March 12th was Niu Tengyu’s birthday, and his mother wrote a birthday letter to her son who is unjustly imprisoned. She hopes her child will “be as resilient as a green pine growing on a cliff,” “never give up,” and promises to continue fighting for him, seeking the truth, “no matter how difficult the road ahead may be”.
Internet newcomer Niu Tengyu was arrested by authorities in Maoming, Guangdong in July 2019 for the case of leaking information about Xi Jinping’s daughter (also known as the “Vulgar Wiki Case”). After being tortured to confess, he was turned into the “mastermind”. On December 30, 2020, the Maoming Intermediate Court sentenced Niu Tengyu to 14 years on charges of “provoking trouble” and “illegal business operation”.
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March 12 this year marked Niu Tengyu’s 26th birthday, and his mother Coco wrote in a letter, “I will fight for you outside, seeking the truth for you. I will not let go of any possible lead and will step into every place that can prove your innocence.”
Niu Tengyu was only 19 when he was arrested. In her quest for justice for her son, his mother has gone to the Guangdong High Court, Political and Legal Committee, and Public Security Bureau to defend his rights, facing threats from armed police. Over the past five years, she has endured kidnapping, attempted murder, poisoning, and suffered significant physical harm. Niu Tengyu’s grandparents couldn’t bear the shock and passed away.
Niu Tengyu’s mother said, “Son, you must be like a green pine growing resiliently on a cliff, no matter how fierce the storms, you must firmly root in, never give up.”
“I’m not afraid of hardship, not afraid of difficulties, as long as it can help you get out of that prison soon. I will pray for you and support you every night.”
She concluded by saying, “Son, no matter how time passes, no matter how difficult the road ahead may be, a mother’s love will never change. I will be here, in this home full of longing, day and night awaiting the day we reunite.”
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On his seventh birthday spent in wrongful imprisonment, as he picked up the pen to write, the words that filled his mind seemed tangled, choked in his throat, tears staining the paper uncontrollably.
Dear son:
On your birthday, I sit alone by the window, the rain outside pattering like my unstoppable tears. As I picked up the pen, the words that filled my heart seemed tangled, choked in my throat, only letting tears blur this paper.
Do you still remember those birthdays of your childhood? There was a time when you were the lively little boy jumping around by my side. Every year of your birthday was the brightest day in my life. Every celebration felt like a dreamlike feast. Your laughter, as clear as silver bells, was the most beautiful melody in my life. It was like the first blooming flower in spring, with a refreshing fragrance that instantly dispelled all the gloom in my life; it was like the warm sunshine in winter, warming every inch of my cold skin, making me feel like the happiest mother in the world.
I often lost myself in your laughter, believing that such happiness would last forever. But fate, like a cruel plaything, in the blink of an eye, trapped you in that cold prison.
Every time I think of you there, enduring loneliness and pain in that cramped, dark cell, it feels like countless needles piercing my heart, causing unbearable pain. Countless times, I woke up in the middle of the night, tears soaking my pillow, with images of you suffering in prison flashing in my mind. I know that behind those iron bars, you face immense difficulties and challenges, each step taken with great hardship.
But son, you must be like a green pine growing resiliently on a cliff, firmly rooted in, never giving up no matter how fierce the storms. I can almost see you in that cold prison, crouching alone in a corner, eyes filled with confusion and helplessness, but I believe more that you have enough courage and strength to overcome all this. You are not fighting alone, mother will always stand behind you, becoming your strongest support.
I will fight for you outside, seeking the truth for you. I will not miss any possible lead, and I will step into every place that can prove your innocence. I’m not afraid of hard work, not afraid of difficulties, as long as it can help you get out of that prison soon. I will pray for you and support you every night.
I will turn my love for you into boundless strength, supporting you through this dark time. I am proud of you, proud of your past kindness and bravery, and I look forward to a future where you can walk out that door with your head held high, embracing a beautiful life again.
Countless times in my dreams, I imagined scenes of the next birthday. Our family sitting together, sunlight streaming through the windows, warm and cozy. Your face beaming with a radiant smile, telling us about your experiences outside. The laughter and joy will once again echo in this warm home, bringing back all the past happiness.
Son, no matter how time passes, no matter how difficult the road ahead may be, a mother’s love will never change. I will be here, in this home full of longing, day and night, yearning for the day of our reunion. I long to embrace you tightly again, feel your warm heartbeat.