This Sino-Russian cyber love made it to the altar
A 24-year-old man from Central China's Henan Province never dreamt that one day he would marry a Russian girl an airhostess - he got to know from the Internet.
Yang Zhen, from the city of Luohe, married Anna on March 30 after six years of cyber love, which began when he was a sophomore at the prestigious Beijing Foreign Studies University.
At the wedding ceremony held in Luohe in central Henan, guests gushed over the beauty of the bride, also 24, while Anna's parents were all praise for the grand ceremony.
Yang Xinjie, the groom's father, said proudly: "Who said Web love cannot become reality? My son is a good example."
Yang, who could speak English and Russian, began his online love tryst when he was 18, the Henan-based Dahe Daily reported.
"I met Anna on the Net unexpectedly. We could communicate in English, and felt happy to be chatting with one another. As time went by, we fell in love," he said.
When Yang graduated from the university and became a reporter at the Sports World Weekly, he continued to contact Anna every day via the Internet.
As their love deepened, both wanted to see each other in person, and that chance came in 2002 when Yang won a two-way ticket from a European airline as the top prize in an essay competition.
Yang flew to Russia, where he met Anna. "She was more beautiful than I expected. How could I not to love her more?" Yang said.
"He has a temperament which enchanted me very much," Anna recalled.
When Yang went back home for a visit, he took a photo of Anna to show his parents and seek their advice.
His father said: "As long as you are happy, we don't care whether the bride is Chinese or not!"
His parents liked Anna very much when she came to visit the family last October and in February, saying "she is energetic, beautiful and steady."
Anna's parents also supported the marriage. Her father, a Russian professor who once worked in China, said he had a deep attachment for China.
Anna put her parents-in-law in a joyful mood with her use of traditional Chinese to refer to them as "dad and mom" during the wedding ceremony.
Her mother got busy with her camera, taking as many photographs as she could.
"I want to take many photos of Anna, who is my only daughter. When I miss her, I can take them out for a look," she explained.
China Daily
(China Daily 04/12/2007 page6)
