“If I have a next life, I don’t want children. It’s too hard!”
It’s hard to imagine that such words could come from a mother’s mouth. Raising children is certainly hard, but what could possibly make a mother say such a thing?
The “cruel” mother’s name is Zhu Mingxin. She once had two daughters, but one met a tragic end, and the other was poisoned, resulting in her becoming intellectually six years old. 
As a mother, Zhu Mingxin, besides self-blame and regret, what else could she do when both her daughters suffered such cruel fates within five years? What’s more unbearable is that the murderer who harmed her daughters has never been caught, making it even harder for Zhu Mingxin to accept.
Every day, watching her second daughter, Zhu Mingxin’s heart was filled with torment.
“If I die, what will you do? I won’t be able to rest in peace!”
In the middle of the night, Zhu Mingxin often dreamt of the day Zhu Ling was admitted to university.
Zhu Ling Passes the Tsinghua Entrance Exam
“Dad, Mom, I got into Tsinghua University! The Department of Chemistry!”
“Great! Great! My youngest has not disappointed Dad, nor has she disappointed your sister!”
In 1992, Zhu Ling, holding the admission notice from Tsinghua University, hugged her parents tightly to celebrate the good news.
Zhu Ling’s father, Wu Chengzhi, was already over fifty, and her mother, Zhu Mingxin, had gray hair. Logically, they shouldn’t look so old at their age, but their experiences were so tragic that their hair turned white prematurely.
Wu Chengzhi was an engineer at the State Seismological Bureau, and Zhu Mingxin was a top student from the National University of Defense Technology, also working in engineering. In that era, such a family combination was rare, and the two were famously known in their industry as the “Divine Condor Heroes.”
After Wu Chengzhi and Zhu Mingxin got married, they soon had two daughters, the eldest, Wu Jin, and the youngest, Zhu Ling.
Wu Chengzhi believed that children were the result of both parents’ nurturing, so it was only right that they took both surnames, even though many saw this as “unconventional,” but they paid it no mind.
Regardless of what others thought, as long as they were happy, that was enough. Wu Chengzhi and Zhu Mingxin were simple people, and this happiness was what they wanted.
After the daughters were born, the family became even more harmonious and happy. Although both were daughters, they were deeply loved.
Wu Chengzhi, born in 1940, was from a generation where there was often a preference for sons over daughters, a common ailment of the time. Fortunately, neither Wu Chengzhi nor his wife Zhu Mingxin were affected by this outdated and corrupt thinking, and the family of four lived in harmony.
Children Grow Up
The children grew up quickly, soon entering middle school. During their school years, Wu Jin and Zhu Ling almost never caused their parents any worry, always ranking at the top of their classes.
Teachers at school praised the sisters highly, and many parents asked Wu Chengzhi and his wife for advice on raising children.
The couple was extremely proud of how well their daughters were growing. Whenever they met with colleagues, Wu Chengzhi would boast about his daughters.
In the blink of an eye, it was time for Wu Jin to take the college entrance examination. To the delight of Wu Chengzhi and his wife, their daughter’s performance was nothing to worry about, and she successfully got into Peking University.
Wu Jin’s Admission to Peking University
After Wu Jin was admitted, Wu Chengzhi took out his savings, invited many friends, and celebrated. Although people said he was “proud as a peacock,” everyone also knew that Wu Jin’s achievements were inseparable from the guidance of her parents, and they were genuinely happy for the couple.
Wu Chengzhi’s excitement lasted for a whole year; he knew how hard it was for his daughter to get into Peking University, so he called her whenever he had the time.
Zhu Mingxin often teased him, calling him a “daughter slave,” and Wu Chengzhi accepted the jest with a smile. It was the truth, and there was no need to argue.
Unexpected Tragedy
Zhu Ling was also very sensible. Ever since her sister got into Peking University, her sister became her role model. Knowing she wasn’t as naturally talented as her sister, Zhu Ling put in extra effort.
In April 1989, the Wu family was planning a trip for the May Day holiday, hoping to travel with Wu Jin. Just as they were eagerly awaiting the vacation, the bad news came.
“Is this Wu Jin’s parents? Wu Jin has gone missing!”
The call was like a bombshell, catching Wu Chengzhi completely off guard. How could his daughter go missing? They had spoken on the phone just days ago, and she mentioned going to a summer camp organized by the school.
In just a few days, everything had changed!
After receiving the news, Wu Chengzhi immediately reported to the police, who launched a massive search around the area of the summer camp in the Wild Three Gorges.
Three Days and Three Nights
For three days and three nights, there was no sign of Wu Jin. Her parents and sister were almost driven mad with worry, but there was nothing they could do but wait for the search results.
During those three days, Wu Chengzhi and Zhu Mingxin prayed countless times, hoping for their daughter’s safety, but in the end, they received no good news.
On the third day of Wu Jin’s disappearance, Wu Chengzhi received a call from the police asking him to come and identify his daughter’s body.
At that moment, Wu Chengzhi’s world seemed to collapse. His beloved daughter was only twenty, in the prime of her life, yet her life was cut short. How could he not be heartbroken?
Zhu Mingxin was already in a daze, and upon hearing of her daughter’s death, she fainted. After comforting his wife, Wu Chengzhi and his family went to see their daughter one last time.
Wu Jin’s Death
“After examination, Wu Jin fell off a cliff, hit her head, and died. It was either an accident or suicide; homicide has been ruled out. Please accept our condolences.”
“Impossible! My daughter would never commit suicide! She was so cautious; how could she put herself in danger?”
Upon hearing the word “suicide,” Wu Chengzhi completely lost his composure and broke down on the spot.
Reinvestigation
At Wu Chengzhi’s insistence, the case was re-examined, but the technology at the time was limited, and no conclusive evidence was found.
The information found on Wu Jin’s body did not point in any specific direction, and the case was eventually closed as an accident.
This incident became an insurmountable hurdle for the remaining three members of the Wu family. Wu Chengzhi and his wife aged significantly overnight, and Zhu Ling began to lose her appetite and slim down due to her sister’s death.
However, while Zhu Ling mourned her sister, there was also a force within her that told her she needed to be as excellent as her sister to help her parents overcome their grief.
Zhu Ling’s Admission to Tsinghua University
In 1992, Zhu Ling lived up to her expectations and was admitted to Tsinghua University, which is the scene described at the beginning of the article.
Wu Chengzhi was thrilled by Zhu Ling’s results, but at the same time, he thought of Wu Jin. What had his poor child gone through? No one knew.
Fortunately, after Zhu Ling went to university, the family gradually began to emerge from the shadow of losing their eldest daughter, though they often remembered her in unguarded moments.
The death of a loved one isn’t like a sudden storm but like a lifelong dampness. Zhu Ling, while at university, often thought, “This must be how my sister felt when she was at school.”
Zhu Ling’s University Life
With thoughts of her sister, Zhu Ling began her university journey.
During her university years, Zhu Ling joined the folk music band and became a key member. She also won several awards at school sports events, excelling in both talent and athletics, making her quite noticeable on campus.
Another Tragedy
Wu Chengzhi knew that Zhu Ling worked so hard to make them happy. After the incident with Wu Jin, Wu Chengzhi and his wife no longer expected great achievements from Zhu Ling.
“Dad and Mom only hope you can be happy and safe. You don’t need to push yourself so hard, okay?”
“It’s okay, Dad. I love sports and instruments; I’m not tired!”
“Just take care of your health, and Dad and Mom will take you on a trip during the winter break!”
Going on trips seemed to be a switch for the devil. In December 1994, shortly after Wu Chengzhi spoke with his daughter, he received another call from her.
“Dad, I’ve been feeling unwell lately, losing hair, and my whole body hurts. Am I sick?”
“Don’t worry, Dad and Mom are coming to school right away!”
A month earlier, Zhu Ling had already felt unwell but didn’t tell her parents because she didn’t think it was serious. It wasn’t until her hair was almost gone that she began to panic.
However, after a round of hospital checks, no issues were found. Zhu Ling thought it was due to stress, and since she needed to return to school to complete her project, she didn’t stay in the hospital.
Zhu Ling’s Condition Worsens
Upon returning to school, Zhu Ling’s symptoms didn’t improve; they worsened. Initially, it was just body aches, but after returning to school, she started experiencing vomiting and difficulty breathing.
This time, Zhu Ling was admitted to the ICU. Doctors couldn’t initially determine what was wrong with her. A classmate of Zhu Ling’s posted her condition online, in an era when the internet wasn’t widespread, it was the only way they could think of.
Soon, they received many responses from around the world. Combining these responses with Zhu Ling’s physical examination, doctors tentatively diagnosed her with heavy metal poisoning, specifically thallium poisoning.
Thallium Poisoning
Wu Chengzhi immediately contacted the Beijing Institute of Occupational Disease Prevention and Control. With the help of the lab, it was confirmed that Zhu Ling had indeed been poisoned with thallium, and the poisoning was severe.
Had it not been discovered in time, Zhu Ling might not have survived. Wu Chengzhi was baffled; his daughter was always kind to others, so how could she come into contact with thallium? Was it possible someone had poisoned her?
Wu Chengzhi thought of this and immediately reported to the police. He couldn’t lose another daughter. However, after searching Zhu Ling’s dormitory, the police found no significant clues. Before the police arrived, Zhu Ling’s belongings were no longer in the dormitory; her roommates said there had been a thief, and many things were missing.
Lead Goes Cold
With this, the lead went cold, and all they could do was hope that Zhu Ling would wake up from her coma, but no one knew when that would be.
Since the cause of Zhu Ling’s illness was known and there were no leads on the murderer, finding an antidote took priority over finding the culprit because once Zhu Ling woke up, everything would become clear.
After consulting with doctors and various experts, they finally used Prussian blue to detoxify Zhu Ling, but due to the prolonged poisoning, it took five months for her to wake up.
Zhu Ling Wakes Up
Everyone thought that once Zhu Ling woke up, they could catch the murderer, but after examination, doctors found that Zhu Ling had unfortunately contracted hepatitis C, requiring her to go back to the ICU.
By the time Zhu Ling came out of the ICU, many days had passed, but her gaze was somewhat vacant.
“Due to the toxins invading Zhu Ling’s brain, causing irreversible damage, Zhu Ling’s intelligence is now equivalent to that of a 7-year-old child.”
This news was unbearable for Wu Chengzhi and his wife, who had already lost one child. They didn’t expect fate to be so cruel as to afflict their second daughter with such misfortune.
Zhu Ling’s New Life
At the age of 21, Zhu Ling should have been excelling in her beloved field of study, but instead, she was harmed and became intellectually disabled.
Zhu Ling’s major was chemistry, where contact with thallium was possible. The police narrowed their suspects to seven people at the school who could access thallium. They eventually focused on a person named Sun Wei, who had a conflict with Zhu Ling and was her roommate.
Sun Wei
The police immediately arranged for Sun Wei to be interrogated, but Sun Wei insisted she had no conflict with Zhu Ling. The police couldn’t get any information out of her.
Due to a lack of direct evidence, the police had to release Sun Wei when the detention period expired. Despite Wu Chengzhi’s repeated objections, the law couldn’t be changed.
Shortly after her release, Sun Wei went abroad at the arrangement of her family. Once she left the country, it meant she was out of reach, and with no evidence, the case was left with a suspect now living abroad.
Unresolved Cases
Two daughters, two cases, and neither was resolved. This was hard for Wu Chengzhi and his wife to accept, but they were powerless.
Fortunately, Zhu Ling had survived. Watching her laugh and play all day, the elderly couple couldn’t help but feel sad.
If this tragedy hadn’t happened, Zhu Ling’s life might have been bright. But things being as they were, they had no other wishes, only hoping to live a bit longer to take care of their daughter.
After 1995, there was no further progress reported on the case, and the suspected poisoner, Sun Wei, remained abroad without returning. Wu Chengzhi and his wife had no choice but to endure this.
A Mother’s Heart
If it weren’t for the consecutive misfortunes, why would Zhu Mingxin say she didn’t want children? Children are the life of a mother, a small person raised with care to the vibrant age of twenty, only to send a white-haired person to mourn a black-haired one. That was already tragic enough, but who could have imagined that their only remaining daughter would also be poisoned and become intellectually disabled?
Zhu Ling’s condition was almost impossible to recover from, and she would remain intellectually disabled for the rest of her life. Many felt sorry for her, but when misfortune strikes, there’s no warning, and no one can avoid it.
Conclusion
Decades ago, such cases were not uncommon, but the technological limitations at the time made solving them difficult, which was unfortunate for the promising futures of Wu Jin and Zhu Ling.
No matter what, life should be respected. If there are conflicts, they should be resolved calmly, not through secret harm.
Everyone is a precious treasure in their parents’ eyes. It is hoped that everyone can empathize and refrain from doing anything against their conscience.
(December 22, 2023, Zhu Ling passed away in Beijing, but the case remains unsolved.)
