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At midday on Feb. 13, Liu Xiaomeng, a nurse working in a hospital in the city of Wuhan, received a phone call asking her to pick up her takeout. She did not order any food that day. But when Liu saw a birthday cake box in the deliveryman's hands, she was too excited to say anything.
The birthday cake was beyond her expectation, as she had already celebrated her 31st birthday in the morning with a bowl of noodles, as Chinese believe long noodles signify long life. However, she only had a cup of instant noodles this time, instead of fresh home-made noodles.
"I gave myself an extra egg. My birthday in Wuhan was simple but meaningful," said Liu, who is among hundreds of medical staff from north China's Tianjin Municipality aiding in the fight against the deadly virus in Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak.
While in the hardest-hit province of Hubei, about 30,000 medical staff from other provinces and regions, as well as the armed forces, are racing to treat coronavirus patients.
By the end of Tuesday, the province reported 61,682 confirmed cases. Wuhan, the provincial capital, recorded 44,412 confirmed infections.
Liu could not count how many cups of instant noodles she had eaten since she arrived in Wuhan on Jan. 26, the second day of the Lunar New Year.
The birthday cake was ordered by Liu's family, which was not an easy thing in the city, as many bakeries were shuttered since the start of the outbreak. Liu's family members contacted many cake outlets on an online food delivery platform, but only one closed shop agreed to make a birthday cake when they found it was for a nurse.
Apart from the pink cake, Liu found a letter from her father, who wrote down all the greetings, care and love from her family and friends.
Her father, Liu Dianjun, is a police officer in Wuqing District in Tianjin, who also needs to inspect residential communities and publicize knowledge about epidemic prevention and control every day.
On the day of his daughter's departure, the father kept telling his daughter to drink more water, wear protective gears and try not to catch a cold.
"That day, I felt like a parent sending their child off to war. It is a war without gunfire. I was so proud that my daughter could go to the frontline, but I was very frustrated knowing she might face the risk of infection," said the 59-year-old man, who burst into tears after saying goodbye to his daughter.
Liu Xiaomeng shared the cake with her "comrades-in-arms" in the hospital and made a wish.
"I cannot tell you my wish, but it includes my family, my colleagues, the patients and the city of Wuhan. I believe that my wish will come true," Liu said.
