Short Heartwarming Love Stories: The Apple Man
The first time he saw her, he thought she was quite interesting. She was sitting on a park bench, nibbling on an apple. The peel was left patchy, with bits and pieces still on it.
He couldn’t help but smile to himself. So there are girls who are this lazy, he thought, not even bothering to peel the apple.
He didn’t expect to get to know her, but he did.
Later, they started dating. During their dates, he would hand her an apple, and she would still eat it with the peel on. That’s when he realized that she didn’t know how to peel apples. Taking the apple from her hands, he began to peel it, slice by slice. His peels were thin and continuous, and he carefully removed the core. She ate the apple, and as she ate, tears began to fall. She could taste the flavor of love.
Because of apples, they got married.
After they got married, he spoiled her almost to the point of indulgence. He wouldn’t let her do any housework. She loved writing, and he always supported her wholeheartedly. Every time she worked on a manuscript, he would sit quietly beside her, peeling an apple for her.
Her writing career, however, didn’t go smoothly. Most of her works sank without a trace, and only a few managed to get published, with the fees barely covering the cost of apples for a month.
It was at this point that another man appeared in her life. His name was Ah Wei, the editor-in-chief of a magazine. Ah Wei seemed to have the discerning eye of a talent scout, and she became the rising star he had his sights on.
As they spent more time together, she became deeply attracted to Ah Wei’s knowledge and abilities. When she compared him to her husband, she began to wonder what use her husband had besides peeling apples for her. Suddenly, her marriage felt dull.
That evening, sitting at her computer, she couldn’t write a single word. Several times she wanted to speak but swallowed her words. He noticed her hesitation, and suddenly, the apple peel he was working on broke off. He didn’t know what kind of emotions he felt as he listened to her reasons for wanting a divorce. The apple peel in his hand kept breaking, again and again. Suddenly, in a moment of distraction, the knife slipped and cut his hand. Blood flowed from his fingers, and his heart ached deeply. But still, he finished peeling the apple, removing the core, and handed it to her.
Because of apples, they got divorced.
After the divorce, she felt a sense of relief, but also a spreading pain in her heart. She discovered that Ah Wei had many other women close to him; she could never be his only one, and certainly never his first priority. She had thought she would be carefree and cool about it, but she wasn’t. In the end, she couldn’t let go of a woman’s perfect yearning for love. As the days of emotional torment dragged on, she realized she had turned into a foolish little girl. She had even forgotten that she used to be a proud woman who had once been the envy of many boys.
In the end, nothing came of her relationship with Ah Wei. Over time, she grew exhausted.
A few years later, she ran into her ex-husband on the street. Beside him was a petite, gentle woman. They both stopped, surprised to see each other.
He asked her, “How have you been?” She gave a weary smile, “I’m alright.”
He smiled warmly, “That’s a relief. Oh, this is my girlfriend. We’re getting married next month.”
She smiled as she offered her congratulations, but her mind went blank.
That night, she couldn’t sleep. For some reason, she thought of how he used to peel apples for her, and silent tears rolled down her face. Ever since she left him, she hadn’t eaten another apple. Every time she picked one up, she would think of their marriage.
Unable to sleep halfway through the night, she got up. From the cupboard, she took out an apple. She tried to peel it the way he used to, without breaking the peel. It turned out to be so difficult, requiring incredible patience, and then she had to remove the core. She finally understood the love he had for her. She finally understood what love truly was. But he was no longer the man who peeled apples for her.
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
