Han Che never came back again.
Late on, a caregiver arrived.
The nurse adjusted the IV drip and reminded the caregiver to keep an eye on the time, and to call her when it was almost done so she could come and change the dressing.
The caregiver acknowledged the instructions, and after the nurse left, she fetched a basin of water and asked Zhou Zining if she wanted to freshen up. Zhou Zining ignored her, her expression numb, as if her mind were elsewhere, utterly deaf to anyone else's words.
After asking twice with no response, the caregiver perfunctorily wiped Zhou Zining's hands and then carried the basin back to the toilet to empty it. She then sat down on the sofa and played with her cellphone.
The volume was very low, constantly switching among short videos, but eventually, Zhou Zining heard it.
Her eyes slowly shifted to the corner as she commanded, "Give me your phone."
The caregiver immediately hugged her phone, "Don't you have your own?"
