This summer has undoubtedly been a grand adventure for Zeng Ziqi, an 8-and-a-half-year-old from Shenzhen. The third-grade elementary school student’s summer project was — hiking 700 kilometers to her hometown of Shaoyang in Hunan. On July 13, she set off from Xixiang in Bao’an District, Shenzhen, trekking through countryside, forests, cities, and villages. The 17-day hike has now brought the father-daughter duo to Yongzhou, Hunan, with their destination, Shaoyang, just around the corner.
The mother takes the lead but complains nonstop
Zeng Ziqi was born in Shenzhen. Her father has worked hard in the city for 20 years, and her mother is a full-time homemaker. The idea of hiking back to their hometown was Zeng’s father’s brainchild — and to his surprise, his daughter readily agreed.
On the morning of July 13, Zeng Ziqi and her mother set out on the journey. Compared to her daughter, who dashed ahead with boundless energy, Liu Xiaoyan, who had lived a comfortable life for many years, found the trek tough going. It took the mother and daughter three days to walk from Shenzhen to Guangzhou.
Liu Xiaoyan had thought they could turn back once they reached Guangzhou, but her daughter pouted and said, “We’re supposed to go to Shaoyang — how can we give up halfway?” Remembering how she always taught her daughter that “where there’s a will, there’s a way,” Liu Xiaoyan swallowed her words about turning back.
From Guangzhou to Qingyuan, Zeng Ziqi’s initial excitement had largely faded. With her head drooping and her pace slowing from running to shuffling, Liu Xiaoyan resorted to the old trick of “quenching thirst by thinking of plums.” “Once we get to Qingyuan, there’ll be delicious free-range chicken, and it’s just a little further,” she said, which helped reinvigorate her daughter.
Traveling northward along the national highway, starting on July 21, the mother and daughter journeyed from Qingyuan to Yangshan. The area by the highway was sparsely populated, the mountain roads were winding and difficult, and they also had to watch out for speeding cars on narrow roads.
Unlike her worried mother, Zeng Ziqi’s enthusiasm returned. The mountains were dotted with farms of all sizes, pavilions hung with small pumpkins, and big yellow dogs that seemed to appear out of nowhere — all of which felt novel to this city girl.
Father steps up last minute to guide daughter along the way
On the 25th, the mother and daughter arrived in Lianzhou. Liu Xiaoyan again considered quitting — they were about to enter Hunan, where the mountain roads were steep and even safety was a concern.
But Zeng Ziqi remained resolute. “Since we’ve already started, how can we give up halfway?” From Lianzhou onward, the hot potato was passed to Zeng’s father. Liu Xiaoyan, now completely demoralized, took a bus back to Shaoyang.
“That’s when I realized I’d brought this on myself,” Zeng said. By the end of this leg, he was not only sunburned dark but also had several large blisters on his feet that hurt with every step. Due to the scorching heat in Hunan, the father and daughter had to adjust their strategy — setting out at 5 a.m. under the new moon and hiking for eight hours before stopping when the sun was strongest at noon.
On July 29, Zeng wrote the following on his QQ space:
Don’t fear the long journey. Each step has its own scenery, each step brings its own joy — that’s enough. I’m happy for my daughter’s growth, and I’m also cheering myself on for the challenges ahead.
Compared to his wife, Zeng’s “strategizing” was clearly more elaborate. To help his daughter build courage, he took her to dine at unfamiliar farmers’ homes, encouraging her to strike up conversations with the hosts — although he would always leave money for the meals afterward.
“I want her to understand that there’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world — you have to give something to get something,” Zeng said.
What he didn’t know was that his 8-and-a-half-year-old daughter also possessed tremendous inner strength. Even when her dad felt like taking a bus, she insisted on keep walking.
“I just feel that since we’re so close to the end, we should finish it,” Zeng Ziqi said. Along the road, she spotted things adults missed — like the little swallows under the eaves of an old house — and could entertain herself for a long time in the courtyard, often giggling to herself.
“I’ve never had strict expectations for her achievements,” Zeng said. His greatest wish is for his daughter to grow into a person with integrity — perhaps not the most outstanding, but one who is tolerant of others and calm in the face of adversity. That was the original intention behind this journey, and the outcome has clearly proven it was well worth it.