On Chinese New Year's Eve in 1999, the CCTV Spring Festival Gala was in full swing. The host Ni Ping attended in full costume, holding a bronze bell weighing more than ten pounds, standing on the stage, ready to welcome the bell of the new century.
Ni Ping watched the second hand close to midnight one by one, and the audience counted down in unison: "Ten!" Nine! Eight ..At this moment, she was very excited in her heart. At the first moment of the new century, she was about to hear the first bell.
With the cheers of the audience, the bell rang, and Ni Ping struck the bell in her hand hard. The crisp and melodious sound of the bell marks the beginning of a new year and a century.
Ni Ping declared energetically: "I declare that 1999 has passed, and 2000 has arrived!" ”
However, at this moment, the audience did not know that this would be the last time Ni Ping stood on the stage of the Spring Festival Gala. 24 years have passed, and she has returned to this stage again to meet everyone.
After that night, Ni Ping chose to withdraw from the Spring Festival Gala, and she gradually faded out of the public eye and no longer appeared on the screen. There are different opinions about the reason for her withdrawal.
But Ni Ping at that time had a big secret hidden deep in her heart.
At this moment, she did not realize that a great change in her life had quietly happened, and her long journey as a mother to seek medical treatment was about to begin.
At the beginning of 1999, it was the most important New Year in Ni Ping's life. This year, she and her husband Wang Wenlan welcomed their own child, named Huzi.
Originally, the birth of a child was supposed to be a happy and happy one. However, the good times did not last long, and an unexpected discovery changed the fate of the new parents.
When Huzi was 11 months old, Ni Ping's grandmother found that he often fell, could not stand steadily, stumbled when walking, and his eyes did not seem to be able to see the objects around him correctly, and he needed to rely on sound to judge the direction, which was very worrying.
In order to understand the specific situation of Huzi, Ni Ping took him to the hospital for an examination. The results of the examination were shocking, and Huzi actually suffered from congenital cataracts, which was the cause of his blurred vision.
According to the doctor's advice, the best time for cataract surgery is between the age of two and eight years, and the results at this stage are better and the success rate is higher. However, Huzi is now 11 months old and has missed this best time.
The doctor's words were like a thunderbolt from the blue, causing Ni Ping and Wang Wenlan to fall into aphasia and despair, and the doctor told them that if they didn't do it in time, their children could be completely blind in two or three years.
In order to give their children back sight, the young parents never gave up any glimmer of hope. They ran around and took Huzi, who was suffering from cataracts, to a well-known eye hospital in China for medical treatment, however, all the doctors said that they had reached this point, and the cataract was no longer possible.
The doctor told Wang Wenlan: "This disease can't be *** now, and I can only wait for him to grow up and see his creation in the future." ”
No! I won't allow you to give up on my children like that! "Ni Ping said excitedly. As a mother, she would never give up easily.
After Ni Ping took her son to seek medical treatment everywhere to no avail, in the end, there was only a glimmer of life left to go abroad. The United States is undoubtedly more advanced in medical technology and equipment, and may be able to save their son. However, due to financial constraints, Ni Ping had to sell her property to raise high medical expenses.
On the eve of the planned trip, the Spring Festival of 1999 was approaching. At that time, my parents were in a difficult situation, and they had no time to participate in the Spring Festival Gala.
All of their energy is devoted to how to treat the child.
The Spring Festival of 1999 is coming, and ** TV station is going all out to prepare for the Spring Festival Gala.
As a senior star host, Ni Ping is naturally also the target of the program team. The director team, which has always attached great importance to the Spring Festival Gala, has a total of 7 directors this time, and almost all of them have found Ni Ping, looking forward to her being the host again.
Mr. Ni, you have been hosting the Spring Festival Gala for 13 consecutive years, and for the audience, you are undoubtedly the golden sign of the Spring Festival Gala.
Faced with the warm invitation of the director team, Ni Ping hesitated again and again. Her mother's nature makes her not want to leave her child at this critical moment, but on the other hand, she can't bear to live up to the audience's years of support and love.
Teacher Ni, as long as you are still on the stage of the Spring Festival Gala, we are confident that we will conduct a good live broadcast and there will be no mistakes. You are our most reliable host, please help me again! "The director team saw Mr. Ni's concerns and continued to persuade him.
Ni Ping struggled for a long time, and finally agreed to the request of the director team. She thought, this is the last year, and it doesn't hurt to hold on one more time. She has a deep affection for the stage of the Spring Festival Gala, and the Spring Festival Gala has brought her the peak of her career over the years, and at the same time, she has also felt the continuous support and encouragement of the audience.
In this way, at the 1999 Spring Festival Gala, Ni Ping stood on the stage with Zhao Zhongxiang as promised. When the clock strikes midnight, she announces the end of the century and the millennium, and also signifies her last night on this stage.
After ringing the bell of the new century, Ni Ping officially withdrew from the position of host of the Spring Festival Gala. She wants to pay attention to her son's condition wholeheartedly. Family is the most important thing in life.
In the long journey of treating her son, Ni Ping always had an old man by her side, her grandmother - the warm and strong back.
Grandma is Ni Ping's enlightenment teacher from childhood to adulthood, and has had a profound impact on her. Ni Ping once said frankly that the relationship between her and her grandmother even exceeded the relationship with her biological mother.
For a long time, grandma has relied on her wisdom and experience to guide Ni Ping through the difficulties of life. At this time, his son's eye disease caused the young Ni Ping to suffer a huge blow.
Grandma hugged Ni Ping tightly and said to her gently: "When it's dark, it means that you will encounter some difficulties, but don't be afraid, all difficulties will pass when it dawns." ”
Ni Ping nodded lightly with tears in her eyes, trying to squeeze out a smile.
You will definitely be able to save the child, I know your abilities very well. If you can't, then there's really no one else in the world who can do it. Grandma's words gave Ni Ping great confidence.
Since then, grandma has not only fully supported Ni Ping spiritually, but also tried her best to help her in life.
Ni Ping had spent all her savings in order to raise medical expenses, and even had to sell her car. Grandma, who learned about this, resolutely took out all her savings and handed them to Ni Ping, although this was already all her belongings.
Because Ni Ping is busy with work, her grandmother has been taking the initiative to fly to the United States to help take care of her sick grandson. Although she knew that living in a foreign country with a language barrier could be very difficult, the old man did not have any complaints, she only hoped that her grandson would be able to ** as soon as possible.
Grandma and Ni Ping's mother carefully prepared hot meals for Huzi every day, but she ate leftovers, just afraid of wasting the child's rations. Despite the diarrhea, they gritted their teeth and endured it without complaining.
Ni Ping always has the guidance of a wise and loving grandmother in difficult situations, and her words and deeds have given Ni Ping confidence and courage on the road to seek medical treatment.
Time flies, and today, a few years later, whenever Ni Ping recalls her grandmother, her eyes are still full of tears, and gratitude arises spontaneously. Without her grandmother's selfless dedication and full help, there would have been no birth and growth of her mother Ni Ping.
After the Spring Festival Gala in 1999, Ni Ping officially withdrew from the Spring Festival Gala stage, left her career in front of the stage, and devoted herself to her son's illness.
From then on, she began a decade-long journey of her mother's medical treatment. In order to raise high medical expenses, Ni Ping chose to return to the entertainment industry to film. She quit her job as a national first-class host and returned with a new attitude, whether it was a movie or a TV series, she chose a commercial film that could earn income quickly.
Ni Ping traveled between China and the United States in her spare time, and in order to treat Huzi, she took Huzi to the top eye hospital. As soon as Ni Ping's filming salary arrived, she quickly bought a ticket and immediately remitted the money to the hospital for Huzi's ** expenses.
Every time she sees a doctor, her strongest wish is, "Doctor, money is really not a problem, I must cure my child!" ”
However, Ni Ping faced one failure after another, and also felt desperate when she was alone at night, silently smoking in the living room, tears uncontrollably coming out of her eyes.
He's still so young, I don't believe it can't be **. Ni Ping said firmly to herself in the smoke.
After the new morning sun rose, the sleepless night finally passed, and a strong smile appeared on Ni Ping's face again. She can't let her son see that she has a hint of negativity and hopelessness, which can have a bad effect on the child's confidence.
In the process, she paid a huge price, including losing the peak of her career, divorcing her husband Wang Wenlan, and taking on the responsibility of raising children alone.
Despite this, this strong mother never gave up hope for **.
Finally in 2009, Ni Ping, who had been running for ten years, got the doctor's diagnosis:
Rest assured, your son's eyes are almost fine! ”
When Ni Ping heard this, she was so excited that tears came out of her eyes, ten years of waiting and persistence, finally exchanged for sweet fruits at this moment, and her son grew up healthy and safe, which was her happiest moment as a mother.
Under the pressure of treating her son's illness, there was a huge rift in the married life of Ni Ping and her husband Wang Wenlan.
Wang Wenlan is a freelance photographer with a very limited income, and it is difficult to bear his son's accumulated medical expenses, which are like astronomical sums.
Wang Wenlan's relatives and friends suggested that he have another healthy child, but Ni Ping firmly disagreed, and she vowed to save her son. As time went on, the two became more and more disagreements and disputes on this issue.
In 2005, after 7 years of married life, Ni Ping and Wang Wenlan announced their divorce. Although the relationship between husband and wife has broken down, the relationship between mother and son is still deep. Ni Ping chose to continue to raise her 6-year-old son alone.
The outside world regarded Wang Wenlan as a "negative man" and accused him of abandoning his sick son and his wife who was fighting on the front line.
I can understand his choice, but as a mother, it is impossible for me to give up my own children. ”
Ni Ping entered her second marriage in 2005, and her husband is a modest and low-key director Yang Yaya.
Over the years, Yang Yaya has deeply admired Ni Ping's courage in facing difficulties and suffering. He couldn't imagine how a woman could go through all this tremendous stress on her own. Ni Ping's strength made Yang Yaya admire.
At a simple wedding, the two made a promise to support each other and walk hand in hand through the journey of life. Yang Yaya regards Ni Ping's son as his own, loves him very much, and regards him as his own son.
After experiencing the loss of her marriage, Ni Ping found a warm sense of belonging here in Yang Yaya. The back of this pair of walking hand in hand has brought long-lost happiness and satisfaction to life.
Under the care of his mother for ten years, Huzi slowly grew up, gradually walked out of the shadow of illness, and his life began to normalize.
Today, he is a 24-year-old and is studying abroad. Over the years, he has been tireless, with excellent grades, and can be called an excellent student of the scholarly family.
Huzi inherited Ni Ping's kindness and optimism, and actively participated in public welfare. He has participated in the "Ice Bucket Challenge", which aims to raise awareness of the vulnerable group of ALS.
Huzi has always used his own personal experience to help others, and it has become a part of his life. He often thought that if he could bring hope to more patients, then his mother's efforts would be more meaningful.
Time flies, and the 24 Spring Festivals are fleeting.
In the 2023 CCTV Spring Festival Gala, 63-year-old Ni Ping returned to this familiar stage.
After returning to the scene, she is still radiant and beautiful. She stood on the stage**, her voice was still loud and kind, and the years didn't seem to have left any traces on her.
This year's Ni Ping is no longer the young host who was excited to cheer for the new century 24 years ago, she is a senior senior who has rich experience and witnessed the flavors of life.
She shows the greatness and hardships of motherhood by telling her story. She decided to retire from the stage 24 years ago to take care of her son wholeheartedly, and eventually succeeded.
She wants to show everyone that no matter who we are, we can all have extraordinary strength to overcome any difficulty and challenge.
That's the power of love.
Ni Ping's story mainly tells the story of a mother's selfless love for her child.
Fate played a joke on her, but she didn't choose to back down, but fought against fate with all her might.
On the long road to seek medical treatment, she chose to give up the peak of her career and did whatever it took to protect her son's healthy growth.
As she said when she quit the Spring Festival Gala stage: "Because I am a mother." ”
The greatness of motherhood comes from a heart full of love. When this heart is broad and tenacious, even ordinary people can radiate light and become the guardian angel of life.
There will be many difficulties along the way in life, but as long as your heart is full of love, the difficulties will be solved. This is what Ni Ping's story brings to us.
May all loving people be safe, and may all children in the world grow up healthy and happy.