Trapped inside the campus for more than two months, I was terribly boring. Most of time I played video games in the dormitory, except Friday evening, when I had to do “volunteer work” involuntarily: I was asked to remind students to wear their masks at the entrance of the canteen. Standing before the crowds is the silliest thing in the world, let alone there was a teacher beside you, taking every student’s temperature.

One volunteer evening, when I was yawning, the phone of that teacher rang. She was annoyingly conscientious: she always hung up when her phone rang, so I had no time to enjoy myself with the video games.

However, this time she answered that call!

“It must be her boyfriend.” I said to myself, “She had been working in the school for more than two months since the comeback of COVID-19. If she were a mother, she must have stayed home with her baby. Anyway, I thank her boyfriend. Thanks to him, I can play the video games now.”

I was sneaking a look at my phone when a cutest voice coming from her phone:

“Hi, Mama! Grandma said I was a good girl. I listen to her at home. Mama, I miss you so much!”

I was shocked. She was a mother? Curiously, I decided to eavesdrop on her conversation.

“Mama, when will you come back? Every night I dreamed of that morning when that call came. Why did you stop feeding me? Why did your smile fade away? I didn’t know what happened, but I had a nasty feeling that I couldn’t see you for the long time…”

I glanced at the teacher quickly, her lips twitching. I tucked my phone into the pocket, standing straight.

“Mama, I miss you. And I miss Daddy too. He’s gone for one hundred years. When can I see him?”

“My sweetie, Daddy’s a doctor. Many people need him.” Said that mother, her voice trembling.

“But I miss you two…” Said that little angel, in her heartbreaking voice.

After finishing the call, the teacher said to me apologetically:

“I’m sorry. But my only relief was my daughter’s call.” She smiled, tears gleaming in her eyes.

My passive emotions were washed away when I looked at her, full of respect, the setting sun casting an orange glow over her. I stood straighter, determined to unload the video games.