Mother's love for test-taking son touches hearts online

It isn't unusual for parents to wait for hours outside exam sites during the national college entrance exam, or gaokao, to greet their children with gifts as they leave the exam hall. For Ren Hongjuan, the meeting with her son was short but precious.

The 52-year-old is a sanitation worker in Dingzhou city, Hebei province, and had not seen her son Ren Xuming for quite a long time as he boards at school and has been busy with exam preparations.

On June 8, the second day of the gaokao, she managed to get to where her son was taking his test after work. Wearing an orange uniform, she stood out from the crowd.

As the English exam concluded, a wave of students surged out of the hall, looking for their parents.

Ren Xuming didn't expect his mother to meet him, but when he spotted her, he ran over and without saying a word, gave her a big hug. She gave him a bottle of water and they both cried quietly.

"Mom, why are you crying?" he asked.

"Because I'm overjoyed seeing you," she replied.

Their meeting was fleeting because Ren Xuming had to return to school to continue his exams the following day.

The heartwarming moment was recorded on video and has gone viral, receiving many comments.

One read, "Hardworking mother strongly supports her son. I hope he gets a good result." Another read, "I'm very impressed by the mother's love for her son and his gratitude to his mother," and another netizen wrote, "She may be the most beautiful parent in the gaokao."

Ren Hongjuan said: "My son is doing well at school. My greatest hope is that he gets into a good college and lives a happy life in the future."