Emotional long-distance relationship story
At the crowded station, she stood nervously beside him. He held her cold hand and looked into her eyes. “Bao’er, remember, I love you,” he said. The tears she had held back finally flowed. He gently embraced her, feeling a dull pain in his chest at the thought of their upcoming six-month separation.
With one hand pulling his suitcase and the other holding hers, they moved slowly forward with the crowd. He frequently turned back to check if she was safe. She followed him numbly, staring at his back in a daze. As the train whistle blew and the train moved farther away, memories replayed like a movie in her mind. She suddenly felt weak in her legs, squatting down and burying her head in her arms, letting the tears flow freely, her trembling shoulders revealing her emotions. Inside the train, looking at her disappearing figure, the same memories pierced his heart like swords. Those beautiful memories now seemed bittersweet.
(I)
In August that year, she walked into a strange campus alone with her suitcase, a relief from the gloom of the past month. He, caught in a dilemma, reluctantly came here under his parents’ pressure. That day, the sun was shining. They lay on the corridor, basking in the warm sunlight. They turned and smiled at each other, a strange feeling filling the air. In the long corridor, the sight of the girl in overalls with a slightly chubby face and a warm smile made him lose his composure.
That day, under the scorching sun, she watched him run on the court in a black tank top, his muscles prominently displayed, sweat dripping down, each drop touching her heart. He unknowingly broke into her heart. That day, he said all the girls called him Little Prince, and he asked her if she could be his princess. That day, he walked her home, she hugged him from behind, and he told her to hold tight on the slippery snow. She closed her eyes, counting his heartbeats as her head rested on his back.
That day, they sat side by side in front of the computer, his strong arms around her, her head on his chest, and he gently kissed her. That day, they argued, and she ran to her aunt’s house late at night. He frantically tried to get out to find her, but couldn’t. He didn’t sleep all night, and the next morning he got his friends to help find her. When she returned, he lightly scolded her, but she saw the joy in his eyes. He said he was worried sick, she didn’t believe him, and had everyone prove it. She kissed his face gently. T
hat day, their teacher talked to him about focusing on studies before the college entrance exam and changed their seats. They were separated by two people and an aisle. During the physical exam in the afternoon, in the dark, he gently kissed her. That day, they went to the riverside park, he asked her to play basketball, and she hugged him, preventing him from scoring, but he still did and smiled triumphantly.
That day, they called him to play basketball. He took her on his bike, she watched him shoot, entranced, and he patted her head, she wiped his sweat.
That day, they ate all the snacks in Beidaihe, leaving their footprints on every path. That day, they rented a tandem bike, strolling by the sea. That day, they walked barefoot in the cold sea, shivering and hugging each other for warmth. That day, on the bus to Shanhaiguan, she slept on his shoulder, and he gently supported her head back on his shoulder when it slipped. Half-asleep, she saw his gentle eyes. That day, they squeezed onto a bus, he held the railing, she hugged him, feeling safe in his arms.
That day, he said he’d stay up to talk, but her phone ran out of credit. She slept in the waiting room, numb, while he frantically searched for her. When she finally got back to the dorm, she saw over a hundred messages from him, and he’d contacted her friends too. When she said she was back, he told her to sleep. She broke down, crying in front of the computer.
That day, he held a big bear and her hand tightly, afraid she’d run away. While buying tickets, he kept checking to see if she was still there. That day, she cried hysterically in the waiting room, and he hugged her tightly, thinking he wouldn’t lose her this way. She asked him to let go, but he stubbornly refused. That day, the train was delayed. They smiled at each other, and he watched her happily jump around, full of affection.
(II)
In a strange city, strange campus, strange people, she lost her previous enthusiasm. She often thought of him outside the island. His voice over the phone sounded distant. She tried to reach out but shattered it, the fragments blown away by the wind. She hadn’t realized the distance between an island and the sea was so vast, causing their hearts to drift apart. Once, it was just two people and an aisle. Then it became a sea and an island. Now, it’s the distance between hearts. Back then, the distance was far, but their hearts were close. Now, their hearts have drifted apart.
They eventually separated, and the promises vanished in the wind. He developed a habit of visiting her space, feeling relieved seeing she was well, then gently clicking “delete visit record.” She had a habit of posting happy moments and quietly journaling her bad moods. Seeing her happy every day, his pain gradually faded. “Bao’er, be happy, wait for me,” he thought, imagining her.
In college, he didn’t waste time like others. He silently pursued his small dream for a beautiful future. Library, basketball court, dorm, cafeteria, the routine time slipped by. He still loved basketball, purely for the sweaty feeling. On the court, it felt like it was just him and the ball. He liked listening to the thud of the ball. He habitually looked at the stands, then realized she wasn’t there. He often thought of that evening, that long corridor, the girl in overalls with a warm smile.
Across the sea, she walked alone on a tree-lined path. Through the leaves, she saw a boy running on the court, and his shadow merged with his. Unconsciously, she sat on the stands, watching the boy in the golden sunlight, a sweet smile on her face.
When the boy left, he didn’t come to her as usual. She was startled, then laughed at her ignorance, wiping away a tear. People saw a girl sitting on the stands, hugging herself, then standing up and smiling brightly at the sun.
On campus, she, in a ponytail, white shirt, jeans, canvas shoes, liked sitting alone in the library with a book, a cup of milk, in the afternoon. He, with short hair, sportswear, basketball shoes, liked playing with his friends, a ball, a group of people, in the evening.
Across the sea, they lived their own lives. The sunny boy who loved basketball was always likable, receiving pink letters, warm milk, and little dreams from girls. Each time, he thought of her, how she used to bring warmth to him, that delicate touch. She pouted, complaining he wasn’t romantic, and he hugged her, letting her listen to his heartbeat.
Now, with the romantic gestures from other boys, she closed her eyes, searching for that heartbeat. In her world, that rhythm had become the most beautiful melody. It was their little romance.
Four years passed quickly. Since they parted, she hadn’t spoken to him, nor replied to his messages. Not that she hated him, but she feared revealing her feelings, her weakness. She wanted to show him her brightest side, fearing he’d see her sadness.
Despite the warmth from other boys, her heart always thought of him, instinctively rejecting them. She didn’t understand why, but her heart told her it was necessary. Some people are irreplaceable.
(III)
After graduation, he found a good job in a foreign company. After two years of hard work, he had a small house and car. It was time. He took out his phone and dialed the familiar number. His heart trembled with excitement as it rang. Hearing her voice, his heart softened. “I’m downstairs at your place, can you come down?” She hesitated for three seconds, then ran down in her slippers. Seeing the familiar yet strange face, she stared with wide eyes. He walked towards her, gently hugging her. “Bao’er, our home and car are ready. Let’s get married!”
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
