White Olive Tree

Epilogue

5th Anniversary Edition
Preface by planner Luo Junfeng
——
Song Ran and I met eleven years ago.  At that time, Liangcheng Satellite TV's program "The Front Line of War" became popular all over the country. Reporter Song was responsible for filming and recording more than 90% of the material of that program.  The stories under her lens are delicate, simple and touching, which attracted me immediately.
I like a good story, and I like a good teller even more.  Song Ran is exactly the kind of narrator I admire most, gentle, patient, and always compassionate.  Many people say that I am a successful best-seller planner, but even I did not expect that Song Ran’s book would be the most successful best-seller I planned.  The sales of over five million copies in five years has become a rare myth in the book market.  At present, the translations in seven languages ​​including English, French, Spanish and German have been completed and are just waiting to be printed and sold.  I think this is not only because of her title of Pulitzer Prize winner, but also because she has written the most simple and touching picture of the floating world.
This article is indexed by time and city, recording what Song Ran saw and heard during the Eastern Kingdom. From scavengers to commanders, vendors to soldiers, she treated everyone equally, and every tiny person left a place for her. The photos selected in the book are all taken by her.  Although, as she said, her perspective cannot fully record the country in troubled times, she uses the most realistic and objective writing to present the life of the war before our eyes.
Over the years, many friends and media have asked me about Reporter Song’s private life, and some are even more curious about who her husband, Captain Li is.  Since Song Ran keeps a low profile and does not accept any interviews related to this book, I cannot reveal more.
But what I can say is that Song Ran is a beautiful girl who likes to smile, with a fragile appearance but a tough and determined heart.  Her husband, Captain Li, is a handsome soldier with a gentle personality and kindness to others.  During the four years when she wrote the book, Song Ran lived in the countryside. In front of their home was an endless rice field, a picturesque scenery.
I visited them once, two years before the book was finished.  At that time, there was a little boy in their family who had just turned one year old, named Little Tree, also called Little Sapling.
Xiaoshu looks exactly like his father, Captain Li.  At that time, he had just learned to walk, and he was restless and restless. He staggered around Captain Li and ran around. From time to time, he would jump up to him, giggle and hug his father's legs. He could play this game countless times.  He couldn't speak at that time, but he could call daddy.  The shouts of "Baba" and "Baba" echoed throughout the room, which sounded happy and pleasant.  After a while, he pulled his father's trouser to go out.  Watching butterflies for a while, chasing chickens for a while.
When we were discussing the manuscript in the living room, Song Ran would look out the window from time to time. Her husband and her young children were playing on the field in front of the house.  Captain Li squatted on the ground with a warm smile and stretched out his hands; Xiao shu staggered forward and hugged his neck, let go and ran away for a distance, then ran back and threw himself into his father's arms.
Song Ran's eyes rolled with laughter and he said, "With this little game, Ah-Zan can play with the Xiao shu all afternoon, and I can also watch them play all afternoon."
I said, "No wonder you write slowly."
Off topic.  I don’t understand why I suddenly wrote this paragraph.  It has nothing to do with this book.  But many images from that visit left a deep impression on me for no reason, and I can still recall them from time to time.  For example, when I was talking to Song Ran, Captain Li silently handed over a plate of peeled apples. While Song Ran was talking to me, she looked into his eyes, showing a moment of tender love; for example, she was talking to me.  As for the content of the manuscript, when he was cleaning up the desk, he saw Song Ran's information book and manuscript paper. He was careful and cherished when organizing them; for example, a vase of freshly picked flowers on the table, and tea leaves stretched in the teapot.
I think it is probably the warm atmosphere in their home that I have been missing the most in my many years of urban life.  Perhaps it’s because—in recent years, our society has been promoting utilitarianism and self-interest.  And they are out of place, like an island.  It's just that I can't tell too much about their stories, but at least the stories they once saw are presented in this book.  Let every reader who opens the book take a look at their vision.