Chinese actor Yu Xiaotong who started his career in his teens and was part of 2010’s The Dream of Red Mansions can now be seen on the acting reality show Memories Beyond Horizon Season 3 where he recently shared a personal story. As it turns out, the 30-year-old actor was once diagnosed with a terminal illness.
He recounted an experience from 2019 that changed his life: “I went abroad on vacation… my head started hurting a lot — when my pulse beat, my head felt like it was exploding. I found a friend who knew the local language, and they took me to the hospital. The doctor said: ‘leukemia.'”
The shock of hearing he might have leukemia was overwhelming, but he didn’t immediately panic. His first thought was to call his parents — even though theirs was not an openly affectionate family.
“It’s not the kind where we say ‘I love you’ or ‘I’m sorry.'”
“If I Die, I’ll Die at Home”
At 4 a.m., he called home. There was silence. “For one minute, they didn’t talk. Then I heard my dad sniffle. He just asked: ‘When are you coming back?’ I said: ‘Before New Year’s, I’ll definitely be back. If I die, I’ll die at home. Don’t worry.'” Surprisingly, Yu Xiaotong found himself calm. “I wasn’t scared. I thought: getting diagnosed with a terminal illness — you don’t cry.”
But the next morning, everything changed. “The doctor came running with the test results saying: ‘Sorry, we misdiagnosed.'” A huge relief — yet the emotional impact lingered.
It Completely Changed Things
The health scare forced Yu Xiaotong to reflect on his relationship with his family. One day, after ignoring a call from his dad, he received a heartbreaking text: “After that incident, all the phone calls you don’t answer or your moods — I get so anxious. This is the first time I say this and the last. I’m very worried about you. Can you not talk this way to Dad?” Upon receiving the text, the actor broke down and cried. He admitted to previously brushing off communication, using the excuse that “parents don’t understand his work.” Now, he sees them as ordinary people with hopes and fears — and is working to rebuild that bond.
Not all reactions were positive. Some netizens brought up Yu Xiaotong’s past controversies on a dating show, questioning whether this marked a genuine transformation or a strategic rebranding. Regardless, his experience served as a reminder, “Sometimes, it takes thinking you’re going to die to really start living.”
Source: Yu Xiao Tong / Weibo
