Chapter 7: The Promise of Eternal Daylight
As night fell, the lights in the medical camp went out one by one.
Ruan Xingchen sneaked into Mo Xiaohan's tent with a cloth bag in his arms.
"Brother Xiaohan!" she called him softly, her eyes sparkling, "I brought you a gift!"
Mo Xiaohan sat beside the bed, looking at her silently.
Ruan Xingchen opened the cloth bag, which contained a picture album and a small tin box.
"This is for you!" She handed him the album, "It contains the sunflowers I drew! And..." She opened the album and pointed to one of the pages, "This is you!"
On the drawing paper, two people were drawn crookedly - a taller boy holding a little girl's hand, with a field of golden sunflowers in the background.
Mo Xiaohan stared at the painting, his throat tightening.
"And this!" Ruan Xingchen took out another tin box and opened it to show him -
That was her treasured place for colored crayons. Now, it was filled with colorful candy paper boats that sparkled in the candlelight.
"Every boat holds a wish!" she said earnestly. "Next time you want to make a wish, just take out a boat and your wish will come true!"
Mo Xiaohan slowly stretched out his hand and gently touched the candy wrapper boats with his fingertips.
"And, and..." Ruan Xingchen suddenly lowered his voice and took out a photo from his pocket mysteriously, "This one is for you too!"
The photo shows her and Dr. Nguyen with the medical camp tent in the background.
"Mom said this way you won't forget us," she whispered.
Mo Xiaohan stared at the photo for a long time without saying anything.
"Look at this." He finally spoke, his voice hoarse.
He took off a frayed rope from his neck, on which hung two rustic silver rings side by side. One of them was engraved with delicate Thai characters, meaning "eternal day". He carefully untied it and held it between his fingertips.
"For you." He handed the ring to Ruan Xingchen.
Ruan Xingchen opened his eyes wide: "What is this...?"
"My mother's ring is called 'Eternal Day,'" Mo Xiaohan whispered, "She said it was to be given to someone who is willing to illuminate me."
Ruan Xingchen was stunned for a moment, then smiled and stretched out her hand: "Then you have to help me put it on!"
Mo Xiaohan was silent for a moment, and finally gently held her finger and put the ring on her ring finger. Although it was loose, she still shook her hand happily, making the ring sparkle in the candlelight.
"I will wear it all the time!" Ruan Xingchen promised solemnly.
Mo Xiaohan looked at her and suddenly said, "If one day, you forget who I am..."
"No!" Ruan Xingchen interrupted him and shook her head vigorously. "I will never forget Brother Xiaohan! Make a pinky promise with me!" She suddenly extended her little finger. "When you grow up, you must come find me!"
Mo Xiaohan stared at her little finger for a while, then slowly stretched out his finger.
The moment their hands hooked together, Ruan Xingchen said in a crisp voice: "Hook and hang yourself, don't change for a hundred years!"
Mo Xiaohan didn't say anything, just raised his hand and touched her hair awkwardly.
Ruan Xingchen's tears suddenly welled up, she threw herself into his arms, hugged his neck tightly: "I won't forget you, I will definitely wait for you! You must come to find me! You must..."
She couldn't continue, and her tears fell on his clothes. Mo Xiaohan raised his hand stiffly and wiped her tears with his thumb. He did this action very unskilledly, but it made Ruan Xingchen cry even harder.
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