Police officer Hao Zhiguo. Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn

In 2012, Hao Zhiguo, working as a traffic police officer for 20 years in North China's Hebei province, started to provide money, food and other daily necessities to two brothers whose father was imprisoned for a traffic accident.

The boys' mother left due to the accident and heavy burden she faced raising the children alone.

The boys, who were in primary school at the time, were left with their 85-year-old grandma at Shuanglou village in Xingtai.

Hao Zhiguo at Shuanglou village in Xingtai.?Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn

Since then, Hao has financed the boys' school and brought them to his home during Chinese New Year when families usually reunite.

"The children are innocent no matter what their parents do," Hao said.

He is relieved now because the children's father has recently been released from prison and their mother has returned home.

Contact the writer at zhangyu1@chinadaily.com.cn.