There were so many things she couldn’t understand, so many things she couldn’t see clearly. She thought, perhaps if her vision blurred, she might see what was closest to her—her own heart.
Passing the neighborhood grocery store, she borrowed some money and came out holding a pack of mint candies. He Su Ye glanced at her, his brows raised. “Those are really strong! That brand is spicy.”
Shen Xi Fan glared at him defiantly and tore open the wrapper with a dramatic flourish. “What are you looking at? Want some too?”
He Su Ye shook his head. “Too intense for me. I can’t handle it.” He turned away, preparing to leave.
But before he could take a step, she threw a handful of mint candies into her mouth. The intense rush of mint hit her brain instantly, leaving her choking and gasping. The menthol stung her tear glands, and as her tears fell onto the ground, they weren’t tinged with sadness.
All her resentment, pain, and anger seemed insignificant compared to this fleeting moment of tenderness. Just a little warmth was enough to fill her heart.
Sensing something, He Su Ye stopped and turned. He saw Shen Xi Fan crouched on the ground, her head buried in her arms. Alarmed, he squatted in front of her, his voice laced with concern. “Little girl, what’s wrong?”
“I… I got burned by the mint,” she mumbled, refusing to lift her head. She pressed her face against her sleeve, trying to wipe away the traces of her tears.
He Su Ye sighed. “I told you not to eat so many at once. Mint is strong, like patchouli—it’s intense. Although, mint does disperse wind-heat, detoxify, and treat sore throats, headaches, bloating, and mouth ulcers.”
Finally, Shen Xi Fan raised her head, her eyes red. “He Su Ye, you’re so annoying! Why can’t you stop with your medical lectures?”
He sat in front of her, took the pack of mints, and looked around for a trash can. Teasingly, he added, “Well, if I didn’t talk so much, would you have looked up at me?”
“Ugh, He Su Ye, these mints are so spicy they’re killing me. I want to spit them out…”
“Just bear with it!”
Sitting on a bench in the neighborhood garden, Shen Xi Fan finally caught her breath. She looked up and saw He Su Ye smiling at her.
“Mint leaves a lingering freshness on the lips, but not everyone has the courage to try it.”
Shen Xi Fan smiled back. “He Su Ye, are you saying you don’t have the courage to try mint?”
“Me? No, I just don’t like it.”
“What about love? Do you think love tastes like mint?”
“Little girl, love has all kinds of flavors—sweet, sour, bitter, spicy. It’s not something you can sum up in one taste. But every relationship leaves a mark. Sometimes it’s a bitter one; sometimes it’s a lingering fragrance.”
“What if there’s a kind of love called ‘lost and found’?”
“Silly girl, love can’t be ‘lost and found.’ Once it’s gone, it’s gone. Even if it comes back, it won’t taste the same.
“When you first pop a mint into your mouth, it’s sharp and intense. Then the flavor settles into a refreshing fragrance, and finally, a faint sweetness lingers, leaving you savoring it. Every love has its unique flavor. But a love that’s interrupted and then resumed—it’s like a half-eaten mint. It’ll never taste like it did at the beginning.”
“He Su Ye, I don’t know…”
“Then take your time to figure it out. Time has a way of making things clear.”
The wind picked up, shaking the snow-laden branches of the trees. Snowflakes brushed against her face, melting into tiny droplets that quickly evaporated. Maybe there would be a second snowfall this year, then a third.
Time would pass. And with it, the emotions and people who confused her now. She thought she would wait—wait for the second snowfall, then the third, and finally for spring.
She believed that someday, she would have all the answers—about herself, about Yan Heng, about the pain of her first love, and about the meaning of love itself.
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