Chapter 22 Part 2

Li Zan said, "I'll walk you back."

Song Ran said, "Oh." She slid off the high stool, her legs a little weak. She hadn't realized she had drunk four glasses.

Li Zan looked down at her feet, then his gaze moved up to her face. He smiled and asked, "Drank too much?"

"No." She pressed her lips together in a smile, her cheeks crimson and her eyes moist as she stared straight at him.

He slowly averted his gaze and pointed toward the bar's entrance. "Let's go."

The two left the bar, one after the other. The door closed, leaving the music and fine wine behind them. In front of them was the dimly lit, narrow alley. The night wind blew through, carrying a slight chill.

"Cold?" he asked.

"Not at all." She flapped her arms like a duckling. "I'm wearing a jacket. It was hot inside just now, so this is refreshingly cool."

He was amused by her actions, the curve of his lips barely visible in the dark night.

As Song Ran was still trying to get her bearings, Li Zan suddenly asked, "Want to dance?"

She froze. "Dance?"

"Mhm," he said. "It's just the two of us now. No one will laugh at you if you make a mistake."

Late at night, in the quiet little alley, the moonlight was gentle, spilling down like white gauze.

He gently put his arm around her waist. She placed her hand on his shoulder, and her other hand in his. He took a step back, pulling her forward; he spun, and she followed, twirling lightly.

Neither of them was a very good dancer. The alcohol made their steps increasingly ambiguous and unsteady. They would occasionally bump into each other lightly, or their feet would knock together from time to time, their breaths faintly intertwining.

This wasn't dancing; it was clearly a careful and secret form of testing and amusement.

Song Ran laughed softly. Li Zan raised her wrist, and she spun away from him under his arm, only to twirl back in front of him.

The gentle moonlight was silent music; the tapping of their footsteps on the stone slabs was the rhythm of their hearts. The world was quiet, with only the bullet-riddled, soot-covered ruins to witness everything.

When the song ended, Li Zan released her, took a step back, and gave a formal nod.

Song Ran also pretended to lift the hem of her skirt and returned with a less-than-perfect curtsy.

As she rose, her head swayed. She was really a little dizzy.

He was about to reach out to steady her, but seeing she had regained her balance, he retracted his hand. Because the dance was over.

The two walked back, gradually leaving the wine-scented air behind.

Song Ran asked, "Are all your friends staying there?"

"I'll come back for them later."

"Oh."

The stone path was rough and uneven. Song Ran rubbed her eyes. She couldn't see clearly, and her steps were unsteady.

Li Zan walked beside her, looking down at her footsteps.

In the pitch-black night, both focused on the path beneath their feet. There was only the sound of each other's quiet breathing, mixed with the rustling of paper scraps scraping across the ground in the wind.

Once on the main road, the view opened up a bit. The ancient city towers on either side of the road outlined silhouettes weathered by time.

"Have you been doing okay these past few days?" Li Zan asked softly, his head lowered. It was as if he were afraid of waking the rarely tranquil city, his voice like a whisper.

"Very well," she said, lifting her head. Her clear, dark eyes held the starlight, looking at him sincerely like pools of water in the night. "I went to the border, the city center, the combat zone, and the residential areas. What about you?"

He walked slowly alongside her and said, "About the same. I'm defusing bombs every day."

"Oh." She nodded her increasingly heavy head. Not watching her step, she trod on a raised stone slab. Her body swayed slightly, and her shoulder brushed against his arm.

A ripple went through her heart, yet they both acted so naturally, as if nothing had happened.

She asked, "Has there been a time more dangerous than the last?"

He smiled and shook his head.

"That's good." She let out a breath and added, "I looked, but it seems they don't sell red strings here. I'll probably have to wait until I get back home to buy one for you."

He glanced at her, still a smile in his eyes. "No hurry." Then he asked, "You've been out here for two months, right? When do you think you'll be heading home?"

"I'll be leaving Hapo in a few days. I haven't decided where to go next, but I'll probably return home. How long will you be in Hapo?"

"Hard to say. The day an order comes from above, I'll have to leave immediately."

Just like when he left Galuo last time, without even a chance to say goodbye.

Both of them fell silent for a while, walking with their own thoughts. Occasionally, their shoulders would accidentally brush against each other before they quietly pulled apart.

Just as they were about to turn a corner, Li Zan sensed something and suddenly pulled Song Ran to a halt. He placed his index finger to his lips in a gesture for silence, listening intently.

There were footsteps on the other side of the corner—a group of people, and they were approaching quickly.

Li Zan assessed the surroundings and immediately pulled Song Ran into a nearby alley.

He shielded her behind him with one arm and drew his gun from its holster with the other.

Song Ran was wedged in the gap between him and the wall, unable to see what was happening outside. The footsteps on the street grew closer. She was a little scared, yet felt inexplicably at ease.

The sound of many footsteps drew even nearer. She was so nervous that her hands fidgeted, and one accidentally bumped into the palm of his hand. Her heart jumped. She wanted to move it away but boldly decided not to. She didn't know if he felt it. He neither tightened his grip on her nor moved his hand away. His palm and her fist touched, his hand naturally curled loosely.

She bit her lip, her heart pounding wildly.

He turned his head to watch the outside, alert and on guard.

The group of people got closer and closer, passing by the mouth of the alley. Li Zan unconsciously leaned back to hide.

Song Ran, behind him, had nowhere to retreat. She let his back bump lightly against her face. The unique scent of a man, mixed with the smell of gunpowder, washed over her.

She closed her eyes, her right hand uncontrollably grabbing the fabric of his clothes at his waist.

The footsteps gradually faded away, but Li Zan still waited in silence.

Finally, the last sound disappeared, and the street returned to silence.

Song Ran let go, her mind in a daze. She asked in a small voice, "Li Zan... is it okay now?"

He put his gun away, took a step away from her, and turned to look at her, his expression hesitant.

"What's wrong?"

"Li Zan?" He chuckled softly. "Weren't you calling me Ah Zan before?"

Song Ran's face instantly burned.

But as soon as the words left his mouth, his own heart felt a little chaotic. He averted his gaze and changed the subject. "Let's go."

"Oh."

Around the corner and one more street, and they would be at the hotel.

Song Ran asked, "Who were those people just now?"

"Probably the Government Army," Li Zan said. "But with the curfew recently, running into them would mean getting checked for a long time, which is a hassle."

"Mhm."

They didn't speak again, walking the rest of the way in silence.

At night, a cool breeze was blowing.

A road finally came to an end. Song Ran slowly walked up the hotel steps and looked back at Li Zan. "I'm going in. Be safe on your way back."

"Mhm."

The two stood there, looking at each other quietly.

She was waiting for him to leave.

He was waiting for her to go in.

A second later, Li Zan let out a laugh, lowered his head to rub his nose, and said, "I'm leaving."

"Mhm."

He took a few steps, then turned back. "Song Ran."

"Yes?" She was still standing on the steps, her eyes bright as she looked at him.

Her gaze left him momentarily speechless, but thinking about it, he had nothing else to say, so it was the same line again: "Be safe."

She nodded firmly. "I know."

He smiled, gave a wave, and jogged across the street.

Soon, the camouflage uniform disappeared into the night.

Song Ran smiled as she watched him leave, then couldn't help but take a deep breath and look up. The night sky of Hapo City was a deep, dark blue.

Her heart filled with an indescribable sweetness, she jogged into the building, pulled open the rare iron grille gate, and got into the old-fashioned elevator.

The elevator jerked its way up. She leaned against the elevator wall, tilting her head back and giggling.

The details of this entire night would replay in her mind for a long, long time.

As she thought about it, her face became incredibly hot, and she couldn't help but rub it with her hands.

She got off the elevator, closed the iron grille gate, and walked down the hallway, still smiling to herself. Just as she opened her door, a door behind her opened, and the person inside called out in Chinese, "Song Ran."

Song Ran's head was still spinning. It took her a few seconds to react before she slowly turned around.