The rain is pounding relentlessly, cascading off the glass buildings, dragging dirt along with it, and transforming the streets into murky rivers. People scurried by, umbrellas shielding them from the downpour; others donned raincoats, oblivious to the filth splashed by passing cars. Among them, a boy in his late teens trudged down the sidewalk, his backpack slung carelessly over his right shoulder, a college jacket from Jingziang Medical University clinging to his shoulders. Unlike the bustling crowd, his face bore the weight of gloom; he was drenched, unprotected by any means—a mere victim of the rain. He walked, the sadness enveloping him, indifferent to the storm and the world around him, fixated only on reaching his destination.
As he navigates the slick pavement, holographic advertisements blare overhead, promoting opulent condos, designer gene therapies, luxurious leather bags, and colognes, their glossy models faking joy to entice the wealthy elite and their entitled offspring.
After walking a considerable distance, he pauses and turns slightly to the right. Before him stood the entrance to Xìnhé District Government Hospital. Peering through the glass doors, concern etched across his face. Something serious awaited him within.
Taking a steadying breath, he pushed open the glass door and strode toward the front office. Three female employees toiled at their computers, oblivious to the world around them. The boy approached the desk, exhaustion heavy in his voice.
"Hello, Ma'am, I need to see Dr. David Liu."
But the employee ignores him, engrossed in her screen. Trying again, his voice rose, tinged with urgency.
"Excuse me! Ma'am! Can you please tell me where Dr. David Liu is?"
Still, she remains focused on her work, marring his patience further.
Tapped the desk to gain her attention, raising his voice yet polite—"Hello! Ma'am! Can you please give me a second?"
The silence persisted, and frustration bubbled within him.
He struck the desk, harder this time. "Are you listening? Hello?" The urgency in his voice had wrested away all pretense of politeness.
Finally, the employee pulled out her earphones, mumbling an apology, feigning concern.
"Sorry, sir, I was checking the patient list. How can I assist you?"
The boy, weary of the charade, pressed on. "Can you tell me where I can find Dr. David Liu?"
"Dr. Liu is currently attending to other patients. May I ask why you wish to meet him?"
"My sister, Sarah, is under his care. He asked to speak with me about her health," he replied, voice small.
As he spoke, the employee noticed his drenched appearance, the rainwater tracing down his face, his pallor suggesting vulnerability. Her expression twists slightly in distaste, yet she maintains her practiced smile.
"May I have your name?"
"Aaron Zhang."
"One moment, please." She picked up the phone, dialling with disinterest.
"Doctor, there's a man named Aaron Zhang here to see you; he says you called him."
Moments later, she ended the call.
"Dr. David is busy; he asked you to wait."
Aaron nodded, subdued. "Okay, ma'am."
"You can sit there," she pointed dismissively.
As Aaron turned to the seating area, an amused smile danced across the female employee's lips once his back was turned. "What a loser. People like him make this job unbearable."
Though he heard her mockery, Aaron chose to ignore it, seeking refuge from confrontation, his mind mired in worries about his sick sister.
Settling onto a three-seater chair, the space beside him became suddenly vacant as a woman hastily collected her belongings and left, repulsed by his state. The eyes around him bore judgment, whispers mocking his appearance, yet he remained silent, clinging to his thoughts of Sarah, whose suffering loomed larger than the cruelty surrounding him.
While heads turns the gossip slithered through the air; Aaron steeled himself against the whispers. Closing his eyes, he leaned back, surrendering to exhaustion, allowing the chaos around him to blend into a haze of indifference—lost in a world of his own grief amidst the relentless rain.Aaron Zhang. A 21-year-old medical science student at Jingxiang University of Medical Sciences, with aspirations of neurosurgery. He is utterly destitute; financially he has nothing, not even the means to purchase an umbrella. His black sports shoes, worn and tattered, have been his only footwear for nearly a year. Both of his parents have departed from this world, leaving him with only his fragile little sister, Sarah. She has been enduring the agonizing grips of cardiomyopathy for over a year, currently confined to Xìnhé District Government Hospital for treatment.
Aaron sitting slumped in a creaky three-seated chair, seeking solace with his eyes closed. Exhaustion weighed heavily on him after a grueling day at college, and any casual observer could see the despair etched on his face.
Suddenly, a young doctor approaches him: Valentina Huang, donned in a sleek black dress paired with a doctor's white coat, her nameplate glinting under the fluorescent lights. With sharp, penetrating eyes and a strong jawline, she stood beside Aaron.
"Mr. Aaron… Mr. Aaron," Valentina called out softly.
Lost in nap, Aaron didn't hear her.
"MR. AARON! ARE YOU AWAKE?" she exclaimed, raising her voice.
Aaron jolt awake, eyes darting to Valentina beside him. He sprang to his feet.
"Oh… hello, Dr. Valentina. I'm sorry; I was just… resting."
He regretted the weakness that compelled him to apologize. Valentina's gaze fell upon him, noticing the dampness clinging to his clothes, prompting her inquiry.
"Mr. Aaron, why are you so wet?"
Hesitation grips him, yet he responds.
"Um... I, ma'am, it's because of the rain."
Valentina's brows knitted together in concern.
"What? Don't you carry an umbrella or raincoat, Mr. Aaron?"
Shame washed over him, leaving him speechless.
"Ma'am, I... unfortunately forgot my umbrella at home," he mumbles quietly.
A lie that concealed his grim financial reality. Valentina nodded, her irritation palpable. Though recognition of his plight weighed on her, she opted for silence, eager not to heighten his discomfort.
"Come with me," she orders.
"But where, ma'am?" Aaron questiones.
"To your sister's room. Dr. David needs to speak with you there," she replied curtly.
Valentina wasts no time and began walking away, but Aaron calls out to her.
"Ma'am, why in my sister's room? Shouldn't she be resting?" His concern is evident.
With her back still to him, Valentina turned her head abruptly. "I don't know; Dr. David instructed me to bring you. Do you want to come or should I leave?" she retorted, her tone unyielding.
With his head bowed, Aaron gathered his belongings and follows her in silence.