32 days

In a blink of an eye, the new year is approaching. Due to the auspicious day, the difficult things are almost resolved. The affairs team gave Yi Alan and the other four people three days off. As Yan Fei once said to Yi Alan, the New Year's Eve When you will be with your family.

Xiao Hao boarded the plane home almost on the night when the holiday was announced. Of course, he was eager to return home, but of course he didn't know that there were several well-trained agents secretly protecting him and his family.

Meng Qi also packed his luggage and left the next morning.

And because Yi Alan's family is very close, she dawdled until noon before getting ready to go home.When he got to the door, Zhou Yan'an asked him with a smile if he wanted to take him home, and Yi Alan realized that she was too childish.It was just three days of separation, and Xiao Hao cried out more than once that the three-day vacation was too short.

However, when Yi Alan approached the military hospital where his mother and grandmother were in in the car provided by the affairs team, he realized even more dejectedly that the fundamental reason for his stagnant footsteps before was that he knew that Zhou Yanan was alone in the new year. He stayed in the dormitory, but never thought of inviting Zhou Yan'an to his home.He is so cowardly and greedy for the sweetness of love regardless of the consequences, but he doesn't have the courage to confess his relationship with Zhou Yan'an to his mother.

Zhou Yan'an may have already seen through all this, he just kept smiling all the time, giving Yi Alan patience, tenderness and intimacy without asking for anything.Or rather, he thinks he's got enough.

After the car drove into the underground parking lot, Yi Alan lay on the steering wheel and contemplated for a long time before the joy of family reunion covered up the strong remorse and self-blame. mom and grandma.

Thanks to Zhou Yan'an for showing his superb cooking skills recently, so that Yi Alan doesn't have to fall into the curse of family members thinking that you have a bad life outside and are skinny.

Yi Alan’s work is confidential, and his family’s questions to him are only general questions about whether it’s going well, whether the leader is good at talking, and whether his colleagues are getting along well. More often, Yi Alan asks his mother and grandma whether they are used to living here .Just as it is absolutely impossible for Yi Alan to be imprisoned for a month, mother and grandma will not say a word that is worrying, and the pleasantries will soon end.But the meaning of a loving family is that you don't have to bother to find topics to keep the surface lively, and the beauty of life will always be trivial.

Grandma served a lot of handmade snacks prepared for the Chinese New Year in one breath, adding some plant pigments, which are colorful.Mom took a pair of red lanterns and asked him to hang them at the door after eating, and then posted the Spring Festival couplets by the way.

Yi Alan hadn't swallowed the sweet nougat in her mouth, so she could only murmur vaguely.Now, he feels better.

The next day was New Year's Eve, and the mobile phone had already started to receive news of New Year's greetings one after another.

Yi Alan woke up early, had nothing to do after finishing the hygiene, casually scrolled down the message list, and sent a greeting to Zhou Yanan: What are you doing?

Zhou Yanan: Prepare dinner.

Yi Alan: Oh, what have you prepared?Let me see too!

Soon, Zhou Yan'an sent a photo, and you can see the frying in the pot, and the clean and ready-to-cook dishes on the side.Roughly counting, there are at least six or seven dishes, and each dish is exquisite and has its own matching. Because it has not been put into the pot, the color is crisp and bright, and it looks lively.

Yi Alan was stunned, and went to the door of her kitchen to see her mother and grandma busy inside.There are obviously two people here—I don’t know if it’s because of the two people that the kitchen looks a little messy, the seasoning bottles are no longer arranged as neatly as they were at first, and some broken leaves fell off the side of the sink. After tidying up, the small scissors that cut the shrimp heads also forgot to put them back in place... Seeing him coming, grandma smiled so hard that she couldn't see her eyes: "Are you hungry? There is freshly cut braised pork in the cupboard, take a few slices to fill your stomach .There are two more dishes that will be ready soon."

All in all, it's not as neat and tidy as in Zhou Yan'an's photo.

For some reason, what Yi Alan felt in the photo was silence.He tried to recall that every time Zhou Yanan cooked, he was as meticulous as today, but no amount of memory could overturn his inner depression at this time.

Yi Alan clenched the phone tightly, looked at the back of her mother Yue Ximing, and said tentatively: "A colleague stayed in the group for the New Year. I think he is quite lonely by himself. I can call him home to have a New Year's Eve dinner together." ?"

Grandma asked, "Why doesn't he go home?"

Yi Alan said: "Because of some accidents, he is the only one left in his family."

"Oh, oh, poor child." But grandma didn't try to answer Yi Alan's first question "overstepping the mark", nor did she ask whether the colleague was a man or a woman.

Yue Ximing stopped the knife for slicing meat, gently placed it on the cutting board, turned to look at Yi Alan and wiped her hands on the apron at the same time, which meant that she seemed to have a very formal conversation.

Yi Alan has already begun to regret the temptation just now.

"Alan," Yue Ximing said, "why do you think people need a family that has nothing to do with him to warm him up? Do you remember that you raised a dog when you were a child? After the puppy was lost, you never wanted to raise another one." Dogs, you don’t even want to watch movies about dogs, because these things will not bring you comfort, but will remind you of the pain of losing your dog. A Lan, you have to remember that in many cases, loneliness is The calmest of all pains is also the easiest to bear."

Yi Alan lowered her eyes and said in a low voice, "I remember, Mom."

Grandma smiled and said, "Your mother is right. People will miss home after the Chinese New Year, and they will miss home even more when they see other people's family reunions." She pointed to the casserole on the stove, "However, grandma will give you Stewed your favorite pork belly and chicken soup. The pig is wild boar, and the chicken is free-range chicken. It was given to me by the grandma who lives downstairs. Her old family brought it to her specially. The quality of the meat is very good. .I have stewed a lot, and after the New Year’s Eve dinner, it’s still early, so you can send some to your colleagues.”

Yi Alan forced a smile, and relieved that grandma had finally socialized in this strange place.

Yi Alan returned to the living room, heard that the kitchen was back to life, and sat there for a while before replying to Zhou Yan'an.

Yi Alan: It looks very attractive!

Yi Alan: I was dragged to try the dishes just now. The pork belly and chicken soup is super delicious, not inferior to your [Proud.jpg].

Yi Alan: Just go about your business, don't need to reply to me, be careful that overcooking the dishes will ruin your reputation.

Yi Alan dropped the phone and turned his face to the balcony opposite the kitchen, afraid that someone would come out suddenly and see his out-of-control expression.

After a while, Yi Alan's gaze stayed on the door of grandma's bedroom again.After thinking about it, he stood up and walked over.

Pushing open the door, one could smell the faint scent of sandalwood, and a thin wisp of smoke rose from the incense burner on the table.Behind the incense burner is the photo of his uncle Yi Xiaoshan.

Yi Alan picked up the photo frame and tore it apart with a light pull. Presumably the photo frame was often taken apart.Behind Yi Xiaoshan's photo is the hidden photo of Yi Yunshan, the so-called father who died almost 20 years ago.

Yi Alan stared at the face that had long been blurred in his memory, which looked somewhat similar to himself, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised, casually facing the world of the living.

In the curling smoke, Yi Alan felt his eyes were stinging, and the scene in front of him was distorted and deformed.

The corner of that person's mouth was still raised, as if that person's lingering ghost was attached to the photo, looking at Yi Alan contemptuously.

He was talking, telling a joke.

Are you blaming me, kid?But, my dear son, if it wasn't for me, where would you come from?

Yi Alan's family adhered to the southern tradition, even though they called for the New Year's Eve dinner, they actually finished eating in the afternoon.

After the meal, grandma really packed a thermos bucket of pork belly and chicken soup for Yi Alan, asking him to deliver it to his colleagues while it was still early.

Yi Alan took it over and glanced at her mother. Yue Ximing sat on the sofa and pressed the remote control to change the TV channel constantly, trying to find an interesting program. He didn't speak, as if he didn't hear them.

Yi Alan smiled and said to her grandma, "I'll go and come back quickly."

Grandma waved her hand: "Just catch up with the Spring Festival Gala, let's watch it together as a family."

Yi Alan nodded, walked out the door, and unconsciously quickened her pace.

Yi Alan didn't say anything in advance, so she got her wish and saw Zhou Yan'an's surprised expression after knocking on the door.

"Why did you run here?"

Yi Alan shook the thermos bucket: "Here comes the warmth for you. The pork belly and chicken soup stewed by my grandma is five-star delicious."

"Really?" Zhou Yanan smiled.

"Believe it or not, today is the final of the God of Cooking Competition. Let's take a look at the last two contestants. One is a special soldier who has been re-employed and the other is an eighty-year-old lady. It is still unknown who will win. "Yi Alan went to the kitchen and brought a pair of bowls and chopsticks. After pouring soup for Zhou Yanan, she also picked up a pair of chopsticks for herself, and tasted the dishes that Zhou Yanan had cooked one by one. In this way, it was considered as eating together. It's a reunion dinner.

Zhou Yan'an sat down and drank the soup one mouthful at a time. Seeing the neatly arranged dishes being messed up by Yi Alan with just a few chopsticks, she couldn't help feeling a burst of relief.

"How does it taste?" Yi Alan leaned on the table and looked at him.

Zhou Yanan said: "I will vote for the eighty-year-old lady who is not old."

Yi Alan laughed happily, and Zhou Yanan also laughed.I don't know what I'm happy about, but I just feel at ease.

The two of them nestled on the sofa for a while, and naturally couldn't help but kiss a few times, sticking to the cheeks and necks, letting the body temperature pass along the palms of the hands.Until the indoor sky gradually faded, no one turned on the lights, and the night flooded in like a tide.

In the sea of ​​night, there seemed to be some kind of barrier, the mussel carefully opened its shell, and Yi Alan asked softly, "Have you ever thought about what the future will become?"

"which aspect?"

"For example, on the 32nd, will it suddenly disappear like it suddenly appeared, as if everything that happened was our dream."

"It's possible. No one can tell the mechanism of the 32nd day."

"Maybe after many years, the descendants of human beings will not believe in the existence of such a miracle on the 32nd. Even if we will leave many records, there are only words and no pictures. They will say that our ancestors are too stupid, At that time the whole planet fell into a kind of delirium."

"After you left yesterday, I watched a movie." Zhou Yan'an said.

"what?"

"The movie is called "Boat on Land". There are a few lines in it that impressed me deeply. The male protagonist said, I want to tell you a story. At that time, North America was far from being conquered. A French hunter traveled west from Montreal. Go, he was the first white man to see Niagara Falls. When he came back, he told people that the falls were unimaginable. But no one believed him. They thought he was either crazy or lying. They asked him, what do you have? Evidence? He said, my evidence is, I saw it."

"I saw……"

"We've all seen it, Alan."

It was getting late, Yi Alan said: "I have to go back to watch the Spring Festival Gala with my grandma."

"I'll see you off." Zhou Yan'an got up and turned on the light.

Yi Alan straightened her messy hair: "No need, I drove here by myself."

"I'll drive you back in your car."

"Then how did you come back?"

"Bring your car back. I'll pick you up when you get back."

There were not many vehicles on the road, and Zhou Yanan drove very steadily, quickly and steadily passing through the streets that were much deserted compared to the past.

Yi Alan looked at the beaming scene passing away outside the window, and suddenly asked: "What about us?"

"what?"

"What will we become in the future?"

"Let it be, don't force yourself, Alan." Zhou Yan'an said, "It's fine now."

After that, they didn't speak any more.Until the car drove into the underground parking lot of the staff accommodation area of ​​the military district hospital.

Yi Alan unbuckled the seat belt, but didn't get out of the car for a while, staring at the front windshield silently, as if the quality inspection report pasted on it was very interesting.After a while, like a gambler, he pushed all the chips onto the gaming table and asked, "Would you like to sit down?"

Zhou Yanan looked at him tenderly: "No, I have to go back to watch the Spring Festival Gala too. Squad leader Zheng Duo said that he was in the auditorium of the Spring Festival Gala today, and asked me to watch the show. If the camera caught him, I had to help him take pictures one by one Send it to former comrades-in-arms to help him start talking."

"Really?" Yi Alan smiled unnaturally, "Could it be the New Year benefits given to him by the organization."

"No."

"Then why didn't you go?"

"In his words, the organization thinks I'm too good-looking, and is worried that the camera will always scan me. By then, people all over the country will know me, and it will be easy to be discovered when I perform missions."

Yi Alan was stunned and couldn't help laughing in a low voice, Zhou Yan'an couldn't tell whether he was telling the truth or joking with his serious face.

"Go up." Zhou Yan'an looked at the time, "I'll pick you up on the morning of the second day of junior high school."

Yi Alan hummed, got out of the car, went to the elevator, went upstairs, and went home, all in one go.

After letting out this breath, Yi Alan greeted grandma and mother casually, and then walked to the balcony.

After watching for a while, I sent a message to Zhou Yanan: Have you left yet?

Zhou Yanan: How do you know?

Yi Alan: From the balcony of my house, I can see the exit of the parking lot.

Zhou Yan'an: Let's go now.I have driven too many fighter jets, and I am not very familiar with your not-so-popular model, so I almost missed the fire.

Yi Alan: The team is assigned temporarily. I also think this car is difficult to drive. I support you to give team leader Luo a feedback.

After a while, Yi Alan saw two headlights growing out of the ground and heading into the distance.

Yue Ximing came over: "What are you looking at?"

Yi Alan said: "On the way back, I saw someone setting off fireworks."

The ban on fireworks has been eased since the technology of fireworks production has been upgraded to reduce air pollution.

Yue Ximing said, "Are you going to release it?"

"I'm not young, Mom."

Yue Ximing smiled noncommittally: "Your grandma bought you a lot of fireworks over there."

It was only then that Yi Alan realized that grandma's memories of him seemed to be stuck in his childhood. What he loved to eat, drink, and play all came from the time when the accident did not happen and grandma and his family were still in frequent contact.

Yi Alan couldn't bear to let grandma down, and then her heart moved again. Under the cheerful gaze of grandma, she carried a bunch of fireworks and went out: "Grandma, you and my mother are watching from the balcony. You can see it better if you stand taller." some."

When going downstairs, Yi Alan quickly contacted Zhou Yan'an with her mobile phone: "Where have you been? Did you turn at the first intersection?"

"not yet."

"Then find a place to park on the side of the road, get out of the car and turn around, and look in my direction."

Yi Alan arranged the fireworks in the open space and ignited all the fuzes in one go.

The colorful blooms bloom everywhere, fleeting, and come again, layer upon layer, embellishing the lonely sky tonight.

Yi Alan sent a voice message to Zhou Yan'an amidst the rumbling sound: "Did you see it? Fireworks, I set them off for you. Happy New Year!"

"I see, happy new year."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Yi Alan looked up at the fireworks with tears in his eyes. He knew that Zhou Yanan was watching, and so was his mother and grandma.

At this moment, he seemed to see a hint of fate from the brilliance in front of him, and his whole life would be like this moment.He will always bloom the joy of life because of and for the people he loves. However, the people he loves are separated by a darkness that can never be bridged, and they can't see each other.