Yang Sulian, a 72-yearold former Chinese teacher in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan province. [Western China Metropolis Daily]

Yang Sulian, a 72-year-old former Chinese teacher in Chengdu, Sichuan province, haschosen an unusual retirement project: teaching herself middle school mathematics. Allher efforts are for the sake of her adopted granddaughter, Qianqian.

Yang still vividly remembers the day she found Qianqian, still a baby swaddled in ablanket. It was July 2003, and Yang was catching up with an old acquaintance. An elderlywoman asked her to take care of the baby girl in her arms while she went to use thenearby public restroom, but the woman never returned.

Two notes from two different people were later found tucked in the baby's blanket. Itturned out that the baby was first abandoned by her mother, a young, fresh collegegraduate who was not ready for her motherhood. Then the baby was given up a secondtime by the older woman.

The reason the baby was abandoned a second time is that she was in poor health. Yangand her husband, though not well off, nevertheless chose to seek treatment for the babygirl, racking up medical bills of 11,000 RMB. At the same time, they made a plea throughlocal media for help finding the baby's family. When the plea failed to yield any leads,Yang finally decided to adopt the girl and name her Qianqian.

Last year, Qianqian was admitted to a good school in Chengdu. Yang paid for Qianqian toattend a cram school in preparation for the entrance exam, and also tutored Qianqianherself, after first teaching herself the material.

It wasn't an easy job, and Yang usually spends two to three hours studying every day.Regardless, Yang said that her biggest dream is to accompany her granddaughter untilshe finishes senior middle school.

(Source: People's Daily Online)

By Yin XiaohongEditor: Jane Wang