The accident brought along a very significant person to Niuniu's life. Wu Juping, 31 and the mother of a 7-month-old boy, who caught hold of the girl even as she was on the way to hitting the ground at full force, broke her left arm in the process. She is now a close friend of the Zhang family.

Niuniu plays with Wu Juping in the ward of Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University's School of Medicine in Hangzhou, on Sept 28. Wu, who caught hold of Niuniu as she fell out the window of a 10th-floor flat, brought toys to the girl on the day she was discharged from the hospital.[Photos by Dong Xuming / for China Daily]

As both Niuniu and Wu are progressing on the road of recovery, the two families have bonded well. Wu often visits Niuniu and the two families watched a fireworks show together in October.

Wu has been given various awards and was crowned "the most beautiful mother" by Chinese netizens ever since her story received extensive coverage by media. Her selfless act of generosity was a welcome departure from the slew of stories about people hesitating to help strangers in the hour of need, published in recent years.

A sculpture titled "mother's love", inspired by Wu's brave and selfless act, was erected near the residences of Wu and Niuniu. Wu has been invited to various workplaces to tell her story and inspire others.

Being able to hold her son again recently was one of the happiest developments in Wu's life, although her left arm has not fully recovered and she is unable to hold heavy things. She likes taking her son out to enjoy the winter sunshine in the residential complex where she lives. Sometimes, she would be recognized by passers-by and chatted up.

Wu said she has gradually adjusted to a life that attracted people's attention, but did not think of herself as a heroine.

"All I did was simply out of a mother's instinct. If I have played a role that benefitted others, then what I did was worthwhile," she said.