Yin Ran was already grown up at that time and had been in the army for a long time. His temper was not as exposed as before, but one thing had not changed.
That's the stubborn temper of a donkey.
The old man's belt broke twice, but he held on tightly and refused to let go.
This incident caused a lot of uproar in the military compound. Even Song Anshan talked about it several times when he returned home. Song Zhi, who knew the truth, did not dare to say a word.
The beating forced Yin Ran to stay in bed for more than half a month. The Yin family did not allow anyone to visit him. When Yin Ran's injuries were almost healed, he was about to return to the team.
Song Zhi has been brooding over this matter and wants to apologize to Yin Ran, but he can't find a chance.
But on the afternoon before Yin Ran returned to the team, Song Zhi just came out of school and saw him leaning against a big sycamore tree waiting for her.
"Song Zhi, come here."
She heard Yin Ran calling her loudly. Song Zhi turned around and saw him waving at her, his young and unrestrained smile particularly bright.
After not seeing him for a few days, he looked paler and thinner after being injured.
Song Zhi still remembered how surprised she was to see him, and she ran over without thinking.
"Why did you come out? Are you okay?"
"Call me brother." Yin Ran pinched Song Zhi's chubby face in dissatisfaction.
Song Zhi pushed his hand away and said, "Stop joking. Why don't you tell Grandpa Yin that you did that to protect me?"
Yin Ran looked amused, "Do you think he will stop beating me if I tell him?"
Song Zhi was stunned and lowered his head to kick the small gravel under his feet.
"That's definitely better than you not saying anything."
Yin Ran remained silent, staring at him with a dazed look, as if lost in thought.
Song Zhi called him several times before Yin Ran came to his senses and told her that it was nothing and that he wanted to take her to eat popsicles.
Since Song Zhi entered junior high school, he rarely went out to play, because every time he went out to play, he would meet people with bad intentions.
But she was also a little girl. When she heard that she could go out and play, she hesitated for only a moment before jumping on the back seat of the bicycle.
That afternoon, Song Zhi suddenly did not go home early after school, and followed Yin Ran around the streets and alleys.
He took her to buy popsicles, and they ate them happily, one in each hand.
Finally, he took her to find his old friends, a group of street urchins who were considered unemployed.
It was then that Song Zhi realized that they were all orphans who lived together and depended on each other. Yin Ran's family was well-off, and he always brought them food from time to time.
After a while, they became familiar with each other and gradually became his reliable friends.
On the way back, Yin Ran rode very slowly, so slowly that Song Zhi felt that she was walking faster than he was riding.
"I'll be back tomorrow. I don't know when I'll be back next time. If anyone blocks you again, tell Uncle Song."
"If you really don't want the adults to know, then send someone to find Xiao Liuzi and the others. They are all my brothers, and they will protect you and get you home."
He instructed her seriously and patiently, fearing that she would forget, and even wrote down Xiao Liuzi's name and home address and stuffed it into her schoolbag.
Finally, the two stopped at the bottom of the building. It was already dark, but no one said goodbye first.
Song Zhi didn't know why she felt that Yin Ran was willing to listen to her, and when they parted, she told him not to go against Grandpa Yin.
Surprisingly, Yin Ran agreed.
They didn't say anything else. After standing downstairs for a while, Yin Ran asked her to go upstairs. The next day, Song Zhi heard noises coming from the courtyard early in the morning.
She had a premonition that Yin Ran might be leaving, so she opened the curtains and saw a military green jeep parked downstairs.
Yin Ran was personally escorted to the car by his family elders.
…
Song Zhi's expression flickered, and he was brought back to his senses by the voice coming from above his head, his eyes still a little dazed.
At that time, she only thought that Yin Ran helped her because they grew up together, but now that she thinks about it, she is afraid that Yin Ran had this idea since then.
But since she was a child, she has only regarded Yin Ran as her brother.
"Here, this is for you."
Seeing that she was lowering her head, not knowing what she was thinking, with an expression that was sometimes relaxed and sometimes complicated, Yin Ran took the watch out of his pocket and handed it to her.
This is a pink women's watch, a tender pink color that is rare in this era.
Song Zhi didn't take it, biting her lip and said, "I can't take it."
Since she has decided to reject Yin Ran, she definitely cannot accept anything from him anymore.
But Yin Ran forcefully put the watch on her hand and explained, "Don't think too much. This is my birthday present for you."
"I might have to go on a mission next month and won't be able to celebrate your birthday. Please accept it."
Finally, there was a hint of request in his tone.
Song Zhi looked at the watch on her wrist with complicated eyes. She had fair skin and it looked very good on her. The small dial was delicate and cute, and it caught people's attention at a glance.
"Well, thank you for the gift, I like it very much."
Yin Ran seemed to be relieved, put his hands in his pockets, and looked at her steadily.
"As long as you like it."
Song Zhi couldn't help but look up at her.
Yin Ran leaned against the wall bonelessly, stuffed a cigarette in his mouth but did not light it, and his eyelids drooped lazily.
He had very beautiful eyebrows and eyes, strong brow bones, a straight nose and thin lips. His peach blossom eyes stared at her like a deep cold pool, with the corners of his lips slightly raised.
Song Zhi was stunned for a moment.
Yin Ran winked at her ambiguously and leaned closer to her affectionately, "You're looking so intently, do you suddenly think I'm prettier than Tang Junhe?"
"It looks good but it can't be eaten." Song Zhi came back to his senses and curled his lips.
"Do you have anything else to say to me?"
Yin Ran gradually fell silent, and twitched the corner of his mouth, "Didn't you reject me?"
Song Zhi pursed his lips, looking depressed.
"But I never thought in that direction, Yin Ran. I always regarded you as my brother."
Although I already knew the result, hearing it with my own ears was far more jarring than I had imagined.
Yin Ran pursed his lips and clenched his teeth to endure the bitterness in his heart. This torment penetrated every inch of his skin, making him unable to escape.
He curled his lips in self-mockery, "You only have Tang Junhe in your eyes, how can you see us?"
"We?" Song Zhi asked strangely, "Who else?"
"You were so busy following Tang Junhe that you didn't even notice that there were actually a lot of boys in the compound who liked you, right?"
Song Zhi frowned blankly. She had been popular since she was a child, and there was always a group of young men following her.
Everyone is playing together, and she won't think for no reason that they are playing with her just because they like her.
Song Zhi really didn't notice this. If Yin Ran hadn't mentioned it, she might never have thought that they liked her in her life.
Yin Ran glanced at her and said casually, "Are you curious why no one has confessed their love to you?"
Song Zhi blinked, "You know?"
"Of course." Yin Ran raised his eyebrows and answered her nonchalantly.
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