Before Shen Peng left the hospital, he took a group picture with Zhou Liuyin (second from the left) and other medical staff. (Provided by the interviewee)

CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- At 9:00 p.m. on February 8, Zhou Liuyin dragged her tired body back to the dormitory. What waited for her was a bowl of hot Tangyuan. After eating, she felt warm.

Zhou Liuyin is a member of the Chongqing medical team assisting in Hubei Province and a nurse from Respiratory Department of Chongqing Emergency Medical Center. What made her even warmer was that on the day of the Lantern Festival, three diagnosed patients wrote down letters of thanks and stuffed them into the hands of medical workers.

Love in a box of rice

“Although you wear protective clothing every day, and I can’t see your face, I know you must be the most lovely person!” At 3 o’clock that afternoon, Wang Hao, who was about to discharge the hospital, gave a thank-you letter to the medical staff.

When Zhou Liuyin saw the letter, she choked. Wang Hao, 31 years old, who was almost the same age as she was diagnosed with the novel coronavirus pneumonia, was very worried.

“You are a patient not in severe condition. Don’t worry, and you need to believe in us.” When treating him, Zhou Liuyin would talk to him more, always saying like “doctors have a clear diagnosis, you will be fine.”

After Zhou Liuyin and other medical staff consciously or unintentionally “guaranteed”, Wang Hao gradually became more active and appetite improved.

In the quarantine ward, meals of each patient will be delivered to the bed by the medical staff. Wang Hao is 1.8 meters tall. Considering that he may not have enough to eat, Zhou Liuyin will take an extra box of rice and put it on Zhang Hao’s bed after each delivery.

A heartfelt “thank you”

“Miss angel, I’m going to discharge from the hospital today. I wrote this thank-you letter to you. My handwriting is not good.” On the morning of February 8, Shen Peng, 27, put the thank-you letter into the hands of the medical staff and was as shy as a child.

Zhou Liuyin joked: “We have been all dressed like this. Can you distinguish us?”

“I can’t, but I can see the name on your protective clothing. You are from Chongqing medical team. You came all the way to support Xiaogan. Thank you very much!” His answer warmed Zhou Liuyin.

In fact, for the medical staff, the shorter the time spent in the quarantine ward, the better. But Zhou Liuyin doesn’t think so. In addition to the daily treatment, everyone is willing to talk to the patients and encourage them. “I feel better. With a positive attitude, we can better deal with the virus,” Zhou Liuyin said.

So she knew Shen Peng very well. Shen Peng, 27, has two sons, an eight-year-old one and a five-month one. He would show Zhou Liuyin pictures of his children and talk about their embarrassment.

When he left hospital, Zhou Liuyin told him again: “Go home and isolate for 14 days, strengthen nutrition, and ensure adequate sleep. Always remember the coughing etiquette, wear masks, and pay attention to hand hygiene...” He nodded repeatedly.

A thank-you letter from an old Party member

To Zhou Liuyin’s surprise, Hu Xiaodong would write to them. That night, Zhou Liuyin was still in treatment. Hu Xiaodong slipped a thank-you letter to her.

Hu Xiaodong, 50, is an old Party member. Since entering the quarantine ward, he not only actively cooperated with the treatment, but also infected everyone with an optimistic attitude.

“Take your time slowly, don't worry, it’s okay.” Hu Xiaodong always comforted nurses wearing thick protective clothing and difficult to operate. He also talked to them about which hot and dry noodle is authentic in Wuhan, which duck neck and bean skin are delicious, and how beautiful the cherry blossoms of Wuhan University are.

On the morning of February 8, he asked Zhou Liuyin for a white paper to write something, and Zhou Liuyin didn’t think too much. He wrote a thank-you letter to the medical staff.

“It’s not just that we are touching them, but that they are also touching us,” Zhou Liuyin said. When the spring flowers bloom, she wants to see the cherry blossoms of Wuhan University. (Patients’ names are all pseudonyms) (Translated by Luo Juan, Fathom Language Limited)