Why didn't you marry her?

Heand she were brought up together, they were innocent playmates. He had beenwith her for eighteen years, and they had loved each other deeply. Hepersevered in his studies in spite of hardships and vowed to rise up to fameand fortune. She had been around him all the time to help him grind out ink.

Hefirmly said to her, "If I had a chance to pass the imperial examinationsuccessfully in the future, I would be certain to return, rich and somewhatmore glorified having won high honour and social recognition. I would becertain to take you some precious nanmu-- a kind of scented wood. Besides, Iwould be certain to marry you，mymost sweet bride" .

Herbeautiful eyes fell gently shut , showing a sweet smile with grace and beauty.

Then,he came all the way to the central city of their county, Tai’an. Hesuccessfully "jumped over the dragon door" and achieved great in theimperial examination. Shortly afterwards, there came news of his marriage. Hegently lifted the bride's red veil, but the dainty face flickering in thecandlelight, wasn't her. What a pity! He only sent the childhood sweetheart theword "Don't wait and miss".

Yearafter year, spring went and autumn left, the people in the neighborhood pointed fingers at her and laughed, she passed off their words and replyed themwith a laugh, "He will not betray me".

"Yeah,how could I have abandoned her? how? …hhha", when he heard the news fromthe village, he burst into laughter, but did not know that tears were runningall over his face. He was asked by the emperor to be his son-in-law. He refusedmany times, but what he got was only one answer: "your parents are alivenow, you should  think of their condition…" On the day of hiswedding, he left the princess alone and ran out to drink. He drunk,murmured,"I'm sorry, I'm sorry…". "Raising my head, I see the moon sobright; withdrawing my eyes, the nostalgia comes into my mind". It was hisfirst thought to see the moon, and since then, night after night, this cameinto his mind. Someone once asked, "Why didn't you marry her?" Histhoughts went far away, "I promised her that I would always be with herall my life. It can't be done now. I didn't want her to be wronged…".

Shewas weathered, seeing the wilted leaves and withered flowers, it's time to seethe spring approaching. How could she think that the young man who was in herheart had not come back? The messenger said to her that he was entrusted with amessage that he had died accidently. She's the only one left, she's old, gray,and she was not a young beautiful anymore.

Inher dream, he had returned to his hometown. He gently lifting the bride's redveil, seeing that blushing face of the bride, just said, "Thank you forwaiting so long." she just answered, "It's great that you're stillalive, nothing is better than this".

Howcould anyone think of what will happen in the next?

Pearflowers have fallen from the trees, people found there was a sweet smile on herface under her grey hair. At that moment, she was just like a beautiful girl inher early age.

Ina morning of a peach blossom fluttering, she said, "I will always wait foryou." He said, "When I return home loaded with honour, you will be mymost beautiful bride in the world."

Yearslater he heard that she, unmarried all the life, died of illness when the snowfell that year, the Nanmu in the yard was cut down by someone else. Tossing andturning the tree came into his hands. He saw a few lines of engraved words fromthe tree.

Itsaid "The heart of missing you is like the water of the Xijiang River, andthere is no rest when it flows east day and night."

Whatan unbearable hurt it was!

Yearsago she leaned alone against the door and looked at the snow in the courtyard,When the first frost of the year whitened the Nanmu, she, gaunt, carved severallines in the tree with trembling hands and buried another piece of paper underthe tree. Years later, all he saw were the words on the tree. But he missed tosee that piece of paper. That paper said, "I still remember that the wholecorner we have spent together, but the road of pursuing splendor and wealthwhich crazy people's hearts are easy to change".

Hewoke up. The mountain and the river are changed, when the new evening lightslit, he thought she must be making a pot of tea on the other side of world,waiting for a peach blossom. So did her.

作者：英语学院2016级17班 曾仁玉