On a deep winter night in Beijing, the winds outside were piercingly cold, yet the hall within was warm and full of the scent of flowers, with soothing love songs echoing through the air. As a woman, dressed like a fairy of flowers, appeared hand in hand with her husband, the whole room stood up, applauding and cheering. This seemed to be a wedding scene, but in fact, the lady was holding a “funeral” for herself.
The lady’s name was Wang Yue, a brave woman with terminal cancer. When the doctors told her she had only six months left to live, the 35-year-old Wang Yue decided to hold this special ceremony to bid farewell to her life. Her greatest concern was her husband Wang Liang, a man once opposed by her parents, who supported her desperately when she needed it most, sharing a profound and extraordinary love.
Their love story is like a well-known verse: Through life and death, a promise unfolds; hand in hand, growing old with thee. Though they cannot grow old together, in Wang Yue’s final years, they chose to show their commitment and embrace each other in a unique way. Wang Yue wished to be with Wang Liang until their hair turned gray, and although this wish could not come true, she still asked the makeup artist to dress them up like an elderly couple, symbolizing their dream of growing old together.
Soon after, Wang Yue’s face was painted with the marks of age, and her hair as white as snow, but her smile was still blooming. Wang Liang greeted her with a rose, their love for each other brimming despite the passage of time. As Wang Yue’s tears couldn’t help falling, she caressed Wang Liang’s cheeks, speaking emotionally of her regrets and hopes for the future. They hugged tightly, as if freezing the moment in time, quietly savoring the resonance of their heartbeats.
The journey of Wang Yue and Wang Liang was not easy. Wang Yue’s parents initially disapproved of their union—Wang Yue, the treasured daughter of a Northeastern family; Wang Liang, an average-looking man of modest financial means. But Wang Yue’s love transcended material concerns; she chose to leave a stable life to be with Wang Liang, proving her persistence and certainty in love.
After receiving Wang Yue’s unconditional love, Wang Liang vowed to prove his love through actions. After their marriage, he worked hard to not only buy their love nest but also to fulfill his promise of a happy life for Wang Yue. Her choice in love demonstrated that even in the face of the ultimate farewell, the love they shared would remain vivid and real.
Wang Yue had always longed for a warm and comfortable home, and dreamed of adding a lovely baby to make their family complete. However, one day in 2012, when she felt discomfort in her abdomen and went to the hospital carrying the joy and hope of potentially becoming a mother, she received devastating news. She was diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer, which had spread to her ovaries, and was told she had less than a year to live. It was a bolt from the blue for Wang Yue; she felt deeply wronged, as she and her husband Wang Liang had been through tough times together, and her career was just getting on the right track, yet she was suddenly struck by such misfortune.
However, during the darkest times of Wang Yue’s life, her husband, Wang Liang, never left her side. He encouraged Wang Yue to face difficulties with a positive attitude, explaining that negative emotions do not help change reality, and that only by adjusting one’s mindset can one possibly welcome hope. Wang Liang’s support gave Wang Yue the strength to fight her illness. At the end of the same year, Wang Yue bravely underwent her first major surgery, removing her ovaries, uterus, and part of her stomach. Despite being extremely weak after the surgery and often getting irritable with Wang Liang due to intense pain, he never complained, always bearing it quietly, protecting and taking care of her with the utmost patience. Under the loving care of Wang Liang, Wang Yue’s health condition significantly improved, and her physical indicators gradually returned to normal.
Feeling encouraged by the improvement in her health, Wang Liang was greatly inspired. Hearing that traveling can aid recovery, he resolutely quit his management position to take Wang Yue on trips. They visited the mountains, rivers, and landscapes of their homeland, experiencing the customs and cultures of foreign lands. With Wang Liang’s companionship and the healing power of travel, Wang Yue lived beyond the one-year lifespan predicted by the doctors. As time passed, they almost forgot the fragility of life, as if the heavens had changed their mind and were no longer in a hurry to call this “treasure girl” back to paradise. But the good times did not last long, miracles are rare after all, and a great love can sweep away the sorrows of this world.
By October 2015, Wang Yue had to be hospitalized due to severe abdominal pain. The examination revealed that the tumors in her body had spread throughout her abdominal cavity, leading to intestinal obstruction. The doctors delivered a heavy message: Wang Yue could no longer eat normal food and could only rely on nutrient solutions to sustain her life. Wang Yue, who loved food, found this to be an unbearable torment. Every day, she could only watch her husband eat, smelling the aroma of the food, constantly swallowing saliva as her body gradually became emaciated. Later, due to the accumulation of ascites in her body, Wang Yue’s abdomen swelled, and the doctors could only relieve it by puncture drainage. However, this method did not bring about any substantial improvement; the ascites in her abdomen accumulated continuously, refilling in less than an hour, causing her such intense pain that she could not sleep, feeling an unprecedented level of despair.
Although she had fought the disease with optimism, even managing to comfort Wang Liang with humor during the chemotherapy that resulted in hair loss, with the continuous onslaught of the disease, Wang Yue gradually could not withstand it and even considered giving up on life. However, every time she opened her eyes and saw Wang Liang busily tending to her, she would be touched by the power of love and reignite her reluctance and attachment to this world. She understood that although she was tormented by the pain of her disease, her most beloved was also suffering immensely.
In the past days, to treat Wang Yue’s illness, Wang Liang did not hesitate to sell their residence in Beijing. He did not care about this loss, instead he confidently assured his wife: “Wherever you are, that is our home.” In his meticulous care for Wang Yue, Wang Liang first quit his job, then dedicated himself to learning nursing skills such as sterilization and injections. Every time Wang Yue returned home from the hospital, Wang Liang was able to administer her IVs at home, caring for her with the attentiveness of a professional nurse. Wang Yue’s IVs usually lasted until four in the morning, and Wang Liang would always accompany her through the whole night, his eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep.
Wang Yue deeply understood that she was not fighting alone. When she bravely charged forward, Wang Liang was her most reliable support. This filled her heart with an unwillingness to part with him. Wang Yue chose to swallow the sadness and pain in her heart silently. At the same time, Wang Yue’s story of her strong fight against cancer touched many netizens, and blessings from various places poured in toward her, like the spring rain nourishing her soul.
After learning that she was one of Wang Yue’s favorite actresses, Ma Li, who appeared in the movie “Goodbye Mr. Loser,” decided to visit her in the hospital in person. To surprise Wang Yue, Ma Li disguised herself as a nurse and went to the hospital. However, upon entering, she encountered a small mishap. Wang Yue’s gastric tube was not quite in the right place and needed adjusting, which Ma Li couldn’t help with. After another nurse quickly handled the situation, Ma Li was deeply moved and also felt heartache for Wang Yue’s perseverance. Wang Yue recognized Ma Li and started talking to her happily. Ma Li told her that all her unpleasant feelings had disappeared after seeing Wang Yue. She also promised to send gifts from every city she visits to Wang Yue, bringing more anticipation to her life. Wang Yue’s eyes filled with tears as she smiled and accepted Ma Li’s kind offer.
On the journey of life, Wang Yue understood that pain and hardship come with beauty and love. She was determined to use all her strength, and even if she found walking difficult, she would slow down in order not to betray the beauty and deep love in her life. Although everyone hoped for a miracle, Wang Yue was well aware of her own health condition. To avoid any regrets, she suggested hosting a “memorial service.” Wang Liang initially opposed the idea, worried about the impact on Wang Yue, but she was already prepared to accept: “I think death is something everyone has to face, born as a human, we all return to dust.” Therefore, her deeply loving husband Wang Liang said no more; while taking care of Wang Yue, he began to prepare all the details for the memorial service.
Finally, the day arrived. Although a cold wind was blowing outside, it could not extinguish the warm flame in Wang Yue’s heart. However, just as she was about to meet with her relatives and friends, she suddenly felt darkness before her eyes and almost fell. Fortunately, the attending doctor immediately conducted a check and after identifying symptoms of hypoglycemia, promptly treated her with an IV infusion. 20 minutes later, Wang Yue felt better. Wang Liang, who was watching over the IV fluids, nervously watched his wife’s condition, and only then did he feel somewhat relieved.
As the music slowly started playing, Wang Yue approached slowly, her head adorned with a floral crown and draped in a light chiffon dress. She was like a blooming violet, radiating the brilliance of life, resilient and enchanting. The guests on site burst into loud applause and cheers, their smiles mixed with tears, and their emotion was evident beyond words. Wang Yue felt the warmth from every friend, her smile at the corners of her mouth hiding her emotions, her laughter tightly grasped.
However, as her husband Wang Liang stepped onto the podium, Wang Yue could no longer hold back the tears in her heart. Trembling hands retrieved the prepared speech, he carefully unfolded it, and looked deeply at Wang Yue.
“I know the person you can’t bear to leave is me, and I will live well, in the way you hoped for. Whether we are in the same space or the same world, we can always silently bless each other in our hearts… I look forward to our reunion, and I believe that when we meet again, we will still love each other, hand in hand till old age.”
His words tightened the heart of everyone present, eyes brimming with tears of sorrow. Why can’t two people who love each other so deeply spend their lives together? The atmosphere of the entire auditorium suddenly dropped to freezing point, everyone immersed in sadness.
Just then, Wang Yue spoke softly, with a smile:
“Actually, I’m just going to a place first to wait for you. It might be inauspicious to say this, but you take your time, I’m just going ahead.”
This statement made everyone smile through their tears, slightly easing the atmosphere in the auditorium.
Wang Yue continued:
“Today is the happiest day of my life because of your arrival, your words have made me no longer fear that day. Even if I am alone without your company on that day, I may be lonely, but as long as we have the same memories, I will always exist. This was my greatest wish, and now it has been fulfilled.”
There were no painful cries, no sad background music, just Wang Yue with a smile, complemented by the beautiful flowers beside her, like the warmest winter sun.
On May 25, 2016, Wang Yue left this world. In accordance with her wishes, her corneas were donated to two blind children, allowing them to continue to admire the beautiful world. Her husband, Wang Liang, followed his wife’s last wish, and threw himself back into his work, embarking on a new chapter in his career, living each day with dedication. He took good care of Wang Yue’s parents and treasured the old photo on his desk, as the anticipation of a meeting with Wang Yue forty years later and eternal love.
Love exists not only in words, but also deep in the heart. When loved ones are gone, the memories will remain forever. It has been said: life is but a series of farewells, but not all farewells carry sadness. Some farewells signify an end, others herald a new beginning. Between reluctance and letting go, we learn the true meaning of cherishing farewells, and understand the difference between “goodbye” and “farewell”. Life is short and swiftly passing, the future is unpredictable, thus we should live in the present, seize the now; don’t be stingy in expressing love and missing someone, cherishing the ones before us is most important.
We cannot predict what life will bring us, accident or tomorrow, it’s unknown which will arrive first. Therefore, it is worth focusing on taking care of ourselves and our family in this lifetime, to cherish every living moment, and to let happiness become a constant companion by our side.
