Photo: From RedNote blogger Gangtieshaonü (Steel Maiden)
A post titled “What can one yuan ($0.14) buy?” on Chinese lifestyle and sharing platform RedNote has recently sparked discussions and praise among netizens as it revealed a story about how a fish stall vendor with some impaired mobility optimistically ran his business and how an effective system grassroots management warmed people’s hearts.
The story originated from a RedNote blogger named “Gangtieshaonü (Steel Maiden)” who, by chance, took her primary-school child to buy pet fish on April 8 and came to learn more about the stall owner.
The vendor sold small fish in an alley near the Chang’an Town No. 2 Primary School in Dongguan, South China’s Guangdong Province. The photo posted by “Steel Maiden” showed that laid out simply, the clean bottles held two or three tiny fish and shrimp, with beautiful aquatic plants swaying gently inside. On a piece of cardboard was written “one yuan.”
“I hadn’t seen anything priced at 1 yuan in a long time — even in this alley, instant spicy noodles go for 2 yuan a box,” the blogger wrote, saying that vendor couldn’t see well out of his left eye, and his right hand wasn’t very agile. Thin and small in stature, he spoke softly and smiled warmly to the curious buyers, “One bottle, one yuan.”
The blogger said that she paid the vendor seven yuan for all the fish and received deep gratitude from the vendor. Two days later, “Steel Maiden” released another post, saying that many local residents are well aware of and supportive of the vendor: A woman who runs the sausage stall nearby often gives him sausages for free; the owner of a nearby aquarium shop donates fish to him; and many netizens have sent her private messages and reached out to the vendor for donations, but he did not accept the money.
The local community social workers in Dongguan, upon learning about the vendor’s situation, have immediately came to his home help him apply for subsidies, according to Dongguan Release, the WeChat official account under the Dongguan Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government.
“The silent support reflects even in a fast-paced society, human warmth and compassion have not disappeared. These heartwarming actions are not just individual acts of kindness, but a reflection of empathy in the Chinese society,” said one netizen.
The swift response and involvement of social workers demonstrate the effectiveness of grassroots social support systems. A casual post sparked widespread resonance and attention online, highlighting the strong emotional connection that Chinese people share with simple values like kindness and optimism, commented another.
The responses from local social workers exemplify the “protection network” created by Chinese grassroots management. Liu Xu, a social worker of a street in Beijing’s Chaoyang district, contributes to this network each day. He promptly addresses messages from local residents regarding requests or complaints, mediates neighborhood disputes, and provides assistance to the elderly and disabled at their doorsteps.
Although Liu’s daily tasks may seem trivial yet challenging, he believed that he is committed to weaving a protective network for a street, a city and society as a whole. The impact of grassroots management should not be underestimated.
Besides support from surrounding neighbors, from the sausage stall owner and the aquarium shopkeeper to the Dongguan community workers, netizens are also touched by the vendor’s optimistic attitude toward life.
“Steel Maiden” said in the post that rather than feeling pity for the vendor, she was moved by his attitude toward life and admired the seriousness with which he runs his tiny little business, which was echoed by many netizens.
“Despite with limited vision in one eye and impaired mobility in one hand, the vendor approaches life with optimism and unwavering dedication. He runs his stall with care — clean bottles filled with lively little fish, shrimp and swaying aquatic plants create a miniature underwater world. He always greets his customers with a warm smile, spreading a quiet, persistent joy that touches the hearts of those who pass by,” one netizen commented. “He may not be able to change his physical limitations, but he has built an incredibly rich inner world,” said another netizen.
