Xinhua News Agency, Xining, October 19 (Reporters Yang Shoude and Wang Daqian of "China Internet Affairs") - A special family has endured rare hardships while also embodying the purest human emotions; an ordinary elderly woman has raised a cerebral palsy abandoned child for 32 years, using her warm and steadfast hands to uphold the weight of life.
A set of photos titled "Maternal Love Without Regret: Henan Mother Raises Abandoned Cerebral Palsy Child for Thirty-Two Years" frequently appeared on prominent pages of websites like Xinhua since the first half of 2011. They were widely reprinted across various communities, blogs, and microblogs, drawing significant attention from netizens. In the photos, a "big boy" leans against his mother's bosom. Though he has long passed the age where he can be called a "child," his mother occasionally massages his pale hands gently, feeds him with care, or hugs him tightly, face-to-face, her eyes revealing infinite love...
(Chapter One) The Unfortunate Abandoned Child
"Is it too hot?"
"Oh, it is hot, let me blow on it before you drink."
"Where does it hurt? Why are you uncomfortable?"
In the old office building of the former No. 5 Automobile Factory in the northern suburbs of Xining, Qinghai Province, which has been converted into dormitories, these sentences are repeated many times every day. Yang Lin, who has been bedridden for 32 years, remains a child who will never grow up in the eyes of his mother, Ms. Shao Xiujing. Shao Xiujing always guesses his feelings and gives him the most considerate care.
"He can't control his tongue properly, so food spills out when he eats, and he cannot speak, but he understands everything and only recognizes me." Speaking about the inseparable moments she has shared with her son over the years, Shao Xiujing wiped her eyes with her sleeve, her voice choking with emotion.
In 1979, shortly after their wedding, Shao Xiujing followed her husband Yang Xianyin from their hometown in Luohe, Henan, to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau thousands of miles away. That year, the couple found an abandoned infant at the hospital in Minhe Tu Autonomous County, Qinghai Province.
"Seeing the clean and adorable baby, we loved him immediately and without hesitation took him home, naming him 'Yang Lin,' symbolizing a forest of poplar trees," said Yang Xianyin.
"Seeing the lonely child, I wanted him to have a home," Shao Xiujing said. Eight months later, young Yang Lin was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. The doctor said he would not live past seven years old, and she cried openly, her endless tears soaking her husband's shoulder. "He has suffered too much. His biological parents abandoned him; we cannot abandon him now."
"We are still young. Even if the child lives for ten years, we will take care of him until his last day," Yang Xianyin, who had already spent days feeding the young Yang Lin with his wife, could not bear to part with him.
(Chapter Two) The Abandoned Child’s Happiness
From then on, the unfortunate Yang Lin welcomed his own good fortune. When he was thirsty or hungry, all he had to do was call out, and his mother would bring warm water and food to his mouth; when he was sick or upset, he would call again, and his mother would take him to the hospital, kissing his face and soothing him softly. Regardless of winter or summer, there was always a gentle fire in the Yang family's stove because the mother feared that her son, who lacked swallowing ability, might not be able to eat hot food at any time, affecting digestion.
Gradually, Yang Lin, accustomed to being cared for by his mother, refused anyone other than Shao Xiujing to help him with anything. All Yang Xianyin could do to support his wife was carry water, chop wood, and work hard outside to earn money to pay for Yang Lin's ever-increasing medical expenses from seeking treatment everywhere.
"My wife is soft-hearted and cries easily, but she is strong inside," Yang Xianyin said. For many years, whether it was the 1980s when he earned dozens of yuan per month at the factory, or the 1990s after he was laid off and worked various jobs with no guaranteed income, his wife never complained. She carried her child to dig wild vegetables and pick up scrap, enduring hardships to support this suffering family.
In the northern suburbs of the highland ancient city of Xining, an elderly woman often wandered through the early market carrying a snake skin bag, picking up discarded vegetable leaves, her white hair blown by the cold wind.
Through 32 springs and autumns, she transformed from a young and beautiful bride into an aged and ill elder, devoting her most precious time entirely to her adopted son with cerebral palsy, Yang Lin. She never wore new clothes, never bought fresh seasonal vegetables or fruits, exhausted all her savings to treat him, and expended all her energy caring for his daily life.
Through 32 years of ups and downs, her steps traveled back and forth between the hospital, home, and the market, and her hometown far away gradually became a shadow difficult to touch in dreams. The severely brain-damaged child whom the doctor once thought would not live past seven years old has surpassed the age of thirty under her meticulous care...
(Chapter Three) Willingly Treating Their Own Son as an Abandoned Child
When Yang Lin was six years old, Shao Xiujing and her husband had their own son. Before the baby was weaned, the couple made a decision that was hard for ordinary people to understand: they sent their younger son to be taken care of by their eldest sister in Henan. This way, they would have both the energy and time to take care of Yang Lin and save a considerable amount of money.
"One time, I took Yang Lin to a neighbor's house and saw him staring at the TV and laughing with his mouth open. The doctor had said that finding something interesting to stimulate the brain moderately could alleviate symptoms of cerebral palsy, so I wanted to buy him a TV. Sending away our younger son was also for this reason," Shao Xiujing said.
For the financially strapped couple, buying a television was a monumental task. "At that time, flour was graded. Other families ate grade one flour, but we ate grade two and three, except for Yang Lin's bowl. We didn't taste meat or fish all year round," Shao Xiujing said. After three years, they finally managed to buy a second-hand 14-inch black-and-white TV, which became the most valuable possession in their home until now.
"Our younger son was returned to Qinghai by his aunt when he was over three years old. When he came back, he was shy and avoided seeing us," recalling this episode, Shao Xiujing felt heartbroken. "During those few years he wasn't with us, I suffered greatly. During the day, I was busy taking care of Yang Lin, so it was fine. But at night, when Yang Lin was asleep, I tossed and turned thinking about how I owed my biological son something that couldn't be erased, making my chest feel suffocated and unable to sleep." Speaking here, Shao Xiujing wiped away a tear forcefully. "Later, I understood. The child has hands and feet, normal physical and intellectual abilities. He will definitely have a better life than his brother in the future and will one day understand my heart."
Yang Xianyin said that after understanding the situation, their younger son never blamed them. He helped with household chores and took care of his older brother. Now, after graduating from technical school and working outside, he saves on food and necessities to regularly support the family. Both he and his wife feel very comforted.
Shao Xiujing is stubborn and values face. However, she has picked up scrap for years, cleaned up Yang Lin's excrement, never worn a new piece of clothing, and struggled to remove the unpleasant smell from her body. When she carried Yang Lin and picked up vegetable leaves, many people looked down on her, avoiding her as soon as they saw her. Some stall owners, fearing it would affect their business, drove her away from afar. "That was the hardest time for me. Life can be tough, but being looked down upon hurts the most. But I encouraged myself mentally to think positively. I act openly and honestly, and must stay strong to live on. My child cannot live without me."
(Chapter Four) Concern Despite Old Age and Weakness
In recent years, Shao Xiujing's biggest worry has been Yang Lin's future. Yang Lin cannot think, and whenever he feels uncomfortable, he emits "wah wah" sounds, regardless of whether his mother is enduring illness or exhaustion. At 63 years old, Shao Xiujing suffers from hypertension and vertigo, while Yang Xianyin has entered his seventies. The elderly couple finds it increasingly difficult to take care of Yang Lin.
"In previous years, I carried him to the toilet every night. Now I can't carry him anymore, so I asked my husband to pick up old newspapers and calendars to lay on the ground for him to use, and then wrap the paper and throw it away." Looking at Yang Lin, tears welled up in Shao Xiujing's eyes: "Yang Lin, should I send you to the welfare home? Mom is old, and if I faint one day, I won't be able to take care of you anymore."
As soon as Yang Lin, lying in his wheelchair, heard this, he started emitting indistinct "wu wu" sounds. He was restless, turning his head from side to side, his expression showing extreme pain. Shao Xiujing burst into tears instantly, stretching out her arms to embrace Yang Lin's head: "No hurry, no hurry, we won't go. Stay with Mom, we'll see how long we can make it!"
"I am old, and the greatest regret is that I can't return to my hometown anymore. My brother over 80 years old in my hometown once sent a message hoping I would come back to see him, but Yang Lin cannot leave me even for a moment, so I can't go." Shao Xiujing has another reason for not returning home: she fears her relatives will worry and grieve if they see how poorly she lives.
"We haven't accomplished much in our lifetime, but we don't feel guilty, and we don't regret. Our only wish is that when we become too old to move, the welfare home can accept Yang Lin, allowing him to receive professional care and continue living." After speaking, Shao Xiujing gently wiped away the saliva from Yang Lin's corner of his mouth, looking at the child they have devoted their entire lives to guarding but who can never call them "Mom and Dad" with full maternal love. On the side, Yang Xianyin picked up the teacup and medicine from the stove and handed it to her...
(Chapter Five) Great Love Elicits Respect from All
Shao Xiujing cannot afford a computer and doesn't even know what the internet is, but her extraordinary story was posted online by enthusiastic netizens, becoming well-known.
Netizen "Chongzi" from Xinhua commented: "Ms. Shao sacrificed her youth for a child who cannot call her 'Mom' and even gave up her own son; this kind of love surpasses the sky";
Netizen "Langzi Ruyuan" from Phoenix said: "It's truly moving!! This is love!! Selfless love! I hope the local government can help them!";
Netizen "Yuyu" said: "The great love of a kind person, admirable! Moved! Hope the country establishes a more complete and standardized disabled assistance system, providing the greatest help possible to pitiful disabled individuals and their unfortunate families!"
Starting from April 2011, local evening papers and portal websites launched the "Search for Good People in Xining" activity. Enthusiastic readers and netizens from the plateau recommended candidates via QQ groups and official microblogs. Ultimately, the elderly Ms. Shao Xiujing was overwhelmingly elected as one of the "Good People of Xining."
In October, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau gradually grows colder, and the long-awaited sunlight slowly spreads. Yang Lin enjoys going outside to bask in the sun, so Shao Xiujing and her husband push his wheelchair to let him bathe in the sunlight. This is the most relaxed and happy time of Shao Xiujing's day. Shao Xiujing said that the hardest times have passed, and she believes that everything will get better in the future.