White Olive Tree

67 • New Beginning

Li Jungkook  held Song Lisa ’s hand, leaned on the railing, and finally walked up the last step in front of the Civil Affairs Bureau.

    He took a breath, his cheeks flushed. Song Lisa  took out a tissue and wiped the sweat from his lips.

    He let her take care of him, his calm eyes cast over her.

    The summer morning sun shines on her face, warm and cosy. She wears light makeup today, with bright eyes and thin eyebrows. Her skin is even fairer and softer, with a touch of light red on her cheeks and lip gloss on her lips. Her long, soft hair is loose, and one side of her hair is tucked behind her ear.

    “slowly.”

    “Hmm?” She raised her eyes, her eyes clear and watery.

    “Have you thought it through?” he asked. He was very sure, but he wanted to hear her talk.

    “What do you think?” She rolled her eyes at him.

    He pursed his lips, the corners of his lips curved.

    She asked back: “What about you? Have you thought about it?”

    He smiled shyly, his eyes curved: “I’ve been thinking about this for a long time.”

    “That’s all.” She leaned close to him and held his hand. He was wearing a white shirt today, and his figure was thin but tall. She whispered, “A-Jungkook , you look really good today.”

    “The same to you.”

    She also wore a white shirt, specifically for taking photos later.

    They arrived early and were the first couple to register for marriage today. The staff of the Civil Affairs Bureau received them warmly and said in surprise when they received their documents: “Oh, the first couple today is a military marriage. I wish you a happy marriage and congratulations.”

    Song Lisa  said: “Thank you.”

    The two handed in their information, filled out the form, signed their names, and took photos in front of the red background wall.

    Song Lisa  said: “Please take good care of it for us.”

    “You guys look good in any photo. I haven’t seen such good-looking newcomers here in a long time.”

    Song Lisa  insisted: “Please take a few more photos. I want to choose the best ones.”

    “OK, no problem.”

    Li Jungkook  and Song Lisa  smiled at each other and looked towards the camera.

    As expected, every photo looks good. In front of the red background, the two people in white shirts look clean and young, their heads slightly leaning towards each other, with sweet smiles on their faces.

    Song Lisa  secretly glanced at Li Jungkook  in the photo. His eyes were bright and his smile was really beautiful.

    Get the marriage certificate quickly.

    “Li Jungkook ” and “Song Lisa ” were printed on the photo, and a stamp was placed on the photo. They were a legal couple recognized by the state.

    Song Lisa  stroked the certificate, feeling overwhelmed with emotion and unable to express herself in words; she looked up at him, and he was also staring at the marriage certificate, stroking her name with his fingers.

    “A-Jungkook , today is the wedding. Just the two of us.”

    She didn’t want another wedding, didn’t want to invite any more irrelevant people.

    As long as he is there and has the marriage certificate, it is a wedding.

    That afternoon, Song Lisa  took Li Jungkook  back to Jiangcheng and went to the countryside.

    It was midsummer, and the country roads were lined with lush trees that blocked out the sun. Cicadas were chirping tirelessly on the treetops, and sparrows were hopping in the vegetable fields.

    The canals are crisscrossed, the ponds are like mirrors, the vast expanse of green stretches to the horizon, and the fields are planted with all kinds of crops, such as rice, sugar cane, peas, cucumbers…

    The countryside is vast and sparsely populated, with a small house placed every other rice field. Every household is surrounded by a pastoral landscape.

    Li Jungkook ’s condition was no longer suitable for living in the city. From then on, apart from regular visits to Jiangcheng Military Hospital for physical examinations, he lived in the countryside the rest of the time.

    Li Jungkook ’s uncle moved to the city two years ago, and his house in the countryside was left empty. It was right next to Li Jungkook ’s grandparents’ house, separated by half an acre of field and a pond.

    Standing in front of the house and looking up, the green fields are endless, and a field path covered with trees stretches from near to far, extending to the horizon. In the distant fields, there seems to be a row of country houses, and at the farther end, rows of trees disappear on the horizon, and the misty outlines look like ink paintings.

    After packing her luggage, Song Lisa  said she would find time to redecorate the house and replace some new furniture.

    Li Jungkook  said, “I’ll tell my father.”

    The next day, Li Qingchen came with a group of his designer and architect colleagues. They looked around the house, asked the young couple about their decoration and renovation requirements, and quickly made a design plan, and started construction in the summer.

    Li Jungkook  and Song Lisa  moved to his grandparents’ house for a while.

    His grandparents are in their sixties or seventies. They have been working in the fields for a long time and are in very good health.

    Li Jungkook  said that his father had wanted to bring his parents to live in the city, but the old people couldn’t get used to it and said that it was more comfortable in the countryside.

    Of course, the countryside is comfortable. Dogs and cats fight in the fields, ducks swim in groups in the ditches, their wings scratching water chestnuts, and chickens chase hens in the fields, with dead branches and leaves covered with down.

    Song Lisa  lived with the old man for a while and said, “A Jungkook , I discovered a secret.”

    “What?” At that time, the two were walking on the ridge of a field covered with shade from trees. The orange trees on the roadside were full of green fruits, and Li Jungkook  was picking oranges for her.

    “You and your father both have inherited your personalities.”

    “ah?”

    “Grandpa is so gentle and kind to grandma. He speaks softly and has a good temper. He always holds grandma’s hand when they go for walks. Last night, when they were enjoying the cool air on the bamboo bed, he even fanned grandma with a palm leaf fan. Oh, and by the way, the day before yesterday I saw grandpa secretly pick a flower and put it in grandma’s hair.”

    Li Jungkook  said with a smile: “As expected, you are a reporter, observing carefully.”

    “Didn’t you notice?”

    “Maybe I’m used to it and don’t pay much attention to it.” He peeled the green orange and gave her a slice.

    Song Lisa  shook her head and bared her teeth: “It looks sour at first glance.”

    He smiled faintly: “This tree has been growing for many years and has produced very sweet oranges since I was a child.”

    She tried it and put it in her mouth. It was sweet and juicy. “Delicious.”

    Li Jungkook  gave her the rest.

    After passing a ditch, he fished out some fresh water chestnuts and peeled them for her to eat.

    The summer breeze caressed her as she ate contentedly, following him around the fields while he searched for game for her along the way.

    “A-Jungkook , did you often come to the countryside when you were a child?”

    “I come here every summer vacation. I swim in the pond, catch fish, and dig for lobsters and crabs.” As he spoke, his childhood memories emerged like frames in the rippling water of the pond, like a dream.

    The oranges, the shade of the trees, the water chestnuts, her smiling face, everything that had just happened was reflected in the water. The waves were rippled and fragile.

    He looked at the water quietly and saw a white olive tree in the sparkling water, and her smiling face among the leaves.

    “It’s nice. It’s nice to live in the country.” Her laughter brought him back.

    Li Jungkook  said nothing, but stroked the dogtail grass on the roadside with his fingers. The itchy touch went deep into his heart. Very clear.

    While he was still judging, she whispered, “A-Jungkook , I want to eat lotus seeds.”

    In front of them is a lotus pond with lotus leaves reaching up to the sky. When the wind blows, there is a burst of fragrance.

    Li Jungkook  picked a lotus pod for her and also picked a lotus leaf for her.

    She held a lotus leaf and sat on a rock by the pond, peeling lotus seeds.

    “It’s been a while since I’ve eaten such delicious lotus pods. They’re so tender and fresh, and it feels like I’ve eaten the fragrance of an entire lotus pond. The ones sold on the street are so old, hard to chew, and astringent…”

    She kept on talking as if she had a lot to say.

    Li Jungkook  stood aside and watched her, the leaves above his head rustling in the wind.

    It was a very quiet summer afternoon.

    A frog jumped from the pond onto a lotus leaf, causing the lotus stem to sway.

    He seemed to see a white tree in the water again.

    Her lotus pod fell into the water, creating ripples, and the tree disappeared.

    He came to his senses, walked over to her, and touched her hair. The wind wrapped the hair around his fingertips, thin and soft. He touched her cheek, soft and warm. She was ticklish, giggled and shrank her neck, gently slapped his palm, but then held it tightly and pulled him forward.

    He smiled, his heart slowly settling.

    By the end of August, the house was renovated. From the kitchen to the bathroom, from the living room to the bedroom and guest room, it was decorated warmly and comfortably. In particular, the living room and bedroom had French windows facing the open fields.

    Taking into account the weather in Jiangcheng and Li Jungkook ’s health, central air conditioning and floor heating were specially installed.

    On the day they moved into their new home, Ran Yuwei came.

    Li Qingchen said apologetically: “My dear relatives, I was not polite. Lisa  is getting married to our A-Jungkook , and I should have visited you first, but I didn’t…” He felt ashamed.

    Ran Yuwei said calmly: “It’s okay, I only found out after they got married.”

    Song Lisa : “…”

    She said, “Mom, Dad wanted to go to Imperial City to see you a long time ago, but we are busy decorating the house here.”

    Ran Yuwei felt that her “Dad” sounded a little wrong, thinking that she was not used to it, so she let it go, looked at Li Jungkook , and said in a gentle tone: “Are you feeling better?”

    Li Jungkook  smiled: “Better, Auntie.”

    Song Lisa  poked him: “What’s her name?”

    Li Jungkook  blushed slightly and nodded: “Mom.”

    Ran Yuwei was not very natural either, and only said: “I see that you are still much thinner than the last time I saw you, and your health is much worse.”

    Li’s father said: “He lost even more weight at the beginning of the month, only 55 kilograms, now I weigh at least 58.”

    Ran Yuwei sighed: “As a father, you have suffered a lot.”

    Song Lisa  was stunned. Only then did he realize that Father Li, who had always been smiling and supportive in front of them, had tears in his eyes at this moment.

    At noon, Li’s father prepared lunch, which included local chicken soup, stir-fried wormwood, water spinach, crayfish, fried fish…all the freshest vegetables from the fields.

    While cooking, Song Lisa  went to the guest room to help Ran Yuwei make the bed.

    Ran Yuwei asked: “You kept silent about your marriage, what did Song Zhicheng say?”

    “He wasn’t too happy, but he didn’t say anything. Song Rosé had a baby, and they were busy taking care of the baby, so they didn’t have time to take care of me.”

    “What about you? Do you plan to have children?”

    Song Lisa  looked at the door and found that Ran Yuwei had already closed it. She lowered her head to spread the bed and said, “I haven’t thought about this issue yet.”

    “Li Jungkook ’s condition is not good for the time being… it’s better not to do anything about it for now.”

    Song Lisa  said nothing and tucked the bed sheet in.

    “What about you?” Ran Yuwei asked.

    “how do I?”

    “Stay in the country forever and give up your job? That’s not a big deal.”

    Song Lisa  picked up the pillow and looked up: “Read it first. Now I want to finish writing Floating Century. I have always wanted to write it before, but various things always interfered and I couldn’t put pen to paper. It’s just right to move to the countryside, so that I can concentrate on this one thing. As for the future work, we’ll see.” She stuffed the pillow into the pillowcase, “Mom, I know what you want to say. Maybe you think it’s hard to take care of A-Jungkook , but I’m very happy to be with him. In fact, I need him very much. Because he needs me very much and depends on me. I really need this feeling. I don’t know how to say it so that you understand, but I feel now that many of the problems I once faced in my heart are gradually no longer problems.”

    Ran Yuwei said: “I understand. I’m just worried that you’ll feel bad.”

    Song Lisa  was sitting on the edge of the bed zipping up the pillowcase. When she heard this, her emotions surged, her eyes turned red, and she turned her head away.

    Ran Yuwei held her in her arms and touched her head.

    Song Lisa ’s eyes flashed with tears, and she said aggrievedly: “I just can’t understand, he is such a good person, why does he have to suffer like this? I… I am also a good person, why…”

    Ran Yu sighed: “Who doesn’t suffer a little in this life?”

    Song Lisa  leaned in her mother’s arms, her tears falling silently, wetting her clothes.

    Ran Yuwei did not persuade or comfort her, knowing that she needed to vent. After she cried silently for a while, she quickly recovered. She was afraid that she would be discovered by Li Jungkook  if she went out, so she stayed in the room for a while longer.

    Ran Yuwei was busy with work, so she left after staying for one day. Li’s father happened to be returning to Jiangcheng, so he took Ran Yuwei to the airport.

    The young couple stood on the path behind the house and watched them leave.

    After returning home, Song Lisa  looked around the newly decorated house and felt quite happy. She wanted to clean up the house, but Father Li cleaned the house before leaving, so she didn’t need to clean it at all.

    The living room was designed as the central area according to her requirements. In front of the floor-to-ceiling glass window facing the field, half was her long wooden desk, and the other half was placed with the most comfortable armchair.

    She was sitting at the table writing, and he was leaning back in his chair reading a book, and they could see each other out of the corner of their eyes.

    A pot of iced lemon tea was placed on the edge of the table, with tiny drops of water condensing and sliding down the glass wall.

    Outside the window, cicadas are chirping; inside the window, occasionally he is turning the pages of a book, and occasionally she is tapping on the keyboard.

    Halfway through, Li Jungkook  looked up at her, stared at her quietly for a long time, then suddenly put down the book, got up and left.

    She looked back: “Where are you going?”

    “Bathroom,” he said.

    Li Jungkook  took out a small vase from the cabinet and went out. He searched everywhere behind the house, beside the ridges of the fields, and beside the ditches, and finally found a pea flower, orchid grass, orange flower, morning glory, and a few blue and pink flowers that he couldn’t name, and put them in the vase. He could give it to her and put it next to her computer.

    When he was walking back, he passed by the back of the house and accidentally saw the drill used to drill wood during the renovation was left in the woodshed behind the house. The drill bit was thin and sharp, and you could see the sharpness of it spinning rapidly and piercing through everything when it was working.

    “Zizi——” the sound of the motor filled his ears.

    Blood splattered and flesh and bones were blurred.

    Laughter, shouting, crying, and yelling.

    He had difficulty breathing and gasped violently. The house in front of him began to twist and collapse and break into pieces.

    No.

    That’s his home.

    Cannot.

    Lisa  is inside.

    But the road under his feet began to twist.

    He breathed rapidly, staggered, and groped his way to the door, only to see Song Lisa  sitting by the French window, writing and drawing on a notebook with her head down.

    Li Jungkook ’s rapid breathing subsided slightly.

    The originally twisted house has returned to its hard lines.

    He calmed down and looked at her quietly from a distance.

    She might have sensed something, so she looked up at him, and when her eyes met his, she smiled and said something. He couldn’t hear it clearly through the glass.

    Li Jungkook  looked down following her gaze and saw that he was still tightly holding a small vase filled with summer flowers.

    He entered the room and placed the vase gently on her table.

    She looked up and smiled: “Why did you run away?”

    He smiled: “When we were in the East, you said that flowers looked better in a vase.”

    Song Lisa  smiled widely and leaned over the table to poke the flowers.

    Li Jungkook  suddenly called out, “Lisa .”

    “Eh?” Song Lisa  turned her head.

    “A ring,” he said, holding up his hand for her to see.

    On his palms lay two light gold rings, one large and one small.

    Song Lisa  was stunned and asked in surprise: “When did you buy it?”

    “I asked my dad to buy it for me.” He smiled.

    We got married in such a hurry that we didn’t even buy the ring. Fortunately, we made up for it in time.

    Li Jungkook  put the small ring on Song Lisa ’s ring finger, and it was just the right size. The big ring was a little loose on Li Jungkook ’s finger.

    He smiled and said, “I’m saving it. My hands are too thin now.”

    The two hands wearing rings were clasped together to make a contract.

    With joy in her heart, she jumped off her chair, squeezed into his recliner, and hugged him.

    “A-Jungkook .”

    “Um?”

    She stroked his ring finger: “You have to remember that we are married. No matter what is true or false in your eyes, A Jungkook  and Lisa  are married. Li Jungkook  and Song Lisa  are married. You must remember this.”

    Li Jungkook  touched the ring on his finger with his thumb: “Okay. I’ll remember it.”

    She hugged his neck and rested her head in the crook of his neck.

    He tilted his head, touched her forehead, and said, “I’m sorry, I don’t think I’m that strong.”

    He had wanted to become stronger, come back and marry her, work harder, be better, and give her the best and happiest life.

    “It’s my fault. If I were stronger, maybe I wouldn’t be sick.”

    She shook her head. “It’s okay. It’s okay to be less powerful. It’s okay to be vulnerable.”

    Those people always say that you can get through it by just being strong and gritting your teeth. But some things may be impossible to get through even if you grit your teeth. It’s too painful.

    So A-Jungkook , it’s okay, it’s okay to be fragile.

    Everything you have gone through is too painful and too bitter. You don’t have to force yourself to face it, nor do you have to force yourself to look squarely at it.

    It doesn’t matter if you can’t get better, I will always be with you.

    The rocking chair slowly stopped rocking, and he and she closed their eyes, as if they were sleeping or taking a nap.

    The sunlight came in, shining on the pale golden rings on his and her hands, shining brightly as if eternal.