In the bustling city of downtown Houston, a modest cottage sits quietly. Outside the window of the hut, the blooming flowers sway gently in the night breeze, as if telling a story across the ocean.
Inside, a 72-year-old man gently stood up from his rocking chair, his hair like autumn hoarfrost, and the years carved deep marks on his face.
At the other end of the room, a 75-year-old woman is slowly bending down to sort out the contents of the house, her back slightly hunched, as if carrying too many stories and expectations.
The old couple are Yao Ming's parents, former sports heroes, but now in their quiet old age, they look forward to the warmth of their family and the laughter of their children and grandchildren.
Basketball dreams are tied to family
Yao Ming's growth path, like every jump shot he made on the basketball court, is condensed with strength and sweat.
His name and basketball have become almost an inseparable part of the history of Chinese sports. But behind this dazzling aura is the silent support and endless concern of his parents.
Yao Ming's parents were both basketball players, his father was 2.08 meters tall, and his mother was 1.88 meters, so Yao Ming inherited superior height genes since he was a child.
When he was a child, Yao Ming's basketball talent was already emerging. The moment he was selected by the sports school, the whole family was excited.
This is undoubtedly a huge honor for an ordinary family, but behind this honor is the reluctance to give up a child.
The training at the sports school was extremely strict, and Yao Ming had to be separated from his family for a long time, and for Yao Ming's parents, every day felt like a long wait.
Still, when the holidays come, there is a special warmth in the home. Yao Ming's mother would prepare in advance, and she seemed to have collected all the fresh ingredients in the market.
In the kitchen, the big pot of stewed soup is placed on the stove early, simmering slowly, and the soup is not only filled with chicken, duck and fish, but also the mother's deep longing for her son.
His father was in charge of preparing the various meats that Yao Ming liked to eat, and he always handled the meat with great care, and every knife was accurate, as if he were carving a work of art.
They know that these foods are not only meals that nourish the body, but also the transmission of emotions, and the silent love and care for their son.
On the day Yao Ming returned home, the house was always very lively. As soon as the door opened, the warm light and the smell of food wafted in. The mother always had a satisfied smile on her face, and the father was silently helping on the sidelines, and the movements of the two were tacit and skillful.
At the dinner table, the family sat together, and the warmth of home condensed and took shape at this moment.
From time to time, his mother would bring food to Yao Ming, and Yao Ming would talk and laugh and share interesting stories about his life and training in the sports school with his parents. Such a moment, although short, is the most precious memory for Yao Ming.
The silent dedication of parents
As time passed, Yao Ming's figure became taller and taller on the basketball court, but this growth also brought a lot of trouble to daily life.
The common clothing size was no longer suitable for his tall body, making clothing a difficult problem to solve. At this time, Yao Ming's parents would get busy, and they would not hesitate to travel long distances to find shops where they could make large clothes.
Once, Yao Ming's mother finally found a tailor in a small shop who could make large clothes to order.
She excitedly said to the shopkeeper, "Excuse me, can you make some clothes for my son? ”
The shopkeeper glanced at the size in her hand and replied in surprise: "This size is indeed special, but we will do our best to meet your needs." ”
At the same time, Yao Ming's father is also racking his brains about his son's nutrition problems. As a former athlete, he understands the impact of physical exertion on a professional athlete.
Every month, he devotes most of his income to buying high-quality supplements, hoping that these supplements will help Yao Ming fully replenish his physical strength.
Although the family's expenses became strained as a result, he never complained. He often stops in front of street stalls, carefully compares various supplements, and then chooses the best value for money. Whenever the neighbors asked, he always smiled and said, "For the sake of the children, everything is worth it!"
Day after day, Yao Ming's parents silently support their son's basketball dream in their own way. Although their life is simple, they are full of anticipation for the future and deep love for their son.
The glory of the national team and the pursuit of dreams
Yao Ming's basketball career is like an inspirational epic. Since being selected for the national basketball team, his name has been frequently featured in major sports news and on the field.
Every time he leaps on the court, every moment he hits, he is writing a new chapter for Chinese basketball.
His figure has become a symbol of Chinese basketball, and every victory has caused cheers from the people of the whole country.
Yao Ming's performances for the national team are getting better and better, and his technique, strength and understanding of the game are constantly improving. His performance on the field has won the respect and affection of countless fans.
At the end of each game, he was surrounded by reporters and fans vying for a photo or autograph.
However, under such glory, Yao Ming has a bigger dream in his heart - to enter the NBA, the stage that basketball players all over the world dream of.
When Yao Ming revealed to his parents that he wanted to challenge the NBA, although they were a little apprehensive, they were more supportive.
As former athletes, they know the importance of standing on the international stage and what it means to be an athlete.
In order to help their son realize his dream, they decide to travel to the United States together to prepare Yao Ming for life there.
After deciding to travel to the United States, Yao's parents began to busily prepare everything. They searched the Internet for all sorts of information about the U.S., and then began contacting distant relatives in the U.S. to ask about housing and living.
After receiving help from relatives, they flew to the United States in advance to find a suitable place to live.
In the United States, they inspected a number of houses and finally chose a convenient and comfortable place to live, ensuring that Yao Ming could have a safe living environment.
They also deliberately considered Yao Ming's eating habits and searched for nearby Chinese supermarkets to ensure that Yao Ming could eat the taste of his hometown even in a foreign country.
When everything was ready, Yao Ming finally embarked on a journey to the United States.
After arriving in the United States, Yao Ming saw everything his parents had prepared for him, and his heart was full of gratitude.
Although he was in a foreign country, he felt extremely warm and empowered by the company of his parents and a well-prepared home.
Life in the U.S. was a new challenge for Yao, but he wasn't intimidated by the difficulties. With the help and encouragement of his parents, he quickly adapted to his new environment and pace of life.
He began to show his talent on the NBA court, winning cheers and admiration from the crowd with every appearance.
Family warmth in the face of adversity
During his time in the United States, the pace of Yao Ming's life accelerated significantly. The NBA has a tight schedule, and every game is full of fierce competition and a lot of pressure.
However, no matter how tired the day's training was, no matter what the outcome of the game was, that exhaustion and pressure seemed to melt away every time Yao Ming stepped through the door.
At home, there are always warm lights and hot meals waiting for him. Yao Ming's parents, no matter how late they are, will always maintain this habit.
They will carefully study and make a variety of Chinese and Western delicacies, so that Yao Ming, who is far away, can enjoy the warmth and deliciousness of home in addition to his busy and stressful schedule.
From simple Western-style omelettes to traditional Chinese-style braised pork, they always have an accurate grasp of Yao Ming's tastes, making this home unique in a foreign country.
Whenever Yao Ming returns home in the dead of night, he can always see all this that his parents have prepared for him. On the table, the dishes exude an enticing aroma and are steaming, as if telling the love and concern of parents.
Yao Ming would sit down, savor each dish slowly, and feel the warmth of home. And his parents sat next to him, quietly accompanying him, their eyes full of care and support for their son.
Yao Ming's success in the United States not only made him the center of attention, but his parents were also respected and loved.
Their humility and tenacity, and their caring for their son, are among the stories of the community.
Neighbors often come to Yao's home, not only to meet the basketball star, but also to chat with his esteemed parents.
Their residence gradually became a small social center, and the neighborhood became closer together.
However, for Yao Ming's parents, all this honor and respect is not what they value the most.
In their hearts, it is their greatest pride to be able to go through this journey with their son, to be able to give him the most sincere support and care when he needs it.
Every night, no matter how late Yao Ming came home, they would always wait until their son returned safely, and the family would be reunited to share the day.
This ordinary and warm family life has given Yao Ming a solid backing in a foreign country and made his basketball career more exciting.
Anticipation of a new member of the family
As time passed, basketball superstar Yao Ming also entered another stage of his life - becoming a father.
Like his parents, he is full of infinite love and expectation for his children. In the process of children's growth, they know that loneliness is an indescribable feeling, so they are full of love and companionship for children.
In the face of the loneliness of their children's growth, Yao Ming and his wife Ye Li both hope to have more children, give them the opportunity to accompany each other, and make this love even deeper.
Today, Yao Ming's parents have also been upgraded to grandparents. The 72-year-old father has gray hair and the 75-year-old mother is hunchbacked, but they are still in good spirits and full of expectations for their children.
For Yao Ming and his wife, the expectations of the old man are the heaviest responsibility in their hearts, and they hope to add more pieces to the family as soon as possible, so that this love can continue.
Faced with the topic of a second child, Yao Ming said that he and his wife both want a second child, after all, the family can be more lively if they have two children. At the same time, they also believe that the companionship and love between children are indispensable in the process of growing up. Yao Ming and his wife are only children, and they are very aware of the loneliness of growing up, so they don't want this loneliness to be inherited by their children.
In Yao Ming's family, children are a source of happiness and a symbol of hope. The couple has always adhered to the concept of "family harmony and love for children" to create a warm environment for the children to grow up. And the expectation of a second child is also the most sincere wish in their hearts.
Resources:
- Zhang Hongcheng, Liu Dan, Li Feifei, Zhuang Yanhua.Yao Ming phenomenon research[J].Sports Culture Guide,2006(1):57-59