The author has something to say: A few corrections. According to the background given in the article, Li Zan's military rank should be captain, not second lieutenant.
The unit that Li Zan belongs to should be the armed police special operations force, not the public security special police.
Thank you military fan cat doesn't cry for correcting the error~
=3=
Chapter 27
Song Ran watched Li Zan disappear at the boarding gate. Behind her, all the crew members of the flight she was on got off the plane.
The flight attendant asked in surprise: "Why are you still standing here? Go away soon."
"Excuse me." Song Ran pulled up her suitcase and trotted away. As she was leaving the corridor, her cell phone rang. It was an unfamiliar number from Liangcheng.
She picked up the phone immediately: "Hello? How are you?"
Li Zan on the other side probably didn't expect her to move so quickly. He paused for a moment before whispering, "It's me."
She stopped by the French window, looked out at the tarmac, her heart beating gently, and said, "I know it's you."
"Oh," he said, "I'll try and see if I got the number wrong."
"That's right," she said. "You have a really good memory."
After saying this, I realized that this was nonsense. If I didn't have concentration and memory superior to ordinary people, how could I become a bomb disposal elite selected from thousands
He asked, "Are you back from vacation?"
"Well, I went to see my mother." She said. After saying that, she thought, he must be wondering why his mother was not in Liangcheng. But she did not explain, thinking that there would be a chance in the future.
She asked, "What about you?"
He paused and said, "On a business trip."
She asked, "Is it something related to bombs again?"
There was only background noise, and he didn't answer.
At this time, the voice of the in-flight broadcast came from the other end of the phone, and he said, "I'm hanging up first."
"Okay. Have a safe trip."
"Um."
Song Ran put down the phone and looked out the window. She saw a thin layer of indoor light reflected on the glass, and her face, as she pursed her lips and looked out, floated above.
When we came out of the airport, it wasn't late, but it gets dark early in winter and it was still a little cold.
On the way home, Song Ran sat in a taxi, still feeling cold, and held her cell phone tightly in her hand, as if she was holding an important reassurance pill.
The next day at work, as Song Ran entered the TV station, all the colleagues she met smiled at her along the way.
Song Ran was confused. When she arrived at the news department's floor and walked into the office area, she saw a large bouquet of flowers on her seat and her colleagues were all smiling at her.
Song Ran was getting more and more puzzled. He took out the card and turned it over. It said: "Congratulations to reporter Song Ran for winning the gold medal of the Netherlands International Photography Award with his photo candy. - Liangcheng TV News Department"
A miniature version of the photo was also included on the card.
candy—song ran
"Congratulations!!!" Colleagues burst into cheers.
Xiao Qiu came up and gave her a big hug: "Ran Ran, you are amazing, I knew you would win the award! The Pulitzer has not been announced yet, but it will definitely be yours!"
Song Ran closed the card and smiled: "Thank you."
Many people came to congratulate:
"Song Ran, congratulations."
"You've become famous this time."
"Why rush? This is just a warm-up. The Pulitzer Prize in April is the real bombshell."
Song Ran thanked everyone. She put the flowers aside and put the card in the drawer.
Since receiving treatment, she is not as prone to mood swings as before.
Compared with psychological counseling, she thinks that it is mainly due to the medication. But the pills also have some side effects. She sometimes feels like she is taking drugs. After taking the pills, she feels calm and positive, but after a while, she falls into depression and self-doubt.
It was as if she was no longer Song Ran, but a can of pills.
But the doctor told her not to examine herself or put pressure on herself, and to take her time in healing.
But now, having just taken medicine in the morning, she felt indifferent about winning the award, neither excited nor repulsed or afraid.
However, before she could sit down, Liu Yufei came to find her.
After she won the award, a bunch of leaders came to express their concern and consolation, asking her if she had any difficulties in her work and promising her various relaxed policies and support in the future.
After meeting with all the leaders, the morning was almost over.
Song Ran had nothing urgent to do when she returned to the office. After thinking for a while, she still unconsciously climbed over the firewall to access the Internet. At first, she just checked her private messages. Sahin and many foreign journalist friends sent her congratulations.
She read it absentmindedly and went back to look for other comments. This time, the critical voices dominated.
A French newspaper even published an editorial specifically for Candy's winning the award, criticizing the professionalism of the Netherlands International Photography Award itself, and denouncing that the award has long been profiting from human disasters, pushing groups of journalists to take pride in hunting for the bizarre and the tragic, distorting human nature, and pursuing fame and fortune.
Song Ran didn't read the tens of thousands of comments under the article and turned off the Internet.
When she was about to get off work in the evening, Song Zhicheng called her and asked her to go home for dinner. He knew from the news that she had won the award.
His father's excitement almost penetrated the microphone. Before he got off work, Song Ran heard a bunch of people praising him. They should be uncles and aunts from his father's unit.
Song Ran didn't want to go home, but didn't want to disappoint Song Zhicheng, so he agreed.
After get off work, Song Ran drove to the archives staff quarters.
Today's winter is reluctant to leave. The Spring Festival has passed, and another cold wave has arrived. The deciduous trees in the yard are still gray, with bare branches pointing straight to the sky.
The sky is also bleak, and I heard it will snow again in the next few days.
When I got off the car, the biting cold air hit me in the face.
Song Ran wrapped her scarf tightly and trotted into the corridor. She climbed up to the third floor and walked to the door. Just as she was about to push it open, she heard voices coming from inside.
Yang Huilun said: "A few days ago I heard someone say that depression is just a bad mood?"
Song Yang said: "Yes and no. Oh, you don't understand. If you love someone, then understand him that way."
"You've been making me feel bad lately. I'm afraid I'm suffering from depression."
"Okay, why are you pulling me around again?"
"Hey, how come your sister got this disease? She didn't have a bad temper before, but now I'm scared to talk to her."
Song Yang: "I told you that you don't understand. That's psychological trauma."
Yang Huilun: "Psychological trauma? I think she's fine, her work is going well, and she even won an international award, so she should be feeling better. What's there to worry about?"
Song Yang couldn't explain it to her, so she said, "Why are you cooking so early? You have to heat it up again later. Can't you wait until she comes back in the middle of winter?"
"I'm afraid you'll be hungry, so I asked you to eat something first." Yang Huilun sighed, "Well, I don't know when she'll be home, and I don't even dare to ask. I called her that day and she yelled at me. My heart trembles when I think about it now. If it happens a few more times, I'll get depressed too."
"Oh my god, that happened so long ago. Do you still remember it? I quarrel with you every day, are you going to kill me?"
Song Ran held the door handle in her hand. The stainless steel was icy and cold, and the chill went straight from her fingers to her heart. She slowly lowered her hand, put her cold fingers back into her pocket, turned around, and went downstairs silently.
The north wind was blowing in the corridor, and she stood in the wind for a while, then took out her cell phone. She clicked on Li Zan's number, wondering whether to dial it or not, her thumb trembling in the cold wind.
After a dozen seconds, the phone froze and shut down.
She put the cold cell phone back into her pocket and walked out of the corridor.
This winter seems endlessly long.
Li Zan returned to Liangcheng after more than a week, and the temperature was still below zero.
It was night when he returned home. He was exhausted after traveling from New York to the capital and then transferring back. He opened the door with his key and saw the lights on. Father Li was cooking chicken soup in the kitchen.
Li Zan shut the cold wind behind the door. His voice was a little hoarse as he called out, "Dad."
"We landed an hour ago. Why did we take so long on the road?" Father Li's concerned voice came from the kitchen.
"There's a traffic jam." Li Zan changed into slippers on the porch.
"Come and warm yourself by the fire," Father Li rubbed his hands as he walked to the sofa, turned on the electric heater, and spread a small quilt on top. "I don't know what's wrong with the weather. It's still so cold in the beginning of spring."
Li Zan said nothing. He sat over and put his hands under the quilt to warm himself by the fire.
Li's father looked at him for a few times and wanted to ask him what the doctor said, but Li Zan just stared into space without saying a word.
The father understood what was going on and asked no more questions.
He went to the kitchen and worked for a while, then served the food on the table. He said warmly, "A-Zan, come and eat. I have been stewing chicken soup for the whole afternoon."
"Hey." Li Zan pursed his lips and gave a faint smile when he stood up.
The father and son sat at right angles to each other, eating their meals in silence.
Li Zan was halfway through his meal when he saw a bunch of supplements on the shelf and asked, "What are you buying these for?"
"It was sent by your military leader," said Father Li. "During the days since you left, the instructor, political commissar, and leaders of the political department have all come to your house to do ideological work."
Li Zan paused with the chopsticks in his hand and looked up at him.
"You are a special soldier and an officer. You have made contributions. Now you are disabled, but the army won't let you retire. They say it's against policy. If you insist on doing this, it will be a disgrace to the Jiangcheng Military Region. It will be very unpleasant if the news gets out."
Li Zan lowered his head and ate his meal without saying a word.
"But your instructor also said that if you don't want to return to the army now, you can do some non-profit work outside and say that you are recuperating from an injury. You must keep in touch with the army regularly and report your thoughts." Father Li stood up and took out a piece of paper. "These are the places designated by the team where you can work."
Li Zan took the paper and threw it away without even looking at it.
The white paper floated onto the coffee table.
Father Li said nothing and silently picked up the bowl.
"Dad," Li Zan said softly, "You should go back. You won't be used to staying here, and you need to take care of grandpa and grandma. I'm fine."
Father Li persuaded him: "Why don't you come back to Jiangcheng with me? Let your boss transfer you to a civilian position there?"
Li Zan said, "I don't want to go back."
Father Li knew that he had many acquaintances in his hometown.
"A-Zan..."
"Um?"
"What's on your mind? Can you tell daddy?"
Li Zan raised his head and smiled faintly: "Nothing. You can go home early. You don't have to watch over me."
Father Li felt bad when he saw his son: perhaps because his wife died too early, the child lacked an emotional female role to guide him in life, or perhaps his gentle and tolerant character was the only reference for his son's growth. Li Zan was not very good at expressing his inner feelings from childhood to adulthood. Happiness, love, sadness, despair, everything was gentle and calm, and he responded with a smile.
When I am very happy, my smile is restrained; when I am very sad, my tears are silent.
The most vivid time was when I was in the army and hanging out with a bunch of soldiers, which showed my deepest pride and toughness. Even now...
“Azan…” Before Li’s father could say something, Li Zan suddenly turned his head and looked at the TV.
The TV was playing a news story:
“… my country’s famous war correspondent Song Ran won the gold medal of the Netherlands International Press Award for his news photo “Candy”. This is the first time that a Chinese journalist has won this award. The Netherlands International Press Award is one of the most important awards in the world news media circle, second only to the Pulitzer Prize. Many media commentators believe that “Candy” is very likely to win the Pulitzer Prize this year…”
The screen showed the movie "Candy" and Song Ran's ID photo.
That ID photo should have been taken two years ago when Song Ran just started working. The girl in the photo has long hair, a fair face, a shy smile, and big, bright eyes.
Li Zan suddenly remembered the night he met her at the airport. She had short hair that was blown messy by the wind.
He put down the spoon, walked to the coffee table, picked up his phone, pulled up the address book, and clicked on the star-marked number.
He was organizing the words of congratulation in his mind, and when he looked up, he saw himself in the mirror - he had taken off his scarf, and there was a long scar on his neck.
Suddenly, the sound of the wind outside the window stopped and the sound from the TV disappeared.
The world is very quiet.
He looked back at the swaying tree branches outside the window, his father who was eating, and the silent pictures on the TV screen. He felt like he was standing in a vacuum.
He looked down at his phone and exited the address book.
Li Zan bent down to put his phone back on the coffee table, but caught a glimpse of the white paper left by the instructor with several work locations written on it, one of which was Baixi Road.
…
That morning, when Song Ran went out, he saw snow falling outside, and snowflakes of snow soaked the bluestone alley.
This year is really unusual, it snowed the whole winter. The snowflakes floated from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.
On the way to the station, a few high school students happily ran past her and said with a smile: "It's snowing again, will the wish come true?"
Song Ran overheard it and thought about it, she didn't have any wishes.
She took a ride to the TV station and was calm throughout the day, dealing with the complicated matters at hand in an orderly manner.
After the Spring Festival, the new year has just arrived, and it seems that the whole society is in a festive mood. There are no bad things, no hot topics, only entertainment news scrolling across the screen.
The news department has a rare moment of leisure.
Song Ran suddenly realized that the world is peaceful when reporters have nothing to do.
Is this a kind of irony
When I got off work at six o'clock, it was dark.
The snow was still falling, fluttering over the passing vehicles and pedestrians.
Song Ran stood at the bus stop waiting for the bus. A snowflake flew onto her face, chilling her heart. She suddenly remembered the words she heard in the alley that morning.
She actually has a wish.
She wants to see someone.
Even if I can just look at him from a distance without saying anything, that would be fine.
The snow is still falling.
Song Ran leaned his head against the icy glass of the bus, looking absentmindedly at the snowy street scene outside the window.
After only two stops, a large crowd appeared ahead, as if someone was about to jump off the building.
The bus just pulled into the station and the passengers all crowded around the windows to watch the excitement.
Song Ran got out of the car immediately, took out his camera from his backpack and rushed over.
The snow was flying heavily and the ground was wet.
The roadside was crowded with people, and passing vehicles also stopped to watch the excitement, causing traffic jam.
Song Ran looked up and saw a woman sitting on the top of a shopping mall that was seven or eight stories high.
"That girl wanted to jump off the building, saying her husband ran away with his mistress."
"These days, it's rare for a man not to cheat!"
"It's so pitiful with such heavy snow."
"What problem can jumping off a building solve? Aren't my parents the ones who are sad?"
Song Ran pushed through the crowd and squeezed in. There was a cordon inside to prevent people from approaching. Song Ran took out her press card and asked to go up and take pictures. After checking her ID, the police agreed to let her in and let her enter the mall.
The cold wind howled on the roof.
Seven or eight policemen, assistant policemen and police auxiliary were standing on the empty top floor, persuading and comforting the woman sitting on the edge of the building.
Song Ran was afraid that her presence would disturb the woman, so she hid the camera on the windowsill in the corridor and hid inside. The position she stood in was just in an "L" shape with the jumping point, so she could take a clear picture.
"Think about it, if you jumped off the building, the man might not feel any guilt at all, which would just suit his wishes. In the end, who would be the ones who are sad, aren't they your parents?" It was a young policeman who comforted her.
The firefighter next to him continued, "… and to those of us who care about you. We have been standing with you for an hour in such heavy snow. Girl, some people are not worth it. If you can't swallow this, come down and live a good life in the future. That's the best way to live."
The police took turns to persuade them earnestly.
Only one auxiliary police officer had his back to Song Ran and never said a word. He stood there motionless, like a statue, as if waiting for an opportunity to do something.
"Stop jumping!" Suddenly, someone downstairs shouted, "It's not worth it!"
“Stop jumping!”
More faint sounds were heard.
The young policeman said: "Listen, so many strangers are caring about you. It's snowing so hard and it's so cold, but everyone is here to watch over you and care about you..."
The woman finally lowered her head and began to cry.
"Come down, it's time for dinner. You must be freezing, shall we treat you to hot pot?"
While listening, Song Ran unconsciously glanced at the auxiliary police officer who had his back to her.
He was very tall, and even though he was wearing a thick coat, he was thin. He stood a few steps away from the woman, and did not move from beginning to end, showing extraordinary concentration. Judging from his posture, he should have been staring at the woman on the edge of the building.
Amid the comforting voices, the woman finally turned around, raised her feet and rolled over.
The edge of the building was covered with snow, and the snow had melted and frozen over where she sat. When the woman raised her foot, she slipped and fell out of the building.
There was an exclamation from upstairs and downstairs!
But at that moment, the auxiliary police officer with his back to Song Ran suddenly started, flew to the railing and grabbed the woman's down jacket hood.
Song Ran was horrified by what he saw and instantly zoomed in the camera.
The auxiliary police officer held the railing with one hand and the woman with the other, with half of his body hanging outside the building. His colleagues rushed over and quickly pulled the two back.
Song Ran rushed to the rooftop holding a camera.
The woman burst into tears and was wrapped in a thick military coat by the police and helped down the stairs.
Song Ran stretched his neck and looked through the crowd to find the auxiliary police officer who had just arrested someone.
He turned his back to her, shook his hands gently, and turned around.
Their eyes met, and both of them were stunned.
Across the flying snow, Song Ran looked at Li Zan, then at his auxiliary police uniform, with a confused look on his face.
Li Zan was about to say something when a policeman called him, "A Zan."
"I'll meet you downstairs later." said Li Zan.
Song Ran nodded.
The person had been rescued. Li Zan took the rescue registration form to the mall manager for signature. After getting the signature, he went downstairs and put it back in the police car. He heard people chatting behind the fire truck nearby.
Firefighter: "Is that auxiliary policeman new?"
Policeman: “Yes.”
"You are very skilled, not like an ordinary person."
"He's from the special forces. He looks young, but he's a captain."
"Wow! Why are we here?"
"I'm a bit disabled and I'm recovering from my injuries."
"Oh, that's a pity. If you are disabled, there is no future for you in civilian work. You can only spend your days in the army."
"Yes, I heard he was a bomb disposal officer. He has made so many contributions at such a young age." The policeman gestured with his fingers, "If he hadn't been injured, I don't know how high his rank would have been in the future. What a pity..."
Li Zan closed the door of the police car and left via a detour.
The snow was still falling and it was already dark.
The crowd watching in front of the mall had long since dispersed, leaving behind a ground of black slush and footprints.
Song Ran had put away her camera and put it on her back. She stood under the eaves of the mall, her hands in her pockets, looking at the snowflakes dancing in the night sky.
A familiar figure approached in my peripheral vision.
She lowered her gaze, and Li Zan trotted over to her from the police car on the side of the road. He brushed the snow off his eyelashes and smiled slightly: "Long time no see."
Even though they had met at the airport not long ago, she knew what he meant.
She looked at him carefully. That day at the airport, she was so excited that she didn't look at him carefully.
I haven't seen him for almost five months. He has lost a lot of weight, but his eyes are still clear.
She stared at him, smiling through her lips.
He also smiled gently and asked, "What's wrong?"
She pointed to her ears and said, "Your hair has grown longer, it's different from before."
Li Zan smiled and raised his hand to rub his hair casually. He no longer had the short hair he had before. He looked at her again and said, "You cut your hair short."
“Isn’t it pretty?”
He was stunned for a moment, his eyes flickered, and his voice lowered: "It looks good."
Song Ran looked at his right ear, carefully examined it, and confirmed that it was an embedded hearing aid.
When he saw it, his expression was indifferent.
"Ears...what's wrong?"
"It's just a minor injury, but I'm fine now."
Song Ran stopped smiling and asked seriously, "Are you okay?"
Li Zan said: "It's good."
She was still looking at him, so he explained, "It's an assignment for the team. The work is easy and not dangerous. I can go home every day and have weekends. It's pretty good."
Song Ran looked at his gentle expression, not knowing for a moment whether his words were true or false.
He asked, "What about you?"
"I'm fine too." Song Ran smiled and said, "Everything is fine at home, work is going well, and I'm in a good mood every day. In short, everything is fine."
With a faint smile in his eyes, he looked into her eyes quietly all the time. After listening, he said softly, "You also won a prize, right?"
Song Ran blushed, pinched her fingers, and nodded: "An unexpected gain. I didn't expect it."
"Congratulations, reporter Song," he said, with sincerity and tenderness in his eyes that made her feel inexplicably soft-hearted.
She stared at him, wanting to say something.
Just then, a policeman came out of the mall after finishing work and called out as he passed by: "A Zan, it's time to pack up."
"Hey." Li Zan looked up and answered, then looked at her again and whispered, "I'm leaving."
Song Ran didn't say anything, just nodded mechanically. He felt reluctant but knew he couldn't speak.
"You..." She hesitated.
Li Zan, who had just turned around, stopped and looked back at her: "Hmm?"
"Where do you work?" Song Ran smiled and waved the press card in his hand, "In case I need your help someday."
He smiled and said, "Baixi Road."
The Liangcheng TV office building is located in the jurisdiction of Baixi Road Police Station.
"Oh." Song Ran smiled, "What a coincidence."
"You work on social news. If you need any help, come to me."
"OK."
"Going." He said goodbye again.
"Yeah. Bye." She grinned and waved at him.
Li Zan walked quickly into the snowstorm without looking back.
He sat in the passenger seat of the police car and glanced in the rearview mirror.
In the white snowy night, Song Ran stood there watching. After standing there for a few seconds, she opened a black umbrella and walked into the snow.
He watched the figure disappear, and suddenly, his ears became silent again, and he could hear nothing. After a few seconds of silence, the sound began to roar.
He lowered his head and rubbed his temple hard.
At the side, the policeman Xiaojia reached out and touched the back of his head and asked, "What's wrong? Is your head hurting again?"
Li Zan didn't hear it, but he could guess it. He shook his head slightly: "No. Let's drive."