BEIJING: A dying man in China left his savings to his ailing ex-girlfriend, along with a heartfelt farewell letter that touched the hearts of many online.
The 22-year-old Hu Xinyao, from Chongqing in southwestern China, had been battling a vascular disease for eight years, which progressively led to kidney failure.
Last year, Hu met Xiao through a mutual friend, according to the mainland media outlet Ziniu News.
Xiao, an auxiliary police officer from Inner Mongolia, was known for his gentle, introverted nature and immense kindness.
Despite Hu’s severe illness, he devoted himself to her care, and the two quickly fell in love.
However, after two months together, Hu’s condition deteriorated, and she received several critical illness notifications.
Struggling with guilt, Hu made the heart-wrenching decision to break up with Xiao.
She expressed: “I can’t provide him with a family. Being with me would only hold him back.”
In the aftermath of the break-up, Hu faced life alone, relying on donations and loans to cover her medical expenses.
To make ends meet, she sold fruit juice and wrote novels online, all while grappling with medical bills that amounted to 20,000 yuan (US$2,800) each month.
On August 31, a friend of Xiao’s delivered a letter and 50,000 yuan to Hu.
It was then that she learned of Xiao’s death at the age of 26, attributed to acute pancreatitis.
In his letter, Xiao described the two months they shared as “the most precious and joyful time” of his life.
Even after their separation, he anonymously financed Hu’s medical treatment each month.
Xiao wrote about Hu’s dream of creating a “home for patients,” a wish he had always cherished.
“I have given you all my savings to support your dream. I hope this small place can assist more patients and save more lives,” he wrote.
The home for patients is reportedly set to open in October, and Hu is currently searching for a space to rent and purchasing medical equipment.
She had once filmed a wedding video and shared it on Douyin, envisioning a wedding she believed would never materialise.
Xiao confessed in his letter that he downloaded Douyin solely to watch her wedding video.
He wrote: “You looked so beautiful. I couldn’t help but cry as I watched. Honestly, I wished I could have been there to offer my blessings.”
“I secretly watched the video of you in your wedding dress at least 50 times.”
Xiao also encouraged Hu to persist in her fight against her illness: “No matter how challenging it becomes, please continue and experience life for me.”
At the end of the letter, he wrote: “If there is an afterlife, I want to meet you again. This time, I will stay by your side far longer.”
Hu shared that she trembled and was moved to tears as she read the letter.
“I used to not believe in love, but now I do,” she reflected.
After receiving the money, Hu reached out to Xiao’s parents to return it, but they graciously declined, honouring their son’s final wishes.
At Xiao’s cremation, Hu brought flowers and offered him her final farewell.
Hu stated: “Now I consider his parents my own. As long as I live, I will care for them to the best of my ability.”
Their story went viral on mainland social media, with related posts accumulating over 40 million views.
One online user commented: “Xiao’s words made me cry. He was so loyal and kind. Thank you, Xiao, for showing us what true love is.”
“Hu, please carry Xiao’s love and live with courage,” encouraged another. - South China Morning Post
