A 13-year-old girl in China named Li Jiating has gone viral after plunging into a freezing lake to save a drowning boy.

When she returned home soaking wet, the young girl told her father a watering sprinkler had simply sprayed her to avoid being scolded.

The incident happened after a four-year-old fell through thin ice at a local park at Tongxin county.

As others hesitated, Li told the boy’s panicked mother her lighter weight could help. Holding a pipe, she carefully crawled across the ice, determined to reach him before help arrived nearby.

Midway through the rescue, the ice gave way and Li plunged into the freezing lake.

Firefighters arrived moments later and pulled both children to safety. Wrapped in a blanket, the quiet teenager left the scene without sharing her name, avoiding attention for her bravery.

A passerby’s photo soon spread online, sparking praise nationwide and a search for the girl dubbed a little hero, as the rescued boy’s family hoped to thank her personally.

The girl was later identified and was a student at Tongxin County.

Back home, Li sat quietly by the stove to dry her shivering body. Her father recalled, “When I asked what happened, she just said she was near a watering cart that sprinkled her.”

She kept her heroic rescue a secret just to avoid being scolded.

He learned about his daughter’s bravery only after seeing posts about the rescue online.

“I’m proud of her,” her father said, “but I also reminded her that next time, you must make sure of your own safety first before saving others,”