The White Olive Tree

Chapter 31

Song Ran spent a sleepless night.

Her computer desktop displayed a statement template sent by Liu Yufei—admitting that yesterday's article might contain fabricated content, awaiting authoritative investigation.

At nine in the morning, when she tried to get up for a glass of water, dizziness overwhelmed her, and her vision blacked out. She had to lean on the table for a while before she could slowly regain her strength.

Lying back down on her bed, Song Ran had spent the entire night trying to regain her composure and rationality, attempting to view the situation from Li Zan's perspective. However, her efforts were in vain.

Standing in her own trench, she saw her fortress as impregnable—the testimonies and evidence about the time and place of Wang Han's complaints, the revealing slip by the head teacher, the threats she faced from various quarters.

But Li Zan's words weren't entirely without reason.

She took out her phone, hoping to find a third party who could help her navigate out of this maze, even if just to offer an objective glance.

Yet, scrolling through her contacts list of thousands, there wasn't a single person she felt she could call.

The only one, as of last night, also...

Just as she was about to put down her phone, she accidentally noticed Luo Zhan's business card.

Song Ran remembered that Li Zan mentioned he had returned to the country and was now contactable.

The call went through, and Luo Zhan happened to be free.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Luo Zhan guessed her purpose, saying, "It must be tough standing in the center of the storm, right?"

"You know about it?" Song Ran asked.

"Reporter Song is now famous nationwide," he joked with a lighthearted tone.

Song Ran asked directly, "Do you think I did something wrong?"

After a moment of consideration, Luo Zhan said, "I've seen your dialogue records, the witness's testimony is very clear, including the times and places of several complaints, it's all very specific. The police could definitely find out the truth if they wanted to. So, I think you're right. However, you only gave one side the chance to speak."

"But the other side has its own means of making statements," Song Ran countered.

"Do the public believe that side?" Luo Zhan asked back.

Song Ran was at a loss for words.

"Maybe what you found is part of the truth, but you, as a journalist, know better the power of mass communication. When one angle of truth is magnified infinitely, other angles might be infinitely minimized because the public lacks rationality and is driven by emotions."

Song Ran remained silent. Yesterday, Li Zan had hinted at this, but she wasn't willing to listen.

"However," Luo Zhan continued, "it takes a collective effort to consider all perspectives. How could one person manage it? Personally, I think you've been objective. Investigating the truth is the police's job, and rational discernment is the netizens' responsibility. But given the current low level of public trust and lack of rationality online, they fail to do so and inevitably blame you for not providing a complete answer, which is unfair."

She replied, "At that time, I was afraid that if I didn't speak up, the authorities would cover it up, and the child would be doomed."

"Right. You were focused on your goal, so you fought your way through. But Reporter Song," Luo Zhan suddenly shifted the topic, "a pressed shutter is emotionless. The photo 'CANDY' is the most objective and real record. Your intentions at that moment don't matter. You shouldn't feel guilty or need to prove yourself. Neither Wang Han nor Zhu Yanan are the children who died then. You can record, but you have no obligation to protect. When you try to protect, you're biased, and you're no longer objective."