War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1566: 12 Hours on the Dial

Before the white light faded, the first physical feedback Wei Ran got was the feeling of a soft, heavy object on his legs and the sound of breathing mixed with the aroma of red wine in his ears.

When the white light faded and vision returned, Wei Ran stared blankly at the snow-capped mountains at the end of his sight, but his hands subconsciously hugged the slender girl in his arms.

I turned my head slightly to look at the Soviet watch on my wrist. It still showed 12 o'clock, and the slender second hand had just jumped to the two o'clock position.

"Go on and tell me those stories you had on the battlefield."

When Edelweiss's slightly drunken murmur with the aroma of wine reached his ears, Wei Ran was already crying heavily.

  he.

He finally had someone to whom he could confide all his secrets and pains.

"Are the kids okay?"

Edelweiss, who was lying in Wei Ran's arms, straightened up, and gently wiped the tears that were pouring out of his eyes with the hand wearing the prisoner of war watch, and asked gently, "Is the war over?"

Looking at the speechless Wei Ran, Edelweiss did not ask any further questions. She just gently lay in his arms again and let him hug her tightly again, as if he was afraid that she would disappear.

After a long time, Wei Ran, who had calmed down, spoke hoarsely about the fragments he had heard from Kurt and the other two, about the sequels he had seen in the metal book, about the sewing machine couple's son Yashar, about the friends he made on the Finnish battlefield, about everything that happened in Teng County, about the idiot he met in the clinic next to the Moltke Bridge, as well as the Savage Mountain, Baiyangdian, Leningrad, and so on.

As he spoke in an increasingly hoarse voice, the Soviet Arrow watch on his wrist and the Rolex prisoner-of-war watch on Edelweiss's wrist were beating at exactly the same pace, second by second.

Finally, when the time on the two dials jumped from 12 o'clock to nearly five o'clock, Wei Ran gradually fell asleep.

"You have so many secrets hidden in your heart"

Edelweiss sighed softly, carefully wiped away the tears from the other's eyes, and carefully raised her slender wrist to look at the prisoner of war watch.

"Have a good sleep. There are still 7 hours left."

Edelweiss whispered softly, and then carefully lay in Wei Ran's arms again, in a position that both of them seemed to be accustomed to.

When the time on the dial reached five twenty, Wei Ran, who was sleeping, suddenly woke up. He subconsciously hugged the girl who was still lying in his arms, like a dragon guarding a treasure chest.

Only when he was sure that he was not dreaming did he let out a long sigh and then subconsciously glanced at the watch on his wrist.

"Are you awake?" Edelweiss, who was startled, raised her head and glanced at Wei Ran, then lay down again.

"you"

Wei Ran swallowed his saliva, looked at the St. Bernard rolling happily on the ground beside the sheep in the distance, and asked cautiously, "Do you know what happened?"

"not very clear"

Edelweiss, no, Clara.

Clara buried her head in Wei Ran's neck and whispered, "My grandfather told me that in order to prevent me from having nightmares all the time, you have to stay with me for 12 hours every day."

"Every day. Every day?" Wei Ran trembled involuntarily.

For her, the denominator of 12 hours is "every day", but for him, it is "every month".

But even so, it is already extremely rare and precious to them.

"Yes, every day."

Clara raised her head and gave Wei Ran a brilliant smile, "I don't care about the other 12 hours, but for these 12 hours, you belong to me. You have to stay with me and tell me stories."

Wei Ran opened his mouth to say something, but Clara once again took the initiative to give him a passionate kiss, "We still have about six hours. Do you want to eat something? Or how about I take you to visit my grandfather's farm?"

"OK"

Wei Ran raised his hand and pointed to the top of the mountain in the distance, "Let's compete to see who can reach the top first."

"It's definitely Adolf, but I'm definitely faster than you!"

As Clara spoke, she had already gotten down from Wei Ran's legs, put her two index fingers into her mouth, and blew an exceptionally loud and melodious whistle with all her might.

Without waiting for the whistle to stop, the St. Bernard, which was rolling on the ground beside the sheep, turned over and stood up, shook his shiny fur vigorously, and then ran over with a wet tongue wagging. He first wagged his tail vigorously and rubbed around his mistress Clara, and then shamelessly came up to Wei Ran's legs and circled around him.

"If I reach the top of the mountain before you, you have to bring me a box of Mozart chocolate balls and a Sacher cake tomorrow." Clara put her hands behind her back and made the bet confidently.

"What if I run to the top of the mountain first?" Wei Ran asked with a smile.

"Oh! My grandfather is back!" Clara raised her hand in surprise and pointed in the direction behind Wei Ran.

Without even thinking, the stupid dog named Adolf ran in the direction of Clara's finger, and Wei Ran also turned his head to look behind him.

However, there was no sign of his grandfather behind him except for the flock of sheep and the silly dog ​​who had realized that something was wrong and turned around to run back.

  Is this the Clara who doesn't have to force herself to be strong?

Wei Ran smiled, put down all his burdens, and ran towards the top of the mountain.

As the two men and the dog were chasing each other, Adolf was unsurprisingly the first to reach the top of the mountain and sat down at the highest point.

A moment later, Clara also ran up, panting, and lay down on the soft and thick grass in an ungraceful manner.

Just five seconds later, Wei Ran, who had been letting the game go on purpose, also ran up and also lay on the grass, enjoying the sunshine pouring down from above his head.

"tomorrow."

Clara panted and said, "You lose. Tomorrow. You."

"A box of Mozart chocolate balls and a Sacher cake." Wei Ran turned his head and looked at the girl next to him, "I'll remember to bring them to you."

"Then it's settled!"

Clara closed her eyes and rolled on the grass. The silly dog ​​named Adolf also rolled over like her, but almost rolled off the top of the slope.

“I plan to plant a tree here.”

Clara put her hand on her forehead to block the sunlight and said, "This will block the sunlight." "What kind of tree are you planning to plant?" Wei Ran asked with a smile, looking at the snow-capped mountains in the distance that were reflecting the sunlight.

"Cedar bar, how about cedar?"

Clara rolled back to Wei Ran's side, lying next to him, propping up her upper body with her elbows, and holding her chin with one hand and asked, "Do you remember the cedar tree at the door of the hospital garage?"

"Remember"

“I want to plant a cedar tree here.”

Clara rolled over again, resting her head on Wei Ran's arm and said, "When it grows as big as the cedar tree in front of the hospital garage, it will be able to block the sunlight."

"Do you need me to bring you a sapling?" Wei Ran asked, looking at the blue sky above his head.

"Need not"

Clara said confidently, "My grandfather has found a cedar sapling for me. When you come tomorrow, will you plant it here with me?"

"Okay," Wei Ran responded with a smile, "Let's plant it here together tomorrow."

"Then we'll eat chocolate balls and cakes next to that tree!" Clara said expectantly.

"it is good"

"you"

Clara suddenly panicked, turned around and hugged Wei Ran and asked, "Are you still going to the battlefield?"

"Yes, yes," Wei Ran answered with difficulty.

"You'll come back alive, right?"

"Yes, definitely."

"Will you come again tomorrow?"

Clara pressed on, "It doesn't matter if there are no chocolate balls or cakes, will you come?"

"Yes, I will." Wei Ran promised in a more affirmative tone, "I will definitely come tomorrow."

"I can't lose anyone else," Clara murmured almost pleadingly, "I've already lost Rama and..."

“They are all here”

Wei Ran gently held the panicked girl in his arms, "They are all here, just like..."

"Like what?" Clara looked up at the silent Wei Ran pitifully.

"I will come to see you every day and spend 12 hours with you every day, I swear."

"Until the cedar tree we plant tomorrow grows as big as the one outside the hospital garage, you have to come every day."

Clara looked into Wei Ran's eyes and said.

"Until the cedar tree we planted tomorrow grows as big as the one outside the hospital garage, I will come to keep you company every day."

Wei Ran smiled and made a promise again.

This time, Clara finally had a bright smile on her face again. "If you want, continue to tell me your stories on the battlefield. What happened to your cousin? Did she survive?"

“She survived.”

Wei Ran smiled and called the silly dog ​​named Adolf over. After it took the photo, he rested his head on its honest back, gently embraced Clara, and continued to tell the story of the book house without reservation.

As we were telling and listening, the snow-capped mountains in the distance gradually turned red and gold because of the setting sun, and the brilliant Milky Way gradually appeared in the sky.

“It’s almost midnight.”

Clara hugged Wei Ran and said while staring at the luminous dial of the prisoner-of-war watch on her wrist.

"yes."

"You haven't finished your story yet," Clara said, "Go on and tell me the rest tomorrow!"

"it is good"

Wei Ran paused, "Actually, in the other 12 hours, I..."

"That's another 12 hours isn't it?"

Clara, who was shrouded in sleepiness, lay in Wei Ran's arms and muttered incoherently, "For the 12 hours here, you belong to me."

"Tomorrow, I'll bring Mozart chocolate balls and Sachertorte."

"We will plant trees together, together." Clara fell into another dream before she finished her words.

"Thanks."

Wei Ran muttered to himself, sat up quietly, picked up the sleeping Clara, and walked towards the beautiful wooden house at the foot of the mountain.

Almost at the same time when the dog Adolf, who was following him closely, helped him to push open the door of the wooden house, the three hands of the watches on their wrists overlapped at the same time.

At the same time, the thick white light once again enveloped Wei Ran, who felt lost, but at the same time, as if he had finally found a safe haven.

“Is this a dream?”

While waiting for the white light to disappear, Wei Ran thought silently, but soon, he heaved a sigh of relief.

  So what if it's just a dream

I hope no one minds letting her live this way, good night, and world peace.