The love story of Sanmao and José was a timeless romance that lasted through four cycles of six years, creating a legendary tale that defied both time and place.

At the age of 24 in 1967, Sanmao went to Madrid to pursue her studies at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters.On Christmas Eve, at a gathering, she met José. He was handsome, full of energy, and carried a lighthearted charm that instantly captivated her. As they grew closer, José often invited her for walks and conversations. During one outing, he suddenly turned serious and said, “Echo, wait for me for six years. Let me finish university and complete my military service, and then I will marry you.” At the time, José was still a high school student. Sanmao couldn't help but laugh and replied, “Alright, then let’s keep some distance and not see each other too often.” Overjoyed, José ran off, waving his French hat and calling out his goodbyes as he disappeared into the night.

Six years later, in 1973, after traveling across Europe and America, Sanmao returned to Spain, her heart filled with longing for José. Just as she was about to reach out to him, fate intervened once again. By chance, she entered a room, closed her eyes, and suddenly felt a pair of familiar arms embrace her—José was standing before her. He had been waiting for this moment, quietly treasuring the memories they had shared. At that instant, Sanmao knew with certainty that she would marry him and no one else.

For Sanmao, José gave up his lifelong dream of becoming a professional diver and instead followed her to the remote Sahara Desert. In 1973, they registered their marriage in the small desert town of Laayoune. Though initially surprised by the peculiar present, she was deeply moved by the effort behind it. Braving the scorching desert sun, José had tirelessly searched the vast Sahara for this "treasure" just to make her happy. Sanmao placed the camel skull on her bookshelf, where it became a symbol of their love.

Just as she thought she had finally found peace and happiness, turmoil came crashing in. In 1975, Sanmao and José were forced to separate temporarily—she left for Gran Canaria, anxiously awaiting his return. Those ten days of longing and fear only made her realize how deeply she loved him. When José finally returned, he brought with him their most cherished belongings, having risked his life to retrieve them from the desert. His courage and devotion reaffirmed what Sanmao had always known—he was her home.

In 1979, tragedy struck. José drowned in a diving accident. Sanmao had a premonition of this loss, yet when it became reality, she was utterly shattered. That night, she kept vigil by his lifeless body, holding his cold hands and speaking to him as if they had never been apart, recounting the years they had spent together. All her pain turned into an unending longing for him.

Sanmao laid José to rest in the cemetery where they used to walk together, marking his grave with a silent vow: “Buried here is you, and also me.” losing José stripped the vibrancy from her life; even the purpose of her journey seemed to vanish.Overwhelmed by sorrow, she left Spain and returned to Taiwan, ending 14 years of life as an expatriate.

In her farewell note, Sanmao once wrote, “José’s love and care for me have been more than enough. I will live well, but sometimes, the loneliness and loss are unbearable.” Yet the pain had long since consumed her heart.

In 1991, exactly six years after José’s passing, Sanmao ended her own life in Taiwan. She left this world, taking with her the love story that belonged only to her and José. Theirs was a love marked by both profound devotion and heartbreaking sorrow, a tale that time could never erase. Sanmao and José remain one of the most poignant love stories of their time.