Shuyin helped distribute the portions personally, moving from room to room with serving trays. Most children stared at the food with confused hope, uncertain whether eating was allowed, whether this was some new form of torture disguised as kindness.
"You can eat," she told them softly in each room. "Small sips. The doctor says to drink it slowly, but you can have all of this. And tomorrow there will be more. And the day after that. You're never going to be starved again."
Some children drank immediately, desperately, having to be gently slowed by medical staff to prevent them from consuming too quickly. Others needed coaxing, needed to see adults drink from their own cups first to believe it wasn't poisoned. A few were too sick or too traumatized to eat at all, requiring continued IV nutrition until they could accept food orally.
