CHAPTER 81

2025-08-28

Lun's left kidney inflammation has healed since he was discharged from the hospital in early June, but his physical condition and mood fluctuate. He still experiences abdominal pain and has to take painkillers. The doctor ordered an ultrasound, which confirmed that the broken kidney stones had not yet been completely expelled. The pain affected his appetite and mood, and he felt uneasy, pacing back and forth in the group home and back garden almost every day.

During my weekly visits, I noticed that his skin was tanned and he was becoming increasingly thin. I asked the staff about this and they told me that his appetite was fine, but he seemed nervous and had asked staff to place their hands on his lower abdomen to indicate abdominal pain. His short, military-style hair continued to grow. However, the staff knew I was not going to cut his hair again to avoid damaging the father-son relationship.

During this period, I used a snack strategy to win back Lun's favor, and it worked. I explained my strategy to familiar staff members and received their tacit approval.

Each time I visited, I would first brush Lun's teeth, then have dinner. Afterward, I would smile and tell him I had brought him fried chips, cookies, and so on. Then, I would pull a container from the trunk and offer him at least two snacks, both savory and sweet, in three separate batches. The third treat would be "La Shi Wen" (last one). Afterward, I'd finish my day's task and be ready to be kicked out by Lun at any moment.

With each week’s success, Lun's skepticism faded, replaced by an eager anticipation for snacks. For the past two weeks, before leaving, I'd announce what snacks I'd be bringing the following week, naming at least two to test his memory, patience, and sense of time. At the very least, I'd keep him anticipating my visit.

When I visited him the evening before yesterday, he had a military-style haircut, his face looked a little rounder, and he looked cheerful. The staff told me that since six-days ago, he'd been feeling much better, most likely because his abdominal pain had subsided. On Sunday morning, before the staff began cutting his hair, he protested, repeatedly saying "upset, upset." But then, he even took the initiative to plug the clippers into the wall. Throughout the entire process, he held the clippers, guiding the staff as they cut his hair, and the results were quite good.

Both of my concerns have shown positive progress.