by step, from old friends and lovers to newlyweds. But we never see each other more than 50 days a year. Occasionally, I visit him at the base, but it’s just for a quick meal.
Life is ordinary, so ordinary that hearing “Qixi” from his mouth brings tears to my eyes.
Thinking back to Qixi in 20xx, Old Chen gave me my first Valentine’s gift. That year, I was working in a township in our county. On the afternoon of Qixi, it rained heavily. Because of a project the next day, I had to drive to the farthest mountain village in the rain to post a notice. At that time, to use a fashionable term, my mood was also raining. Just the day before, Old Chen called to say that his unit didn’t give leave and told me to buy a cake and cook a dish at home to keep him company.
When I returned to the unit that day, I suddenly saw someone waving at me from afar. The rainy visibility was poor, so I didn’t pay much attention and drove in through another gate. In the rearview mirror, I saw him chasing my car, holding a bag in one hand and an umbrella in the other, all soaked. I stopped the car, and unexpectedly, Old Chen stuck his head in, giving me a shy smile.
The gift he gave me that day was a laptop.
Fortunately, it was in a rainproof bag. Although the outer cardboard box was already soggy, I was still very happy when I opened it. Back then, I was so easily touched: what a big surprise. Old Chen patted my shoulder and said, “Now we’re dating, so there’s still Valentine’s Day gifts. After we get married and have children, we’re no longer lovers, and there will be no more gifts.”
That year, I only remember two things: one, he came a long way to spend Qixi with me, and two, I really wanted to beat him up. Shouldn’t married women be cherished too? But what he said was true: after all, life will settle into the mundane routine of daily necessities.
Since then, almost every Valentine’s Day, he would dismiss me with phrases like “no time,” “spend it alone,” or “sorry.”
This year was an exception. On the phone, he said, “Guess what gift I will give you?” I didn’t respond and was silent for a long time. Suddenly, he said, “I haven’t decided. Last time I came back, I saw the rice bin was almost empty. How about I buy a bag of rice? Can that be considered a gift?” Fine.
Suddenly, I remembered a quote from Sanmao: “Love, if not translated into the practicalities of dressing, eating, counting money, and sleeping, will not easily last.”
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
