Without Isabelle LeBlanc's appearance, Oliver Smith's world remained consumed by his studies and his yearning for the future. He was like a straight poplar tree, drawing nourishment from books, rooted in the soil of Evans Village, yet extending its branches far away.
In the early morning, when the first rays of sunlight pierced the thin mist and fell upon the golden wheat fields, Oliver was already seated at his simple desk. Under the faint glow of the kerosene lamp, he engrossed himself in thick textbooks. Those unfamiliar equations and obscure theories were his steps toward university. Other peers in the village might have already gone to help in the fields or played in groups, but he remained focused. He knew that each page turned, each problem solved, was separating him from the land farmed by generations, pushing him towards the wider city.
After school, he wouldn't stroll along the field paths but instead went straight home, or dove into the village's only old bookstore, searching among the dusty shelves for "treasures" that would ignite his thirst for knowledge. All his free time was spent acquiring knowledge. From the grand narratives of history to the subtle mysteries of science, he greedily absorbed everything. His parents, though feeling for him, were also filled with hope seeing his diligence. They knew their son was their family's only hope of moving beyond rural life. Oliver occasionally helped with farm work, but his mind was always in worlds beyond soil and grain. The light in his eyes was the wisdom of knowledge and the longing for the future—a quest that was almost solitary, but also his unwavering motivation.
Isabelle LeBlanc's Serene Life
Meanwhile, in the neighboring village, Isabelle LeBlanc lived a quiet and peaceful life, content with her world. She was like a clear mountain spring, flowing gently through the rural landscape, nourishing everything around her.
Her life's rhythm synchronized with the sunrise and sunset, closely tied to the busy and slow seasons of farming. In the mornings, she would help her mother prepare breakfast, then feed the chickens in the yard, or check on the crops in the fields. Though her hands were delicate, she skillfully performed various farm tasks, from sowing to harvesting, doing her best in everything. She was gentle and quiet, her smile always carrying the unique grace of a Jiangnan water town. She loved sitting on the rattan chair in front of the old house, mending shoe soles while listening to the village elders tell ancient stories. Those tales, rich with local flavor, filled her with contentment.
Like other girls her age, Isabelle would go to the river to wash clothes with them, chatting about village news as they washed, or go to the market together to pick fresh vegetables and fabrics. Her world was concrete and warm, surrounded by family affection, friendship, and a love for her hometown. She didn't have Oliver Smith's grand ambitions; her dream was simple: to have a warm family and live a stable life with her loved ones on this familiar land. Her crescent-moon eyes always held a sense of peace and satisfaction, as if they reflected all the beauty of rural life.
Oliver Smith and Isabelle LeBlanc's lives were like two parallel lines that never intersected. Oliver strove vigorously in the world of books, while Isabelle grew peacefully within the fabric of rural life. They might have brushed past each other at a sunny market or seen each other from afar at a village exchange event, but without the catalyst of love, those moments were merely fleeting glances in a vast crowd, leaving no ripples.
Oliver would likely eventually be accepted into a city university, starting a new chapter in his life. He would experience a wider world, meet friends from different backgrounds, and his knowledge and horizons would continuously expand. Isabelle, on the other hand, would live in the countryside, following traditional ways. Perhaps she would marry a diligent and honest young man from a neighboring village, continuing her serene and content rural life.
Their story, in this version, is no longer about the blossoming of love, but a true reflection of individual choices and the different paths fate can take. One yearned for distant horizons, while the other held fast to her homeland, each living their own unique and fulfilling lives.