Hair Cut, Love Remained

Text by Chen Xi Photo by Song Zhentao

For three months, 55-yearold Song Zhongqiao gave free haircuts to 2,476 people from 17 medical teams supporting Hubei. Until April 15, when the last medical team left Wuhan, this hairdresser had never stopped to rest. Three months of voluntary service is no easy task, especially for a disabled person.

From the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, with a walking stick in his hand, Song and his team cut hair for the medics in designated hospitals and medical treatment centers.

“It’s too hard for girls to shave their heads.”

Song knew that the girls on the front line wanted to have a haircut that is convenient for work but also good-looking, so he designed a special “anti-epidemic” hairstyle for them: long hair cut short to the back of the neck—no longer than three to five centimeters—hair shaved around the temples, bangs divided or trimmed to the eyebrows with the hair at the back cut obliquely forward into a bob. Song Zhongqiao humorously dubbed it the “War Angel.”

“Eryue’er, long tai tou.” The second day of the second month in the Chinese lunar calendar is the Dragon Head-raising Day when there’s a tradition for people to have their haircuts as an indication of a good start for a new year.

Days before the festival, Song went to a hotel in Caidian District to cut hair for the medical team from Liaoning Province. One of the girls, Lu, asked him if he could cut her hair on the Dragon Headraising Day. He was too busy to say anything but “maybe.” A while later, Lu messaged him and said that festival fell on her husband’s birthday and it was a ritual to get their hair cut together. With her husband also on the front line they were apart, but she wanted to follow their custom. Song loved the idea and readily agreed.

At 6:30 am on the second day of lunar February, Song set off from Wuchang to fulfill Lu’s wish. She was deeply moved. On webcam, her husband saluted Song and in turn Song saluted the couple.

“They’re risking their lives for Hubei, so such a small wish should be fulfilled.”

Song Zhongqiao had expressed his gratitude in his own way, and received thanks from countless doctors who are now his friends.

(Translation: Liu Lili)

Song Zhongqiao and his apprentice cutting hair for medical staff from Liaoning Province at their hotel宋忠桥和徒弟在辽宁援鄂医疗队驻地义务理发

3 个月为17 支援鄂医疗队的2476 人义务理发。4月15日，最后一支援鄂医疗队离汉的这一天，55 岁理发师宋忠桥这才得空，盘点着近三个月免费为援汉医护人员理发的战绩。对于一个腿脚不便的人来说，这样的善举，何等不易。

“姑娘们自己剪光头，太难为她们。”从大年初一开始，他拄着拐杖，带领团队，马不停蹄，奔赴一个个定点医院和医护人员驻地，冒着风险，为他们理发。

为确保美女们又方便工作，又美观大方，宋忠桥思量着为她们设计一款战疫发型，长发剪短至后颈部，不超过三到五厘米，推掉两边鬓角，刘海可以侧分或者修短至眉上，后颈部的地方斜向前剪成波波头。宋忠桥风趣地称之为“战疫天使波波头”。

二月二，龙抬头，距农历二月初二还有几天时，宋忠桥前去蔡甸的一家酒店，为辽宁医疗队医护人员理发，有位姓鹿的医护人员想在二月初二当天理发，他当时很忙，没答应也没拒绝。一会儿，这位医护人员给他发来短信，意思是二月初二是其丈夫生日，每年夫妻俩都会约定在一个理发店理发，现在丈夫也在抗疫一线，没法相聚，想完成这一约定。宋忠桥心头一震，爽快答应了。

二月初二清晨6 点半，他就从武昌出发再赴蔡甸，完成小鹿的心愿。小鹿感动不已，和丈夫视频，其丈夫给宋忠桥敬礼致谢，宋忠桥也向小鹿夫妻致敬。

“别人为湖北拼命而来，这个小心愿一定要帮忙实现。”宋忠桥用他的方式表达着感恩，也收获了无数医生朋友的感谢。