A couple who defied their families wishes to marry because the bride, at 59, was 32 years older than her husband-to-be, are preparing to celebrate 18 years together.
In 1996 Li Yuchen married his older love Ma Yuqin, from north east China's Liaoning Province, after falling in love when he was a child and she was a famous local actress.
Despite strong opposition from relatives, friends and neighbours, and Li's father renouncing him publicly, the age-gap lovers risked becoming social outcasts to wed.
Li Yucheng, now 44, defied family and friends to marry his older love Ma Yuqin, now 76, nearly 18 years ago
Li's father publicly disowned him when the 27-year-old announced his intention to marry Ma Yuqin, 59
Li, now 44, said: 'Nobody believed our marriage would last long but we have proved them wrong with a loving relationship that has lasted almost 18 years.'
Li was born in 1969, when Ma, then 32, was a well-known performer with a family of her own.
Yet when as an eight-year-old he first saw her act, Li fell head over heels for the older beauty
'I was smitten, and it was a life-long obsession that I never lost, even now,' he said. 'I adore Ma and remember her as if it were yesterday when she came for a performance in my primary school.'
When Li's father told his son that he had been at school with Ma, Li ran up to the actress calling her 'auntie'.
Ma, now 76, said: 'He was a cheeky little chap and I really felt a warm spot for him, but never dreamed that we would end up married.
Ma remembers a 'cheeky little chap' who was smitten with the well known local actress from the age of eight
Since marrying the couple have overcome the 32-year age gap and enjoyed almost 18 years together
'He was just the son of a school friend to me back then. I was stunned after years of knowing him when he proposed and told me he loved me.
'It was then that I realised that I actually had grown very fond of him too.'
Li said: 'From the age of 20, my parents introduced many girls to me but I refused all of the girls with different excuses. In fact, Ma Yuqin had been my idol all the time, and no others could hold a candle to her.
The pair have appeared on television programs to tell their story of forbidden love
Li describes his feelings towards his wife, a divorcee with a family of her own, as 'a life-long obsession'
'Wherever Ma went to give performance, I would go to watch. It was at these performances that we got close, we would go for dinner afterwards or chat in bars.'
When he was 27, Li joined Ma on stage and the pair began to perform together. After their first season - and undaunted by the age gap, Li proposed to the object of his affections, who was then 59.
Li's parents were so horrified by their son's unlikely match that they told him he should be ashamed and that he must abandon his mature fiancee, who was also a divorced mother-of-two.
Ma, now 76, said of their unconventional relationship: 'I hope it goes on for many more years'
Li's father threw him out of the house and announced publicly that he disowned his son.
Ma's two sons also lashed out at their mother's relationship, while Li says neighbours laughed at the pair.
Li's mother died in 2006, reportedly weakened by her son's bizarre love match.
Despite this opposition, the unlikely lovers said their vows and have defied the odds by living a happy life together.
Ma said: 'I hope it goes on for many more years.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2866819/Couple-32-YEAR-age-gap-defied-families-marry-celebrate-18th-wedding-anniversary-groom-says-76-year-old-wife-life-long-obsession.html#ixzz3Le0xIfLt
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