The boy and his little sister depended on each other for survival. Their parents had passed away, leaving him as her only family. He loved his sister more than he loved himself.
But tragedy struck these two unfortunate children once again. His sister fell gravely ill and needed a blood transfusion. However, the cost of the blood was too high, and the boy had no money to pay for it, even though the hospital had already waived the surgery fee. Yet, without a transfusion, his sister would die.
As her only relative, the boy’s blood type matched his sister’s. The doctor asked the boy if he had the courage to endure the pain of having blood drawn. The boy hesitated for a moment, thought it over, then nodded solemnly, his face full of bravery and responsibility.
During the blood draw, the boy remained calm, not making a sound. He simply smiled at his sister, who lay in the bed next to him. After the blood was drawn, he lay still, watching intently as the doctor transfused the blood into his sister’s body. Once the procedure was finished, the boy stopped smiling. With a trembling voice, he asked, “Doctor, how long do I have left to live?”
The doctor was about to laugh at the boy’s misunderstanding, but then he was struck by the boy’s bravery. In the mind of this 10-year-old, giving blood meant giving up his life, yet he still chose to save his sister. In that moment, the boy made a decision that embodied all his courage, fully prepared for the sacrifice of his own life.
The doctor’s palms were sweaty as he clasped the boy’s hand and said, “Don’t worry, you won’t die. Giving blood doesn’t take your life.”
The boy’s eyes lit up. “Really? Then how many more years will I live?” The doctor smiled kindly and said, “You’ll live to be 100 years old, young man. You’re very healthy!”
The boy jumped out of bed, overjoyed, skipping around the room. After a few laps, to make sure he was truly okay, he rolled up his sleeve, exposing the arm that had just given blood. With his head held high, he earnestly said to the doctor, “Then draw half of my blood and give it to my sister! That way, we can each live for 50 years!”
Everyone in the room was moved to tears. This wasn’t a careless promise made by a child—it was the purest and most selfless expression of love!
（via Ouyang Zong, Baidu baike | Translated | Contact Us）
I read the short story when I was a child, and I still remember it vividly. Even today, I still feel deeply touched when I read it again.
