BEIJING: A Chinese woman donated 500 yuan (US$75) to an 18-year-old stranger with a disability after seeing a social media post saying he was too poor to afford meals.
Eight years later, he repaid her double the amount after learning she was going through a difficult time, which moved many people online.
In 2018, Wang Shuming, from China’s eastern Shandong province, posted a video saying he had no money and could not afford food.
Wang lives with the effects of a childhood fever. He has difficulty walking steadily and speaking clearly, and limited movement in his hands. At the time, he had just left home to try to support himself.
Zhu Xuewei, a 33-year-old clothing shop owner in Wuhan, in central China’s Hubei province, saw his post and contacted him, immediately transferring him 500 yuan.
Wang said he initially refused the money several times, but Zhu insisted until he accepted it. She later turned down his attempts to repay her, so Wang sent her a dozen boxes of apples grown by his family instead.
Their friendship continued over the next eight years. Wang sent Zhu apples, cherries and seafood from his hometown each year, while Zhu sent clothes to his family every season.
Zhu also helped promote Wang’s apples.
They rarely discussed their difficulties with each other, instead showing their care through these gifts.
Recently, Wang messaged Zhu to thank her for her continued help. He told her that his life had improved and she no longer needed to spend time promoting his apples.
Zhu said she was happy for Wang and mentioned that her own life “had not been too good” over the past two years.
To her surprise, Wang remembered what she had said and paid her a visit on Oct 17.
It was the first time the two had met in person in their eight years of friendship. Wang visited Zhu briefly at her shop.
After leaving, he messaged Zhu to say he had left her a red envelope containing 1,000 yuan, hoping it would make her life a little easier.
Zhu insisted on returning the money, but Wang refused to take it back.
With no other choice, Zhu invited Wang back and treated him to dinner. She showed him around Wuhan and took photos with him.
Wang said he wished he could do more for Zhu, but his means were limited.
“I must repay her kindness,” he said, adding that when he posted the video eight years ago, he never expected anyone to help him.
Asked why she had helped Wang, Zhu said it was because a woman had generously helped her when she was 17. “My life might have fallen apart without her help,” she said.
Zhu has also donated clothes to charity organisations for years.
She said she would treasure Wang’s red envelope, adding that his hardworking spirit would continue to inspire her.
“When you treat other people kindly, you will also receive kindness,” one online observer commented.
“What they gave each other was not a large sum of money, but an extraordinary care for a friend. True friendship cannot be measured in money,” another said. - South China Morning Post
