LOVE PROMISES

In an emergency hospital, doctors and nurses were rushing back and forth, tending to war victims in desperate need of medical attention. The number of injured was growing by the day, testing the limits of the medical team’s endurance.

Yet, despite the exhaustion, they remained steadfast, motivated by the desire for freedom from colonial oppression. They fought tirelessly at the health and safety posts, determined to create a peaceful and safe future.

Who wants to be injured or killed in war? Everyone desires freedom and independence, don't they? A nurse, dressed in a clean white uniform with a mask hanging from her face, hurried past, pushing a trolley full of medical equipment.

Amid the chaos, faint groans reached her ears. She turned her head, searching for the source, wondering if a victim had been overlooked by the stretcher-bearers.

Suddenly, her eyes landed on a soldier in full uniform. His hat had fallen to the ground, and a soft noise escaped his lips, sending a chill down her spine as she approached. The man lay motionless, drenched in blood.

At first glance, it seemed impossible that he was still alive—his body was severely wounded, with 80% of it covered in blood.

Gathering her courage, the nurse knelt beside him, checking his pulse. To her shock, she felt a faint heartbeat.

"Doctor! Help! This soldier is still alive!" she shouted, her voice urgent as she continued to check the soldier’s pulse. His body, though mangled and covered in blood, still clung to life. His breath was shallow, and several of his fingers were missing. He appeared to be a victim of the Japanese bombing earlier that day.

"Please… help me," the soldier whispered weakly, his voice strained by the immense pain coursing through his body. The nurse, holding his hand, could only nod as his breathing grew more labored.

"Doctor! Doctor!" she screamed again, tears streaming down her face. Several nurses and a doctor rushed over, their expressions tense as they took in the sight of the gravely injured man.

"Doctor Fen, this soldier is still alive. Please, help him," the nurse pleaded, her face flushed with emotion.

"Let me see," Doctor Fen replied, checking the soldier's pulse. Her face grew pale as she examined his mangled hand—only two fingers remained. She took a deep breath, fighting to stay composed. "Take him to Doctor Yu Jiang immediately!" she ordered, signaling for the male nurses to lift the soldier carefully. His face, covered in blood, was nearly unrecognizable due to the severity of his wounds.

Fen hurried down the hallway to find Doctor Yu Jiang. "Handle him with care. We must save his life," she instructed as the medical team transported the soldier on a stretcher.

"Doctor Yu, please examine this man. He's in critical condition," Fen implored.

"Bring him to my room right away," Doctor Yu responded calmly. The team quickly wheeled the soldier into Doctor Yu's examination room.

Outside, Fen shivered with anxiety. The soldier's face, now disfigured, haunted her thoughts. His heartbeat was weakening, and she nervously bit her nails while waiting for the results of Doctor Yu’s examination.

Bloodstains covered the hospital floors, a grim reminder of the countless lives affected by the relentless war. In the corner of the room, Fen noticed a middle-aged woman sitting silently by the window, deep in thought as a nurse gently urged her to eat.

"Ma'am, please eat something. You haven't eaten all day," the nurse coaxed softly.

"I can't eat in peace. My son is out there on the battlefield," the woman replied in a sorrowful tone. Fen watched the interaction closely.

"How can I eat when I don't even know if my son has eaten? Or if he's still alive?" The woman’s eyes filled with grief. Both the nurse and Fen bowed their heads, understanding the profound heartache only a mother could feel. A mother's love endures no matter what; she always worries for her child, especially when they are far from her. Fen swallowed hard, holding back her own tears.

"Doctor, is my son still alive?" the woman asked softly, gripping Fen’s arm. She smiled gently.

"He’ll be fine, as long as your prayers are with him," she reassured the woman. Yet, her own thoughts drifted to her mother, who was likely worried sick about her working in the midst of war. What mother wouldn’t be concerned, knowing her kids faced danger every day?

"Really? Can I see my son?" the woman asked hopefully.

"Of course, but you need to eat first. Afterward, I’ll introduce you to someone who can tell you about your son’s condition. How does that sound?" Fen responded kindly.

The woman's face brightened with a smile, and Fen’s heart swelled with joy. For a moment, the nurse felt that this was the true antidote to the suffering brought on by war—the happiness of the patients brought happiness to the medical team as well.

"Alright, take me to him now," the woman said eagerly, clutching Fen's arm.

Fen led the woman to a group of soldiers standing nearby. "I need to see Chen. Is he here?" she asked one of them.

"Yes, go ahead," one of the soldiers replied, allowing them through.

After greeting Chen, she explained the situation. "Chen, this mother is looking for news about her son. Can you help her?"

Chen scratched his head, uncertain of what to do. He hesitated, knowing that using the headquarters’ phone would require special permission.

"Please, Chen," Fen pleaded. "Don’t you want to make this mother happy?" Her words touched Chen's heart, reminding him of his own mother. With a heavy sigh, he agreed.

"Alright, I’ll help. I miss my mother too," Chen said with a soft smile. Together, they approached the middle-aged woman, who sat waiting, lost in thought.

"Ma’am, what’s your son's name?" Chen asked gently, offering her a drink.

"His name is Zhai Han. He’s stationed in Nanking," the woman replied eagerly.

Chen nodded and quickly searched for Zhai Han’s name. He then rushed to report the situation to his commanding officer, who, moved by the mother’s plight, granted permission to contact the Nanking headquarters.

Soon, the phone connected with General Hao Wan, who agreed to transfer the call to Zhai Han.

"Hello?" came a voice on the other end.

"Hello, is this Zhai Han?" Chen asked.

"Yes, sir. What’s going on?" Zhai Han’s authoritative voice answered.

"Someone wants to speak to you," Chen said, handing the phone to the soldier’s mother.

"Han?" she called out, her voice trembling.

"Mom?" Han replied in disbelief, overcome with emotion at hearing his mother's voice.

"Mom, are you okay?" Han asked again, his voice breaking.

"I’m fine, son, but your father… your father was killed in the bombing in Nanjing last week," she said, tears choking her voice.

Sobs filled the phone line as Han wept for his father. Fen and Chen, who had been listening nearby, were moved to tears. Chen gently placed his arm around her, then pulling her close as they shared in the sorrow of Zhai Han’s family.

"Are you alright, son?" the mother asked, her voice tender.

"I’m fine, Mom. Just keep praying for me, so I can come home and protect you," Han replied, his voice soft and emotional.

"I will, Han. I’ll pray for you every day," his mother responded, her tears flowing freely.

The phone call ended with both mother and son in tears. Fen could feel the deep sorrow between them, a mother’s pain and a son’s grief intertwined amid the horrors of war.

After hanging up the phone, the mother hugged Chen and Fen tightly, tears of gratitude still wet on her cheeks. Yet, behind the bittersweet smile, Fen couldn’t shake an uneasy feeling. Han’s voice in the last moments of the call had sounded off, as though he was hiding something.

As Fen and Chen prepared to return to their duties, a nurse rushed toward them, her face pale with panic. "Doctor Fen, there's an emergency call from Nanking! They really need medical assistance immediately!" she said, breathless.

Fen exchanged a tense look with Chen. Both of them sensed that something more than just the war was unfolding in Nanking. Without a word, they began to make preparations for the journey. Deep inside, Fen couldn’t help but wonder ‘What is really happening to Han?’ And why did this growing sense of dread gnaw at her with every passing second?

The atmosphere in the hospital grew more tense, and amid the chaos, Fen felt as though time was running out for her to uncover the truth before it was too late.