12-year-old Chinese girl elopes with boyfriend that she met through an online video game

Some dream of throwing a lavish wedding with scores of people, while others fantasize an intimate ceremony with few cherished guests. The heart wants what the heart wants, after all.

But few would have been as bold as this pair of online sweethearts from China, who decided to elope at such a young age.

China Press reported that 12-year-old Xiao Zhang from Dazhou, Sichuan had conveyed her desire of running away from home to unite with her 15-year-old boyfriend, Xiao Lei from Taiyuan, Shanxi after an argument with her parents.

After mulling over their options in secret, they hatched a plan. Xiao Lei would embark on a train journey to Dazhou to pick up Xiao Zhang before heading back to Taiyuan together.

The girl's father then discovered that Xiao Zhang had run away from home and boarded the train to be with a boy whom she had met online. He went on to call the railway police on Nov 26, as per The Shanghaiist.

On Dec 12, the Jilin Railway Public Security released a video that showed the police's discovery of the couple who had been travelling by themselves on the train, according to The Beijing News.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EygHcVH1XQY&feature=emb_title[/embed]

Xiao Lei explained that they met through a video game a few months back and have been dating online ever since.

Due to the conflict between her parents, Xiao Zhang did not want to stay at home, she said. Hence, she wished to look for him at Taiyuan and would only head back to her parents' once she found a job.

He tried to convince the cops that he was able to support both of them — he claimed to be earning 1,800 yuan (S$350) per month and has plans to rent a place as well. Xiao Zhang would be able to enjoy her life by playing games on her phone at home, he assured.

If that doesn't work out, he would then bring her abroad, confident that he would be able to support her overseas. Ah, young love. 

The police officers got hold of some passengers to counsel the young couple as they brought the kids back to their respective parents.

According to China Press, the police in Dazhou contacted Xiao Zhang's parents afterwards and safely sent her back home to them.

mabelkhoo@asiaone.com