Shengliver’s Note: While being treated at a local hospital, the teen writer Xinyue gains a whole new perspective.

About ten days ago, I was hospitalised as a result of acute appendicitis. I underwent a minor surgical operation at Taihe Hospital. While recuperating in the ward, I gained a new perspective on life.

There were four beds in my ward. I was the youngest patient; also, my condition was the least serious. The first day I was there after the operation, two beds were vacant; their occupants happened to be away. I thought their disorders might be less severe than mine. Only a grandpa was lying there in bed with his nose hooked on a respirator. The miserable senior citizen was said to be suffering from cancer.

The next day, the two inmates came back to the ward. They looked no different from normal guys. My parents struck up a conversation with them. Talking about their families, they hoped that their kids would be able to attend my high school in time. They had high aspirations for their future. When they were referring to their own diseases, it sounded as if their health issues were nothing special. How could it be, given that one of them had been battling cancer while the other would have to go to Wuhan for further diagnosis and treatment?

Some days after my operation, I was healed and released from hospital. Now I am back in school, everything has come back on track. Life, good or bad, is awaiting my three inmates, too. I wish all of them good chance of recovery.

Sometimes the biggest challenge catches us completely off guard. The way we take it shows our character.