She quickly squatted down and reached out her hand to move away the hair on the corner of his
forehead. It was indeed Boyce’s face. Why was he here?
“Boyce.” Jasmine patted his face. There was no sign of him waking up at all.
She shouted anxiously, “Chris, quickly go and call someone.”
Chris looked at Jasmine blankly, “Ms. Burke, you know him?”
“Go and call someone!” Jasmine was so anxious that she could not help but raised her voice.
“Okay, I’ll go now.” Chris quickly ran away. He tripped over a stone on the way and fell to the ground.
He was covered in dirt, but he had no time to clean it. He immediately got up and ran.
Jasmine tried to pick him up, but his body was too heavy for her to get him up off the ground. Looking
at the dried blood on his head, she was very sad and her eyes became red.
“Ms. Burke.” The one who came was another teacher, called Keith, a university student.
Most of the people in this village had the surname Weeks.
Jasmine said eagerly as if she had found someone who could save her, “Quick, help me take him to
the hospital.”
Keith squatted down and said, “I’ll carry him to the village.”
With Jasmine’s help, Keith experienced a hard time to carry Boyce up. Chris said, “I’ll ask the
headmaster to drive the tricycle.”
After saying this, he ran off to the school.
There was a lot of sweat on Keith’s head, “Jasmine, I think you are very nervous, do you know him
well?”
Jasmine said yes.
Keith lowered his eyes and continued on his way. Soon, the headmaster came to pick them up in a
tricycle, “All get in.”
A tricycle was a three-wheeled vehicle with a compartment at the back for pulling crops during the busy
season.
There was a seat next to the driver’s seat which people could sit on it. However, it was narrow. Jasmine
climbed into the carriage and said, “Put him at the back.”
She sat down and let Boyce’s head rest on her lap.
Keith also climbed up, sat at the back and said, “I’ll help you.”
Jasmine nodded.
The road was not smooth and bumpy. Jasmine was worried about causing secondary damage to
Boyce and said to Keith, “Can you help me to hold his body?”
Keith nodded and sat over to place Boyce’s body on his lap. He used his arms to hold his body in place
so as to reduce some of the bumpy feelings.
When they got out of the village, the road was flat and their speed was faster as there was no bump.
It took more than an hour to reach No.2 People’s hospital in the county, where Boyce was successfully
admitted to the operating room with the help of the medical staff.
“Ms. Burke, who is he?” The headmaster asked.
The situation was so urgent that he did not have time to ask. When he got off the tricycle, he saw that
Jasmine was very worried that her face was pale.
Jasmine lowered her head and said, “A very good friend.”
“Why is he here?” Keith pursed his lips, “Is he here to look for you?”
He liked Jasmine the first time he saw her. Looking at her nervous and anxious face for that man, he
was sad.
Jasmine shook her head, “He’s a police officer. I think he’s here due to his works.”
This was the only reason she could think of.
‘Otherwise, why would he appear here for no reason?’
“Thank you,” Jasmine said sincerely. If it was not for their help, she could not send Boyce to the
hospital so quickly.
‘If not because of them, I don’t know what will be the situation now.’
“You’re welcome, you’re welcome, we’ve all known each other so well and you’re giving the students
lessons for free, we should thank you.” The headmaster smiled. The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes
were deep but still kind.
“That’s right, no need to be so polite to us.” Keith bought water and handed it to her. Jasmine took it
and said thank you.
She did not open it and drink, but clutched it in her hand and glanced towards the operating room from
time to time.
“Don’t worry too much.” Keith patted her shoulder and comforted her.
Jasmine nodded.
After about two hours or so, the door to the operating room was opened. The doctor came out and
asked, “Who is his family member?”
Everyone looked at each other for a moment before Jasmine stepped forward, “I’m his friend.”
“Where is his family member?” The doctor asked.
Jasmine said, “I can’t contact them either, if there is anything, you can talk to me.”
“The patient’s main injury is in the brain. We have checked that it is not life-threatening, but the medical
conditions here are limited, we can’t rule out the possibility of concussion. If you want to have a further
examination, you have to go to the hospital in the city. It’s up to you to decide whether to go or not.”
Jasmine did not hesitate and said, “Of course we shall go to a big hospital ...”
“Doctor, when will the patient wake up?” Keith stepped forward and interrupted Jasmine’s words.
‘It depends on the patient’s will to decide whether to go to the hospital or not. If he wakes up early, just
let him decide it himself.’
Jasmine had paid the money when he was admitted to the hospital. If he went to a big hospital,
Jasmine would have to spend some more money. Jasmine did not think for herself but he had to think
for her.
“If there is no accident, he will probably wake up tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow at the latest,” The
doctor replied.
Keith said to Jasmine, “It’s better to wait until he wakes up and see what he thinks, after all, you’re not
his direct relative, so you better don’t make any trouble.”
Jasmine pursed her lips.
“You are a university student, how much savings do you have?” Keith continued to persuade.
Jasmine really did not have much money left and was persuaded by Keith, after all, she was not
Boyce’s direct relative, so it was not good to make a decision for him. Luckily, he could wake up
tomorrow. In this way, she could ask his opinion.
“The patient needs to be observed in the hospital for forty-eight hours, so you guys can proceed with
the procedures for hospitalization,” The doctor said.
Jasmine said, “I’ll go now.”
“Wait, I’ll go, you just stay here.” Keith pulled her.
Jasmine did not want to bother him too much, but he was determined, so she said, “Thank you.”
Keith smiled at her gently, “You’re welcome.”
Soon, Boyce was sent into the ward. There were three other beds in the ward, all occupied by patients.
There were also places for the companions to stay, changed clothes and boxed meals. They were put
all over the place. The ward was not tidy. There was also a smell of disinfectant. Such a ward was
already considered good here.
After all, the conditions were limited.
After the arrangements were made, Jasmine asked them to go back, “I’ll stay here alone, you all go
back first, the students are still in school. We can’t leave them alone.”
“Let the headmaster go back, I’ll stay here with you,” Keith said.
Jasmine still felt bad, “You can go back. I can stay here alone. Furthermore, there was no place for you
to rest.”
There was really no place here, he thought about it, “Then it’s okay, call me anytime if there is
anything.”
Jasmine said, “Okay.”
Each bed was equipped with a chair, but there was no bed. Jasmine saw that the wound on Boyce’s
head had been bandaged up but there was still dried blood on his neck that had not been cleaned up.
She bought a basin and a towel. Then, she filled in some warm water in the basin and helped him to
clean up his face and hands.
After that, she stayed in the ward and did not go out anymore.
She was not hungry at night. After she bought water, she continued to sit by his bedside to look after
him.
In late midnight, she fell asleep by the side of the bed.
In the morning, the streets were quiet. The first rays of morning light broke through the clouds. It
seemed to wake up the sleeping people. One by one, the streets were filled with people. The business
of the breakfast hawkers became better.
Boyce slowly opened his eyes. All that came into his view was the unfamiliar environment.
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