Bamboo Leaves
Shen Xifan returned home to find her father writing a study report in his study. After hesitating for a moment, she finally pushed the door open and said, "Dad, there's something I want to talk to you about."
Her father set down his pen, took off his glasses, and smiled warmly. "Go ahead, I'm listening."
She narrowed her eyes slightly, and the upward curve of her lips betrayed her little happiness. "Dad, I've fallen for someone. He's a really good person—kind and treats me well." The image of He Suye flashed through her mind, deepening her smile.
Naturally, her father was delighted. "That's great! Dad supports you. Come on, give me some gossip about your boyfriend."
Shen Xifan burst into laughter, slightly embarrassed. "Oh, Dad, you’ve met him before—that really handsome doctor of Chinese herbal medicine."
"Oh?" Her father wasn’t the least bit surprised and laughed heartily. "Him! I thought the two of you looked quite compatible back then. Who would’ve thought… Haha… Not bad, not bad at all! That young man seems excellent to me!"
"But—" Her smile faded as she spoke earnestly, "But I’ll be leaving in just a few days, and I’ll be gone for a whole year. Plus, the coursework is really demanding. To be honest, I’m… not very confident."
"Silly child," her father chuckled. "Who is it you lack confidence in—yourself or him? Is it because of what happened before? What’s past is past; there’s no point dwelling on it. A year isn’t too long, but it’s not too short either."
Shen Xifan bit her lip and stayed silent. Her father patted her shoulder. "Don’t overthink it. Since you’ve made your decision, you need to take responsibility for your words and actions. You’ve worked hard all these years—if you give up so easily, I think you’ll regret it. And if you lose a relationship because of this, then Dad believes that man isn’t worth your affection in the first place. This is a test for you, and for him as well."
Her expression turned serious, pensive. "That’s what I think too."
Her father spoke with heartfelt sincerity, "Face life with openness. Let what’s meant to happen, happen. Don’t force it, but don’t run away either. That way, life won’t be too hard on you."
After their conversation, she returned to her room alone and lay quietly on the bed, pressing a hand to her chest as she sighed softly.
Truthfully, it wasn’t that she lacked confidence in him—it was herself she doubted.
A year apart, separated by distance—how many variables could arise in that time? How could she bear such overwhelming longing? Waking from dreams night after night, yearning for someone whose whereabouts she didn’t even know. She was no longer that reckless girl who threw herself into love without a second thought. As a responsible adult, there were too many things to consider. Standing at the tail end of her youth, she weighed the fleeting years she had left.
Could she really let go and love again? she asked herself. That man—calm, composed, like the serene beauty of green mountains and clear waters—always gave her an inexplicable sense of peace. His eyes were pure and tranquil, his palms warm, his scent carrying the faint fragrance of Chinese herbal medicine. And when he smiled, his deep dimples were utterly intoxicating.
Every time she saw him, her heart would race. She truly liked him, didn’t she? Then perhaps she could try loving someone again.
Outside the window, the night was thick and dark, yet she no longer felt restless or lonely. Even if she had to lie awake through the long hours, she stubbornly believed that after the darkness, there would always be light.
This was her faith.A few days later, Shen Xifan was packing her luggage at home. Her mother kept reminding her, "Take as much as you can. Things are expensive in America. Everything has to be converted from dollars to RMB—ten yuan is just one dollar to them."
Shen Xifan hurriedly agreed, carefully tucking the prescriptions into her most important book. Remembering that He Suye had asked her to go to Huatai Temple that afternoon to get an Amulet of safety, she couldn't resist taking out the prescriptions again to examine them closely.
His handwriting must have been practiced—the signature section was truly beautiful, vigorous and elegant yet steady, just like the man himself.
She lay on the floor, resting her head on the suitcase, grinning foolishly at those three words. "I really don’t want to go. What should I do?"
But this dream wasn’t something she could simply give up.
She understood this better than anyone, and she knew He Suye understood too. That was why he was willing to let her go.
By the time Shen Xifan arrived at Huatai Temple, a familiar figure was already waiting at the entrance. Though his left arm was in a cast, making him look a bit odd, He Suye stood there as if nothing were amiss, completely unbothered.
It suddenly occurred to her that every time they had arranged to meet, He Suye had always arrived before her—without exception.
So, when had he started getting used to waiting and watching over her?
Meeting his smiling gaze, she couldn’t help but smile too, warmth flowing straight to her heart. She reached out her hand first. "Sorry to keep you waiting. Let’s go in."
In the afternoon, the temple was much quieter, with fewer worshippers burning incense. As soon as they entered the main hall, a young monk clasped his hands together and said, "The abbot invites the two of you to the backyard. Please follow me."
Shen Xifan was clearly bewildered. She tugged He Suye’s hand quietly. "What’s this about? I’m not prepared to talk to a high monk—I know nothing about Buddhist teachings!"
He Suye chuckled. "No one’s asking you to talk to him. The Amulet of safety needs to be consecrated. My family is acquainted with the abbot here."
She let out a sigh of relief. "Different places, different gods. In America, I’ll have to ask God for protection."
"You and your sharp tongue," He Suye teased affectionately. "Don’t say anything reckless later."
Throughout the process, she didn’t pay much attention to what He Suye and the abbot discussed, nor did she fully understand the so-called consecration. But the tea they drank was special—unlike any she’d had before. The pale green liquid, tinged with a faint yellow, was served in white porcelain cups with blue floral patterns. It carried a subtle bamboo fragrance, refreshing and pleasant.
This tea was perfect for savoring slowly on a slightly warm afternoon. The ancient temple, towering pines, rustling bamboo, and distant chimes added a mystical aura to the experience—serene, devout, soothing the mind and spirit.
As they left the backyard, Shen Xifan couldn’t help asking, "What kind of tea was that earlier? It had such a light bamboo aroma."
"Did you like it?" He Suye smiled softly, brushing a fallen leaf off her shoulder. "Let’s take a walk in the bamboo grove."
The entire grove was filled with a faint, sweet fragrance, moist and refreshing. Fallen bamboo sheaths and leaves carpeted the ground like a soft green rug, warm and comfortable underfoot, crunching softly with each step.
Shen Xifan took a deep breath. "This scent is just like that tea—a delicate, lingering bamboo aroma. I love it!"He Suye smiled and extended his hand toward her, a small bamboo leaf resting in his palm. "What you drank earlier was Bamboo Leaf Tea. Bamboo leaves are also a type of Chinese herbal medicine, though the medicinal version uses raw leaves. I’m not sure about the tea leaves."
Curious, she took the bamboo leaf and examined it. "This is medicine? What does it treat?"
"It clears heat, relieves irritability, promotes fluid production, and quenches thirst. The curled heart of bamboo leaves is even better for clearing heart fire, opening orifices, and reducing heat. It can be used with honeysuckle, forsythia, and mint," He Suye explained earnestly. "Actually, Chinese herbal medicine also includes Lophatherum, bamboo sap, and bamboo shavings—all of which can treat illnesses."
"No wonder the tea smelled so fragrant earlier—it turns out it can also clear heat." A breeze rustled through the bamboo, blowing the leaf out of Shen Xifan’s hand. She laughed, "Falling leaves return to their roots."
"Falling leaves return to their roots—" He Suye repeated the phrase thoughtfully, gently taking her hand. "There’s meaning behind those words. Can I interpret it that way?"
Shen Xifan grinned mischievously, enunciating each word, "Yes, that’s exactly what I meant—referring to me, that implication."
As they left the temple, they noticed several stalls set up along the back wall, surrounded by a crowd. Shen Xifan, intrigued, insisted on dragging He Suye over to take a look.
It turned out to be a fortune-teller’s stall. She noticed a group of girls chattering excitedly around one person in the corner—a young, pretty girl holding a sign, likely the stall owner. Spotting them, the girl called out, "Matchmaker Sign! I only do three readings a day, and today’s last free one goes to them!" Sighs of disappointment rose from the crowd, but they still made way for the two.
Shen Xifan hesitated, glancing at He Suye with a mix of teasing and seriousness. "Aren’t doctors supposed to be atheists? He Suye, what if I draw a bad result?"
The girl laughed. "Listen widely to be enlightened, trust blindly to be misled. Besides, everything has two sides—don’t take it too seriously."
Hesitantly, Shen Xifan drew a stick and looked at it. The words "to find one’s proper place" were carved on it. Bewildered, she handed it to the girl, who widened her eyes in admiration. "Supremely auspicious!"
The surrounding girls gazed at them enviously as the fortune-teller explained, "To find one’s proper place—to find where one belongs. This is praise for your marriage, signifying you’ve found your destined match. At this extraordinary moment, you must not hesitate. Seize it without doubt, for hesitation means losing the east and failing to gain the west."
The words left Shen Xifan stunned, while He Suye turned his face away to hide a chuckle. The girl tossed the stick into her bag and waved cheerfully. "Three readings a day, open at four sharp. Welcome back anytime!"
Shen Xifan muttered to herself, "Is this accurate? She doesn’t seem very professional..."
Someone nearby chimed in, "Of course it’s accurate! She’s so in demand—only three readings a day. A friend recommended her to me, and I’ve been coming for three days without getting a turn."
She shot a pleading look at He Suye, who met her gaze with bright eyes and a nod. "I think it’s quite accurate."
Fine, then it must be accurate. She secretly smiled to herself.
Back at He Suye’s home, Shen Xifan busied herself making dinner while He Suye checked He Shouzheng’s homework in the study.
Seizing a free moment, He Shouzheng whispered, "Uncle, why were you and Sister Shen holding hands today? Oh, and it must’ve been hard for you—you couldn’t hold her other hand. So frustrating!"He Suye didn't even look up. "The plural of 'glass' adds 'es,' and you spelled 'visit' wrong. You've been very distracted lately, kid."
He Shouzheng, unwilling to concede, picked up a pencil and started doodling on the cast on He Suye's left arm. "Uncle, don't change the subject. Holding hands is what our teacher calls dating, so what does 'getting on the bus before buying the ticket' mean?"
Finally putting down his pen, He Suye looked at him seriously. "Kid, when you take the bus, don't you get on first before putting in the fare? 'Buying a ticket' is what people did before there were automated fare systems." He muttered to himself, What kind of teachers do they have in elementary school these days? They’ll say anything.
He Shouzheng seemed to half-understand, but even when Shen Xifan called them for dinner, he still looked puzzled, murmuring to himself, "That makes sense, but it still feels weird."
After dinner, He Shouzheng went to the living room to watch TV, leaving just the two of them in the kitchen.
The sound of running water filled the kitchen as Shen Xifan washed the dishes, occasionally urging He Suye, "Go keep the kid company watching TV. I’ve got the kitchen under control. Your hand shouldn’t get wet yet—if the wound gets irritated, it won’t heal well."
He Suye smiled helplessly. "It’s not that serious. The moment I get hurt, you all stop treating me like a doctor."
Shen Xifan pouted. "Doctor He, please approach this incident with scientific rigor." After saying this, she turned her head and gave him an amused glance.
But in her distraction, she turned the faucet too far, and water splashed from the basin, drenching her clothes and even wetting the bangs on her forehead. Though flustered, she couldn’t help laughing. "Incident! Incident! Typhoon passing through!"
He Suye chuckled too, shaking his head in resignation as he grabbed a tissue. Shen Xifan, her hands full, obediently let him wipe her face. Her eyes were bright, brimming with laughter—a little teasing, a little bashful. When his fingers accidentally brushed her lips, a sudden blush spread across her cheeks, like the rosy hues of a May dawn, subtle yet vivid.
The lingering sensation on his fingertips was soft, like cotton candy—gentle and sweet. Would it taste just as sweet, just as fragrant? His heart skipped a beat, and just as he tried to restrain his slight forward lean, the kitchen door burst open. He Shouzheng shouted, "Sister, I want a Cornetto!"
The intimate atmosphere shattered instantly. He Suye turned and glared at He Shouzheng, who froze, then cautiously asked, "Uh… Uncle, can I have a Cornetto? I promise I won’t complain if I get a stomachache."
Shen Xifan, seemingly unaware of the tension, quickly replied, "Go ahead, but only one."
He Shouzheng hesitated, his big eyes pleading. "Uncle—"
He Suye finally smiled. "Since when are you so obedient, kid? Fine, just one."
Waving his little hand, the child tiptoed closer to whisper in He Suye’s ear, "Uncle, did I ruin something just now? You looked as scary as Dad when you glared at me."
He Suye could only ruffle his hair and hand him a Cornetto. "Kids are cuter when they’re innocent. Otherwise, no one would love them."The kitchen returned to silence, with only the quiet sound of running water. Suddenly, Shen Xifan spoke up, "Um, my flight is the day after tomorrow. Could you... not come to see me off?"
"Why?" He Suye took the chopsticks and placed them in the sterilizer, his gaze steady as he looked into her eyes.
"Because—because if I see you, I won’t want to leave." She quickly explained, "It’s not that I don’t want you to see me off, it’s just that I can’t handle goodbyes."
He Suye didn’t respond, letting out a soft sigh that made Shen Xifan’s heart ache. "I... I really can’t help it. I’ll definitely be reluctant to leave. I’m afraid I’ll start crying and ruin my image."
After a long pause, he turned around and said, "Silly girl, I understand. Alright then, I won’t go. Take care of yourself, and remember to call me before you leave."
His back was to her, and Shen Xifan gently hugged him from behind, whispering, "I’m sorry."
I’m sorry for being so willful, for not wanting you to see me one last time. But I’m also so fragile, unwilling to let you see my helplessness and reluctance.
At the international departure hall of the airport, Shen’s mother and father accompanied Shen Xifan as she queued at the security checkpoint.
Shen’s mother’s eyes were slightly red as she repeatedly reminded her daughter of various things to take care of. Shen’s father stood silently to the side, only asking if she was hungry or needed water.
Shen Xifan’s emotions were also unsteady. She had never left home before, not even for university, which was in a neighboring city. This was the first time she would be separated from her parents, and it was inevitably painful. She forced a smile, trying to lighten the mood with jokes, but in the end, her voice choked up, and she quietly waited in line for security.
Suddenly, she felt someone watching her from a distance. Instinctively, she turned to look around. The security area was bustling with people, but she spotted him immediately. He had promised her he wouldn’t come to see her off—so why was he here?
Her mind went blank, and she had the impulsive urge to run over and hug him, consequences be damned. Just as she was about to step forward, her phone rang at the worst possible moment. A message appeared: "I’m sorry, I came anyway. Don’t turn around—let me watch you leave. Remember, don’t look back. The scenery ahead is better."
She smiled, her eyes already misty. Despite this, she tried her best to appear strong, though that fragile strength shattered completely the moment he appeared.
This man truly cared for her—so much so that he was willing to sacrifice himself to fulfill her dreams.
In the waiting lounge, watching plane after plane take off, Shen Xifan finally realized she was truly alone. For the next year, there would be no parents by her side, no him accompanying her—only herself to rely on.
She needed to grow. To grow on her own.
As she queued at the boarding gate, her phone still clutched in her hand, the screen flashed with a new message. Opening it, she saw it was from Qiu Tian: "Shen Xifan, leaving without telling us? That’s really not cool. Well, for the sake of that delicious seafood fried rice, I’ll secretly tell you this: when you leave the sharp corners behind, don’t be sad, and don’t cry. Because whenever a kind-hearted girl feels hopeless, a miracle always appears. Trust me."Walking down the long corridor, through the green-tinted glass, she saw staff and construction vehicles coming and going outside. Not far away, an Air China passenger plane had already begun taxiing toward its designated runway.
Everyone has their own journey, their own tasks to complete. Because life is short, we must painfully let go of certain things to race against time.
The plane moved slowly along the runway, then suddenly, with a powerful thrust, it broke free from the pull of the ground. The immense force pressed her heavily against the seat. When she looked out the window again, they had already left the runway, soaring into the sky. One more glance, and the airport vanished from sight.
Her tense nerves finally relaxed, and only one thought filled her mind—she had left. She had truly left. What had once only appeared in her dreams had now become reality.
Memories replayed like scenes from a movie—from the first time she met him, to the first prescription he wrote for her, to the Amulet of Safety he sought for her, wishing her peace and well-being, and finally, his farewell. One scene after another surfaced, impossible to evade or suppress.
Yet, she didn’t cry. She didn’t want to shed tears. But some transparent liquid disobediently slipped from her eyes.
He Suye, I miss you so much. So, so much.
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