A portrait Li Yuchuan painted of herself. [Courtesy of Li Yuchuan]

The fateful injury

"When I woke up from the coma, I did not know what happened. The first thing I said was, ‘Oh mum, I must have overslept, I'll have to rush to the exams.'" Li recalled.

Li was unconscious from time to time in hospital. "I only remember I said to my dad that I needed some water to drink. But he said, ‘You can't drink right now. You don't drink, I don't drink.' So my dad refrained from drinking water with me. This is one of the only things I can remember about the first days."

Li recalled when the family of the deranged man visited her. "I said to my mum that they are miserable as well. They have a mentally-ill son. You cannot blame him."

Complications will come with the paralysis. Catching a cold may lead to pneumonia, a urinary tract infection may lead to kidney problems, and bedsores may cause septicemia -- every small illness may turn out fatal. "She is still dependent on the hospital and treatment." Li's mother explained.

Now Li and her parents live in a small room near the Central Academy of Fine Arts. Li's mother has to send her to school.