Visiting the Hospital

At Yanjing Third People's Hospital, Xiao Xiao stared at the gleaming characters on the building, lost in thought.

People hurried past him in every direction. Now and then, someone cast him a curious glance, wondering why he was standing stock-still at the hospital entrance.

Xiao Xiao had never been one to meddle in other people's affairs. But if he might actually be able to help, he found it hard to simply stand by.

His thoughts were in turmoil.

And the girl's desperate, broken sobs and the sight of her trembling, frail back had left a lump in his throat.

He thought he could still do something...

"Young man, is something wrong?"

"Hm?" Xiao Xiao blinked his dry eyes, still a little dazed. The scene before him gradually came into focus: a kindly-looking old woman was gazing at him with concern.

"...I'm fine." Caught off guard as he came back to himself, Xiao Xiao fumbled for a moment before replying. Then, feeling a little embarrassed, he added, "I was just spacing out."

"Oh, good. As long as you're all right." The old woman didn't ask anything more. Smiling, she turned to leave.

"Thank you." Xiao Xiao's hands curled slightly in his pockets. He looked at the old woman's profile and thanked her sincerely.

That unexpected encounter lifted his spirits.

Other people's simple kindness could always make him happy with surprising ease.

His steps grew lighter as he set off again.

Everyone in class knew Lin Zhenzhen's room number.

The day after Lin Zhenzhen was admitted to the hospital, the class quickly arranged for a few representatives to visit her.

In the end, though, they could only stare helplessly at Lin's Mother's and Lin's Father's haggard faces.

Lin Zhenzhen refused to see anyone except the doctors and her parents.

The students who had gone as representatives came back feeling downcast. Through the ward door, they had heard Lin Zhenzhen sobbing and screaming hysterically, nearly unable to catch her breath. The corridor had been noisy, but all they could hear was Lin's Father and Lin's Mother's hoarse sighs and apologies.

Under the circumstances, they knew better than to intrude. They offered Lin's Mother and Lin's Father a few awkward words of comfort, left the flowers and fruit they'd brought, then took their leave.

Later, a few girls who were close to Lin Zhenzhen also went to visit her, but they couldn't even get through the ward door.

After that, everyone stopped going to the hospital.

They didn't want to cause more trouble.

Every time someone came to visit, it seemed to upset Lin Zhenzhen and set off another outburst.

"Dong, dong, dong." Xiao Xiao stared at the ward door for a moment, then knocked with a knuckle, gently and at an even pace.

But after he knocked several times, there was no response from inside.

Was she asleep? Or had she gone out?

Xiao Xiao wondered what would happen if he just pushed the door open and went in.

Maybe he should ask a nurse?

"Young man?"

Xiao Xiao turned his head. A middle-aged woman stood there, looking haggard, her eyes bloodshot. She held a thermos, apparently just back from filling it with hot water. She looked at him in confusion, then seemed to realize something. "Are you here to see Zhenzhen?"

Lin's Mother had simply been caught off guard. Because Zhenzhen refused visitors, no one had come to see her for days.

Besides, the past few days had worn Lin's Mother down so much that it was no wonder her reaction was slow.

When she suddenly saw someone standing outside her daughter's ward, her mind went blank. She hadn't thought anything through; she'd just asked on impulse.

"Yes, ma'am. Hello, I'm Lin Zhenzhen's classmate. My name is Xiao Xiao."

"I happened to be nearby taking care of something today, so I thought I'd come see Lin Zhenzhen."

"Oh, oh." Lin's Mother looked at the polite, refined Xiao Xiao and answered distractedly. Then the worry between her brows deepened. "Xiao Xiao, thank you for coming to see Zhenzhen."

"But Zhenzhen isn't seeing visitors." As she said it, Lin's Mother's eyes reddened again. Her daughter had always been so obedient and well-behaved. Why had she had to suffer like this? The thought of Zhenzhen growing thinner, and of the lifeless, nearly empty look in her eyes, tore Lin's Mother apart.

Lin's Father was already trying to contact doctors overseas.

If there was nothing they could do in their own country, they would go abroad.

As long as there was even the slightest hope, they wouldn't give up.

Xiao Xiao had thought about sneaking into the ward to talk to Lin Zhenzhen while Lin's Mother and Lin's Father were away.

But he was worried Lin Zhenzhen might have an outburst.

Besides, he didn't know how long he'd be there. If Lin's Mother and Lin's Father caught him red-handed, it would be hard to explain.

So he decided to abandon the idea of taking a "backdoor" approach.

That left only one option: face her directly.

"Ma'am, I'd like to go in and see Lin Zhenzhen."

"It's been so many days. Maybe..."

"No." Lin's Mother refused emphatically, then realized she'd been too harsh. After all, he was Zhenzhen's classmate and had come with good intentions.

Lin's Mother forced a stiff smile. "I'm sorry, Xiao Xiao. But Zhenzhen really can't handle any kind of stimulation right now."

Lin's Mother was afraid, too. At first, she'd thought that seeing familiar friends and classmates show their concern might make Zhenzhen feel better. But things had turned out exactly the opposite of what she had hoped.

Whenever anyone came, Zhenzhen became like a small animal whose territory had been invaded. Though her body was weak, she still kept flailing her arms and screaming, driving away the outsiders in her eyes in an almost desperate frenzy. She refused—and even resisted—anyone coming close.

Each visit brought another struggle from Zhenzhen, who fought with all her strength.

Lin's Mother and Lin's Father were exhausted in body and mind, helpless and heartbroken. Lin's Mother could only hold her daughter tightly, looking down at the pale, vacant face in her arms as her eyes welled up again. What had they done to deserve this?

"Why are you standing in the doorway?" a hoarse, heavy male voice asked. Lin's Father had arrived.

"Who is this?" Lin's Father stepped past Lin's Mother and saw Xiao Xiao standing outside his daughter's ward.

"This is Xiao Xiao, one of Zhenzhen's classmates."

"He happened to be nearby today, so he came to see Zhenzhen."

Lin's Mother paused, then spoke again, her voice even hoarser. "...But you know Zhenzhen's condition. She really can't have visitors."

"Hello, sir." Xiao Xiao had never met Lin's Father before. But one look at him told Xiao Xiao that the man had aged considerably over the past few days. His temples were already streaked with gray, his perpetually furrowed brows had etched deep lines into his forehead, and his drooping eyes were clouded with exhaustion.

Xiao Xiao couldn't quite put his feelings into words.

He only knew that these were parents who had worn themselves to the bone worrying about their daughter.