"I'll go get a pot of hot water," Song Yuanhuan said, harmoniously bonding with his comrades. Though their brisk visit was filled with jests, Zheng Guohui and Fu Guanglei clearly hesitated to speak, worried that Xu Xiuxiu might find their words inappropriate. Using the excuse of fetching hot water, she left the hospital room with the kettle.
Who knew that the group would leave as hurriedly as they had arrived? When she returned to the room with a kettle of boiling water, it was quiet again, with only Song Yuanhuan sitting on the hospital bed, his eyes downcast and hands clenched, a picture of melancholic restraint.
"They've all left?" Xu Xiuxiu broke the awkward silence, busying herself clearing the fruits and canned goods the comrades had brought.
"Mhm," Song Yuanhuan murmured.
