Spontaneously Set Up Donation Box - December 28th News: Ms. Yu lives near the Railway Garden New Village area and goes to the Qingchun Farmers Market every day to buy groceries.
In the past couple of days, a donation box has appeared at the market, but one stall owner is missing. Upon inquiry, it turns out that Mr. Wang, who sold salted pork, suffered a sudden cerebral hemorrhage and was hospitalized.
"He's a good man. Whenever our company issued preserved duck or someone gave him cured meat, Mr. Wang would help slice and prepare them, always very enthusiastic."
"Mr. Wang never caused trouble; the salted pork he sold was always spotlessly clean. Business should be done this way."
Not only Ms. Yu, but many other stall owners and customers have also donated money for Mr. Wang. "I heard he doesn't have any family. Those taking care of him are actually his old customers," Ms. Yu said, "I sincerely hope he can overcome this difficulty."
To save critically ill Mr. Wang, a donation box was spontaneously set up in the market.
At 11:30 AM, after the peak grocery shopping hours had passed, the Qingchun Farmers Market quieted down. Nearby is the Railway Garden New Village, not far from a fence with train tracks beyond it. Every time a train roared by, the simple donation box at the market entrance would vibrate slightly.
The donation box was made from a cardboard box, clearly hastily put together. However, no one could overlook it.
During the midday break, customers coming to the market for some vegetables and stall owners who had been busy all morning would stop by the donation box and ask, "How is the donation going?" "How is Mr. Wang?"
Indeed, the donation box was for Mr. Wang.
"Mr. Wang", as referred to by stall owner Ms. Yu, is the "salted pork boss", over 60 years old. He ran a meat stall at the farmers' market, selling salted pork, cured meat, and ham. Usually, he seemed healthy, but a few days ago, he suddenly suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and is now still in the ICU.
Ms. Lou, who sells aquatic products, said the incident happened on the 25th, Christmas Day. At around 6 AM, everyone was tidying up their shops to open as usual when Mr. Wang suddenly said he felt dizzy.
"Mr. Wang had felt dizzy before, but each time resting helped. So we told him to lie down for a bit. There was a bed nearby at the market management office where someone helped him go."
After lying down for over an hour, Mr. Wang still didn't feel better. When asked if he had high blood pressure, he himself wasn't sure.
"I told him to go to the hospital and check, but he refused, saying resting would be enough. I knew he wanted to save money because he didn't have medical insurance..." Fang Xiankang, the head of the farmers' market, said that when he went to check later, he found Mr. Wang's face had changed color and he couldn't speak.
After a flurry of activity, Mr. Wang was sent to the hospital. His blood pressure had risen to over 260, and the hospital immediately issued a critical condition notice.
A few stall owners, holding bowls of rice, gathered together, sighing as they ate.
"Too pitiful, he doesn't have a single relative."
"The day before, he was fine. That night, he said it was Christmas Eve, so he drank a little to celebrate."
"Yes, I thought his health was good, being a northerner, tall and sturdy."
"Thinking about it, whenever we were too busy, he would always lend a hand."
"The day before the incident, an elderly lady came to buy vegetables, and Mr. Wang saw she had mobility issues, so he rode his electric scooter to send her home."
For over 10 years, in the eyes of these market "old colleagues," Mr. Wang was just a plain, kind-hearted person.
This kind-hearted person was also quite cheerful. During slow business times, everyone would chat together. This person was also very frugal. Just before the market closed every day, he generally only took home a bag of vegetables and five or six ounces of noodles.
Mr. Wang's home was in a small alley next to Kaiyuan Road. It was on the first floor of a farmer's house, an 8-square-meter room. Clothes hung on the windowsill, and the lighting was poor.
Fang Xiankang said that Mr. Wang had to pay 1000 yuan per month for his stall rent and 700 yuan for his housing rent, plus eating expenses. After deducting these various costs from his earnings, there wasn't much left.
When the reporter later visited Mr. Wang's place, the room was clean, with a bed, an old cabinet, an old table, a small TV, and a very broken air conditioner.
On the table was an unpeeled pomelo and several fresh sugarcane oranges. On the ground beside the bed was a large bucket of Guyue Longshan wine. Perhaps, this was the only entertainment left for Mr. Wang after selling cured meat all day.
Landlady Zhou said that Mr. Wang had lived here for four or five years, and she had never seen his family members. The first year, she heard he returned home once. "Rent is paid every two months, and we never have to chase him. He pays on time every time. Not talkative, but very diligent."
On the way back to the market, Fang Xiankang said while walking, "Don't look at Mr. Wang having a meat stall, but his business is usually very average. If he didn't save, Mr. Wang would have even less money saved up. I know he wants to leave more for his old age..."
Contributing eggs, vegetable sales money to donate to Mr. Wang
For over a decade, he led a simple life.
Fang Xiankang had a notebook recording the donations from the market stall owners for Mr. Wang over the past few days.
50, 100, 200, 400, 500, 1000, 2000... Fang Xiankang said that the stall owners in this market all did small businesses. The market used to be near the Qingchun Overpass, and last spring, it moved here due to demolition. After moving here, because of the poor location, there were fewer customers, and business was average.
"It's not easy for everyone—"
For example, Zheng Qiqian, who sells eggs, donated 2000 yuan. Sister Zheng, 45 years old, from Pujiang, has an older son studying at a university in Hunan and a younger daughter in junior high school.
"She herself is very frugal, how many eggs does she need to sell to make that much money..." Fang Xiankang said.
"There's nothing special." Sister Zheng smiled shyly at the reporter, "He's a really nice person, very amiable, truly pitiful."
Aunt Zhao, who sells dried goods, is from Anhui. Her shop is diagonally opposite Mr. Wang's. She and her husband, Han Zhiliang, donated 1000 yuan.
"We've known each other for five or six years." Aunt Zhao said that Mr. Wang had just bought a pack of Lique cigarettes worth 20 yuan from her shop a few days ago. "It was for others to smoke, as doing business always involves dealing with people. He himself only smoked Lion cigarettes worth 5 yuan."
Wang Heyi, who sells vegetables, brought over 200 yuan. Old Wang's son was in a car accident last year, which spent most of his savings, and recently, his financial situation was very tight. He couldn't even afford the stall rent and asked the market management office to delay payment.
Old Wang didn't say much. He said, "We knew each other at the old market. For over ten years, if I can help, I'll do my part."
Madam Huang Shengli, who sells vegetables at the farmers' market, donated three times. The first time, she donated over 200 yuan. When her daughter heard, she thought it was too little and donated again herself. Later, Madam Huang donated once more, and this family altogether donated over 1000 yuan.
"Mr. Wang is a very good person. Back at the old market, every time I transported vegetables uphill, he would help me push." Aunt Huang said.
In this way, the market stall owners collectively raised more than ten thousand yuan. However, this money was already spent, and they still owe the hospital. In the past few days, Mr. Wang's surgery and hospitalization cost two or three thousand yuan per day.
Logically speaking, Mr. Wang should have some savings, but since he's still in a coma, what will happen next?
Old customers run errands like family members.
"Later, I'll go to the hospital to check the situation." At the entrance of the farmers' market, a middle-aged man wearing a navy blue cotton jacket hurriedly ate a few bites of rice before rushing out.
This man is Wang Guoping, who came from his hometown, Longyou, a few days ago to help.
Around 1 PM on the day Mr. Wang had the accident, he received a call from the market manager. Wang Guoping was one of the few contacts stored in Mr. Wang's phone.
Actually, calling him a friend, Wang Guoping could at most be considered one of Mr. Wang's old customers. A few years ago, he opened a small restaurant on Qingchun East Road and often bought cured meat from Mr. Wang, knowing him for no more than two or three years.
"This year, my wife gave birth, so I haven't reopened the store since spring and returned to my hometown."
These days, Wang Guoping borrowed a place to stay in Hangzhou, helping to raise funds during the day and taking care of Mr. Wang at the hospital at night.
"I told my family that a friend in Hangzhou needed help. I know he doesn't have many relatives, so I'll help as much as I can. He's a good person, and we share the same surname..."
Wang Guoping runs errands back and forth, dealing with Mr. Wang's illness and fundraising. Meanwhile, the old "colleagues" at the market help manage Mr. Wang's meat stall.
They packed the remaining hams and cured meats well. When customers come, they help serve them, calling out the prices Mr. Wang usually quoted.
"Luckily, a kind-hearted boss has already bought all the leftover goods, and none of it was sold at a discount."
In the afternoon, the reporter contacted this boss. Boss Li is the head of the canteen at the East China Home Appliance Market.
"More than 10 years ago, I met Mr. Wang at the old market." Mr. Li said, although the canteen rarely uses salted pork or cured meat as ingredients, he still frequently visits Mr. Wang at the new market to buy vegetables and greets him.
"A few days ago, when I went to restock, I heard he was sick, and the remaining goods didn't know how to handle. So I decided to buy them."
Since the restaurant doesn't use these items, why buy them? "Eat them myself or give them as gifts during the New Year," Mr. Li said.
And according to the Hangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Mr. Wang is still in a coma, his condition not good, and he hasn't yet escaped danger.