HE'AN MEDICAL CENTRE | Outside the Surgical Wing
The corridor outside the operating room remained dimly lit, family and friends gathered together, waiting for a positive news to settle the storm in their hearts, no one has any energy to speak.
The Lin family stay close to each other. Lin Zhenhao remained upright, hands clasped tightly behind his back, eyes dimmed with fear fixed on the red light above the operation room. Lin Nuanxin sat down with her eldest daughter, leaning against the wall to close her eyes for a moment in hopes that this day is just a bad dream and her daughter Jingxu is safe and sound in her room.
Triplets along with their sister in the middle, and aunt by their side stood in few steps away from them. The group of four boys was also standing along with them.
The Qiu elders were standing in the far end of the hospital corridor. They had chosen their distance carefully - close enough to be present but also far enough not to intrude. Mrs. Qiu pat at her eyes occasionally, and Mr Qiu never kept his phone away, neither make any calls.
Approximately after 6 to 7 hours of surgery, senior surgeon walks out of the operation room without urgency, after removing his mask and handing it to the nurse as he approach the family members. His expression was as calm as sea - well practiced - the kind designed to stablise the atmosphere of the room before releasing any critical information about the patient.
"Everyone - Kindly stay where you are" he said with an even tone.
"The surgery was successful, the cranial imapact caused by the impact of falling caused significant internal bleeding as well, but there was no irreparable damange to vital brain structure and veins. We were able to take the action on time, and relieve the pressure." He continued.
Nuanxin take a sharp breath - her hands clenching around the strap of her bag. The Doctor didn't pause long before continuing "However the patient is still consciousness state and is currently medically induced coma now. We can't give a definite timeline for the recovery."
After adjusting his emotions, Zhenhao ask in low but strain voice "How long?". Doctor met his eyes directly and said "It can take days, weeks, months and possibly years or longer."
The youngest triplet's fingers curled tightly into the fabric of her sleeve.
"She is stable now, her vitals are steady as well. She will be later transformed to ICU after completing some procedures. Family visitation will be arranged to the allocated time slots." he continued. After a small pause he said gently "We need everyone present to understand that recovery will depend on the factors on how much time and care is provided to her, this is something that could not be rushed."
No one argued, none asked unnecessary questions. The doctor gave a small nod politely and said "We will notify you of any changes"
When he left the corridor, it seemed quieter and heavier than before. Lin Nuanxin didn't cry, she stood up and walked towards the ICU doors, as if that was where she had always been meant to go.
The Qiu elders exchanged brief look, then turned away.
The seven children along with Aunt remained rooted on floor, as if they have been struck by lightening.
The first week passed in blur, families and friends persist endless waiting, while the world outside time move forward steadily for everyone.
Blood pressure, Oxygen saturation, Neurological response different medical terms doctors spoke softly while monitoring her. Nurses moved around Jingxu's bed meticulously taking care of her, their hands light and voice low.
Lin Nuanxin leaned forward towards the bed, held her daughter hand and whispered "Xu'er", she did this every morning since past one week, every morning, afternoon and evening "Mama is here."
She speaks to her about everything, about the taste of the food soup, weather turning warmer as days passed, about her youngest daughter Qingyao wants to keep her favourite teddy bear by her side so that her second sister don't miss her so much.
While mother-daughter spends time together, Lin Zhenhao stands quietly in corner and observes the monitor present in the room, as if numbers displaying were giving him the assurance and hope of his daughter survival.
As time pass by elders took turn to manage their work and taking care of Jingxu at hospital, while Lin Yujing took over the practical burdens of eldest daughter without any announcement and to take care of the youngsters in the family. She started answering the calls calmly, declining visits politely but firmly.
Meiran cried and withdrew and also became more introvert, spending her days alone in her room, avoiding her studies, friends and music classes all alike. Lin Qingyao slept with Jingxu scarf wrapped around her hand, wakes up in the middle of night to check if her sister has arrived.
NINGBO NO.7 EXPERIMENTAL MIDDLE SCHOOL.
More than 40 days has been passed away since that terrible incident during the school event before the mid school vacation. A week had gone in blur, since classes has been resumed under the pretence of force normalcy. The snow had melted from the playground, the red running tracks looks like they have been freshly washed as if nothing has happened there. The students and teachers exactly knew where blood has pooled on the shite snow.
The triplets returned together, they walk closer than before, shoulders touching, quick steps, head lowered, listening to whispering students. The group of four boys and two girls arrived sometime later.
The rumour's followed them everywhere they go.
"She shouldn't have interfered" "If she hadn't stepped in, she would've been safe" "They're troublemakers"
None of them uttered Qiu Suyin's name. The small incidents through the school was small but not negligible.
During lunch break, pulling the chair away too quickly, or pushing them when they are taking the food tray to table it was knocked down as she try to stabilise herself against the table. Students laughing at the bad comments passed on, teachers ignoring the small bullying incidents.
Before she could stand straight, someone knelt beside her in order to help her. "Slowly" one of the girls said gently, stretching her hand to hold her and asked "You're okay."
Once she saves her, the second girl stood close enough to close the space in order to protect her, with this laughter died.
In the other corner of the canteen the four boys were seating together, one of the boys watched the students had just laughed. He didn't glare neither speak, but his cold eyes were enough to stop the laughter.
He remembered everything that has been happening since the school has started. Later in the previous week football rolled out in too fast on the stairwell where triplet sister was waiting for her brothers closed enough for her to get hit.
"That was careless, you should be careful" someone from the crowd muttered. "This was deliberate attack." the quiet boy replied softly stepping closer to help the girl.
As time flew by the youngest triplet started spending time with the 2 girls, and started sharing lunch with them a friendship foundation started getting formed among those children whose fate was intervene since that incident.
During initial stage, she barely spoke with the 2 seniors, she was timid, answering only when asked, or will just nod at the questions as if answering them with her gesture. One of the girl was talkative, she keep talking away - about homework, classes, offering youngest triplet with guidance in her studies, about all the trivial matters that annoyed her, while the other girl was quiet girl, even though she is extrovert, it takes time for her to open to others, but she still give input to her friend and youngest triplet.
One day 1st girl asked "Do you like sweet buns or savoury?"
Youngest friend replied timidly ".... Sweet"
She enthusiastically said "Then you should avoid on Wednesday, canteen provide us are always dry."
The girl laughed for the first time since that day - it was short, surprised sound, she was startled by herself.
After school was over for the day, when the youngest triplet was waiting for her brothers by the school gate after everyone has left, one of the quiet girl walked forward, squat down in front of her and asked "Why are you still here? where are your brothers?"
"They're late" she replied. Her new friend insisted on waiting so she said "We'll wait with you - we are free today anyway"
"Sorry" she replied while keeping her head down
They stayed together as buses left and the campus emptied as time passed by. After waiting for sometime, brothers finally arrived. They found their little sister standing between the two girls and chatting with them with small smile on her face, they finally relaxed.
By the end of second week, the rumours were intensified and was spread behind the triplets intending to pressure them into accepting it.
A note was passed through the channels, and it appeared in the classroom desk who was intended to flame those rumours.
If she didn't push you aside, she wouldn't be in coma.
The youngest triplet folded the paper with trembling fingers and hid it in her pocket.
Same afternoon during lunch break in canteen, one of the boys from the group noticed she wasn't eating and was unusually quiet.
"Did someone said anything?" he asked quietly "Why aren't you eating?" and "Why are you so quiet today?" he added swiftly.
"No one said anything"
"I'm not hungry today"
"I'm fine"
She replied politely, avoiding everyone gaze
He didn't probe further.
The next day, the same note has been reappeared - torn, incomplete, it was pinned to the main bulletin board in school, as it was giving warning to the bullies to stay on leash.
No one mentioned about this incident.
Rumours was reduced.
Teacher's never mentioned it.
But they knew, they were getting watched.
AFTER SCHOOL - THE ROOM THAT HELD DECISION (26th FEB' 2005)
They gathered together in an unused classroom in the northeast of the building near the school storeroom. The room was old filled with dust, narrow lined with old table and chairs along with old shelves along with the faint smell of dust and paper. One of the windows were broken and it was slightly open, letting the cold air carried in.
No one sat first, they always met in this class when they doesn't feel like communicating with other children or friends, or have something to discussed or studying before the exams or spending free time.
The quiet boy stood near the broken window, hands in his trousers pockets. He has been behaving like this for a short period of time - physically present, but has been inwardly absent, as if listening and feeling things that none of them can see it.
His friend standing not faraway from him broke the silence first and said "This is just beginning right?" one of the girl nodded her head agreeing to him and said "It isn't, someone is making moves behind the scenes without any trace."
The third youngest who is also the quietest boy exhaled softly, his breath fogging the glass.
He finally speak for the first time since he entered the old classroom "It's isn't about school" and added "and definitely about the triplets."
Everyone turned toward him at once, shock written on their face, and they all felt bad pre-nomination about it.
"It all started the moment Jingxu stood up for those triplets and made her choice that day" he continued in sweet low and even voice "When she stepped forward that day, it was the moment she took responsibility for something big that wasn't hers to begin with."
Second oldest boy brows furrowed "She saved someone life, that's all."
"Yes" the quiet boy agreed silently and later added "And that's exactly why it changes everything and it matters"
He turned away from window and meet their eyes finally facing them.
"I've had this feeling on the day when we went to see her after her operation - and as days pass by this feeling never left, but today it intensifies." he said "Not fear, not panic, just .... certainty. Like something heavy was shifting very far away in the future, and it has already locked down on her"
One of the girls hugged her arms suddenly feeling depressed and unsettled "So you mean that there is an unknown danger, but it isn't right now."
"No" came the immediate reply. "It's not now, it's much later, it might start taking effects in small instances more and it will keep the small momentum. When people will stop remembering why she was protected, and will only remember that she exist in the way."
The place grew still and fell into silence. These people all knew his intuition, and it wasn't the first time.
There are many incidents in which his intervention saved a-lot of trouble, once he had refused to board a ferry at the last minute before boarding it, an accident happen which led to shut down the route for months. Another time he had insisted on leaving amusement park earlier than the decided time, at midnight news were broken that their was an unidentified shooter at the place, and then chaos was broken, many people were injured and few of them were also in critical condition. He never dramatised these things. Never explains how these things became accurate it was beyond a simple "Something's off".
There are few more similar small or big instances and he had never been wrong.
"So you're saying - that one of moment of kindness put her on the frontline that she didn't know existed." one boy said carefully. "Yes" came the swift reply
"And that line will be tested in every step of her life" the first girl murmured. The quiet nodded once and said "Not by emotions, but it will be tested by systems, family, interests. The sort that doesn't care if she's good, young or asleep, and unknowingly we all are involved in this, and have some role to play, each of us and triplets have an important role to play in her life."
Heavy silence settled in the classroom.
Finally the youngest boy said "Then whenever she wakes up, she'll be walking into something which is already moving and behind scenes actions are taking place."
"Yes - And she won't see it first and will not be able to protect herself and others close to her" another added.
"She never does" the girls said together softly.
The word money didn't appear immediately.
"If that's the case - then kindness isn't enough." one of the boy said after a long pause. "No - Protection has to be boring, structural, strong. Something that doesn't require permission every time"
"So we have to make sure she is independent - so when the calamity hits, she will be able to save people close to her" one of the girls said.
Finally the eldest boy in the group who was leaning against the table said "My family can support something like that"
Hearing his suggestion all jumped in "So can mine" "Mine will pool something as well"
There was no pride or arrogance in their voices. It was matter of acknowledgement. The quiet boy didn't react immediately, he was staring at the faint scratch marks left behind on the old tables "She will never accept any charity, we have to make it more meaningful."
And just like this the group of friends became a shield to protect the someone who unknowingly became part of their life, may be in the future she will be important to all of them. They will be able to protect each other and be make a beautiful future.
HE'AN MEDICAL CENTRE | 1st March 2005
Jingxu woke up in the night, breath shallow and unfamiliar the ceiling, blurred stretch of dim lights she didn't recognise having in her bedroom. Her body has felt heavy and wrong, distant and unresponsive - but her mind was buzzing with activity, with memories running wild, putting pressure on her mind, she was confused as if whats happening to her. She remembered clearly how she has spent her last and final day very vividly. A nurse forze mid-check, when she saw her eyes open, her brows furrowed as if she is in pain. She move quickly to check her vitals, and pressing the bell to call the doctor who was incharge during night. When doctor quickly arrive he did a quick check, after confirming everything, when they reached for the phone, her hoarse voice stopped them "Morning - late - panic - accident" she spoke four words before sleep took over her and she fell into dream.