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My name is Riyue Xing and I was born in 1990 in Huixian, Henan province. When I was a child, a playful accident left me blind in my right eye. This physical imperfection made me very sensitive and insecure growing up. After graduating high school, I bounced around different jobs, never quite finding my footing.
That all changed when a friend recommended I try my luck in Laos. I saw it as an opportunity to start fresh, so I headed there in hopes of opening my own business. Little did I know, the COVID-19 pandemic was about to upend my plans.
As the virus spread, I found myself stranded in Laos, unable to return home. But in the midst of that challenging time, I met a young Laotian woman named Cheng Cheng, who was seven years my junior. We grew close while working together, and before long, we had fallen in love.
Against the odds, I ended up marrying Cheng Cheng and bringing her back to China. We now have two children - a son and a daughter - and I count myself incredibly fortunate.
A Difficult Childhood
I come from a family of humble farmers. When I was just 3 years old, I suffered an injury that cost me the sight in my right eye. In those days, this was a devastating blow for my parents. They scraped together what they could and took me to a major hospital in Zhengzhou for treatment, but the damage was irreparable.
I ended up with a prosthetic eye, which was better than an empty socket but still left me visibly different from other children. I was mercilessly teased and bullied, with some kids even throwing things at me and calling me a "one-eyed dragon."
This disability made me extremely self-conscious and sensitive to the perceptions of others from a very young age. My studies suffered as a result, and I barely managed to complete my middle school education.
Searching for Opportunity
After graduating, I tried my hand at all sorts of jobs, but my lack of specialized skills and physical limitation made it hard for me to find success. It wasn't until I was nearly 30 that things started to look up. I joined a restaurant chain, renting out a counter in their cafeteria to sell egg dishes.
Around that time, a friend of mine who ran a restaurant business in Laos invited me to come join him. I figured going abroad could be a turning point, so I decided to take him up on the offer.
My original plan was to open my own restaurant in Laos, but the COVID-19 outbreak forced me to put that dream on hold. Instead, I ended up helping out at my friend's place. That's where I met Cheng Cheng.
A Budding Romance
Cheng Cheng was a young Laotian woman, about 7 years my junior. She had a humble, hardworking demeanor that quickly endeared her to me. As we worked side-by-side, I couldn't help but be reminded of my own younger sister back home.
Cheng Cheng's family situation was not an easy one. Her father had passed away when she was just a teenager, leaving her mother to raise three daughters on her own. Cheng Cheng had started working at a young age to help support her family.
Seeing Cheng Cheng's resilience and kindness touched something in me. Over time, my affection for her grew, and she reciprocated, moved by my care and attention. When I finally had the chance to formally propose to her family, they agreed, accepting a bride price of 30,000 RMB and two gold necklaces.
Life in Laos
Due to the pandemic, I ended up staying with Cheng Cheng's family in Laos for nearly two years before we were able to get married and return to China. That extended stay allowed me to deeply immerse myself in the realities of life there.
I was struck by how remote and underdeveloped parts of Laos could be. Villages were often separated by miles of treacherous mountain roads, making travel extremely difficult without local guides. Even in the more accessible areas where Cheng Cheng's family lived, employment options were scarce. Many people worked backbreaking jobs on banana plantations for meager wages.
The standard of living was a far cry from what I was used to in China. I tried to help improve Cheng Cheng's family's situation by using my savings to purchase household items like a small TV, an air cooler, and a water dispenser. But their overall economic condition remained precarious.
Despite the hardship, the pace of life in Laos had a certain relaxed quality to it. On holidays, people would gather with friends to drink beer, sing, and dance - not worrying too much about what the future might hold.
Adjusting to Life in China
Returning to China with Cheng Cheng and our newborn son was an adjustment for all of us. The climate, the food, the customs - it was a lot for Cheng Cheng to take in at first. But my family welcomed her warmly, doting on her and the baby.
One area of culture clash that was particularly difficult was the Laotian habit of eating rodents. In China, rats are considered unclean animals, but in Laos, they are a common ingredient, either stewed, roasted, or dried into jerky. I found this practice absolutely repulsive and had a hard time accepting it, even though I knew it was normal for them.
Tensions arose when Cheng Cheng, still pregnant with our second child, would go into the mountains to forage for wild vegetables. In my hometown, a pregnant woman would never be expected to do such strenuous labor. But Cheng Cheng's family saw nothing wrong with it. I protested, but they insisted it was fine.
Thankfully, as the COVID-19 situation improved, I was able to start the process of getting Cheng Cheng's paperwork in order so we could return to China. It was a drawn-out bureaucratic ordeal, but we finally succeeded just before the birth of our second child.
A Joyful Homecoming
When we arrived back in my home province of Henan, my family and neighbors were overjoyed. They marveled that the "old bachelor" had not only found a wife, but also started a family.
Cheng Cheng had a hard time adjusting to the extreme weather changes in Henan - the scorching summers and freezing winters. But with the support of my family, she slowly adapted to the new environment.
My mother, in particular, treated Cheng Cheng like a daughter, going out of her way to make her feel welcome and comfortable. When Cheng Cheng became pregnant with our second child, we were able to bring her mother from Laos to stay with us for a few months, helping her understand Cheng Cheng's new life in China.
Looking back on my journey, I'm incredibly grateful that I took that leap of faith to go to Laos all those years ago. If I hadn't, I never would have met Cheng Cheng and found the fulfilling life I have today. The lesson is clear - if you're willing to take that first step, you never know where it might lead.
