After another hour and some minutes, Don, Charles, and Ash were finally done with their portion of the distribution.
The work continued without them, now handled by other students who had received clear directions from Mr. Xiao.
Whatever arrangement those students had struck with the chairman remained unknown to Don and Charles, but the way the young people carried themselves—with focused diligence and determination—suggested the rewards were substantial.
Scholarships, future opportunities, or other benefits that made the effort worthwhile.
The trio climbed back into the dark silver Mercedes Sprinter and left. Surprisingly, a handful of protesters still lingered near there as they returned, though their numbers had thinned considerably.
Police maintained a visible presence along the perimeter, their postures alert but no longer stretched to the breaking point.
