Preface:
InChineseculture,osmanthusisasymbolofloveandromance.Itsfragrantflowersarecherishedfortheirdelicatebeautyandsweetaroma.Inthisstory,wewillexplorethebeautyofosmanthusanditssignificanceinthelivesoftwolovers.Onasunnyautumnday,ayoungmannamedLiuwalkedintoagardenfilledwithosmanthustrees.Thesweetscentoftheflowersfilledhisnose,andhefeltaninexplicablesenseofpeaceandcontentment.Liuhadalwaysbeenfascinatedbyosmanthus.Helovedthedelicatepetalsandthewaytheydancedinthebreeze.Butmorethananything,helovedthescent.Itremindedhimofhischildhoodhomeandthewarmembraceofhismother.
AsLiuwanderedthroughthegarden,hecameacrossagirlnamedMei.Shewassittingunderanosmanthustree,readingabook.Liuwasstruckbyherbeautyandhergentlesmile.Meiwasalsoaloverofosmanthus.ShetoldLiuthatshehadcometothegardeneverydayforthepastweekjusttobenearthetreesandbreatheintheirfragrance.LiuandMeisoonbecamefriends,bondedbytheirsharedloveofosmanthus.Theywouldmeetinthegardeneveryday,situnderthetrees,andtalkabouttheirdreamsandaspirations.Astimepassed,LiurealizedthathisfeelingsforMeihadgrownintosomethingmorethanfriendship.Helongedtotellherhowhefelt,buthewasafraidofruiningtheirrelationship.
Oneday,astheyweresittingunderanosmanthustree,LiumusteredupthecouragetotellMeihowhefelt.Tohissurprise,shefeltthesameway.Fromthatdayon,LiuandMeiwereinseparable.Theywouldspendhourswanderingthroughthegarden,handinhand,breathinginthesweetscentofosmanthus.Astheirloveblossomed,sodidtheosmanthustrees.Everyyear,theywouldburstintobloom,fillingthegardenwiththeirsweetaromaanddelicatebeauty.Yearswentby,andLiuandMeigrewoldtogether.Theystillvisitedthegardeneveryday,butnowtheydidsoinaslow,steadypace.Theirlovehadstoodthetestoftime,justliketheosmanthustreesthatsurroundedthem.
Oneautumnday,astheysatunderanosmanthustree,LiutookMei'shandandlookedintohereyes.Hetoldherthathelovedhermorethananythingintheworld,andthathealwayswould.Meismiled,hereyesfilledwithtears.ShetoldLiuthatshelovedhimtoo,andthattheirlovewaslikethefragranceofosmanthus:pure,sweet,andeverlasting.AsLiuandMeisatundertheosmanthustree,surroundedbytheirloveandthesweetscentoftheflowers,theyknewthattheyhadfoundtheirownlittlepieceofheavenonearth.AndsoitwasthatLiuandMei'slovestorybecameintertwinedwiththebeautyofosmanthus.Theirlovehadbeennourishedbyitsfragranceandstrengthenedbyitsdelicatebeauty.
Aspeoplewalkedthroughthegarden,theywouldoftenseeLiuandMeisittingunderanosmanthustree,lostineachother'sembrace.Theyknewthattheirlovewassomethingspecial,somethingthattranscendedtimeandspace.Yearswentby,andLiuandMeipassedaway.Buttheosmanthustreesthattheylovedsomuchcontinuedtobloom,fillingthegardenwiththeirsweetfragranceanddelicatebeauty.ThepeoplewhocametothegardencouldstillfeelthepresenceofLiuandMei,andtheyknewthattheirlovehadbecomeapartoftheosmanthustreesthatsurroundedthem.Andsoitwasthatosmanthusbecamemorethanjustaflower.Itbecameasymbolofloveandromance,areminderthateveninthefaceofdeath,loveendures.
Astheyearswentby,newloverscametothegarden,drawnbythesweetscentofosmanthusandthebeautyofitsdelicatepetals.Andastheysatunderthetrees,handinhand,theyknewthatLiuandMei'slovestorywasstillbeingtold.Forosmanthuswasnotjustaflower.Itwasalegacyoflove,areminderthateveninthefaceofadversity,trueloveprevails.Andsoitwasthatthefragrantstoryofosmanthuscontinuedtobetold,passeddownfromgenerationtogeneration,atestamenttotheenduringpoweroflove.Andaslongasthereareloversinthisworld,thesweetscentofosmanthuswillcontinuetofilltheair,remindingusallthatloveisthemostpreciousgiftofall.