The White Olive Tree

Chapter 24

The consequences of that explosion were only known to Song Ran after a long time.

In the moment of the explosion, she was hit by the direct shockwave. Her spleen ruptured, the corner of her eye sustained partial damage to the retina, and her body suffered multiple lacerations.

She was urgently transported to a Médecins Sans Frontières hospital, then transferred to the capital— Gamma, before quickly being moved back to her home country.

Throughout this journey, Song Ran was mostly unconscious, occasionally experiencing a fleeting sense of awareness, but the intense pain left her immobile. The world was engulfed in darkness, filled with languages she couldn't comprehend.

She vaguely remembered being lifted onto a stretcher, the helicopter rotor generating massive gusts of wind, the doctors arguing, and at one moment, hearing familiar Chinese on the plane.

But in those fragmented memories, there was no Li Zan. He never came by her side.

More often than not, she was submerged in an endless nightmare. In her dreams, extremists clad in black swept through the streets expressionlessly, bullets pierced women's chests, and knives severed children's heads.

At the end of these nightmares, she heard someone shout "A Zan," and Li Zan lunged towards her back, brushing past her.

She didn't have time to react, only watching as the bomb exploded before her eyes.

When Song Ran regained consciousness, she found herself lying in a ward at Liangcheng Hospital, thick bandages covering her eyes, unable to perceive any light. Outside the ward, she heard muffled arguing voices, those of Song Zhicheng and Ran Yuwei:

"I opposed her going to Dongguo from the beginning, but you, you kept supporting her. You always pretend to be a good person in front of our daughter, but you push her into danger every time! Now look at what she's done to herself, what are we going to do?"

"Please calm down first. The doctor said it's not too serious, just a surgery will fix it. No one wants accidents to happen. Do you think I'm not worried? But this is the job she chose for herself, you've seen her success..."

"I see through you now. Vanity! Hypocrisy! You've accomplished nothing yourself, yet you expect our child to risk her life for fame!"

"You're getting more and more unreasonable!"

"I have only one daughter, while you have many. If anything happens to her eyes, I won't let you off the hook!"

Song Ran felt a bit panicked, reaching out in the darkness, but only grasped the bedsheets.

"Sis, are you awake?" Song Yang grabbed her hand.

"Sis!"

"Ran Ran?"

"Ran Ran is awake!"

Suddenly, the room was filled with voices—Yang Huilun, Song Yang, Ran Chi, Uncle, Aunt.

Soon, Ran Yuwei came in. "Ran Ran? Are you feeling okay?"

Song Ran felt uncomfortable everywhere, as if her body was filled with countless torn wounds. She wanted to cry, but tears wouldn't come. With difficulty, she opened her mouth and hoarsely asked, "What's wrong with my eyes?"

"It's okay," Ran Yuwei touched her face and said, "Just a little injury. You'll be fine after a small surgery in a few days."

Ran Chi also leaned over, "Sis, don't be afraid. Everything is fine."

However, Song Ran showed no reaction, as if she didn't feel sadness or fear.

After a while, she suddenly said, "I smell a fragrance, is it flowers?"