The snow had yet to melt, but tender green buds had already sprouted on the bare branches, and the air carried the fragrance of earth and a faint scent of fresh grass. Most of the children who had once languished in pain had now recovered. Though their newly grown limbs were still somewhat delicate, they brimmed with vitality.
In the courtyard, the little boy who had lost an arm clumsily used his newly grown hand to pass water to a little girl who had lost a leg and could now walk slowly with crutches. Clear laughter had replaced their former sobs, rippling through the spring breeze.
That afternoon, Xiao Yi pedaled home on his creaking bicycle, humming a tuneless little song along the way. A bulging cloth sack rode on the rear seat, while a piece of fresh meat wrapped in oiled paper sat in the basket in front of the handlebars.
"Kids, and Xiao Yan, come on out! We're upgrading our meals today-let's have something good! These are called dumplings. We used to eat them only at New Year. I guarantee you'll want more once you've tried them!" With that, he unloaded the flour and meat and set them on the table.
Xiao Yan had been guiding several children through simple rehabilitation exercises. Hearing him, he walked over, looked at the flour and meat on the table, then glanced at Xiao Yi with a trace of inquiry in his eyes. Although Xiao Yi had continued to do as he pleased lately, his concern for these children was genuine. Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow but asked no questions. He simply went into the kitchen and brought out a large iron pot, then found several clean boards.
And so, that afternoon, a rare scene of harmony unfolded in the old courtyard.