In April 2009, when he was 65 years old, Li Yuanqin's health deteriorated to the point where he had difficulty walking. "The master was all alone and couldn't even take care of his daily life anymore, so how could he live?" Leng Xin persuaded her husband to bring Li Yuanqin to live in their home, while their entire family rented a house nearby. All the work of taking care of Li Yuanqin's daily life fell on Leng Xin alone.
After working in a service company for several years, Leng Xin left her original job and opened her own clothing tailoring shop. The skills taught by her master came in handy, and many people praised her tailoring skills. Leng Xin said, "Whenever someone compliments my skills, I think of my master." Since then, she treated Li Yuanqin like a father, showing him filial piety. Even after she got married and had children, she never forgot the kindness of her master. On every festival, she would visit her master with her husband and children.
More than 20 years ago, Jiaozhou girl Leng Xin went to Qingdao alone to work. She met her master, Li Yuanqin, during her work. The ancient saying "once a teacher, always a father" was well reflected in their relationship. More than 20 years later, Li Yuanqin, who was alone, was lying on his sickbed with a terminal illness. Facing his apprentice who had taken care of him like a daughter for a long time, he wanted to leave all his property to her, who had no blood relation but was like a close family member. However, Leng Xin and her husband firmly declined this kindness. She knew that the old man had a biological son named Li Wenfei, but they had lost contact for many years. She hoped to find Li Wenfei through the media so that the old man could regain his family ties at the last moment.
During these days when Li Yuanqin was hospitalized, Leng Xin sent meals and accompanied him every day.
Don't want the master's property, just want to help him find his son
Learned the trade without forgetting the master's kindness
Li Yuanqin told the reporter that he knew his days in this world were numbered. Hoping to see his son again had become a luxury. The care given by his apprentice deeply moved him, and he wanted to leave his property to his apprentice. However, Mr. Liu, Leng Xin's husband, said, "We won't take the master's property. The top priority is to find his son as soon as possible!"
The "filial daughter" in the oncology ward
In the summer of 1990, when Leng Xin was 19 years old, she came from Jiaozhou to the city center to work and found a job at the former Qingdao Garden Service Company. At the time, the company hired Li Yuanqin, an employee of the former Qingdao Fashion Factory No. 6, as a teacher to teach employees tailoring and sewing skills during their free time. Leng Xin and more than 20 other employees of the garden service company became Li Yuanqin's apprentices. Leng Xin told the reporter that because her foundation was poor, it was very difficult for her to learn. But Master Li had no airs, teaching these kids from the countryside step by step.
Just before the Spring Festival this year, Leng Xin noticed that her master often felt nauseous, couldn't eat, and even vomited. "He didn't say where it hurt, but I saw every small change." Leng Xin quickly took her master to see a doctor. Unexpectedly, her master was diagnosed with a serious illness and was admitted to the oncology ward upon entering the hospital, starting chemotherapy.
If anyone knows the whereabouts of Li Wenfei, please call our newspaper hotline at 0532-96663 to provide clues. Our newspaper will also collaborate with the Wenzhou media to help fulfill the wish of Elder Li Yuanqin.
Since entering the hospital, the doctor reminded Leng Xin to contact the patient's relatives as soon as possible, but she hardly heard her master talk about his family, only vaguely hearing that he had a son. Leng Xin hopes to help the elderly man meet his son one last time.
On the morning of February 15, Old Li Yuanqin shed tears as he told the reporter that he indeed had a biological son, and he had been missing him every day for all these years... In the autumn of 1966, Li Yuanqin went from Qingdao to Qinghai to join the construction team. He participated in the agricultural reclamation construction in the格尔木farm and married a young woman three years later. On November 9, 1970, his son Li Wenfei was born. Li Yuanqin loved his son very much, but when his son was nine years old, due to various reasons, his wife left and remarried with the son. Later, when Li Wenfei got married, he brought his new wife to Qingdao, and Li Yuanqin learned that his son had settled in Wenzhou, Zhejiang. After that, there was no news from his son.
Written and photographed by reporter Yanmin Liu.
Although Leng Xin and Li Yuanqin had no blood relation, she took good care of the elderly man without any hesitation. When the reporter interviewed at the hospital early in the morning on February 15, Leng Xin's eyes were red, as she had not slept much after tending to the elderly man all night. The elderly man's monthly pension was only 1500 yuan, and hiring a caregiver would be a huge burden for them. Leng Xin said she was more familiar with the elderly man's condition, so she felt more secure taking care of him herself. After talking for a while, Leng Xin hurriedly left to cook for the elderly man. Li Yuanqin could barely eat anything now, only able to consume some soft noodles and porridge. After delivering the meal, she had to rush back home to make lunch for her son who was in junior high school. Recently, Leng Xin has been busy doing this.