Fan Zihe, a Pakistani adopted by a couple in China, has announced she will marry her Chinese partner on September 17. -- Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin/Sohu
BEIJING (SCMP): Fan Zihe, 20, has attracted more than 1.8 million followers on mainland social media thanks to her exotic beauty and strong accent local to Henan province in central China.
According to the mainland media outlet Daxiang News, Fan was found abandoned in a cardboard box in Pakistan before being adopted by a childless Chinese couple working there.
Happy couple: Fan Zihe laughs during a wedding photo shoot with her beau. -- Photo: DouyinThey took her home to rural Henan, named her Fan Zihe to symbolise longevity, and raised her with love despite their modest means.
Her life changed in late 2023 when a short clip of her slurping noodles and praising them in a thick Henan accent went viral, attracting more than 1.4 million likes.
Viewers were struck not only by her beautiful looks but also by the warmth she shared with her adoptive parents.
Since then, Fan has been posting glimpses of farm life on social media, earning a living from short videos while also helping villagers sell local produce.
Fan’s fiancé, who uses the pseudonym Lyu Xiaoshuai, was among her earliest followers.
He told the mainland media outlet Jiupai News that her video left him impressed by her 
The couple carry oversized lai see packets. The wedding will follow local traditions, but there will be no bride price. -- Photo: Douyin“unconventional yet captivating beauty”.
The two met by chance at a dinner with friends, where Lyu remembered her as even slimmer than on camera, with a blunt personality but few words.
They exchanged contact details and, over time, their relationship grew into a romance.
Lyu shared Fan’s story with his family, and his grandmother was touched by the young woman’s resilience and kindness.
Wanting to ease her load, he quit his job and moved back to Henan to help run her social media accounts.
Lyu carried equipment during shoots, taught himself video editing, and managed fan messages.
Over their three years together, he also took Fan and her adoptive parents on trips and often helped them with farm work.
Fan Zihe and Lyu Xiaoshuai sample the great outdoors during their wedding photo shoot. -- Photo: DouyinFan recently announced on social media that she and her boyfriend will marry on September 17.
She also posted wedding photos, writing: “The best person is already by my side.”
In a live-stream, the couple said they had not requested a bride price and that both families were contributing to their new home.
In line with local tradition, the ceremony will begin at the groom’s house.
Lyu said that because Fan had never seen the ocean, he added sea-themed elements to the wedding decorations.
The couple’s announcement has drawn a wave of warm wishes online.
One netizen said: “I wish you a lifetime of happiness together.”
“Fan looks like a princess from a fairy tale and Lyu is her knight. May your life only get 
Fan with her parents who adopted her while they were working in Pakistan. -- Photo: Douyinbetter from here,” said another.
A third left a playful warning: “Lyu, remember we fans are watching. You’d better take good care of our Henan princess.” -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
