The White Olive Tree

Chapter 49

Due to the presence of curtains, Song Ran slept an extra two hours than the previous day and woke up around eight o'clock.

As she opened her eyes in a daze, she saw the daylight seeping through the edges of the curtains, recalling the image of him standing on the table, helping her hang them.

After a moment of staring blankly, she checked her watch and realized it was only fifteen minutes before the agreed-upon time of eight o'clock. She quickly got out of bed, changed clothes, pulled open the curtains, and the radiant sunlight poured in, causing her to squint.

Her phone on the table made a ding sound.

Li Zan sent a message, explaining that he had something unexpected in the morning and asked if they could reschedule for 2:30 in the afternoon.

Song Ran replied, agreeing to the change.

With a sudden free morning, she didn't have anything else to do, so she organized notes, manuscripts, and various materials. Perhaps because of the afternoon appointment, she found it challenging to concentrate. She took a break halfway, went out to fetch water, and washed her hair.

The term washing hair was more like wetting it, rubbing with soap, and then rinsing—a luxury when clean water was scarce. Afterward, she used a wet towel to quickly wipe her body.

Feeling a bit more at ease after cleaning herself, she returned to work. Logging into social media, Song Ran noticed that the photo she posted yesterday of the siblings picking up breadcrumbs in the ruins had gained widespread attention.

Last night, an international charity organization from Garo came and took away the siblings, along with dozens of other homeless orphans.

The charity organization tagged Song Ran. Checking the post, she saw that the children were well taken care of, clean, and wearing new clothes. In the photo, the siblings happily enjoyed bread and milk.

Song Ran couldn't help but smile faintly, feeling a sense of relief. With her tasks completed, it was only half-past ten in the morning. Time suddenly seemed to slow down, and she found herself with nothing to do, so she grabbed her camera and headed downstairs to wander around the nearby area.

Passing by the dormitory and teaching buildings, she noticed that the auditorium had many students inside, seemingly coming in at some point, making banners and placards on campus.

Upon inquiring, she learned that many teachers and students who had originally fled to the south due to the war had returned. They were here to cheer for the army and conduct mobilization activities for the civilians. Some were even preparing to resume classes, believing that Ale City would be reclaimed.

As she walked out of the campus onto the street, Song Ran was drawn to the shouts coming from a street corner and went to investigate. It turned out to be a student demonstration.

Yesterday, she had seen many university students arriving from various places, all coming for this demonstration. They were holding megaphones, banners, chanting slogans, waving flags, calling on local residents to support the government army and defend Ale together.

The passionate slogans of the students echoed on the ancient streets, and Song Ran vaguely understood terms like defend, history, hardship which ignited a sense of passion within her.

Following the student parade for a while, she noticed that the city's air raid shelters were already marked with new signs, and trenches had been dug. Many civilians walking on the streets were carrying firearms.

The impending atmosphere of the big war became increasingly intense, and she felt as if she could smell the scent of gunpowder in the air.

At noon, Song Ran had a simple meal by the roadside and realized that there were no scattered government soldiers to be seen anywhere. They had probably all gathered. The locals wore solemn expressions, patiently waiting for something.