A young woman surnamed Jiang from Jiangsu Province came to Shanghai to work at the age of 18. She was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 30 and underwent surgery twice. When she was worried about the surgical fees and even gave up the desire to live, an elder sister who was her landlord in Shanghai reignited her hope for life. Sister Guo generously donated money, not only waiving all the rent for four years since Xiaojiang fell ill but also shouldering the living expenses of Xiaojiang's child. She provided nearly 80,000 yuan for medical expenses, accompanied Xiaojiang day and night, and took meticulous care of her.
When the reporter visited the ward yesterday, Ms. Guo was discussing dinner with Xiaojiang: "I will cook you a duck soup tonight. I'll peel off the duck skin and make it light, okay?" When the patients learned that this pair, regarded as sisters by everyone, were actually just a landlord and tenant, they were both shocked and admiring. They strongly urged the reporter: "Such a 'good-hearted person in Shanghai' must be known by everyone!"
After renting for 16 years, the two became especially close.
In 1993, Xiaojiang came to Shanghai from her hometown of Siyang, Jiangsu, and rented a private house of more than ten square meters on Xiaomuqiao Road. From then on, this place became her home in Shanghai, where she experienced many important events in her life such as falling in love, getting married, and having children. The whole process was witnessed by the landlord, Ms. Guo, who is 12 years older than Xiaojiang, and they became intergenerational friends.
Ms. Guo still remembers when she first met Xiaojiang: "Isn't it amazing? My daughter and Xiaojiang are all born under the zodiac sign of Rabbit. Moreover, we all have very straightforward personalities. Among all the tenants, I like chatting with her the most." This bond has continued until now. Sometimes when Ms. Guo's husband is not at home, the two of them would sleep on the same bed and talk about intimate matters.
When the tenant fell ill, the landlord stepped forward.
In 2005, 30-year-old Xiaojiang was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. The doctor's statement of "40,000 yuan for surgery" shocked her: "After I got sick, I stopped working. My husband earns more than 2,000 yuan, which has to support our family of three and my parents. There's simply no money. This disease can't be cured!"
Although Xiaojiang was worried, Ms. Guo saw it in her eyes. She discussed with her family: "Now I work as a housekeeper, though my salary is not high, we manage to get by through renting out a few private houses. We might as well help Xiaojiang; otherwise, they won't be able to make it through." Her husband and daughter supported doing good deeds to "accumulate virtue," so she repeatedly took money to the hospital, providing more than 30,000 yuan in donations, ensuring that Xiaojiang did not miss a single needle or stop a single bottle of medicine during six months of treatment.
Moreover, seeing that Xiaojiang's truck driver husband could not provide full-time care, Ms. Guo voluntarily became her "personal nanny." Although she had to go to several households every day as a housekeeper, she still found time to rush to the hospital at noon to help Xiaojiang bathe, sometimes washing the bed sheets stained with excrement by hand. After finishing her work in the evening, she bought softshell turtles, ducks, and other ingredients to make soup, bringing it to the hospital to nourish Xiaojiang's body. Sometimes, she even stayed overnight...
"At that time, I couldn't move lying in bed, and every spoonful of soup had to be fed to me by Sister Guo... I lost my mother at the age of 12, but at 30, Sister Guo made me feel the warmth of having a sister and a mother again," Xiaojiang was deeply moved recalling Sister Guo's help. However, Ms. Guo just shyly smiled at the reporter: "If your own sister is sick, wouldn't you save her?"
Benefiting for four years, the son is determined to repay the kindness.
In April this year, Xiaojiang's old illness recurred. Once again, Ms. Guo stepped forward, withdrawing 50,000 yuan to let Xiaojiang treat her illness with peace of mind. The doctor estimated that after being discharged from the hospital and resting for some time, Xiaojiang would need to be hospitalized for chemotherapy several more times. Sister Guo has already expressed that she will continue to provide the necessary medical expenses.
Xiaojiang often says: "Sister Guo's kindness, I cannot repay in this lifetime." Xiaojiang's son, who calls Ms. Guo "Good Mom," doesn't think so: "In the future, if I earn 100 yuan, I will give 70 yuan to Good Mom first, and then 30 yuan to my real mom!" Every time they hear this sentence on the phone, Xiaojiang and her husband feel comforted: "Son, the debt we owe is left to you to pay back!"
Intern Yang Jiamei, Reporter Sun Yun