Chinese woman takes care of ex-husband with current partner

A woman cares for her ex-husband with her current husband in China. 

Sound confusing?

This unconventional, but heart-warming tale in the Shaanxi province involves Xie Xiping, who has been looking after her husband Xu Xihan after a mining accident in 2002 left him paralysed. 

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Sina Weibo

Contrary to what neighbours said, Mr Xu said Ms Xie not only cared for him, she brought up their two children as well, according to Chinese website Shanghaiist. 

However, Mr Xu only wanted his wife to find happiness, and managed to persuade her to divorce him in 2007 and marry his friend, Liu Zongkui.

That wasn’t the end of it, though. 

The newlyweds stuck by Mr Xu, living with him, and caring for him.

Ms Xiu also gave birth to another son with her second husband in 2012. 

“If you do not leave me, I will be with you until the end,” Mr Xu was reported as saying.

This selfless act brings to mind the actions of Du Yanfa, an 84-year-old man, in China last year who was caring for his wife for 56 years. 

Married in 1958, his wife, Zhou Yuai, fell sick five months into their marriage. Mr Du was reported as saying that his wife’s back became too rigid and her hands too stiff. She required help using the bathroom and feeding.

Disregarding the advice of friends and family for him to divorce her, Mr Du decided to stay with her as he had told Ms Zhou that he would always care for her.

Similarly, a woman in China was reported last year as having cared for a paralysed man for the past 37 years. What’s incredible is that they aren’t even related. 

Zhuang Moli had been the nanny for the man’s parents while his birth mother was pregnant. However, the man’s birth parents had abandoned him when he was born paralysed and suffering from muscular atrophy.

Selfless woman who cared for paralysed man for 37 years touches Chinese hearts

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YouTube screengrabs, Internet screengrabs, Sina Weibo

Not having the heart to abandon him, Madam Zhuang took him in like her own son. The 81-year-old struggled to find jobs due to her adopted son’s condition. However, her dedication and love for him remained.

She was reported as saying: “Even chickens and ducks deserve to be saved, what more a person? Once I met him, I knew I could never give up.” 

prabukm@sph.com.sg