Wang Yuzhen combs her mother-in-law's hair every morning. Reporter Yang Jinhao took the photo. After getting married, Wang Yuzhen has been taking good care of her mother-in-law. In the fourth year after her first husband passed away, she remarried with her aged mother-in-law. Her filial piety has moved her children and neighbors, and was recognized by the Hongshi Forestry Bureau in Jilin Province where she lives. On October 9th, 63-year-old Wang Yuzhen was selected as the moral model of the forestry bureau.
"She was very filial to my mother-in-law since she entered the door." "Everyone says that the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is hard to handle, but my daughter-in-law is just like my own daughter. She has taken care of me for 44 years," said Cui Jinlan, an 85-year-old villager from Linjiang Village, Hongshi Town, Huadian City on October 13th. She started to be a widow 48 years ago, struggling to raise her two children. Long-term hard work made her health deteriorate. She suffered from heart disease, asthma, and other conditions, relying on medication to sustain her life. 44 years ago, her life improved when 19-year-old Wang Yuzhen married into her family, and the young couple took on all the family responsibilities.
"My current good health is thanks to this good daughter-in-law. After Yuzhen came to our home, the first thing we spent money on each month was buying medicine for me. She worked during the day and came back at night to mend clothes, clean up, and take care of the house meticulously. Usually, if there was something delicious at home, Yuzhen always let me eat it first," said Cui Jinlan.
"Years of hard work made my mother-in-law's health worse, suffering from diabetes, heart disease, and various other diseases," said Jia Xianfeng, Wang Yuzhen's son-in-law. Wang Yuzhen worked hard all day at her unit, and had to take care of the whole family when she returned home in the evening.
"I have never quarreled with my former husband in over 30 years of marriage," said Wang Yuzhen. When her youngest son got married, the family owed some debts, and her husband, who was over fifty, picked up his masonry tools again and worked hard every day.
"In 2003, my father suddenly died of a heart attack, but my grandmother continued to take good care of my mother-in-law," said Jia Xianfeng. The death of her husband plunged the family into deep sorrow, and her grandmother cried every day. To help her mother-in-law get out of her grief as soon as possible, Wang Yuzhen moved into her room and lived with her. During the day, Wang Yuzhen took her mother-in-law out for a walk, and at night, the two of them lay down together and chatted. After several months of adjustment, her mother-in-law smiled again.
"After my former husband passed away, the entire family and the debt fell on my shoulders. At that time, I even thought about dying. I often went to his grave, sitting there for an hour or so, crying until my eyes were red and swollen before returning home. When I got home, I had to pretend everything was fine, and those days were really hard to endure," said Wang Yuzhen.
"After Wang Yuzhen's former husband passed away, her three daughters and two sons all wanted to take the two elderly people to their homes. But Wang Yuzhen refused her children's requests, fearing to trouble them and worrying that her mother-in-law wouldn't adapt. She continued to live alone with her mother-in-law. She still did what she used to do, getting up every day to comb her mother-in-law's hair, fetching water for her to wash her face, and taking good care of her. She also told her children that they must respect their grandmother," said neighbor Ms. Liu.
Her second husband treated her mother-in-law well.
"My family situation was not good, and I was taking care of my mother-in-law, so many people didn't dare to approach me. Unexpectedly, this time I met someone brave enough," said Wang Yuzhen. Four years ago, through an introduction, she met her current husband Gao Xurui. After marrying her, Gao Xurui treated the elderly woman very well, always letting her eat the best food.
Gao Xurui is a retired worker whose wife passed away early. Hearing the introducer talk about Wang Yuzhen's special filial piety towards her mother-in-law, and her decision to remarry with her mother-in-law, he was deeply moved by her kindness and gladly accepted the proposal.
"October 12th is the fourth anniversary of my marriage to Wang Yuzhen. We didn't tell our children about our relationship at first. Half a year later, the children found out and were moved by Wang Yuzhen's spirit of supporting the elderly for more than 40 years. They hoped that I would marry her," said Gao Xurui.
"At that time, I also wanted to find someone to accompany me through the rest of my life, but would my mother-in-law agree? After much consideration, I buried Gao Xurui's feelings for me deep in my heart," said Wang Yuzhen. Her mother-in-law was smart and capable when she was young. Although she was old now, she understood everything in her heart.
"My son has been gone for more than four years, and you should find someone else. I'm old, you can put me in a nursing home. Seeing you happy, I can die without regrets," her mother-in-law said.
"After my mother-in-law and stepfather came together, they respected and loved each other, living happily. Seeing the smile on my mother-in-law's face, we, as children, are all very happy," said Jia Xianfeng. It was not easy for his mother-in-law to take care of the elderly for so many years, and she has become a role model for the children in the family.
"One time, my 14-year-old son suddenly said to his mother: 'Mom, when I grow up, I will learn from Grandma's filial piety towards Great-grandma and treat you the same way.' His words moved his mother deeply," said Jia Xianfeng.
New Culture Newspaper Reporters Yang Jinhao and Li Xingshen contributed to this report.