At night, Pei Yining arrived at the hospital with the brown sugar black rice porridge she had cooked. She had consulted the doctor specifically, who said that Nianhua could have some liquid food, and if her condition improved by tomorrow, they could start making some bone broth to nourish her body.
"Nianhua, how are you feeling, any better?" When Pei Yining reached the hospital, Xu Nianhua had already been moved from the intensive care unit to a regular ward. To let Xu Nianhua rest better, Pei Yicheng had specially requested a private room.
Seeing Pei Yining’s bandaged hand, Xu Nianhua apologized remorsefully, "Yining, sorry, it was urgent then, I had to push you to the ground."
"Nianhua, I should be the one thanking you. I only got a minor scrape, but you nearly lost your life." Pei Yining sat in front of the sickbed, presenting the porridge she had made like a treasure, and said, "I brewed this brown sugar porridge for you. I asked Aunt Jin to teach me, and I made it myself. Try it."
Having been on an IV drip all day, Xu Nianhua’s mouth tasted purely of medicine. Now, smelling the brown sugar black rice porridge, she found it exceptionally sweet and was eager to eat it.
"Okay, Yicheng, Brother Nian’an, you guys go ahead and eat downstairs. I’ll take care of her here," said Pei Yining as she carefully fed Xu Nianhua the porridge. Since her head couldn’t move and she had to lie down to eat, extra care was needed to avoid choking her.
The warm, sweet porridge entered her stomach and Xu Nianhua felt all the medicinal taste in her mouth was gone. She finished one bowl and wanted more, but Pei Yining refused, saying earnestly, "Nianhua, the doctor said not to eat too much. Tomorrow, tomorrow I’ll make you some bone broth."
"Mm." Xu Nianhua licked the last bit of sweetness from her lips, looking eagerly at the bowl in Pei Yining’s hands, her expression longing for more, which made Pei Yining both amused and heartachy.
"Once you’re better, I’ll make more for you, and you can eat as many bowls as you want, how about that?" Pei Yining beamed a radiant smile, put away the bowl, and then picked up another bowl to finish off the remaining brown sugar black rice porridge cleanly.
After a simple rinse of the bowl, Pei Yining sat beside Xu Nianhua’s sickbed again and asked, "Are you feeling any discomfort? Does anything hurt?"
"No, I’m doing well, it doesn’t hurt at all." Xu Nianhua’s lips curved slightly. Apart from her pale complexion, it was impossible to tell she was someone who had been seriously injured.
"It’s all my fault." Pei Yining blamed herself as she held her hand and said, "Nianhua, you saved my life. From now on, my life is yours."
"It was just an accident. If the roles were reversed, you would have pushed me too. So let’s not talk about this," Xu Nianhua comforted her in return. "This way, I don’t have to go to school every day, even if the hospital is a bit boring. Time will pass quickly, and I can even sleep in."
Between being injured and going to school, Pei Yining knew without thinking which she would choose.
After dinner, Pei Yicheng and Xu Nian’an walked in, greeted with such a scene.
Embedded in Xu Nianhua’s pale face were her black eyes, twinkling like stars in the night sky, as ever, showing no hint of pain or discomfort.
Many people, faced with such circumstances, would complain, bemoan their bad luck, or lash out in pain, but not Xu Nianhua. Her face was adorned with a smile, resilient and optimistic, even comforting Yining.