From left: Angel, Barefoot, West Lake Netizen, and Wang Cheng
With just 140 yuan, how far can you go?
Microblogs can show you that it can not only take you back to your hometown, but also bring you into someone else’s heart.
Just as the Spring Rush travel boom kicks off and wanderlust-filled hearts yearn for home, four young people set out to prove their rebellious spirit, love, and independence. Each armed with just 140 yuan, they relied on microblog appeals to hitch rides, cycle, and stay as couch surfers on their journey back home.
They set off from Shanghai on January 2, passing through places like Jiaxing and Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province, with plans to arrive in Hubei and Guangdong before the New Year. The longest journey among them will exceed 2,700 kilometers.
Starting the day before yesterday, they entered Zhejiang Province. A reporter accompanied them for part of the way, experiencing firsthand the hardships of the journey. Cold, fatigue, hunger, illness… none could slow their pace. They said, “There are many things money can’t do, but we can achieve them with courage and love.”
【2:30 PM, January 3】
En route from Jiaxing to Yuhang
Rebellious girl “Angel” runs out of steam
On the morning of January 3, under bleak, cold skies, four virtual strangers — three men and one woman — who had only chatted online before, met for the first time in Songjiang, Shanghai. Armed with sleeping bags, toiletries, a change of clothes, and 140 yuan each, they planned to bike back to their “homes.”
As the only female in the group, “Angel,” dressed in a pink jacket, stood out.
“Angel’s” defining trait is “rebellion.” This graphic design student, on her first long-distance bike trip, felt she had been “controlled by her family her whole life.” To break free, one day a year ago while her parents were away, she went to the train station alone and bought a standing-room ticket to Beijing. She said, “I just want to endure hardship, I just want to prove my own abilities.”
Born in 1989, “Angel” didn’t speak much during the trip, focusing solely on pedaling non-stop. Due to exhaustion, on the afternoon ride from Jiaxing to Yuhang, her handlebars kept shaking, and she nearly fell off several times. To let “Angel” rest, the group was forced to stop, canceling their original plan to reach Hangzhou that day.
That day, this delicate girl cycled 60 kilometers.
【5:20 PM, January 3】
Home of a netizen in Xucun, Haining
Enjoying their first meal provided by a netizen
The handsome “Gongcheng” is the most popular biker among female netizens, as his 2,700-km ride is driven by love.
“Gongcheng’s” parents are ordinary farmers, but his girlfriend comes from a wealthy family. The stark contrast made their tender love even more challenging. His goal is to meet his girlfriend in Xiamen, their promised land of love: “I hope to prove to her that there are so many things money can’t do — love and courage are the most precious things.” But proving love hasn’t been easy. “Gongcheng” wrote on Tencent Weibo: “Today we reached Zhejiang — not easy. We rode really fast in the morning, especially Angel, who was truly admirable. But things went wrong in the afternoon.”
The troubles “Gongcheng” mentioned included the cold weather, detours, and having no food. By the time the four riders reached Xucun in Haining, it was already dark.
Their only meal of the day came from an unfamiliar netizen named “Love in Late Autumn.” Slightly chubby and a travel enthusiast, “Love in Late Autumn” offered food and lodging after learning online that four bikers would pass by his workplace. “Everyone has times when they’re away from home — might as well lend a hand if you can.”
【6:15 PM, January 3】
Xucun Health Clinic
Rider “Barefoot” collapses from exhaustion and is hospitalized
Before they could finish the meal, another problem arose.
Rider “Barefoot” slumped over the dining table, too weak to move. On closer look, his face had turned pale. Sensing something was wrong, everyone quickly helped him to the nearest clinic.
“Barefoot’s” collapse worried the group. “Barefoot” once crossed the Yellow River on a self-made foam raft, drifting solo for 500 km, and also spent two and a half months cycling 5,000 km from Xinjiang to Tibet. He is the most experienced of the four and acts as the leader.
Registration, check-up, IV drip. Winter night, unfamiliar place, unfamiliar faces. The three riders and one netizen bustled around the clinic for two to three hours, staying by “Barefoot’s” side the whole time. After the IV, “Angel” handed “Barefoot” an apple, which he quickly devoured despite having gone a whole day without food.
Around 11:30 PM, "Barefoot" posted a self-reproachful message on Weibo: "There was an unexpected incident today. After finishing the IV drip, 'Angel' bought me a big apple, and I foolishly ate the whole thing myself without sharing with anyone." For them, the 140 yuan had to be stretched carefully.
【January 4, 11:30 AM】
Wubao, Hangzhou
Proving my love for my parents in a special way
Before setting off, the younger brother of the inn owner, upon hearing that the four riders were going home with just 140 yuan, was deeply moved. He bought a large bunch of bananas and wrote them a long letter of encouragement, which said, "Records are written by people, and success has no limits."
After bidding farewell to the gloom, the weather on the 4th became sunny. The riders cycled for two hours from Xucun in Haining to Hangzhou. In Wubao, Hangzhou, the first local person they met was a university classmate of rider "Wang Cheng."
All of Wang Cheng’s friends were especially supportive. Wang Cheng’s reason for joining this activity was quite unique: "Since my parents divorced on July 14, 2010, I haven’t gone home, not even during last year’s New Year. It was because of my rebellion and also my lack of understanding. Over this past year, I’ve missed my parents and my younger sister so much, so whenever I hear the word ‘home,’ my heart warms up. Over this year, I’ve been reflecting a lot and gradually realized I was wrong in many ways and let my parents down. I’ve also been looking for some special way to show how much I miss and love my parents, and ‘Going Home with 140 Yuan’ was the way I wanted."
【January 4, 2:00 PM】
By the West Lake in Hangzhou
What attracted me wasn’t the scenery, but you—the one I hadn’t met yet
Just as the riders were having lunch, another netizen named "Dongfang" was already waiting by the West Lake. "Angel" said, "There are several other netizens in Hangzhou waiting to meet us. They’re all so warm and enthusiastic—thank you so much, really!"
After lunch, the riders bid farewell to Wang Cheng’s classmate and rode straight to the West Lake. The lake looked uniquely beautiful under the golden sunlight. On Hubin Road, after meeting netizen "Dongfang," they took photos by the lake, and the journey felt especially light and carefree.
From Shanghai to Hangzhou—60 hours, 170 kilometers, four warm-hearted netizens, and four strangers longing to go home. Though the trip was short, it was tough yet heartwarming. "Gongcheng" wrote in a pinned Weibo post: "What attracted me wasn’t the beautiful scenery of the southern coast, but you—the one I hadn’t met yet. Scenery is always just there, but people will stay in the heart forever."
On January 4, after leaving the West Lake, they continued heading south. In their eyes, there are no strangers in this world—only friends they haven’t met yet, and things more important than money.
It’s getting cold—wish them a smooth journey ahead.