Tang Qingyun takes care of Ma Zhenghua on her sickbed. Nanhé Town, Gucheng County, Xiangyang is Tang Qingyun's hometown. She originally had a complete family. But it was too poor, and when she was only 14 months old, her birth mother left home for good with a heavy heart.
Ma Zhenghua, at the young age of 33, is Qingyun's stepmother. Half a year ago, she always called her "aunt." This "aunt" took over all the household chores for the big family after marrying in. Last August, "Aunt" suddenly fell seriously ill and was hospitalized locally, her life hanging by a thread.
Little Qingyun was admitted to Xiangyang Vocational and Technical College, but because the family urgently needed money, she decided to drop out of school to work and earn money for her "mom's" medical treatment.
■ Father suddenly brought home a young stepmother
Qingyun was raised by her grandparents. She won the "all-round student" award every semester, and teachers and classmates liked her very much.
Her father, Tang Zuchun, worked outside and rarely returned home. Sometimes, he would come back during the hard-won Spring Festival holiday, but he would have to leave after just a few days. Until one spring when Qingyun was 10 years old, her father suddenly brought home a young woman in her twenties, who was Ma Zhenghua.
■ Sincere effort, love hard to express
Indeed, her father soon married this aunt. On the night of the wedding, Qingyun cried her heart out, and her grandmother also shed tears. However, what followed was not heavy household chores, dirty old clothes, or even harsh words. Her father went to work at a coal mine in Penglai, Shandong, while Ma Zhenghua managed the house neatly and kept Qingyun clean and tidy.
Qingyun had never celebrated her birthday until the day she turned 11, when Ma Zhenghua magically handed her a pink cotton jacket and bell-bottom pants set, as well as a pair of red leather shoes.
Before the high school entrance exam, Qingyun was under great pressure and got inflamed. When Ma Zhenghua heard about it, she made mung bean porridge and picked some cucumbers that Qingyun loved to eat. She walked for half an hour through mountain paths under the scorching sun and took a ferry to deliver them. By the time she arrived, her shirt was drenched in sweat.
■ Step-mother falls seriously ill, adopted daughter wants to drop out of school to work
Over the years, Ma Zhenghua has been frugal with her own expenses. Not only did she suffer from gastritis, but she was also diagnosed with severe uterine adenomyosis. In July last year, she underwent a hysterectomy, but post-surgery, she experienced massive bleeding. It was discovered that her blood type AB contained special antibodies, and three bags of blood were urgently delivered to stabilize her condition.
However, once she returned home, still shaken, her wound bled again. After being rushed to the hospital multiple times, Ma Zhenghua narrowly escaped death several times. "Mom, you must hold on," gripping her hand, Qingyun called her "Mom" for the first time in 19 years. Ma Zhenghua was stunned, tears streaming down her face as they embraced tightly, deeply moved. Everyone present was touched.
In August last year, Qingyun received her admission notice from Xiangyang Vocational and Technical College, but she couldn't be happy. By then, the family had already spent more than 100,000 yuan, and they still owed the hospital over 20,000 yuan in medical bills. She had seen her father kneel down and beg the doctors and wished she could become self-reliant sooner, earning money to support the family.
On January 10th this year, Ma Zhenghua was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus. Due to low immunity, her blood system was also damaged. Doctor Mei introduced yesterday that hormones have been used so far, and further tests are required to assess the treatment plan. If the condition stabilizes, the estimated cost will be tens of thousands of yuan, but if there are many complications, the cost could reach hundreds of thousands of yuan. Relatives have contributed all they can, but the hospital bill has already run short after just a few days.
Little Qingyun was in tears, saying, "If it doesn't work, I'll go out and work. She has sacrificed too much for this family, and now it's my turn to repay her."
■ Written and photographed by Qi Yan