A man from central China has made over 200 journeys to isolated mountain villages within a single year, traveling to visit elderly parents on behalf of their children, who reside far from home or abroad.
Tian Rui, aged 39 and hailing from Yichang, Hubei, previously worked as a rural courier and now runs a small convenience store, according to Jiupai News.
His years delivering parcels through remote mountain routes gave him extensive knowledge of the winding paths, and also revealed a subtle aspect of rural life: elderly parents living alone after their children migrate to cities or overseas for work.
In the previous year, Tian launched a distinctive service that involves visiting elderly parents for absent children, positioning himself as a generational liaison.
Customers ask him to purchase medicines, groceries, and even birthday cakes, which he transports along rugged mountain roads to their parents’ homes; his farthest client resides in Bolivia, more than 17,000 kilometers away.
Although living standards have risen, Tian observed that many rural seniors prioritize companionship over material assistance.
He explained that what they truly desire is to feel that their children are thinking of them and to have someone to converse with, as quoted by the media.
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