True love has to be unconditional. When one partner is struggling, loving partners go above and beyond to help the other one. The vast majority of them do not give up, regardless of how challenging the circumstances may be for both sides. The following story is a picture-perfect illustration of what it means to love someone deeply.

Ten years ago, 22-year-old Zhang Xiaoyu was a college student in the city of Bengbu in the province of Anhui, China. Zhang Jiafeng, her boyfriend, graduated from college a year earlier and had already found work before he left school. They had been going out for a year and had a lot of plans for the future. Unexpectedly, Xiaoyu has been diagnosed with Hydrocephalus, which is a buildup of fluid in the cavities (ventricles) deep within the brain. She was sent to the hospital for an emergency case, but during the procedure she had a stroke and fell into a coma.

To make things even more difficult, the doctor told Jiafeng that it is impossible to predict when Xiaoyu may come back to life. Because he was not yet prepared to let go of the love of his life, he made the decision to look after Xiaoyu. He was aware that providing care for a person who was disabled is never an easy task. If the individual is not carefully observed, they might potentially die from a lung infection as well as malnutrition. Jiafeng shared his thoughts by saying, “When we fell in love, we had so many plans once we get married shortly. Now is not the time for me to give up. No matter what happens, I promise to be kind to her, and I have no choice but to accompany her.”

Both of Jiafeng’s parents agreed that he is an adult now and capable of choosing his own path for the future, and they respected every option he selected for himself. However, Xiaoyu’s parents felt bad. Jiafeng is still in the early part of his 20s and has a prosperous future ahead of him. Because they have not yet tied the knots, they believe that it is inappropriate to burden him with the circumstances of this scenario. Jiafeng rejected this thoughts and said that he would not release his hold on Xiaoyu so long as she continues to breath.  

Jiafeng helps Xiaoyu clean up and change her diapers every morning at 6:00. After that, he makes her a liquid breakfast, feeds her delicately via a tube that has been put in her nose, and then massages her legs and feet. The family of Xiaoyu is quite active. Her mother is not in good health, her younger brother had to go to school, and her father had to go to work every day. Because of this, Jiafeng decided to take the initiative to care for Xiaoyu. On his mobile phone, he has more than a dozen alarms set for every single day. “Every two hours, I help her in changing over, and after that, I make every attempt to keep her from lying on her back in a horizontal position.”

After doing various chores around the house, Jiafeng would sit by her bedside and talk to or sing to Xiaoyu. He never stopped being hopeful that one day, the woman who would become the love of his life would come to life again. A miracle happened after over 500 days had passed. Xiaoyu began moving. Jiafeng couldn’t contain his happiness and said, “I feel so happy! After such a long time, the thorn that had been in my heart was finally removed. I feel so relieved!”

Xiaoyu’s voice was faint as she slowly opened her eyes, but she managed to mutter, “I saw him when I opened my eyes, and I called his name very gently.” Xiaoyu was in a coma for almost 2 years, during which time her weight dropped to 30 kilograms and her memory was very weak. Jiafeng remained optimistic despite the fact that she had a long way to go before she was fully recovered. He believed that the most difficult part was behind him. Jiafeng also thought that they would definitely make it through Xiaoyu’s rehabilitation process together.

In 2011, Xiaoyu was finally able to stand on her own and walk after having spent many years putting in extensive effort at the rehabilitation center. They finally got married in 2012. It wasn’t a big event, but family and close friends were there, and it was a happy occasion. After the wedding, Xiaoyu needed to have Brain Shunt Surgery, which is a procedure in which a hollow tube is surgically placed in the brain (or occasionally in the spine) to help in the drainage of cerebrospinal fluid and the redirection of that fluid to another location in the body where it can be reabsorbed. This procedure was necessary because Xiaoyu had a condition in which her cerebrospinal fluid was not being reabsorbed properly. Even though it was tough dealing with the medical bills, Jiafeng was able to return to work and make enough money to cover the cost of the operation. Jiafeng was eager to provide a hand with the finances despite the fact that he did not make too much money.

“He is quite frugal with himself, yet he is very generous with me”, said Xiaoyu. ” He will fulfill every request that I make.” Jiafeng’s said, “Of course, my woman has to dress up when she goes out, but I don’t see the need in buying nice clothing for myself.  Because I didn’t give her enough, I will always feel as if I owe her something. I have not provided her with a proper home, as a matter of fact, we do not even own a house. Despite the fact that Xiaoyu continued to reassure Jiafeng that “those are not important,” “The most important thing is that the two of us are together!”

Following the spread of Jiafeng and Xiaoyu’s story by the media, a large number of internet users expressed interest in providing financial support in the form of donations or contributions toward the couple’s costs; however, the couple declined these offers. They say that their income isn’t a lot, but they can still take care of themselves and live a happy life. The couple is very involved in the community, as shown by their membership in a local volunteer group and their participation in several charitable and community service projects. Although Jiafeng and Xiaoyu do not have a lot of money, they have a lot of people who love and trust them, and they are prepared to pass on even more love in the hopes that it would touch the hearts of everyone!

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