The story of a drink begins with winter frost.
That winter was unusually cold, with sleet pelting the old plum tree and disrupting the family’s rhythm of life.
The entire plum orchard’s harvest was lost. Father stood beneath the old plum tree left by great-grandfather, gazing at the sparse fruit, his eyes holding unspeakable tears.
He didn’t complain or say much, just left earlier and came home later.
He always believed one thing—the land will not disappoint those who work hard.
After the frost and snow, in the spring cold, mother discovered a glimmer of hope on the branches.
Though few, the plums that survived the harsh winter were exceptionally plump. She softly recited great-grandfather’s old saying:
“For wine-making plums, the fruit should be sparse, the flesh thick, so the flavor will be deep.”
So she quietly brewed a jar of wine,
like her innermost thoughts, silently waiting for time to ripen it.
By Mid-Autumn Festival, the wine jar was finally opened. She silently poured a cup and placed it on the table.
Father drank it, set down the cup, showed no expression, and simply said:
“Mm, drank it, felt joy.”
That year, the plum wine unexpectedly sold well.
It not only helped the Xie family emerge from economic winter but also quietly opened my path to winemaking.
Father’s words “felt joy”
held not only his year-long persistence and silence
but also the sweet aftertaste after weathering frost and snow—my deepest inspiration.
🌸 Hello May’s name comes from this moment
May is the season of early summer.
After enduring the harsh winter and unpredictable spring,
we finally welcome the moment of steady sunshine and ripening fruit—Hello, May.
This drink is not for getting drunk, but for remembering—
the meaning of hard work, the resilience to survive winter, and the appreciation for sweet rewards after bitter times.
Hello May, dedicated to everyone who has also weathered winter into spring,
persisted in silence, and finally tasted sweetness after bitterness.
