Shengliver’s Note: While staying in a ward, 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 staying 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, two beds were vacant; their occupants happened to be away. I thought their conditions might be less serious than mine. Only a grandpa was lying there with his nose hooked on a respirator. I was told the miserable senior citizen was 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 said that they hoped that their kids would be able to attend my high school in time. They had great hopes and aspirations for their future. When they were referring to their own diseases, it sounded as if their conditions were nothing special. How could it be, given that one of them was suffering from cancer while the other would have to go to Wuhan for further treatment?

Some days after my operation, I was released from hospital. Now I am back in school, my life 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 in our lives catches us completely off guard. The way we take it shows our character.