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Alice Yan

A married man in China who turned to the media to find the first love who loaned him money 20 years ago has captivated mainland social media.
At the end of October, a man, surnamed Li, who lives in Huaibei, Anhui province, eastern China, called the Henan Provincial TV Station’s programme Xiaoli Helps You.
The show is popular for helping solve the problems of ordinary people.
Li thought his first love might still live in Henan.

He and the woman, identified as Ma, met in 1991 when he was 23 and she was 25, divorced and had a child from her previous marriage.
They worked at the same company, fell in love and dated for eight years.
They broke up amicably after Li’s father got cancer and urged him to find a wife in their hometown and help after him.
In 2001, Li was desperate for money to set up a company and Ma was there to help.
“Without any hesitation, she transferred me 10,000 yuan (US$1,400). In those days when people’s average income was not high, this amount of money was a lot,” Li told the media.

He lost Ma’s contact information after losing his mobile phone.
“I have been feeling regret over the past years. I hope to return the money to her. I am also wondering how she is living now,” said an emotional Li.
Li’s wife supported his decision to try to find his first love.
“I am not jealous. If he finds that woman, just return the money to her,” his wife said.
Li said Ma’s father worked at a coal mine in Pingdingshan, Henan while her family lived in a slum area in Donggongren Town.
Homes in the area have already been demolished and replaced with high-rises.
Local community officials said their initial investigation failed to track down Ma or her family, probably because they moved out a long time ago.

The result left Li disappointed.
Reactions to his quest have been mixed on mainland social media.
“Heaven rewards those who work hard. I believe you will finally find your first love and return the money to her. Your wish will be realised,” one online observer said.
Another person said: “She loaned you 10,000 yuan more than 20 years ago. Should you not return her 10 times that money?”
However, another internet user opposed Li by saying: “Did you not expect that your behaviour would bring inconvenience to her?”


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People & Culture

Emotional man whose ex gave him cash to set up company discovers that slum she lived in has been demolished, homes replaced by high-rises


Emotional man whose ex gave him cash to set up company discovers that slum she lived in has been demolished, homes replaced by high-rises.


Chinese man seeks media help to track down first love, repay decades-old US$1,400 loan

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Emotional man whose ex gave him cash to set up company discovers that slum she lived in has been demolished, homes replaced by high-rises

Emotional man whose ex gave him cash to set up company discovers that slum she lived in has been demolished, homes replaced by high-rises