Chinese singer Qu Wanting recently opened up about her battle with breast cancer, sharing the physical and emotional struggles she endured during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, instead of receiving sympathy, the singer faced a wave of criticism from Chinese netizens, many of whom brought up her family’s controversial past.

According to Chinese media outlet QQ, Qu Wanting, who currently lives in Canada, revealed that she was diagnosed with breast cancer while the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak. She recalled asking herself, “I don’t understand why this happened to someone as young as me. Why me?”

The singer explained that by the time doctors diagnosed her, the cancer had already progressed, leaving her with no choice but to undergo an immediate mastectomy to save her life. After the surgery, she decided against breast reconstruction, accepting the permanent scar left by the operation. In a recent interview, Qu appeared noticeably thinner and spoke in a weak, exhausted voice while reflecting on her experience.

She described the aftermath of the surgery as one of the most difficult periods of her life. Living alone overseas, she had no one to help her recover, forcing her to slowly change her own bandages and take medication by herself. During chemotherapy, she said she was often too weak to even prepare a simple bowl of porridge and could only lie in bed while enduring the pain. She also spoke about the loneliness of living far from home and questioned the unfairness of her circumstances.

Despite her emotional confession, public reaction in China was overwhelmingly negative. The story became one of the most-discussed topics on Weibo, but many comments mocked the singer rather than expressing compassion. Some users described her illness as “karma” for what they believe her family had done in the past.

The backlash stems from the corruption case involving Qu Wanting’s mother, Zhang Mingjie, the former deputy director of the Harbin Municipal Development and Reform Commission. Authorities found that Zhang had conspired with business partners to sell state-owned land valued at approximately 2.3 billion yuan at a discounted price while illegally pocketing around 350 million yuan.

She was also convicted of embezzling relocation compensation intended for 566 laid-off workers. Zhang received a life sentence in 2021. The case became one of China’s most notorious corruption scandals and reportedly served as inspiration for a character in the hit anti-corruption drama In the Name of People.

According to reports, the missing relocation funds left 566 families without proper housing, with many suffering severe financial hardship and family breakdowns. Investigators concluded that Zhang had abused her official position to embezzle public funds, resulting in her life imprisonment.

While hundreds of affected families struggled, Qu Wanting was sent to study at an expensive school in Canada at the age of 16. Chinese media also reported that when attendance at one of her concerts was poor, her mother allegedly purchased large numbers of tickets and distributed them free of charge. These revelations fueled public criticism that the singer had benefited from wealth obtained through corruption.

With her mother’s support, Qu Wanting released several albums and even performed at CCTV’s prestigious 2013 Spring Festival Gala. After Zhang came under investigation, however, Qu remained in Canada and consistently defended her mother, maintaining that she had been wrongfully accused.

Earlier this year, Qu attempted to restart her entertainment career by opening a Douyin account and announcing plans to release a new album during the summer. She also posted Lunar New Year greetings while expressing hope of returning to the music industry. However, the account was reportedly removed shortly afterward. In addition, her music has reportedly been taken down from major online platforms in China, and commercial endorsement deals with brands have also come to an end.

Sources: K14