Rongrong's family and Brecken's family take selfies at the hotel in Shanghai on March 22, 2025. Photo: Li Yawei/GT
Brecken Neumann, a citizen from the US state of Mississippi, joined RedNote in January along with many other "TikTok refugees," where he posted a photo of himself and his daughter with the caption, "Hello everyone! This is myself and my daughter saying hello to all and look forward to all the new friends we make across the sea!"
Soon after, a Chinese internet user named Rongrong replied with a heartwarming photo of her family, also sending greetings to Brecken. The scene of two families from the US and China communicating across the ocean on RedNote touched the hearts of millions of netizens in both countries.
Brecken's RedNote post has received over 127,000 likes and 18,000 comments. A repost of their exchange on X garnered over 7.9 million views on X platform.
These two families met for the first time in Shanghai on Saturday.
Six hours before the Brecken family's arrival, Rongrong's family already began preparations. They purchased Qingtuan, traditional glutinous rice dumplings, from Shanghai's most authentic pastry shop.
"In our tradition, Qingtuan symbolizes reunion and is what we give friends as gifts," Rongrong explained.
The couple taught their 19-month-old daughter how to pronounce Brecken family members' names and how to greet them in English. They also prepared a bouquet featuring Phalaenopsis orchids, representing pure friendship.
"They're here!" Rongrong shouted excitedly the moment the US family emerged from customs, her voice echoing through the terminal. "I felt my adrenaline surge when I saw them," she told the Global Times.
Reporters from the Global Times noted that the two families exchanged gifts at the airport. The Brecken's family presented hoodies printed with "Let's Be Friends" in Chinese.
Rongrong's 19-month-old daughter (right) and Brecken's 16-month-old daughter share cookies at Shanghai Pudong Airport on March 22, 2025. Photo: Li Yawei/GT
Their toddlers - Brecken's 16-month-old daughter and Rongrong's 19-month-old girl, - also met for the first time.
When Rongrong's daughter shared a cookie, the blue-eyed little guest reached out to take it — for the two children, a single cookie could build a bridge.
