Chapter 38
Li Zan had a nightmare at night.
After being with Song Ran, he stopped having nightmares for a long time.
It might have been during the day, because CANDY won the Pulitzer Prize. When he took Song Ran out for dinner and shopping, a foreign child bumped into his lap and fell to the ground, crying. The foreign child had a pair of dark eyes, which made him Suddenly something occurred to me.
I had a dream that night.
In the dream, a Dongguo man hugged his wife, and two little boys and a little girl held the corners of their parents' clothes. They stood side by side in the blank space, looking at him quietly. Their eyes were dark and empty.
When Li Zan woke up, the back of his neck was covered with sweat, and he could hear his breathing being extremely rapid in the quiet night. But he quickly restrained himself, fearing to wake up Song Ran beside him.
It was around three o'clock in the morning, and there was a faint skylight outside the curtains. The world is so quiet that you can hear the sounds of insects outside.
It is already the end of April, but the nights are still slightly cool.
Li Zan carefully turned sideways and gently hugged Song Ran's waist, intending to fall asleep again, but her hands stretched out to hug his waist.
After a moment of silence, Li Zan whispered: "Ran Ran?"
"Huh?" She opened her eyes, her clear eyes shining brightly in the dark night.
"Did I wake you up?"
"No, I woke up halfway." She spoke with a nasal voice, sounding a little soft and charming, "...are you having a nightmare?"
"Um."
"What did you dream about?"
He rubbed his eyes: "It's all about Dongguo. I dreamed about bombs, killing people."
Song Ran said: "I usually have nightmares like these."
"Why are you awake? Are you dreaming?"
"Well, maybe because I won the award, I thought about those things again." She frowned, "There are still a lot of people coming to interview me again, which is a bit annoying."
"Then turn off your phone and ignore them."
"I think so."
Li Zan brushed his hand on her face, stroked her temples with his fingers, and asked, "How did you have nightmares before?"
She said: "Lie down and look at the ceiling. Then slowly, the sky will light up."
as same as him.
You can't close your eyes and try to sleep at that time. I won’t be able to sleep, and then the picture will replay, making it even more painful.
Song Ran stretched out his hand from the quilt, stretched, then put it down and hugged his neck: "But you are here now."
Li Zan said: "Would you like to heat some milk? It might feel better to drink some."
"I also want to eat steamed buns."
"Okay." Li Zan stood up, put on his nightgown and said, "Don't come down."
But Song Ran still wrapped herself in her nightgown and put on her slippers and chased after him.
The nightgown and slippers are couple's ones they bought in the supermarket last week, blue and pink.
Song Ran used to think that all kinds of couple items were silly, but after she fell in love, she happily bought a bunch of them, including a pair of toothbrushes and cups.
Li Zan took out the milk from the refrigerator and poured it into the milk pot, put it on the stove to heat over low heat, then added water to the steamer, the steamer basket and the steamed buns.
The milk gradually warmed up, and the fragrance of milk overflowed.
Song Ranhu said: "This costs 50 US dollars a cup in Dongguo."
"Yeah." Li Zan said, "I saw the news last night that Gama was caught in a war."
Gama is the capital of the Eastern Kingdom, an ancient city with a history of thousands of years.
Song Ran said: "Even Gamma University of Technology was bombarded."
"If Gama falls, Dongguo will also..." Li Zan did not continue, poured the milk into the cup, put the steamed buns on the plate, and the two sat down at the dining table.
Song Ran squatted on a chair and ate steamed buns.
Li Zan suddenly asked: "Do you want to go back to Dongguo again?"
Song Ran sipped the milk, thought for a moment, and said, "I want to, but I don't dare."
Li Zan said nothing.
Song Ran asked: "What about you?"
Li Zan said: "I want to, but I'm not really able."
Looking at each other, they suddenly smiled at each other.
He reached out and touched her head, then leaned over and put his forehead against hers and rubbed it hard.
She whispered: "It hurts!"
After the two drank the milk, they went to bed again and had a good night's sleep.
In early May, Li Zan once again asked Chen Feng to return to the team. Chen Feng really couldn't defeat him this time, so he said he would think of a way to see if he could join the team first and follow the training. Chen Feng said he was trying to find a way, but Li Zan knew that the matter would probably be settled as soon as he let go.
That day was Thursday. He went home in the evening and told Song Ran the news. He didn't expect that Song Ran would also have news for him.
She received a reply from the National Military Channel.
The "Our Flag" column team selected Song Ran from hundreds of proposals and expressed the hope that she could come to Imperial City to participate in the production of the "Our Flag" column. The column team will provide her with a generous salary, a high-level production platform and production team, as well as the most sincere and authoritative letters of recommendation when needed in the future.
When Song Ran told him the news, he was so happy that his whole face seemed to be shining.
Li Zan hasn't seen her so excited about her career for a long time, and winning an award some time ago didn't make her so happy.
He also smiled with crooked eyebrows and said, "I knew it would be you. It seems I was right."
"It's all because of what you said that it worked so well." She rushed forward and hugged his neck.
Li Zan laughed out loud: "I'm not a god."
But just after she was happy, she felt a little sad again, rubbing her head on his shoulder: "But... they asked me to go to the Imperial City."
He touched her hair and felt reluctant to give up. He smiled and said, "This is what you want to do, so feel free to go for it. The high-speed rail is also convenient. I can visit you every weekend."
"Really?" Song Ran's eyes lit up, and then he frowned, "But if you return to the team, you will be under military management and you won't be able to get out."
"..." Li Zan was stunned. I've been so used to hanging out recently that I forgot about this level for a while.
Just as she was frowning, Song Ran smiled: "Then I'll come back to see you. Family members are visiting relatives."
Li Zan suddenly smiled: "Okay."
Song Ran replied to the email to the column team that night.
Unexpectedly, she received the notice the next day. The director hoped that she could go to the Imperial City as soon as possible. The column team will hold a preliminary planning meeting over the weekend. If she can make it there, she's welcome to attend.
Song Ran knew very well that the workload and service timeliness of the national television station were not comparable to that of Liangcheng Satellite TV. She agreed immediately.
Li Zan saw this and helped her buy the high-speed train to the Imperial City that night. It was too late for the evening flight. The total check-in time is about the same as that of the high-speed rail.
Song Ran took the box and started packing her luggage.
Seeing her stuffing her nightgown, slippers and towels into the box, Li Zan said amusedly, "Why are you bringing these things? Are they available in the hotel or at your mother's house?"
"That's different." Song Ran said, "I am a pair with you."
Li Zan let her go and said, "I just checked the weather. There is a big temperature difference between day and night in the Imperial City. Bring a sweater or coat."
"Um."
As Song Ran folded her coat, she saw Li Zan counting all her bank cards, ID cards, press cards, camera battery cables. I took photos of various documents and cards with my mobile phone and kept the information: "If you accidentally lose it, ask me for pictures." He put them away and put them in a special bag and stuffed them into the box.
Song Ran felt warm in her heart, but she said, "Do you think I'm a child? I've been to the Imperial City so many times, and my mother is also there. Don't worry about me."
He smiled and closed the suitcase.
On Friday night, I hit the evening rush hour when I went out. Li Zan was worried about traffic jams and took her on the subway.
There were many people in the carriage and there was no place to sit. Li Zan pulled Song Ran into a corner and put his arm around her to prevent outsiders from bumping into her.
She leaned against the car wall, standing in the space he gave her, and couldn't help but lower her head and smile.
Li Zan stared at her expression and asked, "Why are you laughing? Are you so happy to say goodbye?"
Song Ran frowned and hit him lightly. He wanted to say something, but he was afraid that people around him would hear it, so he stood up on tiptoes and leaned towards his ear. He lowered his head slightly to meet her.
She whispered: "When I was riding the subway, I saw a boy doing this to his girlfriend. I felt so warm."
Before he finished speaking, the subway swayed, Li Zan's body swayed slightly, and his cheek lightly bumped into her lips. Very soft.
She dropped her heels and stood up. He had a smile on his lips, and his eyes followed her face. He looked at her for a while, then slowly looked at the bag behind her and said, "Be careful when riding alone in the car, don't get stolen." Stuff. Especially cell phones.”
"I know."
Li Zan suddenly asked: "Can you recite my phone number?"
Song Ran: "..."
Li Zan rolled his eyes at her very lightly and looked away from the car door.
Song Ran refused to admit defeat, hugged his waist, raised her head, and said stubbornly: "Can you remember my phone number?"
Li Zan didn't even look at her. He looked at the line display on the door and said: "13xxxxxx529."
Song Ran chuckled: "Just teasing you, I remember it."
Li Zan said: "I don't believe it."
"Really. 15xxxxxx101"
Li Zan looked at the circuit diagram with an expressionless face, tensed up for a second or two, but still couldn't help but laugh.
The two chatted quietly all the way, and soon arrived at the high-speed rail station.
Li Zan took Song Ran with one hand and her luggage with the other, and got off the subway.
Song Ran, who was cheerful before, became reluctant to give up at this moment.
It has been two months since the two of them fell in love. In the past sixty days, Song Ran had been together every day. Song Ran had never experienced the feeling of separation, but she clearly felt the sourness at this moment.
She suddenly said: "Have you ever felt that March and April passed so quickly?"
"Yes." He said.
Since the two of them got together, the days have flown by like water, and going to Jiangcheng seems like yesterday.
"May will be here in the blink of an eye." She said melancholy.
He said: "When I went downstairs today, all the flowers that bloomed in spring had fallen out."
She called again: "A-Zan."
"Um?"
"If I leave, will you let me go?"
Li Zan pursed his lower lip, looked at her calmly, pulled her into his arms, tilted his head and leaned against hers, and whispered: "I will find a way to visit you next week."
"real?"
"we have a deal."
Unconsciously, she reached the gate. Li Zan stopped and handed her the trolley case.
Their eyes met, and the two of them were quiet for a moment, saying nothing.
Li Zan looked at her for a moment and said, "Wait a moment."
He ran to a nearby vending machine, bought two bottles of water and gave them to her. Song Ran took it and found that the one he bought was the most expensive one. He whispered: "One bottle is enough. Why buy so many?"
"The carriage has been dry for four or five hours."
Song Ran looked down at the water, her nose felt sour, and she remained silent again.
Ticket checking has begun at the gate, and passengers are queuing up to pass quickly, making a beeping sound.
Li Zan said softly: "Go."
Song Ran raised his head and whispered: "You are coming to see me next week."
Li Zan's eyes didn't leave, but Que Zuo smiled calmly and touched her face.
He took a step closer to her, held her face, lowered his head and kissed her cheek quickly, and said, "Promise."
She didn't know why, but her eye circles suddenly turned red, and she felt worthless, so she smiled sheepishly, and when she looked at him again, her eyes became even more wet. While smiling, he dragged the big box through the turnstile.
Li Zan's expression was a bit difficult to maintain. He stood here with his pockets in his pockets and looked at her. She walked over and turned back to wave to him. Li Zan took out his hand and waved.
When Song Ran turned around and got off the escalator, she felt extremely uncomfortable. After living together for two months, she has become very dependent on him.
She dragged her luggage into the car, sat down in her seat, and hesitated.
When the train was about to start, a group of people in the window seats on the opposite side of the carriage suddenly looked towards the platform, talking about the shadow blowing across the stairs and platform like the wind.
Song Ran didn't care. She was sitting next to the outer window, watching the train start slowly with a bleak look on her face. Suddenly, someone lightly scratched her head.
Song Ran turned around in confusion.
Li Zan stood in the corridor, panting and looking at her with a smile. His cheeks were red from running at high speed just now.
"Why are you here?" Song Ran stood up in surprise.
The girl sitting next to her was a twenty-eight-nine-year-old girl. Seeing this, she moved inside and said, "Let me change places with you."
Song Ran quickly said: "Thank you."
The girl understood very well and joked: "You are indeed a young man."
Before Li Zan could catch his breath, he nodded and added: "Thank you."
Passengers who were nearby all gave kind smiles.
A man in his thirties raised his head from his notebook and said, "I did this kind of thing more than ten years ago. At that time, it was still a green train. I had to pay for the platform ticket after getting on the train."
When Song Ran heard this, he quickly asked Li Zan: "Have you bought the ticket?"
"I bought it. Fortunately, I was able to swipe my ID card, otherwise I would have been late." Li Zan's face turned red and he looked at her with clear eyes. He gasped and said, "I suddenly remembered that today is the weekend. I will accompany you there first and come back on Sunday."
Song Ran suddenly wanted to cry and laugh at the same time. He was worried about the number of people in the car, so he endured it and just held his hand tightly.
Because it was a weekend and tickets were tight, Li Zan could only buy standing tickets. Song Ran wanted to give him the position, but he refused and actually stood all the way to the Imperial City.
Song Ran was originally going to go back to her mother's house, but now that Li Zan is here, she didn't want her to know for the time being, so she went to the hotel.
When checking in, Song Ran said apologetically: "My mother is very scary, it's better not to see her first."
Li Zan had no objection and said, "It's nice to live outside. It's comfortable."
Song Ran still felt uncomfortable in her heart, so she leaned into his ear and comforted him softly: "If we live at my mother's house, we won't be able to sleep in the same room."
"..." The corners of Li Zan's lips raised silently.
Taking the room card and going upstairs, the elevator door closed, and the two of them looked at each other without any scruples. Song Ran pursed her lips and smiled, her eyes filled with unabashed joy and love.
Li Zan was confused by her sight and took her into his arms.
"Have you been to the Imperial City?" Song Ran asked.
"Many times."
"What are you doing here?"
"Business trip. Communicate. Receive awards. All kinds of things."
"oh."
When getting out of the elevator, Song Ran thought of something and said, "I just suddenly realized that it's not worthwhile for you to come here."
"What do you say?" Li Zan walked to the door and checked the room number.
Swipe the card and there is a "beep" sound.
She said apologetically: "I'm busy on the weekend, so I may not have time to accompany you. Otherwise, we can go to sightseeing spots together, or walk around or something like that."
"Ranran."
"Um?"
He pushed open the door, inserted the card into the card slot, and said softly, "I'm not here for sightseeing."
Song Ran was stunned.
"Besides, I'm not your guest, so I don't need you to bother arranging your itinerary."
He just wanted to be in the same place with her, even if he didn't do anything or talk.
Li Zan closed the door and was about to turn around when Song Ran suddenly stepped forward, stood on tiptoes, hooked his neck, raised her head and kissed his lips.
Li Zan was stunned, but she kissed him harder, and her thin hands reached into his collar. A string of numbness suddenly appeared on his back.
Because of her rare initiative, his heart was instantly aroused. He bent his back and kissed her deeply; he bent down, hugged her and picked her up.
Song Ran's heart was frightened and excited, and she was hanging on top of him, a little taller than him. She held his head, lowered her head and kissed him deeply until he leaned over and pressed her onto the white and fluffy bed.
Sometimes the young bodies are separated and drawn away, and sometimes they are closely dependent on each other. It seems that today's unsuccessful separation has awakened a stronger connection and love deeper in the body and mind. She is no longer as shy and young as she used to be, boldly seeking to cater to her, and he is not as considerate and gentle as before, he is particularly domineering and forceful, as if only strength and impact can vent the uneasy longing in the heart, the unspeakable reluctance and deep love. clean. He was intertwined with her powerful softness, and her heart was once again filled with his familiar solidity.
The quilt and sheets were tangled up, covering her delicate moans. Her fingers clawed at the sheets in vain, but in the end they firmly grasped his scar.
That night, the two of them were like playful children who couldn't stop, and they went crazy all night long.
Song Ran's voice became hoarse in the end, and her legs and feet no longer belonged to her at all.
Early the next morning, Song Ran almost didn't wake up in time. It was Li Zan who called softly in her ear several times: "Ran Ran."
"Ranran."
She opened her eyes with a heavy breath and met his clear and handsome features. Looking at each other and smiling, she shrank into his arms and clung to him.
It is said that skin-to-skin contact is for love.
Now I love her so much that my heart is filled with joy, and the intimacy almost overflows from my heart.
Li Zan kissed her gently for a while, his breath intertwined, his skin caressed, and he couldn't help himself.
But considering that she still had business to attend to, he finally endured it and got up with her.
The hotel they stayed in was not far from the TV station, and Li Zan sent Song Ran there on foot.
Song Ran was melancholy all the way, still worried that he had nothing to do.
Li Zan smiled lightly: "Do your job well and don't worry about me. I'm not a three-year-old child either."
At nine o'clock in the morning, Song Ran met with the director and production team of the "Our Flag" column group.
The media practitioners here are very kind and free-spirited. Even the well-known editors, directors and planners in the industry have no pretensions. They even joked that Ran Song, who won the Pulitzer Prize, is the big star.
Song Ran smiled and wondered for a moment whether CANDY's award helped her get this opportunity. But she quickly brushed it off without thinking about it further.
After everyone got to know each other one by one, they quickly got to the point without wasting time and discussed various ideas on the construction of the column.
Song Ran participated and was quickly attracted by their unconventional remarks and views. The collision of good ideas always sparks, and she also gained new ideas and creativity from everyone's speeches on the spot.
Because of her rich knowledge base, covering humanities, history, literature, military affairs, and political geography, she quickly integrated into the team.
It was at this moment that Song Ran suddenly realized that what her mother said was right all along.
Staying in Liangcheng, she will become a frog in the well.
After a day's planning meeting, Song Ran didn't feel tired at all. Instead, he was as energetic and enlightened as if he had opened up the two channels of Ren and Du.
When I came back to my senses, outside the floor-to-ceiling window, the morning glow had turned into a night scene. It was eight o'clock in the evening.
Song Ran quickly took out her cell phone, but there was no message. She knew that Li Zan would not rush her to disturb her, so she immediately sent a text message asking: "Where are you?"
The text message came back quickly: "Downstairs. Cafe."
Song Ran was heartbroken. Just as she was about to reply again, her colleagues in the column team asked her to go out for a dinner.
Song Ran said: "I won't go. My boyfriend is waiting for me downstairs."
"It's okay, just ask your boyfriend to come with you."
Song Ran did not answer immediately, but first sent a message to Li Zan, asking him if he would like to have dinner with her colleagues.
Li Zan said: "Okay."
Song Ran and everyone went downstairs and saw Li Zan standing on the roadside, holding a paper bag of books in his hand.
Song Ran immediately ran up and asked in a low voice: "What have you done today? Have you been waiting for a long time?"
He smiled and said: "I went to the military museum to meet a comrade and bought some books, but I haven't finished half of them."
Song Ran took a look at his bag. They were all the professional books he usually read, and then he felt a little relieved.
She turned around and introduced to her new colleagues: "This is my boyfriend, Li Zan."
Everyone greeted me warmly.
Li Zan also smiled politely and nodded slightly.
The place to eat is a Japanese restaurant next to the TV station, which is a short walk away.
As soon as they took their seats, the director kept looking at Li Zan and suddenly said: "Are you from last year's... peacekeeping force program?"
Everyone looked over: "Yes, yes, that's Li Zan."
"This name sounded familiar to me just now."
"When that program was first broadcast, there were many female colleagues on the station who were nymphomaniacs."
Most of the people working behind the scenes in the column group are girls, and practitioners in this industry are very direct in expressing their preferences.
Li Zan just smiled and said nothing.
Song Ran secretly hooked his palm.
"That program was filmed by Ran Ran, right?" Xiao A said, "There were our reporters in the station at that time, but the political commissar of the station had to be chosen by ourselves. We were still complaining about it, but we didn't expect that the film would be released, and it would be really great. The male lead was so well shot, now that I think about it, they turned out to be a couple."
Song Ran explained: "Actually, we were not together at that time."
Little B interjected: "But I guess you must have liked him at that time, right?"
Li Zan turned his head and looked at Song Ran.
Song Ran pursed her lips and smiled, nodding her head: "Yes."
Little C smiled: "All the single girls here have learned from this."
Everyone laughed kindly.
Song Ran also smiled and leaned gently on Li Zan's shoulder.
At this time, the director asked: "Which military district is Captain Li currently in?"
Li Zan said: "Jiangcheng."
She asked casually: "Will you come to the Imperial City in the future? With Ran Ran's strength, only the development of the Imperial City is worthy of her."
Song Ran's heart tightened. She hadn't thought about this problem yet. She looked at Li Zan and was about to help him smooth things over.
Li Zan already took over the words with a slight smile: "It is not that easy to transfer in the army, but there is room for maneuver, left to those who are well prepared. I am slowly planning, it may take a year or two."
Song Ran was stunned, not knowing that he had made such a plan for her.
People around were already cheering softly: "Happy~~"
"That's great. Captain Li, let me toast you." The director picked up the sake and said, "To the peacekeepers, to the soldiers."
Colleagues around him also picked up their wine glasses: "We want it too, to pay tribute to the soldiers."
"Thank you." Li Zan picked up the cup and touched it with everyone. When he took his hand back, Song Ran held the small sake cup in both hands and waited for him with bright eyes: "I respect you too, Captain Li."
Li Zan curled his lips and smiled, clinked the glass with her, and drank the wine in one gulp.