Recently, it’s the peak season for students and travelers returning home. There are many ways to go home — driving, taking a bus, flying, or, most commonly, desperately trying to buy a train ticket home and squeezing in while “happily” heading back for the holidays. In contrast, Wang Congcong, a post-90s girl, chose an alternative route: departing from Dunhuang on January 2, hitchhiking and staying as a couchsurfer along the way. She spent only 6 yuan, passing through Zhangye, Xining, Lanzhou, Xi’an, and finally making it home within the week. If the former is a test of the country’s transportation system, the latter can be seen as a test of social trust.
Risks are known, proceed with caution
Compared to those truly eager to get home, Wang Congcong’s journey was more like a trip, allowing her to experience human nature along the way. She chose this method of returning home because she participated in an event called “Getting Home with 140 Yuan.” According to the rules, she could only bring 140 yuan and had to travel by walking, cycling, hitchhiking, couchsurfing, volunteering, or any other non-costly means.
Hiking, cycling, hitchhiking, and couchsurfing are all travel methods that have gained popularity in recent years. The foundation of such travel lies in mutual trust between people. For example, when it comes to hitchhiking, how many drivers are still willing to pick up strangers when incidents like taxi drivers being harmed frequently make headlines? As for couchsurfing, which essentially means staying at a stranger’s home, in an atmosphere where even offering tutoring services is considered risky, even if someone offers a sofa, how many would dare to try?
The risks involved in Wang Congcong’s chosen method of returning home are quite high. Some netizens even remarked, “You were just lucky not to run into any bad people,” and advised, “Spending little is one thing, but the risks are huge — not recommended.”
There is warmth, kept in the heart, passed on to others
Wang Congcong’s act was not primarily about saving money, although that was an objective outcome. The original intention of the event organizers was to let participants experience that “the world is not full of strangers.” Along the way, anonymous netizens competed to pay her phone bill, a couple waited for her at the highway entrance on a cold night, and a driver went out of his way to drive her over 100 kilometers. These acts of kindness collectively changed Wang Congcong’s preconceived notions. She used to think that apart from family and friends, few strangers would offer help, but now she believes that strangers are just friends she hasn’t had the chance to meet yet.
In fact, society may not be as cold as people imagine. The more people complain about societal indifference, the stronger their desire to change it becomes. Just like those who complain about “neighbors who never interact,” they actually yearn for harmonious relationships. But the issue is, complaining won’t produce any positive results. If you want to get along with your neighbors, you can’t just wait for them to knock on your door and say “hello.” You can start by giving them a smile or a greeting.
Many people who help others have this mindset: they don’t necessarily expect something in return, but hope that the recipient will help someone else when they’re able — A helps B, B helps C, C helps D... The torch of warmth keeps getting passed on, and who knows when it might light the way for A. The light and warmth emitted along the way is what we call the social atmosphere.
Wang Congcong has changed her online name from “Nuan Nuan” (Warmth) to “Nuan Nuan Can’t Bear to Part with the Warmth Along the Way,” hoping she can keep the warmth going. A song goes, “If everyone gives a little love, the world will become a better place.” Although some netizens say it’s “too cliché,” it’s actually a very down-to-earth message.
Risks are known, proceed with caution
Compared to those truly eager to get home, Wang Congcong’s journey was more like a trip, allowing her to experience human nature along the way. She chose this method of returning home because she participated in an event called “Getting Home with 140 Yuan.” According to the rules, she could only bring 140 yuan and had to travel by walking, cycling, hitchhiking, couchsurfing, volunteering, or any other non-costly means.
Hiking, cycling, hitchhiking, and couchsurfing are all travel methods that have gained popularity in recent years. The foundation of such travel lies in mutual trust between people. For example, when it comes to hitchhiking, how many drivers are still willing to pick up strangers when incidents like taxi drivers being harmed frequently make headlines? As for couchsurfing, which essentially means staying at a stranger’s home, in an atmosphere where even offering tutoring services is considered risky, even if someone offers a sofa, how many would dare to try?
The risks involved in Wang Congcong’s chosen method of returning home are quite high. Some netizens even remarked, “You were just lucky not to run into any bad people,” and advised, “Spending little is one thing, but the risks are huge — not recommended.”
There is warmth, kept in the heart, passed on to others
Wang Congcong’s act was not primarily about saving money, although that was an objective outcome. The original intention of the event organizers was to let participants experience that “the world is not full of strangers.” Along the way, anonymous netizens competed to pay her phone bill, a couple waited for her at the highway entrance on a cold night, and a driver went out of his way to drive her over 100 kilometers. These acts of kindness collectively changed Wang Congcong’s preconceived notions. She used to think that apart from family and friends, few strangers would offer help, but now she believes that strangers are just friends she hasn’t had the chance to meet yet.
In fact, society may not be as cold as people imagine. The more people complain about societal indifference, the stronger their desire to change it becomes. Just like those who complain about “neighbors who never interact,” they actually yearn for harmonious relationships. But the issue is, complaining won’t produce any positive results. If you want to get along with your neighbors, you can’t just wait for them to knock on your door and say “hello.” You can start by giving them a smile or a greeting.
Many people who help others have this mindset: they don’t necessarily expect something in return, but hope that the recipient will help someone else when they’re able — A helps B, B helps C, C helps D... The torch of warmth keeps getting passed on, and who knows when it might light the way for A. The light and warmth emitted along the way is what we call the social atmosphere.
Wang Congcong has changed her online name from “Nuan Nuan” (Warmth) to “Nuan Nuan Can’t Bear to Part with the Warmth Along the Way,” hoping she can keep the warmth going. A song goes, “If everyone gives a little love, the world will become a better place.” Although some netizens say it’s “too cliché,” it’s actually a very down-to-earth message.