Now it is the grandparents who take care of Xiao Qiorong. After treatment, her injuries have greatly improved.
■ Written by: Lin Liangtian, New Express Daily reporter, intern Chen Huixian
@Replay
Suspected culprit of 85% full-body scalds is biological father and his girlfriend
In August 2011, seven-year-old Xiao Qiorong from Yunfu, who had grown up with her grandfather and grandmother since childhood, was found to have been scalded over 85% of her body after staying with her biological father for more than a month, her life in grave danger. Under persistent questioning by her elders, Xiao Qiorong finally revealed the horrifying experience of being mercilessly scalded by her biological father and his girlfriend. Looking at Xiao Qiorong's body, almost entirely without intact skin, the family angrily reported the beastly actions of her father and his girlfriend to the police, leading to their subsequent criminal detention.
After Xiao Qiorong was transferred to Guangzhou for treatment, this incident was widely reported by multiple media outlets across the country, resulting in an outpouring of love and donations. Numerous热心citizens also visited the hospital one after another. Every move of Xiao Qiorong touched countless kind hearts. After several skin graft surgeries, Xiao Qiorong, who could not even move while lying on the ICU bed just months ago, was finally discharged smoothly in November last year and returned to her hometown in Yunfu, where she was taken care of by her grandmother and aunt, awaiting plastic surgery scheduled for April or May this year.
"Thank all the good-hearted people, my niece owes her life to them." Whenever reporters asked Aunt Lin Tianyun of Xiao Qiorong to say something, she always included this sentence.
In the new year, the New Express Daily reporter revisited and was delighted to learn that under the care of her family, although Xiao Qiorong still needs to apply medicine daily, her health has gradually improved, and it seems she has forgotten the nightmare of being scalded three times by her father, playing happily with children from the same village every day.
What Xiao Qiorong wants to do most now is to return to school to study after her body fully recovers.
Sometimes applying medicine hurts so much she cries.
On December 14th last year, accompanied by her aunt and grandmother, Xiao Qiorong returned to the Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital for the first time for rehabilitation treatment, only returning home to Yunfu on January 9th this year. Her grandmother said that during the 26 days of rehabilitation treatment, Xiao Qiorong was very happy. Before leaving, the doctors and nurses joked with her asking if she wanted to come back, to which she replied without hesitation "yes." The next time she returns to the hospital for treatment is tentatively set for mid-February.
Xiao Qiorong, who has been officially discharged for more than two months, must persistently apply medicine three times a day and apply ointment once before sleeping to prevent scar hyperplasia. Her grandmother said that although she needs to apply medicine every three or four hours, Xiao Qiorong is always very conscious, obediently letting her grandmother or aunt apply the medicine. However, each time the medicine is applied, especially when applying a certain type of yellow ointment, the frail Xiao Qiorong cannot help but cry out in pain. "Sometimes applying medicine hurts so much she cries, saying it's itchy, and when it itches, she wants to scratch, but we can't let her." Mentioning the suffering her granddaughter endures while applying medicine, her grandmother feels deeply sorry. Her grandmother said that only when sleeping at night does Xiao Qiorong seem quiet, yet she still often cannot sleep due to the itchiness.
To prevent serious scar hyperplasia on Xiao Qiorong's body, Aunt Lin Tianyun specially bought two sets of elastic tight-fitting clothes for her niece, allowing Xiao Qiorong to wear them alternately every day. Although she must wear the same clothes every day, Xiao Qiorong has not thrown a tantrum because "no matter how much she dislikes them, she must wear them." When she returned to Guangzhou for rehabilitation treatment, forgetting to bring the elastic tight-fitting clothes resulted in serious scar hyperplasia, prompting her grandmother to specifically send the clothes from Yunfu to Guangzhou.
She gets upset when others say she looks ugly.
Back home, her grandmother remembers the doctor's instructions: Xiao Qiorong cannot eat chicken or carp. In this regard, Xiao Qiorong gives her family peace of mind because she can "abstain," never demanding what she shouldn't have. Currently, Xiao Qiorong's scar hyperplasia is relatively controlled, allowing her limbs to stretch like a normal person. However, the scar hyperplasia below her navel to her thighs is relatively severe, affecting her ability to stand upright, causing her to walk slightly hunched over. But her grandmother comfortingly tells reporters that compared to when she was discharged, Xiao Qiorong's condition has improved significantly.
Her grandmother says that upon returning home, Xiao Qiorong's main activity every day was watching TV, occasionally following her to the fields to play. Since school was not on holiday at the time, Xiao Qiorong always seemed alone, staying at home all day without going anywhere. However, after winter break began, she almost constantly played "crazy" with other children from the same village, frequently playing with toys like "turtle cars" and rarely staying quietly at home. She even often forgets the time playing until dark, only returning home for dinner after being called by her grandmother.
Playing with other children every day, despite the cold season and wearing long sleeves, Xiao Qiorong couldn't avoid others seeing the scars on her body. However, children speak without reserve, saying whatever comes to mind. Although most of the children playing with Xiao Qiorong know why her skin looks the way it does, there are still those who point at her unattractive scars and say, "Why is it like this? So ugly." Her grandmother says that when told she looks ugly, Xiao Qiorong becomes upset, but soon forgets and never tells the elders about these things.
Wants to go back to school as soon as possible
Since the summer she was scalded, seven-year-old Xiao Qiorong has never stopped thinking about returning to school. Aunt Lin Tianyun said that because she currently needs to apply medicine every day, if Xiao Qiorong goes to school, it will delay her recovery. According to the hospital, Xiao Qiorong's plastic surgery still needs to wait three or four months to proceed, so the family plans to send her to the local Qi Dong Primary School for the first grade this September.
Her grandmother told reporters that not long after Xiao Qiorong was discharged and returned home, the principal and teachers of Qi Dong Primary School came to visit her home. "They gave her some money, schoolbags, textbooks, milk, and fruits, etc., and she was very happy." Her grandmother said that Xiao Qiorong was shy when she saw the principal, wanting to ask if she could enter the first grade but unable to muster the courage to ask. However, the principal promised that whenever Xiao Qiorong was willing, she could return to school. Now, although Xiao Qiorong really wants to go to school like other children, due to her physical condition, she can only stay at home every day, taking out her first-grade Chinese and math textbooks from her schoolbag when she has free time. Although she doesn't understand much, she still follows the textbook to learn writing and drawing.
@Progress
Imprisoned father writes a letter seeking forgiveness; mother has never visited after discharge
Lin Shuiquan, who was reported by the family for scalding his daughter Xiao Qiorong with boiling water, is currently still in detention.
Xiao Qiorong's grandmother and Aunt Lin Tianyun told reporters that Lin Shuiquan has not yet been sentenced, and they are unclear about the sentencing. During these five months of detention, the family has been unable to see him face-to-face, and even when bringing items, they can only be delivered through staff. In December last year, Lin Shuiquan sent a letter to the family, and since neither the grandparents could read, it was Xiao Qiorong's older sister in junior high school who read it aloud to everyone. In the letter, Lin Shuiquan asked his grandmother to send him a few pieces of warm clothing. Although her biological son had done such an inhumane thing, the grandmother still agreed to his request.
Lin Shuiquan also requested forgiveness from Xiao Qiorong in the letter. "We asked Qiorong if she could forgive him, and Qiorong nodded once and then didn't say anything else." "The judge should sentence him according to the law; it's what he deserves." When talking about her brother Lin Shuiquan, Lin Tianyun said. But she mentioned that no matter what Lin Shuiquan did, he is still her brother and Xiao Qiorong's father. She hopes that after serving his sentence, Lin Shuiquan can reform and properly take care of Xiao Qiorong, fulfilling the responsibilities of a father.
Lin Tianyun said that after Xiao Qiorong was discharged, although her mother Xu Liankai lived only 15 minutes away by car, she never came to see her daughter. Because she needed to register Xiao Qiorong's household registration, her grandfather drove a motorcycle with her to her mother's house. Her grandmother said that when hearing she would go to her mother's house, Xiao Qiorong seemed unhappy, initially unwilling to go, but eventually went anyway. "When her mother saw her skin scalded like that, she cried, and Xiao Qiorong also cried."
But now, even with the strong persuasion of the elders, Xiao Qiorong refuses to go to her mother's house again.
@Dialogue
"Do you want to see your dad?"
"No."
"What about your mom?"
"No."
When the New Express Daily reporter called Xiao Qiorong's grandmother, under the grandmother's indication, Xiao Qiorong confidently picked up the phone. Perhaps having interacted with many media reporters, she chatted freely with the reporter without any shyness.
The voice of Xiao Qiorong on the other end of the phone was loud, and her mood was good. She told the reporter that she was at home and wasn't doing anything. Contrary to what her grandmother told the reporter, she said no one was playing with her, and she didn't know where to go. Xiao Qiorong also said that she applied the ointment today, "I didn't cry, it didn't hurt," seemingly telling her grandmother and aunt that she was not as delicate as they thought.
When the reporter asked Xiao Qiorong if she had any New Year wishes, she cheerfully replied "No." "Do you want to see your dad?" "No." "Your mom?" "No."