English Original
He met her at a party. She was outstanding, with many admirers, while he was ordinary and went unnoticed.
At the party's end, he nervously invited her for coffee. Surprised yet polite, she agreed. In the coffee shop, his silence made her uncomfortable. Suddenly, he asked the waiter for salt to put in his coffee, drawing stares. Blushing, he drank it.
Curiously, she asked why. With tears in his eyes, he explained that salty coffee reminded him of the sea near his childhood home, evoking nostalgia for his family and hometown. Deeply moved by his heartfelt honesty, she shared stories of her own distant home. This conversation became the beautiful beginning of their relationship.
As they dated, she discovered he was kind, tolerant, warm, and attentive—a man who met all her hopes. She felt grateful for that fateful salty coffee. They married and lived happily. For forty years, she made his coffee with salt.
After his passing, she found a letter. He confessed: his request for salt was a nervous mistake; he had meant to ask for sugar. Unable to correct himself, he embraced the lie, which unexpectedly sparked their connection. Though he disliked the taste, he drank salty coffee his entire life out of love for her, never regretting a moment. "Having you with me was my greatest happiness," he wrote.
Her tears soaked the letter. When later asked about the taste of salty coffee, she smiled and replied, "It's sweet."
中文翻译
他在一次聚会上遇见了她。她光彩照人，追求者众，而他平凡无奇，无人注意。
聚会结束时，他紧张地邀请她喝咖啡。她虽惊讶，但出于礼貌答应了。在咖啡馆里，他的沉默让她感到不适。突然，他向服务员要了些盐放进咖啡，引来众人诧异的目光。他红着脸喝了下去。
她好奇地询问原因。他眼含泪光解释道，咸咖啡让他想起童年家附近的大海，唤起对家人和故乡的思念。她被他发自内心的真诚深深打动，也讲述了自己远方家乡的故事。这次谈话成了他们关系美好的开端。
随着交往，她发现他善良、宽容、温暖、体贴——正是她期望的那个人。她感激那杯决定命运的咸咖啡。他们结了婚，生活幸福。四十年来，她一直为他制作加盐的咖啡。
他去世后，她发现了一封信。他坦白道：当初要盐是因为紧张说错了；他本来想要糖。由于无法改口，他将错就错，而这个谎言却意外地开启了他们的缘分。尽管他不喜欢那味道，但出于对她的爱，他喝了一辈子咸咖啡，从未后悔。“有你相伴是我一生最大的幸福，”他写道。
她的泪水浸湿了信纸。后来有人问她咸咖啡是什么味道，她微笑着回答：“是甜的。”