"Your arrival has added so much more color to my world."

"Seeing your photos and videos lifts my spirits again—I'm back to full strength."

"Dad will definitely take good care of himself and work hard."

A photo of Yin Xiaoqiang with his son on his office desk

These words reveal the tender side of a devoted father, who was also a resolute frontline police officer—Yin Xiaoqiang, an officer with the Leibo County Public Security Bureau in Liangshan Prefecture, whose life was cut short at age 35. These were 20 letters he quietly wrote for his one-year-old son, whom he rarely saw due to his demanding duties.

On March 6, Yin Xiaoqiang passed away after suffering a sudden illness caused by continuous overwork, despite emergency medical efforts. On March 11, a farewell ceremony was held, attended by family members, colleagues, friends, and representatives from the public. His phone contained photos of his son, and his drawer held 20 undelivered letters—written starting from November 15, 2024, and completed just 65 days before his sudden departure.

Excerpt from Yin Xiaoqiang's first letter to his son

"Son, your arrival has added so much more color to my world. Dad will write you many, many more letters." His son was born in October 2024, and the joy of becoming a first-time father was deeply heartfelt. Yet as a criminal investigator, he fully understood the weight of his responsibility to safeguard public safety. Since his wife and child lived long-term in a rural township, spending time together became a luxury, so he chose to accompany his son's growth through letters.

An excerpt from Yin Xiaoqiang's final letter to his son

"It's been a long time since I last wrote to you. Seeing your photos and videos lifts my spirits again." Behind this letter, written at the end of 2024, was his intense effort to solve two cold cases that had remained unsolved for over 20 years—a mission he ultimately accomplished. Colleagues noted that Yin Xiaoqiang often treated his office as home; these letters served as his way to express longing and ease his sense of guilt, kept hidden in his desk drawer and never given to his wife.

"Dad has been very tired lately, but just thinking of you fills me with energy for another full day. Wearing my dark blue uniform, I protect the safety of many others," he wrote in one letter. On January 1 of this year, he also wrote, "I'm packing all the good luck I can and sending it to my precious son."

"I will keep these letters carefully and give them to our child one by one when he grows up, so he'll know how much his police officer dad loved him." said his wife, Jia Bulige, who had been unaware of the letters until now. She believes their son will one day understand that his father was not only a courageous police officer but also a responsible and loving parent.

【本文部分内容由AI辅助生成，特此声明。The author(s) generated part of the content in this work with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI), which is hereby declared.】