Romantic short story for couples: The Warmth Under the Umbrella
There was a young couple. The husband worked as a taxi driver, leaving early in the morning and returning late at night, while the wife stayed home, managing the household and taking care of their child. Such a home should have been warm and harmonious, but as time passed, complaints between them grew.
This time, another conflict arose.
The husband, exhausted from work, came home expecting dinner. But as soon as he walked in, the house was cold and quiet, and his wife was still on the bed playing with their child. This sight made him furious. It had been raining heavily all day, and he hadn’t taken a single break in order to pick up more passengers. His stomach had been growling, but he hadn’t even spent a few cents on a snack. And now, to come home and find that there wasn’t even a hot meal ready—he was livid.
He glared at her and asked coldly, “Where’s dinner?”
She glanced at him, “I haven’t cooked yet,” and then turned back to playing with the child.
“Don’t you know I need to eat?”
“Eat, eat, eat… What are we supposed to eat with the little money you make? Marrying you was the unluckiest thing that ever happened to me,” she shot back, her voice rising in anger.
Hearing this, he couldn’t hold back his frustration any longer. He rushed over and slapped her across the face.
The child, only four years old, was terrified and burst into tears. The husband thought to himself that he was out there working so hard every day, all for this family. No matter how much he earned, he understood his responsibilities as a man. He hadn’t wasted a single cent. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
“You dare hit me?” she screamed, covering her face. If it weren’t for the child crying out for “Mommy… Mommy,” she might have attacked him in return.
“This life is unbearable, I’m leaving!” She finally broke down, crying as the baby’s wails were drowned out by the pouring rain outside.
“If you want to leave, then leave! Stop crying like you’ve lost someone!” he shouted, his rage filling every corner of his heart.
She turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind her. The child’s cries grew even louder.
“Why are you crying?” he nearly roared at his child. Terrified, the child continued to sob, too scared to cry out loud.
The rain outside had not stopped since it began, growing heavier and noisier, like little stones beating against the window.
His mind was a mess. He slumped on the sofa, lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and then crushed it out angrily in the ashtray.
He picked up the child from the bed, realizing for the first time how the child’s body was trembling. Was the child really so scared? He felt helpless. He had never paid such close attention to the child before; it was always his wife who noticed when something was wrong. This time…
He suddenly thought of her. Usually, when he came home, hot meals were ready on the table. Could something unusual have happened today?
Looking at his adorable child, a fatherly tenderness welled up in his heart. He gently stroked the child’s face until the sobbing stopped. He wanted to sing a lullaby but couldn’t remember any songs. He used to find it funny when his wife sang to the child.
She was from another city. She had defied her family to be with him, leaving everything behind. In this city, she had no one but him.
Their courtship had been so beautiful. She was pretty, and he was handsome. Neighbors and friends would often compliment them. They went to parks, watched movies, and shared candied fruit together. Why had everything changed after marriage?
He recalled the moments they had shared, how wonderful she had been. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, deciding to go find her.
He grabbed an umbrella and rushed out. The rain poured down relentlessly, and the streets were almost deserted, as it was already late at night.
Where could she have gone? He searched everywhere she might be: the park, the cinema, the bookstore. But the cinema and bookstore were closed by now.
He walked to the Zhongshan Park, where they used to go on dates. He called out her special nickname, a secret just between the two of them. He suddenly realized how warm and endearing her name sounded, as if it was imprinted on his heart.
And there she was, sitting motionless, letting the rain soak her. She was on the marble bench they used to sit on together, sharing laughter and deep conversations.
He quietly walked over and held the umbrella over her head. She looked up at him, and as they stood under the small umbrella, their familiar faces and scents filled the space between them.
He gently wiped the rain from her face and pulled her into his arms, wanting to share his warmth with her.
“Let’s go home,” he whispered softly in her ear, holding her tightly as if afraid she might slip away. She suddenly felt like a small bird, nestled in a wide, warm embrace. It was a warmth she had long missed, and she couldn’t help but cry softly in his arms.
“Do you know why I didn’t make dinner tonight? Our baby was sick with a cold. I spent the entire afternoon at the hospital, registering and getting an IV for him. When we got home, he kept crying, and I had to keep playing with him to calm him down.”
“Then why didn’t you call and tell me?”
“I didn’t want to distract you from work. I knew you might have more customers in the rain.”
He gently placed a finger over her lips, stopping her from saying more. He understood everything now.
He took her hand, and they walked home together.
Under the umbrella, warmth filled the air.
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
