A remarkable love story born from the devastating 2008 Wenchuan earthquake has culminated in marriage, capturing the nation’s attention as a testament to human connection and resilience. Liu Ximei, now 27, has wed Liang Zhibin, 39, the People’s Liberation Army soldier who saved her from the rubble when she was just 10 years old.
The extraordinary journey from rescue to romance spanned 17 years, with their story going viral on Chinese social media platforms after being featured by Rednet.cn. The narrative, celebrated as a real-life fairy tale, accumulated over 2.3 million views on Sina Weibo and ranked among the platform’s top three trending topics.
The initial connection occurred on May 12, 2008, in Qingchuan county near the earthquake’s epicenter. The catastrophic magnitude-8.0 quake claimed approximately 70,000 lives and left hundreds of thousands injured or missing. During rescue operations, Liang discovered young Liu trapped in the wreckage and carried her to safety. Liu’s most enduring memory remains the image of Liang’s hands—covered in rescue debris yet conveying profound security and warmth.
Following the disaster, their paths separated without contact for more than a decade until a chance encounter in 2020 on a Changsha street. While dining with her parents, Liu’s mother noticed a resemblance to ‘Soldier Liang’ in a man at a nearby table. Overcoming initial shyness and excitement, Liu approached him, though Liang didn’t immediately recognize the woman before him as the child he had saved.
Their relationship evolved gradually, with Liang initially viewing Liu as a younger sister figure due to their significant age difference. However, Liu’s proactive communication and eventual confession of feelings transformed their dynamic. Both emphasize that their union stems from genuine love rather than mere gratitude, distinguishing between humanitarian duty and personal affection.
Liang articulated this distinction clearly: ‘Saving people during the disaster was my professional responsibility. Loving Liu today comes from my heart—these are fundamentally separate matters.’ The couple’s story continues to inspire nationwide as a powerful narrative of hope emerging from tragedy.