Cui Haisun is taking care of her neighbor Wang Daniang. This photo was taken by our reporter Yang Wei. Without expecting anything in return, only heavy labor, without applause, only day after day expenses, starting from 1985 when she moved to Wangqing County's Dongzhen Community at the age of 27, Cui Haisun began to take care of her childless neighbors, the elderly couple Wang Shuyan. Eight years ago, after seeing off Wang Daniang's husband, Cui Haisun then took on the responsibility of caring for the paralyzed Wang Daniang.
Washing clothes, cooking, cleaning the house, dealing with excrement and urine, these are actions even biological children find hard to sustain, but Cui Haisun has been doing this for 25 years.
"I don't do it for anything, just out of sympathy. If I didn't help her, my conscience wouldn't allow it. After all these years, I've come to treat her like a mother!" said Cui Haisun.
■ The Beginning of Kindness
The plight of the neighboring elders touched the heart of a kind woman
On December 15th, I visited Wang Daniang's home, where she was lying on a warm kang (a traditional Chinese bed) chatting with Cui Haisun. The old lady lay on a clean quilt, the kang was shiny, the walls were white, the kitchen was tidy, and there was no unpleasant smell in the house, which did not look like the home of an elderly person who had been paralyzed for over 40 years.
"I have no children, no siblings, I started using crutches at the age of 24, and became paralyzed before 30. I am still alive today thanks to Cui Haisun, if it weren't for her, I would have died long ago! People say that even a biological daughter couldn't be as good as her, I consider myself lucky in this life!" said the 73-year-old Wang Daniang clearly.
According to her ranking in her husband's family, Cui Haisun calls Wang Daniang "second mother." Recalling her first impression of the elderly couple, Cui Haisun still remembers vividly.
In 1985, Cui Haisun moved with her husband and young son to Dongzhen Community in Wangqing County, becoming neighbors with Wang Daniang. One evening, Cui Haisun visited Wang Daniang's home and was shocked by what she saw: Wang Daniang's husband, Mr. Li, was trying to light the stove to cook dinner, the room was filled with coal smoke. Wang Daniang was washing clothes, with a pillow under her chest, struggling to wring out the clothes with her only movable hands, wetting most of her upper body.
"The house was dirty and messy, the stove was full of mud, the shelves were covered in dust, it didn't look like a home at all. When I saw it, I felt so sorry for this family!" said Cui Haisun.
Without hesitation, the kind-hearted Cui Haisun helped cook dinner, then wiped the kang and cleaned the house. The next day, Cui Haisun came back to Wang Daniang's house, sitting on the stove and using a spatula to scrape off the mud on the stove.
"That mud was so thick, I tried hard to scrape it off, and accidentally a piece flew up and hit my eye, causing me pain and making me fall off the stove." Recalling those days, Cui Haisun couldn't help but laugh.
■ The Persistence of Kindness
Serving the elderly, not blood-related but more than family
Since then, Cui Haisun went to Wang Daniang's house every day to help cook, paint the walls, and clean the house, taking on all the household chores.
For the sake of the elderly, two families eat together
"I am young and able-bodied, cooking and tidying up the house is something I can do. Back then, Grandpa worked night shifts and had to cook breakfast when he returned home, how pitiful. I cooked and served the food on the table so that when Grandpa came back, he could see a hot meal ready, how great!" said Cui Haisun.
In the first two years, Cui Haisun cooked each meal at Wang Daniang's house or brought dishes from her own home to Wang Daniang's. Later, finding it inconvenient, she discussed with her husband to move the meals to Wang Daniang's house, allowing the two families to eat together! Since then, Cui Haisun's family has eaten together with the elderly couple, like one big family!
"I rely on welfare, with only 200 yuan per month for food, it's far from enough. All these years, I have relied on Cui Haisun's support. This winter, I insisted on giving her money to buy 8 cabbages for me, otherwise eating someone else's food all the time makes me feel too embarrassed." Wang Daniang told the reporter.
A knock on the wall brings immediate assistance
Taking care of the elderly couple wasn't just about cooking and laundry. Wang Daniang was paralyzed and unable to take care of herself, so the burden of looking after her fell on Cui Haisun when Mr. Li was at work. Whenever needed, Wang Daniang would knock on the wall between the two houses, and Cui Haisun would immediately come to assist her with personal hygiene.
"Who can do that? Who wouldn't find it disgusting? But Cui Haisun doesn't mind, she takes care of everything, year after year, even daughters wouldn't do that!" Tears welled up in Wang Daniang's eyes as she spoke.
One year, Wang Daniang's husband developed cataracts and suddenly lost his vision at night. She urgently knocked on the wall, and Cui Haisun and her husband quickly rode their bicycle to send the grandfather to the hospital. After examination, he needed to be hospitalized for surgery, and Cui Haisun took on the responsibility of taking care of him - helping him dress, feeding him, and even assisting with his bathroom needs. When the grandfather recovered and was discharged from the hospital, Wang Daniang hugged Cui Haisun's neck and burst into tears of gratitude.
When asked why she could do all this, Cui Haisun said she had a sister who was paralyzed for 12 years and passed away at the age of 39. At that time, she was still in school, but during winter and summer vacations, she took care of her sister at home, so she deeply understood the suffering of paralyzed patients.
"Who doesn't know it's dirty? But what can I do if I don't do it? Let the elderly lie in their own filth? Besides, doing it won't exhaust me!" Cui Haisun spoke very sincerely.
■ The Influence of Kindness
Her good deeds inspired neighbors, everyone brings food
Under Cui Haisun's influence, many neighbors joined in to take care of Wang Daniang. Neighbors often visit the elder's home, helping to clean, cook, and bring food for the elderly to eat.
During the two days of interviews, I met three neighbors visiting the elderly woman's home. Wang Daniang said that since Cui Haisun started taking care of her, the house has become much cleaner, and whenever neighbors make something delicious, they always bring some over. During festivals, neighbors also give her red envelopes.
"No one can achieve what Cui Haisun has done. Not to mention other things, every time we go out for banquets, she always brings a dish back for the old lady, sometimes even biological daughters wouldn't think of that," said the 60-something neighbor Liu Taihua.
"Cui Haisun is truly remarkable! Taking care of a paralyzed elderly woman for so many years, even if you paid people, few would be willing to do it!" Neighbor Quan Shunyu praised her highly.
■ Behind the Kindness
She works various jobs after being laid off, life is really tough
Actually, these years, Cui Haisun's life has also been very difficult. Previously, both she and her husband worked at a timber factory, but due to poor performance, low wages, and barely making ends meet, the money to support Wang Daniang was squeezed out from daily expenses.
In 1995, Cui Haisun's husband went to Russia to work and regularly sent money back home, slightly improving their living conditions. However, a few years later, he stopped sending money, and until now, he hasn't returned home.
Later, Cui Haisun was laid off and started working various jobs, raising her son alone, enduring countless hardships. Even under such arduous conditions, as soon as she returned home, she would always go to Wang Daniang's place to help with chores, never stopping.
■ The Continuation of Kindness
Refusing to move into an apartment, just to help the elderly
In 2001, Cui Haisun's son Song Baishan was admitted to the Central University for Nationalities. After graduation, he worked in a foreign company and is now a high-income white-collar worker in Beijing.
Having grown up living with Wang Daniang, Song Baishan is very sensible and filial. He used his first month's salary after starting work to buy Wang Daniang a piece of clothing, and sends her pocket money every month.
"This pair of cotton pants I'm wearing was bought by Baishan, costing over 200 yuan! It's the most expensive pair of cotton pants I've ever worn!" Wang Daniang said, adding that a few days ago, Baishan brought his girlfriend home and gave her 1000 yuan for the New Year.
To provide better living conditions for his mother, Song Baishan bought an apartment in Wangqing County and plans to spend the New Year there with the whole family.
"We will carry Second Mother upstairs to celebrate the New Year together!" Cui Haisun said, confirming the plan already agreed upon with her son.
After moving into the apartment, will she still be able to take care of the elderly? Cui Haisun said she decided not to move upstairs temporarily,
"If I leave, there will be no one to take care of Second Mother. Moreover, living in a flat isn't as meaningful as living in a bungalow. Everyday chatting with old neighbors, living in an apartment loses that connection, I'm not willing to go."
■ Epilogue
"Twenty-five years, no relation, dealing with excrement and urine, haven't you ever thought of not doing it?" the reporter asked Cui Haisun.
"How could I not? Every time I think about it, I tell myself I'm accumulating good karma for my children." Cui Haisun said, believing in fate.
It's not hard for one person to do one good deed, but it's difficult to do good deeds all your life. Cui Haisun has been doing good deeds for 25 years, and this time continues...
Reported by our reporter Yang Wei