Valentine's Day: Between Sweetness and Regret, We Understand Love
Today is Valentine's Day. The streets are filled with the rich aroma of chocolate, roses bloom vibrantly in flower shops, and even the air is tinged with a sweet, rosy hue. Lovers exchange smiles, their fingers intertwined, as if the whole world is crowning their love.
But, my dear, did you know? Behind this romantic holiday lie several poignant love stories. Those unfulfilled loves are like stars in the night sky—distant yet forever shining.
Let us travel back to ancient Rome. At that time, wars were frequent, and the tyrant Emperor Claudius II, in order to expand his army, forbade young men from marrying. He believed that unmarried men could go to war without any attachments. However, a priest named Valentine could not bear to see couples torn apart and secretly performed marriages for lovers. Eventually, the tyrant discovered this, and Valentine was imprisoned. In jail, he fell in love with the jailer's daughter. But this love could not escape fate's cruel hand, and Valentine was sentenced to death. On the day of his execution, he wrote a heartfelt letter to the jailer's daughter, signed, "From your Valentine." This day was February 14th, and later, to commemorate him, people designated this day as Valentine's Day.
Turning our gaze to ancient China, do you remember the tear-jerking love story of *The Peacock Flies Southeast*? During the Eastern Han Dynasty, Jiao Zhongqing, a minor official in Lujiang, and his wife, Liu Lanzhi, shared a deep and affectionate bond. Though their life was simple, it was filled with sweetness. Lanzhi was clever, hardworking, and kind, caring for her husband with great tenderness. However, Zhongqing's mother was overly critical of Lanzhi, believing her unworthy of her son, and insisted that Zhongqing divorce her. Unable to defy his mother, Zhongqing tearfully bid farewell to Lanzhi, promising to settle family matters and persuade his mother before bringing her back home.
After returning to her parents' home, Lanzhi thought it was only a temporary separation, but fate played a cruel joke. Her brother, eager to climb the social ladder, forced her to remarry. Lanzhi was filled with despair but powerless to resist. She knew her love with Zhongqing was no longer possible, yet she could not let go of the deep affection in her heart. Meanwhile, upon hearing the news of Lanzhi's impending remarriage, Zhongqing rushed to her home in a panic. When they met, tears streamed down their faces, and all their words turned into endless sorrow. They knew this time, it was truly goodbye.
On the day of Lanzhi's wedding, Zhongqing came to see her one last time. Dressed in her bridal gown, Lanzhi's eyes were filled with grief. She said to Zhongqing, "You should be like a steadfast rock, and I, like resilient reeds. Though the reeds may bend, the rock will never move." Yet now, their love was shattered by reality.
That night, Lanzhi drowned herself, choosing death to prove her loyalty. When Zhongqing learned of this, he was overcome with grief. He went to the tree where they had once made their vows and hanged himself. This loving couple ended their lives in such a tragic manner.
Their love was like the peacock flying southeast—though they could not live together, they were willing to die together. Beautiful yet sorrowful, their story became an eternal legend. Their mournful cries seem to echo their helplessness and longing.
Similar stories include the love of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl across the Magpie Bridge, the vows of Romeo and Juliet under the moonlight, and the tale of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai transforming into butterflies. Yet we can't help but ask: Why is it so difficult for lovers to stay together? Is it a clever twist in life's script or a lesson we must learn in our mortal journey?
Perhaps it is these regrets that teach us to cherish the happiness before us. These poignant stories are not meant to make us lose faith in love but to teach us to treasure the people we have now. They remind us that love is precious precisely because it can be fleeting. As we hold roses and savor chocolate, let us not forget that the most touching aspect of love is the steadfast commitment in ordinary days and the unwavering companionship in times of hardship.
So, on this special day, let us remember: The beauty of love lies not only in its fulfillment but also in the courage, perseverance, and growth it teaches us. Whether it is love in full bloom or memories of the past, both are the most beautiful gifts life offers us. Those relationships that did not last are like shooting stars in the night sky—brief yet illuminating a moment in our lives.
Please, still believe in love! Because we have loved, our lives are so complete; because we have learned to cherish, the stories of this world are worth remembering.
May all lovers in the world write their own love poems in the river of time. Even if there are regrets, they will be the most moving footnotes in life.
