On the evening of January 21, Li Senlin stepped into the boundary of Yancheng alone. "If you feel tired, think about the Red Army's 25,000-li Long March; if you feel exhausted, think about our revolutionary predecessors, come on, poster!" "Congratulations to the poster who is almost home!" "The poster should be home today! It's been a very tough journey!"... In the afternoon at around 3 o'clock, Li Senlin was still over 20 miles away from home when he saw a familiar figure - his mother had actually driven her motorcycle halfway to pick him up! "She couldn't bear the thought of me walking for another nine days and arriving home in the dark, so she came early without telling me. I was deeply moved at that moment." A sense of respect for his mother arose in Xiao Li, making his nose tingle. He decided then and there to ride the last leg of the journey home with his mother on the motorcycle. "I couldn't carry much this year because I walked all the way back, and there's also a 12-year-old boy suffering from a strange disease who can't stand the sound of firecrackers. So, I didn't buy many gifts. Instead, I gave half of my novel writing royalties to my mom!"
Every day covering the distance of a marathon
The entire journey covered nearly 900 li
Only those who have experienced it can truly understand.
On January 14, third-year student Li Senlin from Suzhou University set out with his good friend Yuan Hui from Changzhou, starting their hike from Suzhou to return home to Yancheng for the New Year, drawing significant social attention. On January 22nd, it was learned that Yuan Hui, residing in the urban area of Yancheng, arrived home first on the afternoon of the 21st. Li Senlin, eager to get home, finally reached his old house in Binhai at 5 PM on the 22nd, having dinner and staying up late with his mother who had waited for him for a long time.
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The online post received over 5,000 clicks
Xiao Li told reporters that after 9 days of walking, he went from initially experiencing sore calves, blisters on his feet, and overall weakness, to feeling refreshed and ready to continue walking joyfully the next day after a night's rest. "I've now completely adapted to the state of walking a hundred li a day. After all, I've been persisting in walking the equivalent of a marathon every day for so many days! Let me tell you what real power walking is!"
At around 2:30 PM on the 21st, Yuan Hui, who lived in the urban area of Yancheng, reached his destination first. After eating lunch at his friend's house, Li Senlin bid farewell to his good buddy who had accompanied him for eight days and continued his journey alone towards his warm and sweet home. "My buddy has made it home, leaving only me to cover the remaining distance. One person, walking," Xiao Li recorded on Weibo at 3:44 PM on the 21st.
At noon on the 22nd, the reporter contacted Li Senlin who was rushing home alone. "According to the map, the total distance is 400 kilometers or 800 li, but I feel it's far more than that. Calculating it, our walking speed is approximately 7 kilometers per hour, and we basically achieve the goal of walking a hundred li each day. There were some issues with the mobile navigation system, causing us to take some detours, adding up to an estimated 900 li."
Walking northward, Xiao Li felt that the further along he got, the more energized he became, because he was getting closer to home. "True freedom isn't being unburdened and wandering aimlessly; it's having a thread that connects you wherever you go, and that thread leads to home. Perhaps we are allowed to wander far, far away, but the thread will never let go!" This was a Weibo post by Li Senlin as he hurried alone on the evening of the 21st.
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The reporter noticed that the post Li Senlin made on Tianya before setting out titled "400 kilometers, I, a member of the post-90s generation, am hiking home with dreams on my back" had become extremely popular in just one week. Over a thousand netizens were paying close attention to the itinerary and latest developments of these two college students, continuously supporting them through comments and encouraging messages. By 5 PM on January 22nd, the post had received 5,270 clicks and 240 replies.
Departing from the North Campus of Suzhou University on the 14th, the two college students had been inseparable for the next 8 days, moving forward towards their common goal. Along the way, the somewhat scatterbrained Li Senlin was responsible for updating Weibo and giving media interviews, while the introverted Yuan Hui handled finances and asking directions. "In life, to find a true friend, what more could one ask for? Friends, do you have a brother like mine? Just because I said I wanted to walk, he accompanied me." Li Senlin wrote on Weibo.
At noon on the 22nd, Li Senlin excitedly posted on Weibo, "Less than 30 kilometers left to home, I don't even need navigation anymore, I know the way!" "The small bridges of my hometown give off a unique feeling." To make it home in time for dinner with his long-waiting mother, the eager Li Senlin quickened his pace and didn't stop all afternoon. "All along the way, there are sounds of firecrackers, the festive atmosphere is becoming increasingly strong! Tonight, once I get home, I'm going to put up Spring Festival couplets and set off fireworks!"
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For over 800 li of the way home, which originally could be completed in four hours with a bus ticket, Li Senlin and his companions managed it in eight or nine days solely on foot. Throughout the journey, they braved wind and rain, and once spent an entire night walking on National Highway 204, enduring hunger and cold. The various flavors of sweetness, sourness, bitterness, and spiciness during the trek can only be truly understood by those who have personally experienced it.
Spent an entire night walking on the national highway
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