After high school, Cheng was accepted into Saint John's University, Shanghai, where she joined the Wenhui Fellowship—a Christian Fellowship.
[2][3][4] In 1945, Cheng and her schoolmate founded the Yehuo Poetry Club (Chinese: 野火诗社).
[2] In May 1945, Cheng joined the Chinese Communist Party, and served in the New Fourth Army in Shanghai.
[2] While in Hong Kong, Cheng met her future husband, Chen Luzhi.
[2] After the founding of the Communist State, Cheng worked in the Chinese Foreign Ministry.