Chinese woman marries soldier who rescued her during 2008 earthquake when she was 10

Back in 2008, Liang, 22, was part of the military rescue teams deployed after the massive earthquake. Liu, 10, was trapped on the second floor of a collapsed building. Liang and his team spent four hours digging before they finally managed to free her and rush her to a hospital. After recovering, Liu moved with her family back to Zhuzhou, Hunan, the report said.

For a long time, Liu could not recall his face, as her memory faded. “For many years, I could not remember what his face looked like. All I had was a blurry image of a figure in my mind,” she said.

Chance encounter during dinner outing

However, in 2020, Liu, then 22, was having dinner with her parents in Changsha when her mother noticed a man nearby who looked remarkably familiar. She suggested he might be the soldier who had saved Liu in 2008. Gathering her courage, Liu approached him.

“I was so excited and a bit embarrassed,” the SCMP quotes Liu. Liang admitted that he did not recognise her at first.

“She had changed so much,” he said. They exchanged contact details, and soon regular chats turned into long conversations. Over time, Liu realised she had fallen for him. What moved her most was his steadfast character, and she was the first to confess her feelings, the report added.

“I do not love him out of gratitude,” Liu explained. “It was through spending time together that I realised this is someone I can entrust my life to.”

“She is a ray of light in my life. Whenever I feel low, her positivity lifts me up and reminds me that life is still full of hope,” Liang told the SCMP.

Reflecting on their story, Liang said, “Back then, saving people was my duty, but now I truly love her. These are two different things. Fate is truly amazing.”