Love on Two Wheels
"So Young" is a recent buzzword, and now, a real-life version has unfolded in Nanning. A 24-year-old man from Nanning and his two friends set off from the city, biked 450 kilometers over four days, and finally arrived in Mengshan County, Wuzhou City, to propose to their beloved. Their "proposal journey" was uploaded online and quickly shared by netizens, garnering over 20,000 clicks. One commenter joked, "Dude, you're famous now—you're the real So Young of Nanning!" What’s the story behind this "proposal journey"? What happened along the ride? Under the shade of trees on the campus of Guangxi International Business Vocational College, protagonist Xia Yankang and his riding companions shared their story with reporters.
The Love Plan: Proposing on a Bike Like Their Parents Did
With a sun-tanned face and glasses perched on his nose, the somewhat shy man is Xia Yankang, the protagonist of Nanning’s So Young. Beside him are his close friends Qin Qiu and Yu Yifan. The trio graduated two years ago from Guangxi International Business Vocational College's Accounting and Auditing programs and were entrepreneurial stars in the college’s startup incubator. Except for Xia, born in 1989, the other two are post-2000s.
"Last July 6th, the day after my girlfriend Huang Xian got her university diploma, we went and registered our marriage," Xia said. He and Huang Xian met, fell in love, and grew their relationship during college. Although they were already married, he always regretted not having proposed to her in a formal and romantic way.
Xia discussed with his close friends how to propose to Huang Xian in a romantic manner. They came up with several ideas: the first was driving a car, which is quite common; the second was proposing on a tractor, an interesting idea but they didn’t know where to get one; the third was arriving in a bridal sedan chair, but they had no clue where to find one. Finally, they asked their parents’ generation how they used to propose. The elders said that back in their day, they rode bicycles to their weddings. "Bicycles? The groom sits at the front, the bride hugs his waist from behind—how romantic!" In the end, Xia decided on the fourth option.
"The reason we chose biking wasn’t just to let everyone witness the four years of love between Huang Xian and me, but also to thank my brothers who’ve been through thick and thin with me. Also, many young couples nowadays choose low-carbon and eco-friendly ways to marry, and we wanted to support that too," Xia laughed.
The Journey of Love: Wanted to Quit But Pushed Through
"These past few days of biking can be described as sore backs, aching legs, and cramped muscles. We went through a lot," the trio said, pointing to their sunburned, peeling arms. Though the ride was over, their arms still bore patches of red and white.
"At first, we were chatting and laughing, but our mood was like a plunging stock market—cheerful in the morning, barely smiling at noon, and stone-faced by afternoon," Xia said. They tied promotional flags to their bikes, drawing curious glances from passersby. One elderly lady even said something that deeply moved them: "Youngsters, I believe you can make it to Mengshan. Keep it up!"
Xia said it was their first long-distance bike ride and that covering 450 kilometers was extremely challenging. Each of them drank at least eight bottles of mineral water and two energy drinks daily, but they rarely needed to use the restroom—the water came out as sweat. On the first day, all three experienced varying degrees of dehydration. It wasn’t until the second day that they realized they needed salt replenishment. With a tight schedule to reach Mengshan, every day’s ride was tightly planned.
"To be honest, there were moments when I felt extremely tired and thought about giving up. But then I remembered my promise and steeled myself to keep going," Xia said.
The Witness of Love: Sweet Romance and True Friendship
Xia said this journey, named "Commemorating Youth," was to honor both his love with Huang Xian and the brotherhood built through entrepreneurship.
In 2009, freshman Huang Xian joined the school basketball association. "I first met Huang Xian at the first meeting of the college basketball association. She wore jeans and an orange jacket that day..." Recalling their first encounter, Xia felt it was just yesterday. By the end of that year, their shared interests brought them together. That handhold marked the beginning of a lifelong journey.
April 29, 2013, was the most beautiful memory for Xia and Huang. When Xia finally appeared after four days of biking and said, "Will you marry me?", Huang, with tears of happiness, said yes. After hugging, Xia took Huang for a ride around Mengshan’s streets, singing and cheering, letting everyone share their joy.
The 450-kilometer, four-day ride witnessed not only sweet romance but also enduring friendship. Xia said that after graduation, he started a tough entrepreneurial journey, with Qin Qiu, Yu Yifan, and other college friends joining him in the struggle. "Biking is a lot like entrepreneurship—when you’re closer to your goal, you face more setbacks and challenges," Xia said. So he’s grateful for the friends who fought alongside him.
Netizen Reactions
Netizen "Tiny Bit of Blue": The journey leaves behind footprints and takes away memories—and happiness. Worth it all.
Netizen "Firefly in Summer Night": Such a simple yet romantic wedding. Congratulations, congratulations.
Netizen "Local Outsider": As someone from Mengshan, I sincerely bless you both. These days, we see more crying in BMWs, but not often people laughing on the back of a bicycle. Really touching.
Netizen "Xiao Wei": This is Nanning’s version of *So Young*, making us feel the power of youth: vibrant and full of life.