Chapter 9: Jasmine in Memory (2/2)

”Do you want to be a poet?” Zhishu He asked in a teasing tone.

Wenxu Jiang raised his eyebrows and said confidently, ”Yesterday I heard you talk about this book with the study cadre (a student in charge of studies in the class). Since he could fully understand it, I think I can do the same thing. You can discuss with me later.”

Zhishu He smiled and said, ”I don't like this book. The study cadre likes some non-mainstream poems, but I like Zheng Jane's writing. She is a famous authoress in Taiwan.”

In early June of that year, Zhishu He took Wenxu Jiang to his grandfather's yard to see the jasmine flowers which were about to wither. They walked slowly for more than an hour before they arrived at the grandfather's house. When they were near the yard, a slight breeze rose, wafting the lovely scent of flowers to them.

Wenxu Jiang suddenly held Zhishu He, leaning his head against Zhishu's neck. He took a sniff and said with smiling eyes, ”It's the same fragrance as yours. Zhishu, you smell nice.”

Zhishu He blushed at his words.

From then on, Wenxu Jiang began to study hard. He stopped playing basketball during breaks; instead, he drew pictures.

One day the physics teacher asked Wenxu Jiang to move the exercise books of all the students to his office. A gust of wind blew over their desk and opened Jiang's sketch book. Zhishu He's heart skipped a beat at the sight of the pictures in sketch book which was full of Zhishu's portraits. Wenxu Jiang had drawn Zhishu He carefully from every angle, and every lifelike portrait seemed to speak his love.

In the final exam of Senior Two, Zhishu He got the first place and Wenxu Jiang took the second. Jiang asked Zhishu out and held his hand at the end of an alley. He gave Zhishu a book of Zheng Jane and said in a soft, loving voice, ”I have heard that you like Zheng Jane's essays, so I bought this book for you. I hope you will like it…and like me too!”

At that time, Wenxu Jiang was seventeen years old and they fell in love. They had been together for fourteen years and went through many ups and downs.

Now, Wenxu Jiang was thirty-one years old, and Zhishu He was thirty.