Married Chinese man seeks media help to find first love, repay $1,400 she lent him 20 years ago
A Chinese man has gone viral after turning to the media to find his ex-girlfriend who lent him $1,400 two decades ago to start his business. Now married, he says he wants to repay the debt and know how she’s doing after all these years.
A man in China has gone viral after seeking help from the media to find his first love — a woman who lent him money more than two decades ago, the South China Morning Post reported. His story of gratitude and regret has sparked widespread discussion on Chinese social media.
According to Henan Provincial TV Station, the man, identified only by his surname Li, contacted the channel’s popular show Xiaoli Helps You at the end of October. The programme is known for helping ordinary people resolve personal and social issues.
Ma lent him 10,000 yuan
Li, who lives in Huaibei, Anhui province, told the show that he wanted to locate his former girlfriend, Ma, who had lent him 10,000 yuan (around ₹1 lakh) back in 2001 — a significant sum at the time. “Without any hesitation, she transferred me the money when I was struggling to start a company. I’ve always felt regret for not returning it,” he said.
Li and Ma met in 1991 while working at the same company. He was 23 and she was 25, divorced, and a single mother. The two dated for eight years before parting ways when Li’s father fell ill and asked him to return home to marry and take care of the family.
After their breakup, Li lost Ma’s contact details when he misplaced his phone. Over the years, he said, the thought of not repaying her haunted him. “I want to return the money and know how she’s doing now,” he told the programme.
Interestingly, Li’s wife has supported his decision to reconnect with Ma. “I’m not jealous,” she said. “If he finds her, he should return the money.”
Local authorities in Henan tried to trace Ma’s whereabouts, but her former neighbourhood — a slum area in Donggongren Town, Pingdingshan — has since been redeveloped into high-rise buildings. So far, no leads have emerged.
The story has sparked a wave of mixed reactions online. While many praised Li for his honesty and sense of responsibility, others questioned his motives for publicly reaching out to an old flame.