Li Zongyu is having her hair cut short for the convenience of wearing protective gear.
Post-90s in China are typically stereotyped as twenty-something light-hearted kids. But, a large number of these post-90s including medical workers, policemen, community workers, and even volunteers, have defied this generalization in their fight against the novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP) since its outbreak in Wuhan and other cities in China’s Hubei Province.
Commendable Courage
"After cancelling my wedding reception banquet, I applied to join in the battle against the novel coronavirus in Wuhan,” said 26-year-old Yan Peng. He and his wife Chen Jinyang, are a post-90s generation couple who work at the Tongji Hospital that is affiliated to the Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology. They had already booked flights to their hometown in northwestern China’s Gansu Province, and planned to hold a wedding ceremony on February 1. However, the battle against the deadly virus changed their plans.
On February 4, when connected online with Hubei Daily for the interview, Yan had just finished cleaning up the intensive care unit (ICU) of the hospital. It was also the 11th day since he joined in this battle against the coronovirus and the third month of his wife’s pregnancy. “We’ve been married for a long time but haven’t found time to hold our wedding ceremony. Now, with our country at risk, we must give up our plans,” said Yan.
"Patients always take the first place in his heart,” Chen said. She understood her husband and added, “It is his way to love by ensuring a world with no epidemic outbreak raging.”
"I am single and my parents are in good health. I am ready for the battle,” said Li Zongyu, a 27-year-old nurse from Zhongda Hospital affiliated to the Southeast University, who has worked in the Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University for eight days.
Li’s father wrote a poem to encourage the brave spirit she has shown, by likening her as the brave female general Hua Mulan in ancient Chinese history who disguised herself as a man in order to fight on the battlefield.
"I know my father takes pride in me. He is an ex-serviceman who often says that without a nation there would be no family,” Li said. She is confident that the virus can be overcome with the support of a strong nation and countless families.
"Please take care of my parents if I am infected,” said Yu Yaqun, a 28-year-old nurse of the intensive care unit at the Shandong Provincial Cancer Hospital, to her close friend. She even left the her bank card PIN and keys with her elder sister in Dalian.
One day before Yu set off to the Dabieshan Regional Medical Center in Huanggang, her grandfather passed away. “My parents were heartbroken. My mother warned me with tears streaming down her face that I must return safe,” she said. Yu never regrets her choice of becoming a nurse. “It is the call of duty. Being more meticulous and hardworking I can save more patients and protect myself,” she said.
Angels in the Real World
"Dear mom and dad, I am still in the hospital attending my patients during this battle against the novel coronavirus. I see in their eyes the trust and gratitude they show for our work and their desire to recover. We are the hope for their lives,” 29-year-old Zhou Qin, a supervisor nurse of Hunan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine wrote on February 1 in the first letter to her family.
It was the ninth day of Zhou’s work in the Dabieshan Regional Medical Center in Huanggang. She decided to tell her parents that she had came to the frontline of the battle against novel coronavirus after she arrived.
"Of course, fear comes naturally. But, when the duty calls, our sense of mission prevails,” Zhou said. In this battle, she sees herself as a warrior.
"We should be optimistic in face of fear,” said Zhong Yongjian, a nurse with the Affiliated Hospital to Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. He jokingly painted “the most handsome man” on the protective suit of his fellow medical coworker Zhang Jiwei. 27-year-old Zhong and 25-year-old Zhang were once roomates during their college days and are colleagues now at the same department in the same hospital. At present, they become comrade-in-arms in the battle against the virus in the Wuhan Red Cross Hospital.
"We are ordinary people who are also afraid of getting infected. And at first we also didn’t know how to operate the new medical equipment,” Zhong said. Now, after much training, he has become very skillful in operating the machine. “All fear comes from the sense of uncertainty about the unknown,” he added.
"There is no time to hesitate, we must continue our work as usual,” said Xing Xiaoyi, a 24-year-old nurse from the Xinhua Hospital affiliated to Dalian University. She is now serving at the Xiehe Jiangbei Hospital of Huazhong University of Science and Technology. According to Xing, the hospitable Wuhan locals and brave teammates have given her the courage and confidence she needs to overcome all difficulties.
"Soon after I arrived, a warm-hearted cleaner at the hotel where I stay said to me, ‘You are as young as my little daughter. If you need any help, just feel free to let me know.’” Xing recalled one of her first experiences after arriving at Whuan. Then she added, “I have learned to grow through difficulties and will do my best to fight for the Wuhan people and be a real angel in the world.”
Growing Up in the Battle
"I have made up my mind to become a Party member. Now I am even more determined as I am going onto the battlefield against the novel coronavirus,” said the Party membership application submitted by 28-year-old Chen Ping, a nurse of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, on January 30.
"I have been deeply moved by the medical staff who have come from all around the nation. They are all brave soldiers who dare to brave all the risks and take responsibilities,” said Chen. She started her nursing work at the Wuhan No.9 Hospital on January 26. During a break time, Chen made a short video titled “Never Give Up” to cheer her fellows up.
"We are siblings helping each other to go straight on the forward path. The lyrics strike a chord in our hearts. Though we come from different hospitals, we fight for the same goal. The battle against virus also serves as a test to our young generation, spurring us to grow up quickly,” Chen said. She feels that a great mission is calling her to join in.
At the Yiling Hospital in Yichang City of Hubei Province, 15 medical workers submitted their applications to become Party members, among whom seven are post-90s, and 29-year-old Huang Hao is one of them.
"In the hospital, many soon-to-be retired Party members offered to serve in the frontline. We were deeply moved by their heroic move,” Huang said.
Among the 137 members of the first medical team dispatched from Hunan to Hubei Province, there are altogether 35 post-90s. Wu Liwei, a nurse from Xiangdong Hospital affiliated to Hunan Normal University, is one of them.
"I was nominated as a group leader of a team of 10. It is my duty and mission as a CPC member to combat the virus fearlessly and ensure everyone’s safety,” Wu said while serving at the Dabieshan Regional Medical Center in Huanggang city.
WANG JING is a reporter with Hubei Daily.
