Years later, when He Luo suddenly heard Gu Lincheng singing the song “Outside the Window” downstairs, she burst into tears. It wasn’t for Gu Lincheng, one of the many boys she had rejected, but for the song itself. More specifically, it was for the person associated with this song, Sun Zinan.
The story between them seemed like it never really began, yet it caused He Luo to suffer for many years.
Sun Zinan was He Luo’s classmate and deskmate in junior high. He Luo, with her unique temperament and excellent character and scholarship, was the object of many boys’ affections. However, the naturally shy He Luo hardly spoke to boys, including Sun Zinan, despite their deskmate relationship.
Both of them ranked among the top three in their class, and they seldom talked beyond discussing academic topics. Until one winter day, He Luo’s hands began to crack from the cold, as they did every winter.
One morning, when He Luo sat down at her desk, she saw a cup of hot water placed on it. She was surprised, and at that moment, Sun Zinan smiled and nodded at her. He Luo smiled back gratefully and carefully held the cup in her hands.
Thus, Sun Zinan fetched hot water for He Luo throughout that winter. Unnamed feelings began to grow in He Luo’s heart, not because she was easily moved, but because she had never experienced such warmth, having come from a broken family. However, He Luo was stubborn and determined not to fall in love prematurely.
Their year as classmates quickly ended, and soon they were no longer in the same class, then not in the same school. Four years later, in their second year of high school, He Luo thought they would never intersect again until one day she unexpectedly received a letter from Sun Zinan. It was a unique love letter, thick with many words. He confessed that he had loved her for four years.
He Luo silently wept and then wrote a reply, politely declining him. She wished she
hadn’t said no, and she wanted to tell him she had liked him for four years as well. But she couldn’t. She wouldn’t allow anyone or anything to become an obstacle on her path to success, bearing the pressure from her broken family.
A while later, Sun Zinan replied with just seven words: “When you have time, listen to ‘Outside the Window’.”
Goodbye, my beloved girl in my dreams
I will go far away to find my future
If one day I return in glory
I’ll be at your window again to share my feelings
Goodbye, my beloved girl in my dreams
To your shadow, I say farewell
If I never come back
Let the moon stay at your window
He Luo never expected that six years later, after rejecting Gu Lincheng, he would sing this song. Actually, He Luo herself didn’t understand why, even now, she couldn’t accept anyone besides Sun Zinan. Maybe it was because no one else had consistently brought her a cup of hot water every day during the cold winter.
What surprised He Luo even more was that the day after Gu Lincheng sang the song, she received another letter from Sun Zinan. However, this time, when she opened the envelope, it wasn’t a love letter but a wedding invitation. The dazzling red of the invitation painfully pierced her eyes.
On the wedding day, He Luo secretly hid in a corner and watched Sun Zinan with his beautiful bride. He Luo smiled and wished them well.
If one day I return in glory, I’ll be at your window again to share my feelings.
Now, Sun Zinan has returned in glory, but he will never come to He Luo’s window again to share his feelings.
The scene outside the window remains the same, but inside, everything has changed.
The song remains, but the person outside the window is gone.
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
