"Since you don"t understand my question, then let me change it to another question. Just now, you claimed that the terrorist organization known as the Islamic State was defeated! The victory in Syria"s war made the entire world rejoice. I"d like to know, where are the rejoicing Syrians?"
Without waiting for the spokesperson to speak, Bai Xiaonian continued, "Seeing their own country turn into a war-torn area, heaps of ruins everywhere, public infrastructure and personal property being destroyed, basic amenities almost utterly devastated, the economy being brought to a halt…"
Bai Xiaonian lowered her head and found a piece of paper among her doc.u.ments. She then raised it high up. "I"m holding data released by the United Nations in August of 2018. This data indicates that over the past few years, during the war, Syria"s economic loss reached 400 billion USD, and at least 400,000 Syrians died during the war…"
"It"s also because of this war that Syria"s inflation has reached 20%, and the price of wheat has risen by 30%. Now, 30% of Syrians live below the poverty line! Moreover, 11% of Syrians, which is around two million people, have long descended into extreme poverty."
Bai Xiaonian seemed to have memorized those facts by heart, as she was easily able to recite the numbers.
"So, you feel that… they will also rejoice with the world after the US president announces the defeat of the Islamic State?"
The news spokesperson licked his lips, then arranged his scripts and took a sip of water. After he calmed his nerves and before he could reply, Bai Xiaonian spoke again…
"The Islamic State doesn"t have the support of its people and was also being smothered by the US, a country that hails itself as number one in the world. So, why has it not been completely eradicated all these years? Is it like the prime minister of Russia claimed, which is to say that the US has secretly been lending support to ISIS in the dark?"
The news spokesperson frowned. "In the eradication of the Islamic State, the US is the country that expended the most effort. We don"t accept such slanderous claims!"
"I have another set of data here…"
Bai Xiaonian listed some examples of the ammunition used by known terrorists over the years, out of which a large part came from arms dealers in the US. Coincidentally, those US arms dealers had provided significant sponsors.h.i.+p to the current president during the presidential elections. Bai Xiaonian didn"t even need to say certain things, and the news spokesperson was already perspiring all over and not sure how to reply.
"Then, may I ask, was the war between the US and Syria started so that your country"s arms dealers could reap profits, dragging the Syrian civilians into the fires of war, or was it really to eradicate ISIS? France claims that ISIS hasn"t been entirely eradicated and will make its return someday. Since the US claims that ISIS has been entirely eradicated, then will ISIS make its return? If ISIS does make its return, does that mean that the US announcing its withdrawal of troops from Syria is because it has already realized its goal of fragmenting the Middle East, seizing control of the oil-producing regions, effectively controlling oil prices and hence no longer seeing the need to stay in Syria? Or is it to leave some breathing s.p.a.ce for ISIS, so that your country"s arms dealers can continue to reap the profits in the future?"
Lin Nuan couldn"t resist smiling when she saw a calm-looking Bai Xiaonian making the US spokesperson speechless with her words…
Everyone in the canteen was holding their breath and looking at the Bai Xiaonian on the TV screen, listening as she spoke in rather perfect American-accented English. It was as if Bai Xiaonian was the only person present at the press conference—she was s.h.i.+ning.
Miss Xia even felt that the Bai Xiaonian, who had gone to the US, looked like she was reborn. She had never thought that one day Bai Xiaonian would speak such aggressive words in such a calm manner. That feeling… it gave off an air of pride and satisfaction.
Lin Nuan returned to her senses and sat down beside Tuan Tuan. She reached out to stroke Tuan Tuan"s hair. "Eat up!"
Lin Nuan believed that as Bai Xiaonian walked on the path that she wanted to take, she would become better and better, more and more outstanding, because she was never an ordinary person to begin with.
That press conference shot Bai Xiaonian to fame…
At night, Lin Nuan received a call from Bai Xiaonian, saying that a US TV station invited her to do a symposium having to do with the trade war between the US and their country right now. It was just that she wasn"t sure whether she should accept the offer.
Lin Nuan didn"t directly answer Bai Xiaonian"s question. She merely told her about the reaction of everyone in the canteen when they saw Bai Xiaonian aggressively questioning the US news spokesperson…
Bai Xiaonian was quiet for a moment. She then asked Lin Nuan how she was doing lately before hanging up.
Holding onto her phone, Lin Nuan couldn"t resist dialing Fu Huai"an"s number, which was still turned off!
Lin Nuan sighed. When she turned her head, she saw Tuan Tuan, who was sitting on the bed, eagerly staring at her…
She shook her head. "Still can"t get through to Papa"s phone. Perhaps Papa is still busy. When Papa isn"t busy, he"ll surely return my call!"
Tuan Tuan really missed Fu Huai"an, so his eyes reddened a little. Still, he bravely nodded his head and got his spirits up, forcing his tears back down. Only when Lin Nuan went to the washroom did Tuan Tuan secretly wipe his tears with the blanket. He then pretended like nothing had happened, obediently sitting on the bed.
When Lin Nuan returned, she made Tuan Tuan some warm milk before bed.
Tuan Tuan looked at Lin Nuan"s back view, wanting to try his best to be obedient and not add troubles for her. Hence, he slid down from the bed and bounced to Lin Nuan"s back in his Captain America slippers…
Lin Nuan held the milk in her hands, and when she turned around, she saw Tuan Tuan gazing up at her. She smiled and asked, "Want to drink milk?"
Tuan Tuan nodded, standing on his tiptoes and raising the gla.s.s of milk up high. He slurped down the entire gla.s.s of milk in one breath before raising it high to return it to Lin Nuan.
Lin Nuan bent over and stroked Tuan Tuan"s head. "Go get in bed and wait for Mama. Mama will come and read a bedtime story to you after I"m done was.h.i.+ng the gla.s.s…"
"Okay…" Tuan Tuan"s voice was soft and sounded nice.
…
At that moment, Fu Huai"an indeed didn"t have time to notice the fiasco on Weibo.
Even Little Lu, who followed by Fu Huai"an"s side, didn"t have the time to pay attention to whatever was going on in the country.
"Sir…" Little Lu had printed out the infrastructure blueprint of the prison and was walking briskly over to Fu Huai"an to hand it to him.
Little Lu was wearing the same s.h.i.+rt he did the day he left Haicheng, with his sleeves casually rolled up to his elbows. He looked a little disheveled, and there was even a little stubble on his chin.
Fu Huai"an nodded. After taking it from Little Lu, he spread it open on the table and used a cup to hold down one corner. With one hand pressed down on the table, he frowned and looked at it seriously for a long time. He used a pen and ruler to make calculations on the infrastructure blueprint, drawing on it.
After he obtained a figure, Fu Huai"an turned around and leaned against the table. He looked at the wall covered with slips of paper he had stuck there and scribbled on, his deep eyes half narrowed and his gaze unfathomable…