Li Zan held Song Ran's hand, supported the railing, and finally walked up the last step in front of the Civil Affairs Bureau.
He breathed slightly, with a slight flush on his cheeks. Song Ran took out a tissue and wiped the thin sweat from his lips.
He let her take care of him, his calm eyes covering her.
The summer morning sun shone warmly on her face. Today she wore light makeup, her eyes were bright and her eyebrows were slender, her complexion became fairer and softer, there was a touch of light red on her cheeks, and she also applied lip gloss on her lips. Her long, soft hair is spread loosely, with one side of her hair tucked behind her ear.
"slowly."
"Huh?" She raised her eyes, her eyes clear and watery.
"Have you thought about it?" he asked. Even though I was sure, I wanted to hear what she had to say.
"What do you think?" She rolled her eyes at him lightly.
He pursed his lips, the corners of his lips curved.
She asked, "What about you? Have you thought about it?"
He smiled a little shyly and his eyes curled up: "I've been thinking about it for a long time."
"That's okay." She leaned close to him affectionately and held his hand. He was wearing a white shirt today, and his figure was thin but upright. She whispered, "A-Zan, you look really good today."
"The same to you."
She also wore a white shirt, specially coming to take pictures later.
They arrived early and were the first couple to register their marriage today. The staff of the Civil Affairs Bureau warmly received them. When they received the information, they were surprised and said: "Oh, the first couple today is actually a military wedding. I wish you a happy marriage, congratulations."
Song Ran said: "Thank you."
The two handed in their information, filled out and signed the form, and went to take photos in front of the red background wall.
Song Ran said: "Please take a better picture for us."
"You guys look great in any photo. I haven't seen such a good-looking newcomer here for a long time."
Song Ran insisted: "Please take a few more photos, I want to choose the best one."
"OK, no problem."
Li Zan and Song Ran smiled at each other and looked at the camera.
Sure enough, every picture is beautiful. In front of the red background, the two people in white shirts are clean and young, their heads are slightly closer to each other, and they have sweet smiles on their faces.
Song Ran secretly glanced at Li Zan in the photo. His eyes were bright and he had a beautiful smile.
Get your marriage certificate soon.
"Li Zan" and "Song Ran", their names were printed on it, and the photos were stamped with steel stamps. Recognized by the state as legal husband and wife.
Song Ran stroked the certificate, feeling so moved that it was difficult to express it. Looking up at him, he also stared at the marriage certificate and rubbed her name with his fingers.
"A-Zan, today is the wedding. It's just the two of us."
She didn't want any more weddings, no more irrelevant people.
As long as he is present and holds the marriage certificate, it is a wedding.
That afternoon, Song Ran took Li Zan back to Jiangcheng and went to the countryside.
It was midsummer, and the trees on the country roads were lush, blocking out the sky and the sun. Cicadas chirped tirelessly on the treetops, and sparrows jumped in the vegetable fields.
The canals are crisscrossed and the ponds are like mirrors. A large expanse of green extends to the horizon, and the fields are filled with various crops, including rice, sugar cane, peas, cucumbers...
The countryside is vast and sparsely populated, with a hut placed across a rice field. Every household is placed in a pastoral painting.
Li Zan's condition is no longer suitable for living in the city. In addition to going to Jiangcheng Military Hospital for regular physical examinations, he will live in the countryside the rest of the time.
Li Zan's uncle moved to the city the year before last. The house in the countryside was empty, right next to Li Zan's grandparents' house, separated by half an acre of fields and a pond.
Standing in front of the house and looking up, there are endless green fields as far as the eye can see. A field path covered with tree shades stretches from near to far, extending to the horizon. There seems to be a row of country houses in the fields in the distance, and at the farther end, rows of woods disappear on the horizon, their dense outlines like ink paintings.
After Song Ran packed up his luggage, he said he would find time to renovate and decorate it, and replace it with some new furniture.
Li Zan said: "I'll tell dad."
The next day, Li Qingchen brought a group of his fellow designers and architects over. The group looked around the house, asked the couple about their decoration and renovation requirements, and quickly made a design plan. Construction started in the summer.
Li Zan and Song Ran moved to their grandparents' house for a while.
My grandparents are sixty or seventy years old. They have worked in the fields for a long time and have strong bodies.
Li Zan said that his father wanted to bring his two elders to live in the city, but the old man couldn't get used to it and said it was more comfortable in the countryside.
Of course the countryside is comfortable. Dogs and cats are fighting in the field, ducks are swimming in the ditch in groups, their wing feathers are cutting a water chestnut; chickens are chasing hens in the fields, and dead branches and leaves are covered with down.
Song Ran lived with the old man for a while and said, "A-Zan, I discovered a secret."
"What?" At that time, the two of them were walking on the ridge of the field covered with shades of trees. The orange trees on the roadside were covered with green fruits, and Li Zan was picking oranges for her.
"Your and dad's personalities are both hereditary."
"ah?"
"Grandpa is so gentle and very kind to grandma. He speaks softly and has a good temper. He holds grandma's hand every time we go for a walk. Last night, we were enjoying the cool air on the bamboo bed, and he even used a banana fan to fan grandma. Oh, by the way, I saw this the day before yesterday. Grandpa secretly picked a flower and put it in Grandma’s hair.”
Li Zan smiled and said: "It is indeed a reporter, observe carefully."
"Didn't you notice?"
"Maybe I'm used to it and don't pay that much attention." He peeled off a green-skinned orange and gave her a piece.
Song Ran shook his head and bared his teeth: "It makes me feel sour at first sight."
He smiled lightly: "This tree has grown for many years, and it has produced sweet oranges since I was a child."
So she tried it and stuffed it into her mouth. It was sweet and juicy: "It's delicious."
Li Zan gave her the rest.
After passing a ditch, I picked up some fresh small water chestnuts and peeled them for her to eat.
Caressed by the summer breeze, she ate contentedly and followed him around the fields, letting him find game for her along the way.
"A-Zan, did you often come to the countryside when you were a child?"
"Come here during the summer vacation. Swim in the pond, catch fish, dig lobsters, and crabs." He said, and his childhood days appeared like frames in the waves of the pond, like a dream.
Oranges, shades, water chestnuts, her smiling face, everything that just happened shone in the reflection of the water. The waves are rippling and fragile.
He looked at the water quietly and saw a white olive tree in the sparkling water, with her smiling face among the leaves.
"It's nice. It's nice to live in the country." Her laughter drew him back.
Li Zan said nothing and stroked the dog's tail grass on the roadside with his fingers. A tickling sensation spread into my heart. Very clear.
While he was still judging, she shouted softly: "A-Zan, I want to eat lotus pods."
There is a lotus pond in front, with lotus leaves touching the sky. The wind blows, and the fragrance bursts.
Li Zan picked a lotus pod for her and picked a lotus leaf for her.
She hugged the lotus leaf and sat on the stone beside the pond to peel the lotus seeds.
"It's been a long time since I've eaten such delicious lotus pods. It's so tender and fresh, and the aroma is like eating a whole lotus pond. The ones sold on the street are so old that I can't bite them, and they're also astringent..."
She was chattering as if she had a lot to say.
Li Zan stood aside and watched her, the leaves above his head rustling in the wind.
It was a very quiet summer afternoon.
A frog jumped from the pond onto the lotus leaf, and the lotus stem swayed.
He vaguely saw a white tree in the water again.
Her lotus shell fell into the water, creating a circle of ripples, and the tree disappeared.
He came to his senses, walked over to her, and touched her hair. The wind entangled the hair around his fingertips, making it thin and soft. He touched her cheek, which was soft and warm. She was ticklish, so she giggled and shrank her neck, and lightly spanked his palm. After spanking, she tightened her grip and pulled him forward.
He smiled, his heart slowly falling.
By the end of August, the house was renovated. From the kitchen to the bathroom, from the living room to the bedrooms, the layout is warm and comfortable. Especially the living room and bedroom have floor-to-ceiling windows facing the open fields.
Considering the weather in Jiangcheng and Li Zan's physical condition, central air conditioning and floor heating were specially installed.
On the day they moved into their new home, Ran Yuwei came.
Li Qingchen said apologetically: "My dear, what I did was inappropriate. Ran Ran is getting married to our A-Zan. Logically speaking, I have to visit first, but I didn't..." He was ashamed.
Ran Yu said calmly: "It's okay, I am also marrying them-->>
I found out later. "
Song Ran: "..."
She said: "Mom, Dad wanted to visit you in the Imperial City a long time ago, but we are busy decorating the house here."
Ran Yuwei felt that her "Dad" didn't sound right. She thought she was not used to it, so she lifted it up, looked at Li Zan, and said calmly: "Are you feeling better?"
Li Zan smiled: "It's better, Auntie."
Song Ran pestered him: "What is it called?"
Li Zan blushed slightly and nodded: "Mom."
Ran Yuwei was not very natural and just said: "I see that you are still much thinner than the last time I saw you, and your health is much worse."
Li's father said: "I lost even more weight at the beginning of the month, only 55 kilograms, and now I'm 58."
Ran Yu sighed slightly: "As a father, you have suffered too."
Song Ran was stunned. Only then did they realize that Father Li, who had always smiled supportively in front of them, had red eyes at this moment.
At noon, Father Li cooked rice, including local chicken soup, fried wormwood, water spinach, crayfish, fried fish... all the freshest vegetables from the fields.
While cooking there, Song Ran went to the guest room to help Ran Yuwei make the bed.
Ran Yuwei asked: "What did Song Zhicheng say about your silence about your marriage?"
"He was not very happy, but he didn't say anything. Song Yang gave birth to a child, and they were busy taking care of the child and had no time to care about me."
"What about you? Do you plan to have children?"
Song Ran looked at the door and found that Ran Yuwei had closed the door long ago. She lowered her head and spread the sheets: "I haven't thought about this problem for the time being."
"Li Zan's situation, it's just a matter of time... It's better not to let it go now."
Song Ran said nothing and tucked the bed sheets.
"What about you?" Ran Yuwei asked.
"how do I?"
"Staying in the country all the time and not having a job? That's not a problem."
Song Ran picked up the pillow and raised his head: "Let's read it first. Now I want to finish writing The Floating Century. I have always wanted to write it before, but various things always interfered with it and I couldn't start writing. It's just right to move to the countryside and concentrate on this. As for the future work, let's see." She stuffed the pillow into the pillow case, "Mom, I know what you want to say. Maybe you think taking care of A Zan is hard, but I am actually very happy with him. , I need him very much. Because he needs me very much and relies on me very much. I don’t know how to explain it to you, but now I feel that many of the problems I once faced are no longer problems. ”
Ran Yu said slightly: "I understand. I'm just afraid that you will feel uncomfortable."
Song Ran was sitting on the edge of the bed, zipping up the pillowcase, when she heard the words, her emotions surged, her eyes turned red, and she looked away.
Ran Yuwei took her into his arms and touched her head.
Tears flashed in the corners of Song Ran's eyes, and she said aggrievedly: "I just can't understand, he is obviously such a good person, why should he suffer this kind of punishment? I... I am also a good person, why... "
Ran Yu sighed slightly: "Who in this life will not suffer a little sin?"
Song Ran leaned in her mother's arms, crying silently, soaking her clothes.
Ran Yuwei neither persuaded nor comforted her, knowing that she needed to vent. After she shed tears silently for a while, she recovered quickly. She was afraid that Li Zan would find her when she went out, so she stayed in the room for a while longer.
Ran Yuwei was busy with work and left after one day. Father Li happened to be returning to Jiangcheng and took Ran Yuwei to the airport.
The young couple stood on the path behind the house and watched them leave.
Back home, Song Ran looked around the newly decorated house, feeling very happy. She wanted to tidy up the house, but Li's father wiped the house clean before leaving, so she didn't need to clean it at all.
The living room was designed as a central area according to her requirements. In front of the floor-to-ceiling glass window facing the fields, half of it was her long log desk, and the other half contained the most comfortable armchair.
She was sitting at the table writing, and he was leaning in his chair reading, and they could see each other out of the corner of his eye.
A pot of ice-cold lemon tea was placed on the edge of the table, and tiny water droplets condensed on the glass wall and slid down.
Outside the window, cicadas were chirping; inside the window, he occasionally turned the pages of his book, and occasionally she tapped the keyboard.
Halfway through, Li Zan raised his eyes to look at her, looked at her quietly for a while, then suddenly put down the book and stood up to go out.
She looked back: "Where are you going?"
"Bathroom," he said.
Li Zan took out a small vase from the cabinet and went out. He searched everywhere behind the house, on the edge of the field, and by the ditch. Finally, he found a pea flower, orchid grass, orange flower, morning glory, and a few small blue and pink flowers that he couldn't name, and put them in the vase. You can give it to her and place it next to her computer.
When I was returning, I passed by the house and glanced at it. The drill used for drilling wood during the renovation was left in the woodshed behind the house. The drill bit is thin and pointed, and you can see the sharpness of its rapid rotation and piercing through everything when it is working.
"Zi——" The sound of the motor filled my ears.
Blood splattered and bones and flesh were blurred.
Laughter, shouts, cries, shouts.
He was having difficulty breathing, gasping for air. The house in front of him began to twist, and was about to collapse and break.
no.
That's his home.
cannot.
Ran Ran is inside.
But the road underfoot also began to twist.
He was breathing rapidly, staggering, and groping for the door, when he saw Song Ran sitting in the floor-to-ceiling window, lowering his head and writing and drawing in a notebook.
Li Zan's violent breathing eased slightly.
The originally twisted house has returned to its strong lines.
He calmed down and looked at her quietly from a distance.
Perhaps she felt something, so she raised her head and looked over. The moment her eyes met his, she bent her eyes, smiled, and said something. Can't hear clearly through the glass.
Li Zan lowered his head following her gaze and saw that he was still holding a small vase filled with summer flowers tightly in his hand.
He entered the room and placed the vase gently in front of her table.
She raised her head and smiled: "Why did you run out?"
He smiled: "When we were in Dongguo, you said that flowers look good in bottles."
Song Ran's smile widened and she lay on the table poking flowers.
Li Zan suddenly called out: "Ran Ran."
"Eh?" Song Ran turned around.
"Ring." He said, holding his hand and showing it to her.
In his palm lay two pale golden rings, one large and one small.
Song Ran was stunned and said in surprise: "When did you buy it?"
"I asked dad to buy it for me." He smiled slightly.
I got married in such a hurry that I didn’t even buy a ring. Fortunately, it was made up in time.
Li Zan put the small ring on Song Ran's ring finger. It was just the right size. The big one was a little loose on Li Zan's finger.
He smiled and said, "Keep it in reserve. My hands are too thin now."
The two hands wearing rings clasped together and made a contract.
With joy in her heart, she jumped off the chair, squeezed into his recliner, and hugged him.
"A-Zan."
"Um?"
She touched his ring finger: "You must remember that we are married. No matter what is true or false in your eyes. But A Zan and Ran Ran are married. Li Zan and Song Ran are married. You must know this. Remember."
Li Zan touched the ring on his finger with his thumb: "Okay. I remember it."
She hugged his neck and rested her head on his neck.
He turned his head, touched her forehead, and said, "I'm sorry, I don't seem to be that strong."
He once wanted to become stronger, come back and marry her, work harder, be better, and give her the most comfortable and happy life.
"If I were stronger, maybe I wouldn't get sick."
She shook her head: "It's okay. It's okay not to be so strong, and it's okay to be fragile."
Those people always say that you have to be strong and grit your teeth to get through it. But there are some things that you can't get through even if you grit your teeth. too bitter.
So A-Zan, it’s okay, it’s okay to be vulnerable.
Everything you have suffered is too painful. You don’t have to force yourself to face it, and you don’t have to force yourself to face it.
It doesn't matter if it doesn't get better, I will always be with you anyway.
The rocking chair slowly stopped rocking, and he and she closed their eyes, as if sleeping or taking a nap.
The sun shines in, shining on the golden rings on his and her hands, shining like eternity.