Love on the Left
Someone once told me that love always arrives when you’re not paying attention and will slip away just as easily.
I don’t know if love ever came to me when I wasn’t paying attention, or if it slipped away just as unnoticed. But what I do know is that I’m very lonely, longing for the love of the opposite sex to the point of obsession. I spend a lot of time online, and I have a beautiful username: “Poppy.” This username has indeed attracted many men to add me, and I accept all requests. The first thing I do when I log in every day is respond to all my online messages. After chatting for a while, some would naturally suggest meeting in person. I always refused, because a girl like me, looking like a dinosaur, was terrified of “dying upon seeing the light.”
Those who have seen me would comfort me, saying, “You’re adorably chubby. If this were the Tang Dynasty, you’d definitely be a beauty.” I would laugh it off with a silly grin, trying to conceal the deep surge of frustration inside that made me want to punch someone.
Being fat isn’t my fault, but whose fault is it? I don’t understand why an extra bowl of rice relieves my stomach pain but brings bloatedness to my body. This out-of-tune figure simply can’t capture the attention of men.
However, there was one person who often stared at me. His name was Wang Shuai, though he wasn’t handsome at all. We were coworkers, sitting face-to-face for five years. I looked at him like a wall, seeing him as if he were invisible, while his gaze at me was like looking at a plump flower—whether it was appreciation or mockery, I couldn’t tell.
We talked casually, like family, or even more like same-gender friends. I would even ask him to buy sanitary pads for me when I had my period. When I was heartbroken, I would cry all over his back, rubbing my nose on him and teasing him about why he wasn’t good-looking. I’d joke that if he were handsome, he’d already have many wives.
He would say softly, “One is enough for me.”
“What kind of girl are you looking for? I can introduce you to someone,” I perked up, sliding off his back and squatting in front of him, intrigued.
“She has to be kind, not too tall, but definitely chubby,” he said with a playful smile.
“Get lost…” I thought he was mocking me. Who says being fat is my fault? I was born with a close relationship with food. Even if you held a knife to my throat, I wouldn’t give up this bond. I’m a person who values relationships deeply.
He left with a sullen look, his eyes showing a hint of disappointment as if he hadn’t finished saying what he wanted to. I didn’t care about him. His antics had lifted my spirits, pulling me out of my bad mood. Whatever, life goes on! Who needs a man? It’s not like I won’t be able to have children without one! Oh wait, I actually can’t. The thought made me laugh out loud at my own silly musings.
Shaking off the sadness, I went back online, enthusiastically chatting with various net friends, enjoying their fleeting compliments. In their praise, I felt like I was transformed into a beautiful woman, walking gracefully across green meadows.
“Ah-choo, ah-choo,” someone trying to add me coughed on my computer. I clicked on it and saw the username “Falling in Love with a Chubby Girl.” My curiosity was piqued immediately. I accepted and asked, “Hey handsome, you’ve fallen for a chubby girl, and you’re still chatting online? Aren’t you afraid your chubby girl will turn into a swan and fly away?”
He sent me a smiley face and replied, “Not worried! With her figure, it’d probably take some effort to fly.”
“Ha! Interesting. Tell me, why do you like chubby girls? Men who like chubby girls are practically extinct these days.”
“Not at all! You just don’t understand men. Deep down, many men actually like fuller women. They’re soft to the touch, and holding them feels like hugging a pillow.”
“Really? But all the chubby girls I know are desperately trying to lose weight because they can’t find a partner. In the end, they look half-dead and way older, making it even harder to get married.”
“That’s because they’ve met the wrong people. It’s men’s egos at play. They feel like they can’t proudly show off a chubby girl, so when they see a fuller figure, their desire to continue fades.”
“Exactly! That’s hitting the nail on the head. Love between strangers depends heavily on appearances, right?”
“Yes! Absolutely, you’ve summed it up perfectly.”
“Hehe! Don’t praise me, go compliment your chubby girl! If she gets mad and stomps her foot, it might cause an earthquake.”
“You’re so funny. Can we be friends?”
“Sure! Message me anytime.” With that, I went invisible. After a long time typing, hunger had struck. I needed to eat, or I’d feel weak. I wasn’t about to let myself faint from hunger.
Just as I started eating, my phone rang. It was Wang Shuai.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Having dinner,” I replied.
I could hear him chuckling over the phone.
“What are you laughing at? Never seen a hungry girl before?” I asked, annoyed.
“Haha! Never seen a hungry girl, but I’ve often seen shrews,” he teased.
“Get lost… It’s late, are you calling just to disgust me?”
“No, I have something to tell you. I’m leaving for Beijing tomorrow for training.”
“Fine, go ahead then. You want me to see you off or something?” I replied.
“I’ll be gone for six months…”
“That’s great! I won’t have to look at your face for a while.”
“Do you hate me that much?”
“Yes! Now go!” I hung up the phone, but then, to my surprise, I started sobbing uncontrollably. Even I was shocked. It was the first time in my life I lost my appetite.
Feeling terrible, I went back online and saw that the guy “Falling in Love with a Chubby Girl” was still there. I messaged him, “Hey, buddy, you really in love with a chubby girl?”
“Yes! Always have been. But she doesn’t understand, she never notices my love. I feel like such a failure,” he replied.
“Really? So you’ve been secretly in love? You’re like a dinosaur, practically an antique.”
He smiled bitterly, “Now I’m even more certain she doesn’t love me.”
“Why?” I asked.
“I told her I was leaving, and she seemed really happy, even said she didn’t want to see me.”
“Ah?”
“Wang Shuai?” I typed.
“Yes.”
“Is it really you?”
“Yes.”
“You… what are you telling me?”
“I love you…”
I was speechless, tears filling my eyes.
In the end, Wang Shuai didn’t leave because he got busy. Busy planning our wedding. Yes! Our wedding.
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
