'Don't come back': Shanghai granny's 6-hour standoff with unwanted guest
In a tale that unfolds like a thriller, an 80-year-old Shanghai resident, Ning Xian, faced an unexpected home invasion with remarkable calmness. The incident, which was reported by Shanghai TV on Tuesday, has become the talk of social media.
Ning, a fashionable and humorous elderly lady, lives with her son, Du Cheng, in the Huangjincheng Road area of Changning District, Shanghai. Little did she know that her routine would be disrupted by an uninvited guest.
The intruder, Wang Xiaolong, a man in his 30s from Inner Mongolia, had been lurking in Ning's residential complex for two days. Previously a capable subordinate in a white-collar apartment owned by Ning's daughter-in-law, Wang's life took a dark turn due to online gambling debts.
Wang Xiaolong sneaks into the residential area where Ning Xian lives.
'Don't come back'
On December 22, he sneaked into Ning's building and hid in the 17th-floor fire escape. After a two-day internal struggle, Wang decided to act, following Ning home, forcing his way into her house, and demanding cash.
Despite being bound and faced with a knife-wielding intruder, Ning maintained her composure. She cleverly used WeChat to send her son an English message: "Don't come back," alerting him without catching the attention of the intruder.
Wang Xiaolong ties Ning Xian up.
But when Du received the message, he dismissed it as a mistake, unaware of the danger unfolding at home. As he entered the house, he found Wang holding a knife to his mother, demanding money.
In a tense negotiation, Ning managed to produce 7,900 yuan (US$1,107) in cash, but Wang insisted on 10,000 yuan. Du, under duress, withdrew an additional 2,400 yuan from a bank and returned with the police.
Wang Xiaolong releases Ning Xian and ties her son up instead.
Holding Du as hostage, Wang allowed a police officer into the house for negotiations.
Police learned that Wang's online gambling debt has blown to over 200,000 yuan. Apparently, he thought robbing Ning would be his ticket out.
After conversing for hours, the tense atmosphere seemed to be gradually eased. A police officer managed to persuade Wang to put down the knife.
At this critical moment, the SWAT police team stormed in, successfully rescuing Ning and her son.
Wang was subsequently charged with home robbery and sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison. Meanwhile, Du, showing an incredible level of forgiveness, signed a letter of forgiveness, hoping to give Wang a second chance.
A police officer negotiates with Wang Xiaolong.
