John Ray was packing his medical bag while Aunt Zhang gently dressed Shen Hui in a loose, oversized pajama which clearly belonged to a man. Her wound had already been bandaged. Once everything was tidied up, Aunt Zhang said:
"Mr. Ray, I need to head home now. The dishes are kept warm in the pot."
Mr. Ray nodded and said:
"Thank you, Aunt Zhang."
As Aunt Zhang picked up her cloth bag and was about to walk out the door, John stopped her again:
"Aunt Zhang, please wait!"
She turned to Johan and looked at him curiously. John hesitated for a moment before asked:
"Do you have time tomorrow? I know it's day off to you but I would be really appreciate it if you could come by and check on her. I'm worried she might need help if I'm not around."
Aunt Zhang thought for a moment, then asked:
"Mr. Ray, why don't you take her to the hospital? There are the nurses who can take care of her, right?"
John shook his head and replied:
"Aunt Zhang, you have no idea how often the police come to hospitals to make arrests. Just look at this girl, if they took her away, how could she possibly endure the interrogations and the tortures?"
Aunt Zhang sighed deeply and said:
"You're right. All right, I will make time to come by tomorrow."
That night, John stayed up almost the entire night monitoring Shen Hui's condition. Despite his efforts, unfortunately, she began to burn up around midnight. He quickly administered anti-inflammatory and antipyretic injections, then placed a damp towel on her forehead and remained by her side. Only after her temperature began to drop did he rest, catching barely two hours of sleep on the sofa.
The next morning, when Shen hui woke up, she found herself lying in a bed in an unfamiliar room. She tried to get up but the pain in her shoulders and head made it impossible to sit up by herself. But she noticed a piece of paper resting on her chest. The note was written in clumsy Chinese:
" Miss, please don't move. My maid will come by soon. If you need any help, just ask her. I will come back this evening. John"
Looking at the note with its crooked handwriting in Chinese, even with a few misspelled characters, Shen Hui couldn't help but smile. But the pain cursing through her body overwhelmed her and tears silently streamed down her face.
Around noon, She was startled awake by the sound of the door opening. A woman entered with a gentle smile at her and said softly:
"You're awake. I brought you some water so you can wash your face."
She placed a basin by the bedside, carefully helped Shen Hui sit up and tucked a pillow behind her back for support. Shen Hui winced slightly and asked weakly:
"Where am I?"
As the woman wrung out a towel from the basin and began to gently wipe Shen Hui's face, she replied:
"My surname is Zhang. You can call me Aunt Zhang. I'm the maid here. I come twice a week to clean and do laundry for the owner of this apartment. He is an American doctor who can speak Chinese. It was he who saved you and removed the bullet from your body. Right now, he is on duty at the hospital. Actually I wasn't supposed to come today but he was worried about you and thought you might need some help. So he asked me to check on you today. Don't worry. This American is a kind and decent man. By the way, what's your name, young lady?"
Shen Hui replied:
"My name is Shen Hui." She hesitated for a while and asked, "Was it you to change my clothes?"
Aunt Zhang nodded with a warm smile, saying:
"Yes, it was me. Yesterday when Mr. Ray, oh, his Chinese name is Lei Yuehan, brought you here yesterday, you had been covered in blood. After he treated your wounds, I cleaned you up and dressed you in his pajamas." Aunt Zhang sighed heavily, her expression darkening, "What a dreadful day it was yesterday! I heard that several students had lost their lives."
With that, Aunt Zhang walked out with the basin. Shen Hui couldn't help but be shocked at her words. Her gaze drifted to the crucifix on the wall, depicting Jesus nailed to the cross. Her mind was filled with fear and confusion. After a while, Aunt Zhang returned with a tray. She smiled kindly and said:
"Miss Shen, drink some water first to soothe your throat. I also cooked some red date porridge with an egg inside. You lost a lot of blood yesterday so you need to nourish yourself. I also bought some baozi for you. You must be starving. Come, let me feed you. "
Shen Hui, still too weak to feed herself, gazed at Aunt Zhang with a look of heartfelt gratitude and said:
"Thank you!"
After eating, Shen Hui hesitated for a moment before speaking softly:
"Aunt Zhang, may I ask you a favor?"
"Of course, what's it?"
"I have an uncle in Peking. His surname is Lin. Could you please inform him that I am safe and tell him not to worry about me? Also, ask him to write to my parents and let them know that I will return home as soon as I can."
Aunt Zhang nodded sympathetically:
"Don't worry. I will do for you."
Before leaving, Aunt Zhang gave Shen Hui some painkillers left by John due to the unbearable pain. Exhausted, Shen Hui soon fell into a deep, dreamless sleep that lasted the entire afternoon. When she woke again, the room was quiet. However, she could hear voices from outside. Straining to listen, she recognized Mr. Lin's voice:
"Mr. Lei, I must apologize for any trouble my niece has caused. Not only did you save her but you have also allowed her to stay here. I sincerely thank you on behalf of her parents."
A second voice, speaking in Chinese with a foreign accent, replied calmly:
"You're welcome, Mr. Lin. Right now, Miss Shen is not well enough to be moved. To be honest, her injuries are severe and she lost a lot of blood. She needs to remain in bed for several days to recover fully."
Mr. Lin responded:
"I understand. I truly appreciate your kindness. I just worry this might cause you further inconvenience. Actually my niece isn't one of those students who constantly stir up more trouble. She is a quiet, gentle girl who normally stays far away from political matters. I suspect she was bewitched by someone and tricked into this situation."
From inside the room, Shen Hui called weakly:
"Uncle Lin."
After a while, Uncle Lin and a foreigner entered the room. Uncle Lin quickly stepped to her bedside, his eyes filled with worry. Looking at Shen Hui so pale and frail, he couldn't hold back his tears. He said, his voice trembling:
"My child, are you in pain? Take good care of yourself. Mr. Lei says that you can't be moved yet so you have no choice but stay here for a few more days. Once you feel better, buy a ticket and go home. I will write to your father and let him know about your situation."
"No, uncle." Shen Hui interrupted, her tone anxious, "Please don't tell them I was shot. I don't want them to worry about me."
Uncle Lin sighed deeply, nodded and said:
"All right. I won't mention it. Ms Zhang told me where to find you. I was also worried about you so I came here to see you. And there is something else I must tell you: Our family will leave Peking and return to my hometown soon. The situation here has become too chaotic. I have been fired and the prices for everything are skyrocketing so it's impossible for us to live here anymore. The life in my hometown may be simpler and easier. once you're fully recovered, you should write to your parents. Let them know you're safe and when you will go home. Please follow my advice. Do you understand?"
Shen Hui nodded but couldn't hold back her tears. Uncle Lin comforted her gently for a while, left some money to her and then departed.
After saying goodbye to Mr. Lin, John returned to the bedroom. Looking at her pale face, he said gently:
"I suppose you have already known who I am. Mr. Lin just explained your situation to me. You are in a fragile condition right now so it is better for you to focus on your recovery. We will have plenty of time to get to know each other later. Now I need to assess your current condition."
He took a thermometer from his medical bag and handed it to her, instrucking her to place it under her arm. While waiting, he carefully checked her wound and noticed some blood oozing out through the bandage. Acting quickly, he cleaned and treated it with practiced care. Then he said:
"The injury on your head isn't too serious but the gunshot wound on your shoulder is more severe. In addition, you have lost a lot of blood. Are you feeling dizzy and blurry?"
Shen Hui nodded faintly. John said:
"Let me see the thermometer."
She gave it to him. After examining it, he frowned slightly and continued:
"Your temperature is still very high. You have a fever. Fortunately I anticipated this so I prepared an IV drip for you at the hospital. But first, let us have a dinner. I think the food delivery should be here soon."
After dinner, John set up the IV drip for Shen Hui. Once everything was in place, he sat next to her, reading a book. About half an hour later, Shen Hui grew increasingly uncomfortable. She began cursing herself silently: How could I forget to use the bathroom before getting hooked up to an IV? Just hold it! So she tried to hold it, but the discomfort became unbearable. John noticed her discomfort and asked:
"What's wrong? Are you feeling worse?"
To be honest, Shen Hui was too embarrassed to speak up but she really couldn't bear it any longer so she whispered:
"I...I need to use the bathroom."
John smiled reassuringly and said:
"No problem. Let me help you. The bathroom is right here."
He supported her to the bathroom, guiding her carefully to avoid pulling on the IV line. After stepping into the bathroom, Shen Hui looked around. It was a small space, modestly furnished with a flush toilet, a sink and a bathtub. After John hung the IV bag on a high hook, he was about to step out but he noticed her troubled expression.
Shen Hui looked down at her hands, overwhelmed with embarrassment. One arm was immobilized by the wound on her shoulder while the other was tethered by the IV needle inserted, making it difficult to move freely. To make matters worse, the IV bag John had hung was positioned a little far away, forcing her to stretch her arm forward. In this awkward position, she couldn't manage to pull down her pants by herself. Seeing her predicament, John hesitated for a moment and clearly embarrassed himself. Finally he said gently:
"I'm a doctor and you are my patient. It is my duty to help my patients. So if you are okay with it, I can help you."
Shen hui's previously pale face turned red with shame. She didn't know what to say or do but she had no choice but nod helplessly. Avoiding her gaze as much as possible, John helped her lower her pants. Once she was settled, he stepped out of the bathroom immediately, waiting just outside the door. Only when she softly called out: "I'm done.", he went into the bathroom again. Without a word, he quickly pulled her pants back up, and then supported her back to the bedroom, ensuring the IV remained steady. Shen Hui's face burned with embarrassment so she couldn't lift her head. She silently thanked the oversized pajamas for covering her lower body, sparing her from further humiliation.