During the interview, several residents nearby praised Ruxianguli and said Li Yufeng was lucky. "Old Li has no one to rely on, but fortunately he met Ruxianguli. This girl is really good to him!" said resident Li Chengwen.
Ruxianguli's parents' home is one stop away from hers. "When she and her son-in-law are busy, she calls me to prepare food and send it to the old man. If I'm not around, she asks her brother to deliver it. It's only one stop away, so it's convenient," she said.
The acquaintance between cleaner Ruxianguli and Li Yufeng was accidental. One day in autumn five years ago, Ruxianguli, who had just become a cleaner at Shuimogou Street Office, was sweeping the street when she accidentally saw an old man sitting on the ground groaning in front of a newspaper stand. "I went over and asked him, and he said he felt uncomfortable due to heart problems and didn't want to go to the hospital because he had no money, so I quickly bought some medicine for him." Recalled Ruxianguli, 42 years old. Knowing that the old man had heart disease and hypertension, every day when she went to work, she would drop by to check on him. This old man was Li Yufeng. When she had time, she would chat with the old man, and gradually they became familiar with each other.
According to Yaxin News (reporter Qin Jinli, intern Li Hui), at 1:30 PM on November 2nd, as 73-year-old Li Yufeng was eating hot soup rice in large mouthfuls, Ruxianguli, sitting beside him, softly asked: "Uncle, how does it taste? Should we put less salt next time?" "No need, it's very good," the old man quickly replied. This scene took place near the first relief hospital on West Wenquan Road in Urumqi. After the old man finished his meal, Ruxianguli packed up the thermal bucket and hurried home, then after eating, she went out to continue sweeping leaves off the street. For five years, Ruxianguli and her family have been persistently delivering meals to Li Yufeng every day.
"My family doesn't have much money, so we can't give Uncle Li more help. He's like my parents; I'll care for him as much as I can," said Ruxianguli. The initial compassion for the elderly has now turned into kinship, and she will continue to deliver meals indefinitely.
Li Yufeng rents a house in a flat in Beishan Community, Shuimogou Street Office. In 1958, he left his hometown of Pingjiang County, Yueyang City, Hunan Province, and traveled across the country relying on his carpentry skills. Twelve years ago, he settled here and made a living through this wooden newsstand. Decades have passed, and he has remained unmarried and has become an old bachelor.
After washing her hands upon entering, Ruxianguli started kneading dough skillfully. The dough was already prepared in the morning, and the mutton was stewed beforehand. Boiling water, making noodles, pouring meat broth... within twenty minutes, the aroma of mutton soup filled the room. She put most of the meat into the thermal bucket: "It's getting cold, let the old man eat more meat to drive away the chill. It's not easy to stay outside all day." She added another bottle of boiling water, put it together with the thermal bucket into an eco-friendly bag, and went out the door, "I'll send it while it's still hot, and I'll come back and eat later."
Yesterday at noon, the reporter came to Ruxianguli's home at No. 157, Nanshan Community. This old house is rented from the property office, only 18 square meters in size, with two rooms inside and outside, neatly arranged. Her husband Abuduxikuer is a member of the joint defense team in Beishan Community, and her 15-year-old son is in the third year of junior high school.
Ruxianguli's 63-year-old father said that his daughter has been kind since childhood, and the whole family supports her actions. Long-term interactions have made Ruxianguli's entire family friends of Li Yufeng. "Dad often comes over to chat with uncle, keeping him company. Sometimes when uncle wants to go out, he helps watch the newspaper stand," Ruxianguli said. In their hearts, the old man has become a member of the family, and her parents often call to ask if the meal has been delivered to the old man.
Sometimes when Ruxianguli is too busy to cook or deliver food, her family steps in. "Her husband, son, parents, and younger brother have all delivered food to the old man, and the whole family knows the old man well," said Daguli, Ruxianguli's colleague. Ruxianguli and her family always cook lunch first, fearing it will get cold if left for too long, and first deliver it to the old man before rushing back to eat. "The family has persisted for five years, which is truly difficult!" she said. Sometimes when the old man doesn't eat breakfast in the morning, Ruxianguli buys him a few buns nearby and helps distribute the newspapers that are delivered. Two years ago, when the old man was hospitalized due to high blood pressure, Ruxianguli took care of him in the hospital.
Thereafter, every noon and afternoon, Ruxianguli delivers food to Li Yufeng, "the food changes every week." The old man said that knowing he had high blood pressure, Ruxianguli deliberately puts less salt in the food, and it's not too greasy. To deliver food, Li Yufeng has scolded Ruxianguli many times, "I told her, 'girl, don't deliver anymore, you're so good to me, how can I thank you?' But she said 'uncle, don't feel burdened, it's just one more bowl of food. And I'm not giving it for free, aren't I reading your newspapers every day?' No matter what I say, she continues to deliver without fail, regardless of weather." Year by year, Li Yufeng couldn't stop this "stubborn" girl, instead becoming increasingly dependent on this warm kinship: "Even a real daughter wouldn't do more than this!"
An elderly resident, Dong Wuming, often comes to chat with Li Yufeng. He said that he has known Li Yufeng for seven or eight years, and he has seen Ruxianguli's kindness to the old man. "Although they are not related, this girl delivers food to Old Li every day. In summer, she delivers two meals a day, and in winter, when Old Li finishes work early, she delivers one meal. She never stops throughout the four seasons." Grandpa Dong said that even during holidays or vacations, Ruxianguli always delivers food on time. "She also invites Old Li to celebrate festivals at her home, but Old Li says he feels bad about causing trouble again. So, she brings the delicious food to the newspaper stand." Every year, Ruxianguli gives the old man clothes several times, "winter coats in winter, shirts in summer, all new."
Ruxianguli noticed that the old man often ate carelessly at noon, eating a naan or steamed bun with plain boiled water as a meal. The frail old man always looked pale. "It's obvious that he lacks nutrition, and I feel sorry for him. Uncle is very diligent; every morning before I start work, he is already there. He is also kind, often letting nearby elders and cleaners read the newspapers for free," Ruxianguli said. The old man reminded her of her kind parents, and she felt responsible to make him live better.
Li Yufeng said that he knew Ruxianguli's family wasn't wealthy either, so he was full of gratitude towards her, "but I have nothing, I don't know how to thank them!" As shown in the picture, on the noon of November 2nd, sanitation worker Ruxianguli timely came to deliver food to Elder Li Yufeng. Photographed by intern Zhang Mei.
Li Yufeng said that after leaving his hometown in 1958, he never returned. In his hometown, he only has a nephew whom he has never met, "if I can't sell newspapers anymore, maybe I'll go back." He said that his nephew once invited him back, but after staying here for so many years, accompanied by Ruxianguli's family, he experienced the warmth of family ties and didn't want to leave.
Ruxianguli's husband Abuduxikuer broke his arm in May this year and still has steel plates in it, but he still frequently delivers food to the old man on behalf of his wife: "Sometimes I work night shifts and am at home during the day. My wife asks me to deliver food to the old man, and I dare not refuse. I can't find any excuses, or she will be angry again." He laughed and said that his wife's concern for a stranger made him feel proud: "It shows that I married a good wife!"
"When she first started delivering food to me, I was quite surprised," Li Yufeng said. On a cold noon in October 2006, he was eating dry naan and drinking the cool water he brought in the morning when Ruxianguli hurriedly came over with a thermal bucket. "Uncle, it's homemade pulled noodles, eat while it's hot!" Ruxianguli also brought him a large bottle of hot water. At that moment, he was stunned: "This... how much is it?" Ruxianguli laughed heartily: "What's all this talk about money? My house is close by, and I cooked extra for convenience. Don't mention money from now on!" Li Yufeng said that as he ate the hot meal, tears almost fell into the thermal bucket, "for so many years of loneliness, it was the first time someone cared for me so much."
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