White Olive Tree

Chapter 16

It was dusk, and the setting sun was slanting, piercing the skin like little needles.
I don't know when this damn place will cool down.  Song Ran was thinking, when he suddenly heard a commotion ahead.  It turned out that several soldiers were making noise in the vegetable field.
Li Zan is also there, in an army green T-shirt and camouflage pants, catching chickens with a few comrades.
"Damn! Run away again!"
"Block! Where are you blocking?"
The lads are usually easy to use guns to dismantle mines, but now they are helpless in the face of a big hen.  The crowd chased and intercepted it, but the hen was very flexible. She would burrow down the cucumber stalks for a while, jump on the loofah stand for a while, fly and run, her wings fluttered, and her chicken feathers flew everywhere.
Song Ran couldn't help laughing, and turned on the camera to capture this relaxing moment.
While filming, the hen picked up the road and ran away, jumping at the camera.  Song Ran backed away protecting the camera, seeing the chicken hitting her head, Li Zan saw it right now and grabbed its wings.
The hen flapped desperately, and slapped a pile of chicken feathers on Song Ran's head.
Li Zan grabbed both wings of the chicken, and now it completely gave up struggling and lowered its head obediently.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"It's okay." Song Ran hurriedly raised his head to glance at him, then lowered his head to pick up the chicken feathers in his hair.
Li Zan raised his hand to help her pick it up; she caught a glimpse of it out of the corner of her eye, and turned her head away pretending not to know.
Coincidentally, Luo Zhan, who was standing at the door of the office, asked with a smile: "Reporter Song, what good material did you capture?"  ≡
"Just catch the chicken." She took advantage of the situation and walked away from Li Zan.
Li Zan handed over the chicken to his comrade-in-arms, and followed Song Ran for a look.
Luo Zhan said, "The episode of Demining hasn't aired yet, has it?"
"Not yet. It won't be until Saturday."
"Okay. Help these lads promote more." He joked, "By the way, apply for marriage."
Song Ran also joked, begging for a reward and said, "Then I've helped, what benefits can the team give me?"
Luo Zhan thought about it and said, "Let's do this. If you have a crush on someone in this camp, it doesn't matter who it is, as long as you're not married, just speak up and the organization will arrange it for you!"
"Wow!" A group of soldiers booed loudly.
Song Ran's face flushed instantly.
Li Zan sat by the edge of the field and quietly cast a glance at Song Ran. She blushed like a little tomato.
Luo Zhan smiled: "Why are you blushing? Is it possible that you really fancy someone? Tell me, I'll make the decision for you."
Song Ran frowned: "Political Commissar, are you busy? I'm fine, I'm leaving!"
"Okay, okay, let's stop teasing you, let's go into the office."
Luo Zhan turned around and entered the room. A group of soldiers who were familiar with Song Ran refused to let go, and sat on the ground whistling and booing.  Song Ran turned to stare at them, picked up a piece of mud and threw it at soldier A.
"Oh my god!" Soldier A's eyes were sharp, and he raised his hand to block it. The mud block shattered and exploded, and the largest piece hit Li Zan's head beside him.
"..." Li Zan opened his eyes slightly at Song Ran with an innocent face.
Song Ran: "..."
Without saying a word, she turned her head and entered the office.
Li Zan lowered his head, slowly fiddled with the dirt on his hair, and brushed it off, the corners of his lips curved.
On the side, the comrades in arms were extremely happy, chatting in private.
Soldier A: "Hey, don't you think that Reporter Song is particularly cute?"
Soldier B: "I found out earlier, you're so cute and silly; I can't help teasing him, I blush when I tease him."
Soldier C: "I thought she was quite gentle, hehe." Turning his head, "Azan, right?"
"..." Li Zan said, "I don't have much contact with you. I don't know."

After a few seconds, I silently added, "The work is very serious and reliable."
Soldier D interrupted: "Hey! Let me tell you when she is the cutest. When she is serious and filming, you suddenly go up and call 'Reporter Song!' She turned her head in fright and looked over at that time, with a special expression on her face.  So cute, I want to pinch her face."
Before he finished speaking, he was surrounded and beaten violently by the surrounding people: "You are a hooligan!"
Soldier D covered his head: "Can't even think about it?"
"No!"
Everyone was in a mess, and Li Zan was spinning around with a vegetable leaf in his hand.
He thought about the scene they described, but couldn't imagine it.
...
In the office, Luo Zhan explained his intentions to Song Ran.
They are going to send a soldier to the Special Joint Force. Since this is the first Chinese soldier to join the team, they hope that Song Ran will report to the team when they join the team for training.
Luo Zhan said: "We also have other radio reporters in our station, but the content you make is more down-to-earth and not so strong in preaching. Both the superiors and the audience like it very much. So I would like to ask for your help this time."
Song Ran was flattered: "How do you say it's helping? I'm honored to give me this opportunity."
Luo Zhan smiled: "That's good. In the past two days, I will trouble you to interview with Li Zan."
Song Ran was taken aback for a moment: "Li...Second Lieutenant?"
"Yes. Second Lieutenant Li is a very good soldier, and his superiors value him very much. Joining the team this time also represents the country. Song Ran, you must take a good shot."
Song Ran nodded slowly: "Yes."
...
Early the next morning, Song Ran rushed to the gate of the residence, and Li Zan just arrived.
The training camp is at the US military base, but it's only one street away, so you can walk there quickly.
At 7:30 in the morning, the sun was shining brightly, but the city hadn't woken up yet, and there were no other pedestrians on the street.
The two walked side by side, quietly, only the rustling of fallen leaves.  Song Ran lowered her head and fiddled with the camera in her hand from time to time to ease the embarrassment in her heart.
Li Zan suddenly asked: "Do you live far from here?"
"Ah?" She looked up at him, then looked away, "Not far away. Turn left ahead and walk two streets to get there."
"At present, the government forces are retreating steadily, and the situation in Jialuo is not good. Try not to walk around the streets if you have nothing to do."
Song Ran nodded: "Oh. Got it."
After a few seconds, Li Zan suddenly laughed and said, "You still run around, right?"
"..." Song Ran rubbed his ears, "Am I a reporter... how can I squat in a hotel every day."
"That's right. I haven't seen you in the past few days. I guess you went shopping."
"..." She replied politely, "There are a lot of things I want to record, and it's not easy to stay in the barracks every day."
"That's true." He didn't say any more.
After walking through the intersection, Song Ran inadvertently looked up at him. The sun shone on his face, and his face looked more handsome.  While watching, he turned his head and met her gaze.
Her heart tightened, she pointed to the scab on his face and neck, and said, "Are you okay?" He touched it casually, not paying attention: "It's okay."
"Will there be scars?"
He laughed: "Men don't care about this."
Arriving at the gate of the US military garrison, while Li Zan was waiting to verify the information, Song Ran took a video recording - she had never been here before.
The American soldiers on guard said they could go in. Li Zan turned to call Song Ran, and saw that she was still serious about filming.
He looked at her for a while, and without knowing what to think for a moment, he walked over slowly, stood a few steps away from her, and suddenly called out forcefully:
"Reporter Song!"
"Ah?" She was startled, turned her head in a hurry, her expression was confused and surprised, "What?"
Li Zan stared at her, smiled suddenly, pointed his chin in, and said, "You can go in."
   "oh."
He walked behind her, remembering that expression, he couldn't help chuckling again.
...
Song Ran turned off the camera before entering the courtyard. Unauthorized shooting is not allowed here.
The barracks here are not much different from the Chinese garrisons, but the soldiers passing by give people a clear sense of difference - Caucasians have a natural advantage in body shape, and soldiers are even taller.
The soldiers gathered at the training ground came from seven countries.  Except for Li Zan, the rest are all European-American whites and European-American blacks.  Li Zan is not inferior to them in size, but not as strong as them.
As the only Asian in the team, Li Zan naturally received a lot of special treatment—he was kicked in the face maliciously with dust when crawling forward, stepped on his shoulders when he climbed over the wall, his teammates did not give cover during the simulated actual combat, and was repeatedly beaten.  "Manslaughter"...
Especially the American soldier named Benjamin, all kinds of tricks and ridicules never stopped.
Song Ran witnessed all this and felt aggrieved, but did not express a single point of view.  This is the barracks, where men compete.  If she intervened to complain, it would only make the situation worse.
The instructor was British, so he turned a blind eye to this and ignored it.
Fortunately, Li Zan didn't show any resentment. He persisted patiently for a whole day, and his grades were not too far behind, ranking among the top three.
When the team dispersed in the evening, the "special treatment" was not over yet.
As soon as the instructor disbanded the team, Benjamin joked to a French soldier: "Their country is very interesting. War correspondents, send women here; when soldiers go to the battlefield, they also send women here."
Song Ran was about to turn off the machine, but when she heard this, she frowned.
At this moment, Li Zan's expression also changed a little. He clenched his jaw tightly and looked at Benjamin with a moment of cruelty, but it all relaxed in an instant.
Li Zan walked past Benjamin quietly without saying a word.
But Benjamin noticed his gaze, smiled and patted him on the shoulder: "Ma'am, do you disagree with what I said?"
Before he finished speaking, Li Zan suddenly grabbed his arm and threw him over his shoulder. Benjamin turned over, but he didn't fall down. Instead, he threw Li Zan the moment he stood firm.  Li Zan had been prepared for a long time, and quickly circled around to dodge, dodging behind him to grab his neck, and Benjamin immediately squatted down and slipped away.
Neither of them could control it with one move, and at the same time, they quickly let go of each other, creating a distance of two or three meters.
The training field was full of dust.
"Wow!!!" The surrounding soldiers dispersed in all directions and formed a circle.
Li Zan looked directly at Benjamin, ripped off his bulletproof vest, hanger, and pistol, and threw them all on the ground.
This is a signal of challenge.
"Oh!!!" The onlookers booed loudly.
Benjamin laughed and began to take off his vest.
Song Ran was afraid that things would become serious: "Second Lieutenant Li...this..."
Li Zan turned around and pointed at her: "Don't shoot!"
Song Ran froze in place, not daring to step forward.
Li Zan removed all the hangers, daggers, and guns from his arms and legs and threw them on the ground; all he took off was a set of military uniform, military boots and combat gloves.
Facing Benjamin who was also stripped of all his equipment, he clenched his fists and prepared to attack at any time.
Benjamin was also ready to meet the enemy, and even the instructor stood by to watch the match.
Benjamin took the lead in the attack. He quickly stepped forward and punched Li Zan on the right side of the face. Li Zan turned around to dodge and kicked Benjamin's left leg. The latter also easily dodged.
The soldiers in the circle shouted and cheered for support.
Song Ran stared at Li Zan closely, not daring to vent his anger.
After a brief mutual test, the two quickly entered the state.
Benjamin came for real. He took two steps forward very quickly, and punched Li Zan directly at the temple. Li Zan managed to dodge it, and another punch came in a series, passing by his chin.  Li Zan twisted his arm and rushed forward, knocking him over and rolling several times on the ground.  The yellow sand was flying, and everyone wanted to get up first to seize the opportunity, but they both restrained each other and dragged each other to the ground one after another.
There was a lot of people around, and all the American soldiers who were training nearby came to watch.
The two wrestled. Suddenly, Benjamin kicked Li Zan's abdomen away, got up from the ground, and then stepped on his chest.
Li Zan quickly rolled away, and kicked Benjamin's supporting leg with a sweeping leg, knocking him to the ground.  Just as Benjamin was about to get up, Li Zan jumped up and threw his elbows on him, pressing down on his chest; he quickly grabbed a handful of Benjamin's shoes with his other hand, pulled out the "dagger" stuck in the shoe, and instantly "stabbed"  To Benjamin's throat.
As soon as the "knife" fell, Benjamin completely stopped moving, with his hands raised.
Li Zan gently lowered his clenched hand, and scratched his throat—"cut throat".
There was deathly silence all around.

Li Zan took a breath, pushed Benjamin away, and stood up.
After a few seconds of dead silence, the crowd suddenly burst into applause.
Li Zan randomly wiped the dust from his head and face, walked aside, picked up the vest, hand, gun, protective gear and other equipment scattered on the ground, glanced at Song Ran who was stunned, and said, "Let's go."