Images of a simple-looking 80-year-old man gifting his elderly wife a diamond ring are making waves on Chinese social networking site Weibo. The photos of the couple dressed in plain clothing and trying on rings were posted by Weibo user ‘This is Xinjiang’ last week, and have already been shared over 1,500 times.

Intrigued, the Xinjiang Internet Office decided to investigate the story. They contacted and interviewed staff at the jewellery shop where the photo was taken. According to staff member Zhou Lanlan, the couple had visited their shop at noon on Wednesday. The man then proceeded to ask for diamond rings that were ‘reasonably priced’.

The salesperson recommended one particular ring that was being sold at a discounted price. After trying it on, the man payed for the ring with a huge roll of small banknotes that are believed to have been his entire life’s savings. He mentioned that he wanted to make his wife happy after a lifetime of struggles. “We’ve been leading a hard life. I just hope to cheer her up,” he told the staff.

Zhou then clicked a few pictures of the couple, in the hopes that this romantic gesture would inspire others to appreciate their life partners more . When Weibo users came to know of the story, it obviously melted their hearts. Many wrote that the photos are so touching that they couldn’t help shedding a few tears. “This is true love,” one person commented, while another said “This is the most romantic thing to ever happen in my hometown Korla. I wish them a better life!”

Sources: SCMP, Shanghaiist