Selected Family Love Story :The Earthquake that Fulfilled Their Love
At that time, she was overwhelmed. Her father had passed away, her career was in shambles, her marriage had fallen apart, and misfortune seemed to relentlessly hurl itself at her. She was exhausted, both physically and mentally, and the world seemed devoid of color.
Every night, she trudged back to her cold home, her legs too heavy to move. Several times, she thought of throwing herself down the stairs, feeling utterly unable to continue.
Fortunately, she was still young and strikingly beautiful. Shortly after her divorce, a colleague suggested setting her up with someone.
She didn’t refuse, thinking it might be the most mundane yet practical solution to her predicament. She only had two conditions: the person must be sincere and have a stable economic foundation. Everything else could be overlooked. She no longer wanted a life of instability, just a stable home.
She met him, the head of a company, who owned a car and a house. His previous wife had passed away, he was dark-skinned and stout, and twenty years older than her. At their first meeting, she bluntly asked, “Can you still have children?”
He was taken aback, his face flushing red. He nervously rubbed his hands together for a while before stammering, “Well… I think so…” Before he could finish speaking, sweat was already dripping down his face.
The reason she asked was because she knew their age difference was too great, and a child would stabilize the family. She didn’t expect that this seasoned businessman would be so shy and nervous like a young boy. She immediately concluded that although he was old, he was honest and dependable.
He offered the stable and affluent life she needed, and she possessed the beauty and talent he desired. Each took what they needed, and they got married. Their marriage, unrelated to love, was calm and uneventful.
She stopped working, fulfilling her duties as a wife at home. Every day, she cooked different dishes according to recipes, kept the house spotless, reminded him to take his medicine, and accompanied him on walks. He pampered her, renovated her family’s house, sent her younger brother to the best university, and even invested in a factory in her hometown under her name.
She accepted his kindness but couldn’t bring herself to love him. Like all couples who respect each other as guests, they were merely companions in life. Her heart was like a small castle, never opened to him.
That day was no different from usual. The early summer sun in the north was shining brightly, and a gentle breeze was blowing. She was sound asleep in her soft bed when suddenly, the bed began to shake. She woke up from her dream, feeling dizzy, and immediately saw the ceiling light swaying violently. Alarmed, she realized: it was an earthquake!
She jumped out of bed, in her nightgown and barefoot, and ran outside. The stairs were already crowded with people rushing out. She followed the crowd down but suddenly remembered she hadn’t taken her phone. She ran back, grabbed her phone, and dialed his number while running out again. She couldn’t get through; there was no signal. Her heart sank, and she kept redialing stubbornly, but still no signal. She tried his office number, but it was constantly busy.
The square downstairs was also filled with people, and her phone still had no signal. She suddenly thought that a landline might work better. She quickly ran back again, the hallway now empty, the building still shaking slightly.
Afraid to use the elevator, she climbed up to the 18th floor, cold sweat dripping from her head, her legs weak. In the end, she almost crawled back home.
The phone at home was ringing frantically. She rushed to pick it up and heard him shouting, “Honey, are you okay? Don’t be scared, I’m coming back right away. Get downstairs and find a safe place…”
Holding the receiver, tears streamed down her face, her lips trembling, unable to speak. After a long while, she finally burst into tears, screaming hysterically, “You damn man, where are you? There’s an earthquake, don’t you know?”
“I know, I know, I’m coming back right away… Don’t be scared, I’m here, it’s going to be okay, just go…” His voice on the other end was exceptionally gentle. Then, before she could say anything else, he decisively hung up.
She stumbled and ran downstairs, out of the community, and onto the street, running toward his company. The streets were filled with panicked people, but she ignored everything, falling and getting up again, running until she bumped into someone’s arms. Looking up, it was him.
He held her tightly, this woman with disheveled hair and a tear-streaked face, urgently asking, “Were you scared? Don’t be afraid, we’re together now, it’s okay…”
Tears slid down his cheeks and into her mouth. For the first time, she felt that this person, this embrace, was so important to her.
Only later did they learn that their city had only experienced a minor earthquake. That night, they watched the news on TV, sighing. He cleaned her scraped knee, scolding her for not waiting for him to come back.
She just smiled without answering. She thought of Fan Liuyuan and Bai Liusu in “Love in a Fallen City,” whose love was fulfilled by the city’s fall. And she, because of this earthquake, realized how deeply she loved him.
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
