By reporter Zhi-Kun Guo and intern reporter Guan-Jie Zhang with text and pictures
In Beima Zhuang Village of Qingyuan County in Baoding City, 28-year-old blind young man Hongqi Wang supports himself by selling small items like needles and threads at the market every day. He not only takes care of himself but also looks after his 92-year-old grandmother. The two have relied on each other for over 20 years, their touching story of mutual support and unwavering human emotion has moved countless people locally.
1
A 28-Year-Old Blind Young Man Earning a Living by Going to Market
Hongqi Wang is a congenitally blind person. When he was two years old, his mother passed away, this sudden change heavily struck the once happy family. Not long after, his father went to another place and formed a new family, rarely returning home again. Only the two-year-old little Hongqi and his sixty-something grandmother remained at home. With no source of income, the already difficult situation became worse. The sixty-something grandmother struggled to support the family and raised little Hongqi with great hardship.
Now that little Hongqi has grown up, he has taken over the heavy burden from his grandmother's shoulders. In order to support himself and his grandmother, he goes to the market every day to sell items such as rubber bands and threads. The market he attends is either within Qingyuan County or at the boundary between Qingyuan and Lixian counties. Walking at a speed of 2.5 kilometers per hour, it takes him about seven to eight hours one way to reach the market which is roughly twenty kilometers away. Even in the coldest days of winter, carrying the goods he plans to sell, Hongqi Wang sets out early in the morning, feeling his way forward.
Finally arriving at the market, Hongqi Wang "finds" an empty spot and lays out his goods on the ground, if someone comes to buy, they can pick whatever they want and just put the money in his hand. During this process, he doesn't know how much money others give him or how many items they take. He does what others tell him to do. He keeps coins of different denominations—1 jiao, 5 jiao, 1 yuan, and 5 yuan—in separate pockets so that he can collect and return change by himself. Although encountering good people is fine, sometimes undisciplined children bully him.
Despite all the difficulties, Hongqi Wang still insists on going to the market every day, regardless of how hard the journey is or how late it gets. Because he knows there is a grandmother waiting for him at home. This life, Hongqi Wang and his grandmother have spent through sunsets and sunrises, winters and springs, relying on each other.
2
Abandoning Urban Life to Return Home and Take Care of His Grandmother
More and more people have learned about the story of blind Hongqi Wang earning a living by going to the market alone, and many kind-hearted people want to help the two.
According to neighbors, some time ago, a kind-hearted elder brother heard about Hongqi Wang's story and was deeply moved, wanting to lend them a helping hand. That elder brother took Hongqi Wang to Baoding to learn blind massage, so that Hongqi Wang could acquire a skill and improve his life through his own efforts.
No one expected that in less than two weeks, Hongqi Wang returned home by himself. The neighbors were puzzled. Hongqi Wang said, "The people there were pretty nice, especially that elder brother who took very good care of me, and the food was quite good too. In winter, I wasn't cold, and even when it was windy, I wasn't affected. But, the better it was, the more I couldn't stay. Whenever I had meals, I would think who was cooking for my grandmother? What was she eating? When I heard the wind outside, I would worry if my grandmother had closed the door properly? These things really made me anxious, so I came back. Although we eat poorly at home and it's cold inside, being with my grandmother makes me feel at ease."
3
The Simple Life of Grandson and Grandmother
Hongqi Wang is 28 years old this year, and his grandmother is already 92. The two have always lived in a house with only two blue brick rooms, which are now considered dangerous housing. Due to frequent leaks during summer, a kind-hearted person helped lay a layer of black plastic sheeting on the roof. The edges of the plastic sheeting are exposed outside, making it very noticeable. Inside the house, there is nothing but bare walls, no decent furniture. An iron pot is placed on the floor in the outer room, and some steamed buns are placed on the table in the inner room. The windows are still paper-covered, with only an added layer of white plastic sheeting outside to protect against wind and rain while not making the room too dark. It's winter now, and because they don't dare to light a fire, the water inside the house freezes.
There is a simple stove made of a few old bricks in the yard. On regular days, the grandson and grandmother use this stove and the only iron pot they have at home to heat water and eat steamed buns as meals.
The reporter asked Hongqi Wang, "Your eyes can see nothing, your own life is already very difficult, yet you still have to support your elderly grandmother. Do you feel that life is very tough?" He replied, "I don't feel that life is too hard, there are many people who have it tougher than me. Although I can't see, I can hear, I have hands and feet, and I can still do many things." Through chatting with Hongqi Wang, the reporter found that he loves to laugh and has a very open personality. The reporter asked, "Do you have any hobbies?" "When I have nothing to do, I like to sing Peking Opera," he replied. Saying this, Hongqi Wang wanted to sing a segment for the reporter.
4
Kind-hearted People Visit to Make Love-filled Dumplings
Members of the Baoding Popular Love Alliance, upon hearing about Hongqi Wang's story, were deeply moved and visited him multiple times. As the New Year approaches, everyone spontaneously thought of Hongqi Wang and decided to go to his home to make dumplings.
At around 9 o'clock on January 15th, everyone set off from Baoding with prepared dough, dumpling filling, rice, new cotton clothes, quilts, etc., heading towards Beima Zhuang Village in Qingyuan County. Upon arrival, they found Hongqi Wang already waiting outside. Everyone welcomed him back into the house and helped him put on new cotton clothes. Because his house was too small, everyone went to a neighbor's house to make dumplings for them. Various enthusiastic individuals rolled up their sleeves, men rolling out the dumpling skins and women wrapping the dumplings, finishing quickly. Sister Zhi from the Alliance boiled a portion of the dumplings and left some for the grandson and grandmother to eat the next day.
Watching Hongqi Wang and his grandmother eating hot dumplings, the members of the Love Alliance felt warm inside. As everyone was leaving, Hongqi Wang sent them off to the gate and stood there for a long time... Share: Welcome to comment, I want to comment, Weibo recommendation | Today's Weibo hot topics