Born in late 1947, Zhang Shuangqi was a farmer from Luoyang, Henan. Though short in stature, quiet by nature, and ordinary in appearance, he possessed extraordinary kindness. Patient, hardworking, and selfless, he endured life’s hardships without complaint. No matter how unfairly he was treated, he never blamed others, choosing instead to bear difficulties himself while giving others better opportunities.

As the eldest son, Zhang shared the responsibility of supporting the family alongside his father. At just ten years old, he began working to help make ends meet. Even at mealtimes, he would give his precious white-flour buns to his younger brothers and sisters while eating only sweet potatoes himself. Years of relentless labor and poor nutrition left him physically weak. By the time his younger siblings had grown up, married, and started families of their own, Zhang remained unmarried, unable to afford the courtship and expenses that marriage required. Then everything changed one day in 1997.

After finishing work at a construction site in the county, Zhang was riding his bicycle home when he noticed a crowd gathered along the roadside. At the center of the crowd lay an abandoned infant, wrapped in swaddling clothes and crying helplessly. People stood around pointing, speculating, and arguing about what should be done, but no one stepped forward to help. Unable to ignore the child’s cries, Zhang gently lifted the baby into his arms and carried her home.

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