Wedding photos for the elderly

Touching love stories

A pack of cigarettes, one kilogram of candy and two tables of relatives — that is how Zhao Xinguo, 74, and his wife Li Luanjiao, 75, got married in 1974. Zhao served in the navy and came home on vacation to register their marriage. They wrote letters to each other to maintain the long-distance relationship.

In 1982, Li developed rheumatism and her health began to decline. In 2016, she suffered a stroke and required a crutch to move around. Three years later, she became completely bedridden.

Zhao has been taking good care of her the whole time, making meals, feeding and massaging her. Weather permitting, he would carry her on his back downstairs and push her in a wheelchair around the community to enjoy fresh air and sunshine.

In 2019 and 2022, volunteers visited the couple to take wedding photos for them. It was summer, and Zhao bought them watermelons to assuage their thirst.

"We're very touched that these college students care about elderly people like us. My wife has a bright disposition and enjoyed chatting with the youngsters. It was the first time that she wore makeup," says Zhao, from Huangmei county, Huanggang city, Hubei province.

He wrote the university a thank-you letter.

"The activity was very meaningful. It brought back sweet memories of when we were young. Also, it has developed the ability of these students, who endured hardships to perform these social services in rural areas."

Zhao served in the navy for 17 years while Li looked after their son and daughter. He believed he should repay her by taking care of her when she was ill.

He says the secret to a good marriage is that a couple should be tolerant with and cherish each other. It is natural to have quarrels and couples need time to gel again after.

"Our love is very simple. We are just an ordinary couple, and we believe that this is how couples should be," he says.

Volunteer Zhao Chen, 21, who visited the couple last year, recalls chatting with the duo for about two hours and was greatly touched by their story.

"At my age, some young people think love is like fast food, coming and going quickly, and some have no idea what love is," Zhao Chen says. "The elderly couple's love is about being with each other, and offering mutual help and relief in times of difficulty."

He says these old couples all have wonderful life stories, which are waiting to be discovered by volunteers. The older generation's serious attitude toward love and work is worth learning.

He was also impressed by another couple that the team filmed. "They smiled happily and imbued us with their enthusiasm. But we later learned that the grandpa only had about three months left before cancer would take his life," he says.