Eternal Love and Separation
This was the fifth time in a year that Zhao Daping had come to this city, not for sightseeing but to search for a girl named Xiao Wei. Xiao Wei had been his girlfriend during their university days. After graduating last year, Xiao Wei returned to her hometown, which was in another city, because her family’s home was facing demolition, and she needed to help them with some matters. She and Zhao Daping agreed that as soon as she finished, she would come back to him.
But one year passed, and Zhao Daping had been waiting all this time. This time, he was determined not to return home unless he found Xiao Wei. However, in the vast sea of people, Zhao Daping had no idea where to start. When he called Xiao Wei’s phone, it had long been disconnected. Refusing to give up, Zhao Daping rented a cheap apartment and spent most of his days wandering the streets with a backpack, convinced that if fate were kind, it would eventually let him meet Xiao Wei again.
One evening, after a long day of walking, Zhao Daping arrived at the gate of a park called Fengming Lake. Exhausted and hungry, his vision suddenly went black, and he collapsed. In his daze, he seemed to catch a glimpse of a familiar figure, which brought him great joy, but before he could call out, he fainted.
Zhao Daping woke up to the sound of someone calling his name. “Xiao Wei, it’s really you!” He hugged the girl in front of him, tears streaming down his face. “You’re so foolish. Is it really worth all this for a girl?” Xiao Wei sighed softly. “No!” Zhao Daping held her tightly, unwilling to let go. “Tell me, why haven’t you contacted me for a whole year?” Xiao Wei pushed him away coldly. “For no reason, I just didn’t feel like it,” she said with indifference. Zhao Daping was stunned; the girl in front of him seemed like a stranger, so different from the girl he had once loved so passionately.
After a long silence, Zhao Daping finally asked Xiao Wei where she lived and what she did for work. “I live in the most beautiful place in this city. As for my job…” Xiao Wei tilted her head as if trying to smile but failing. “I do something related to love.” Zhao Daping felt disappointed, as this answer didn’t really explain anything.
“It’s getting late. I have to go,” Xiao Wei said, walking a few steps before turning around. “By the way, I’m very busy with work. Don’t come looking for me unless it’s necessary.” Zhao Daping’s heart shattered. He had a feeling that after this night, he might never see her again. “Did you change your phone number? Can you give it to me?” he asked hesitantly. “I haven’t used a phone for a long time. If I need to, I’ll find you,” Xiao Wei replied without looking back.
As Zhao Daping had feared, several days passed, and Xiao Wei didn’t come to find him. Could their love really be gone forever? Zhao Daping refused to believe it. He went to an internet café and spent hours searching all the websites related to the city. Finally, he found out that the most beautiful place in the city was Fengming Lake Park, the same park where he had seen Xiao Wei that night.
Zhao Daping returned to the entrance of Fengming Lake Park and asked a security guard if Xiao Wei worked there. “This is a park, not a matchmaking agency,” the guard frowned. “There’s no such thing as a job related to love here, and I’ve never heard of a girl named Xiao Wei working here.” Scratching his head, the guard suddenly pointed at a large stone in the park and grinned. “That’s the only thing in this park related to love. Looks like you had a fight with your girlfriend, huh? I’ll tell you, this stone is magical. They say if a couple carves their names on it, they’ll surely end up together.”
Could it really be that magical? Zhao Daping was skeptical but curious, so he went over to check. The stone seemed ordinary, but it was indeed covered with the names of many couples. As he watched, a few more couples came by to carve their names on it.
Zhao Daping felt a pang of sadness. Without Xiao Wei by his side, no matter how magical the stone was, it would be in vain. Night fell, but Zhao Daping continued to wait at the park entrance. He was convinced that since he had seen Xiao Wei here once, if he stayed long enough, she would appear again.
On a drizzly night, Zhao Daping huddled at the park gate, soaked to the bone. In a daze, he saw a familiar figure walking out of the park. “Xiao Wei!” he shouted excitedly, but she didn’t seem to hear him and kept walking. Zhao Daping called her name again and ran after her, but no matter how fast he ran, there was always a distance between them. Eventually, they reached a crossroads. Xiao Wei turned around, gave him a sorrowful smile, and stepped into the street.
Suddenly, a speeding car came rushing towards her. “No!” Zhao Daping screamed, but it was too late. The car hit Xiao Wei, and she flew into the air like a kite with a broken string before slowly drifting down. Her belongings scattered everywhere, including her broken phone.
Zhao Daping screamed and woke up. “It was just a dream!” He wiped the rain from his face, relieved, but then his heart tightened again. If it was a dream, why had it felt so real?
“No, it wasn’t a dream,” a voice said softly. Zhao Daping looked up to see Xiao Wei standing in front of him, tears in her eyes. “I was killed here by a car a year ago. You should know now, no one can help us. We can never be together.”
Now everything made sense. Zhao Daping also began to cry. “I love only you in this lifetime. Even if you’re a ghost, I’ll stay with you. There have been stories of love between humans and ghosts throughout history.” Xiao Wei shook her head sadly. “But I don’t even have the right to be a ghost.” She pointed to the stone in the park. “That love stone took in my wandering soul. They say if I can help 100 couples find love, I’ll be able to come back to life. But fate played a cruel trick on me—after 99 couples carved their names, the stone became full, leaving no room for the 100th couple.”
Zhao Daping didn’t believe it. He dragged Xiao Wei to the stone, insisting that he had seen a large blank space on it the other day. Sure enough, the stone had exactly 99 names carved into it. “Look,” Zhao Daping said happily, “there’s still plenty of space!”
He picked up a sharp stone and carved Xiao Wei’s name into the empty space. Then he handed her the stone, his eyes full of hope. “It’s fate keeping us apart,” Xiao Wei said, her voice full of sorrow. “Look again.”
Puzzled, Zhao Daping turned back to the stone and was shocked to see that the space was now only large enough for the two characters of Xiao Wei’s name. “You won’t even carve your name beside mine? You said you loved me, but it was all a lie!” Zhao Daping’s heart broke, and he stumbled back in despair.
Xiao Wei wept. “I’ve already carved your name on my heart. In this life and the next, no one else will take your place!” Tears mixed with the rain, blurring Zhao Daping’s vision. When he opened his eyes again, Xiao Wei was gone.
In his grief, Zhao Daping hugged the love stone tightly, as if holding Xiao Wei herself. He closed his eyes, and in his daze, he imagined himself as a wisteria vine, entwined around the love stone, guarding Xiao Wei forever.
Suddenly, a loud crack startled Zhao Daping awake. The love stone had split in half. The sky was already bright, the rain had stopped, and a crowd had gathered around. “Look, how strange,” said an elderly man. “There’s a red heart inside this stone!” Zhao Daping approached and, upon seeing it, burst into tears. Xiao Wei hadn’t lied—her heart truly bore his name.
Just then, a shout rose from the crowd. “A girl’s collapsed! Quick, help her!” Zhao Daping rushed over to find a beautiful girl lying on the ground, foaming at the mouth. Checking her breath, he realized she wasn’t breathing. Remembering his first-aid training, he cleared her airway and began mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
After a moment, the girl began kissing him back. Blushing, Zhao Daping was about to pull away when a familiar voice whispered in his ear, “Silly boy, it’s me. Don’t move.” Overjoyed, Zhao Daping realized it was Xiao Wei’s voice. She had come back to life.
Their love had moved the heavens, and the 100th couple carved on the love stone was Zhao Daping and Xiao Wei.
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
