Yesterday, in Huayan of Jiulongpo District, neighbors sang the birthday song together to celebrate Waiwai's birthday. A neighbor carried Waiwai on his back to the place where the feast was held, and all the firecrackers on the ground were given by the neighbors. Reported by Huang Yu.
At noon yesterday, a community in the fifth neighborhood of Huayan Town, Jiulongpo District was abuzz with excitement. At exactly 12 o'clock, amidst the sound of firecrackers, more than a hundred residents gathered together to raise their glasses in celebration of the fiftieth birthday of one of their elderly neighbors. None of them knew the real name of this old neighbor, but they all called him Waiwai.
Two days ago, when Waiwai individually informed them to come for dinner on the 16th, all the neighbors thought he was joking. Because Waiwai is a disabled person who has suffered from polio since childhood and has been begging here for ten years. For ten years, sitting on a wheeled chair, Waiwai has entered the age of fifty with the help of his neighbors, which also made him conceive the idea of hosting a "gratitude" birthday banquet.
Yesterday, in Huayan of Jiulongpo District, neighbors sang the birthday song together to celebrate Waiwai's birthday.
The background of Waiwai:
Suffered from polio as a child
Has been begging here for ten years
The name Waiwai has been called for ten years. The neighbors have helped Waiwai for ten years, but almost all the neighbors do not know Waiwai's real name or where his hometown is.
Yesterday, Guo Bing took out Waiwai's ID card, and all the neighbors gathered around. "Oh, so 'Waiwai' is actually Chen Deqiang, should we call him Brother Chen or Brother Qiang!"
The ID card shows that Waiwai was born on September 17, 1962, and his address is Longwen Society, United Village, Huangjia Ya Town, Nan'an District. Not long after birth, Waiwai contracted polio, causing gradual paralysis of the lower limbs. Although his family took good care of him, Waiwai did not want to stay at home, "The wheelchair given by the village committee, he couldn't get onto it, so he could only sit on a wheeled cart." Guo Bing said that Waiwai had been to many places begging, but because he missed his parents at home, every half year or so, he would return home.
Ten years ago, after Waiwai's parents passed away, he rarely returned home, spending most of his time begging outside. Not long after, Waiwai came to beg near Huayan Temple in Jiulongpo. Because there were many visitors and tourists here, Waiwai could always manage to collect twenty or thirty yuan a day.
Neighbors carry Waiwai on their backs to the place where the feast is held, and all the firecrackers on the ground are gifts from the neighbors. Chongqing Morning Post (Weibo) reported by Huang Yu.
Waiwai personally visited
To invite neighbors for dinner
A few months ago, Mrs. Huang moved from the fifth neighborhood of Huayan Town to another nearby community.
Early in the morning two days ago, Mrs. Huang heard an urgent knock on her door. Opening the door, she looked down and saw a middle-aged man sitting on a wheeled cart looking up at her excitedly.
"Waiwai, how did you find your way here?" Mrs. Huang was very happy to see Waiwai.
"I'm about to have my birthday, you must come for dinner tomorrow, no need to bring any gifts," Waiwai spoke with unclear diction, enunciating each word slowly. After a pause, before Mrs. Huang could react, Waiwai added, "Bring the whole family!"
Mrs. Huang was quite surprised: "It's not easy for you to make money, how can we possibly come and eat your meal?" Unexpectedly, Waiwai immediately countered: "If you don't come, you're not a good friend." Then he pushed himself away on the wheeled cart.
Looking at Waiwai's retreating figure, Mrs. Huang felt deeply moved. "A few days ago, he asked me to help him buy an electric rice cooker. After I bought it, he said he wanted to thank me by inviting me to dinner, I thought he was joking, how could he possibly afford it?" Mrs. Huang said, "When I first met Waiwai ten years ago, I felt very heartbroken. But after these years of interaction, we've all become friends, and I think he is very strong!"
That day, more than a hundred old neighbors from the fifth neighborhood of Huayan Town received Waiwai's invitation. Initially, everyone politely declined, but Waiwai's statement "If you don't come, you're not a good friend" made everyone silently accept.
Some brought fireworks
Others brought cakes
At 11:30 am yesterday, Mrs. Huang hurried to the fifth neighborhood of Huayan Town after work. Although Waiwai had mentioned no gifts, Mrs. Huang still carried a box of milk.
Waiwai was sitting on his wheeled cart waiting at the intersection early, still wearing that military green jacket. He had shaved his hair and beard. Despite the inconvenience caused by his deformed limbs, he warmly greeted each neighbor who came to the feast. Neighbors came, and workers from nearby factories also came.
"Waiwai, are you happy today on your birthday?" The neighbors greeted Waiwai. Waiwai nodded vigorously: "Happy..."
"Waiwai, when you turn a hundred, remember to invite us for drinks again!" The neighbors laughed happily. More than a hundred neighbors showed up that day, some bringing fireworks, others bringing cakes.
As it approached twelve o'clock, "Waiwai" was lifted onto the table. The neighbors inserted five candles into the cake, lit them, and then Waiwai blew them out one by one with his mouth that leaked air. Instantly, several strings of firecrackers exploded, and Waiwai was so delighted that he danced with joy.
More than a hundred neighbors gathered for the first time
"To thank everyone for coming to celebrate my cousin's fiftieth birthday. I especially want to thank everyone for taking care of him over the years, without you, he wouldn't be living so well..." Waiwai's cousin Guo Bing choked up while thanking the crowd, "Now he feels that it's good here, he doesn't want to go back home."
"Having drunk Waiwai's birthday wine, may everyone live longer." The neighbors never expected that as a beggar, Waiwai would specially invite them for dinner. When they sat together for the first time because of Waiwai the beggar, everyone felt incredibly happy.
Cousin Guo Bing said that a few days ago when he visited "Waiwai", "He will be fifty on the 17th, he told me he wanted to host a birthday banquet, just inviting the surrounding neighbors, as a form of gratitude." To fulfill his cousin's wish, apart from Waiwai's own savings, Guo Bing took care of everything else, "The neighbors found out and contributed money, but they all said not to tell him." Thus, Guo Bing contacted a catering service and booked ten tables at a standard of 300 yuan per table.