By the end of 2025, a short video featuring a young girl enjoying a cream cake, ordered for just 9.9 yuan by her grandmother, went viral online. The clip, filmed in a rural setting, underscored the gradual improvement of commercial infrastructure in counties and towns, bringing village consumption into focus. The debate over whether delivery services should expand into villages, balancing platform strategies, market dynamics, logistics efficiency, and supply-demand relationships, began gaining traction in early 2026.
Recently, Zhang Yu, dubbed "the only delivery rider in a small town" in Xuzhou, Jiangsu province, unexpectedly found himself in the spotlight. After returning to his hometown of Maling Mountain Town from Wuxi three years ago, he started working as a delivery rider. As the sole rider in town, he earns a considerable income, exceeding 10,000 yuan monthly.
In late February, a casually filmed 18-second video tagged "the only rider in town" propelled him to fame. "Searches related to my topic reached 180 million, with coverage across platforms like Weibo and WeChat," he noted.
Delivering in a township differs significantly from city work. In urban areas, riders often miss the scenery, focused instead on traffic lights and countdown timers. In his hometown, Zhang Yu appreciates the subtle seasonal changes—green springs, blooming peach trees, and returning swallows—experiencing a life "free from anxiety." While city customers are time-pressed and interactions are minimal, in the township, he has become a popular figure. After deliveries, local residents often invite him to stay for water, conversation, or even a meal.
Many netizens have privately messaged Zhang Yu inquiring about joining the field. He honestly explains that in Maling Mountain, the demand within one town is only sufficient to "support" a single rider earning over 10,000 yuan monthly. The rural delivery market's demand, supply, and rider distribution have yet to reach an ideal equilibrium. Whether returning to a village to deliver is a viable path remains an open question, one even Zhang Yu cannot definitively answer.
**The 'Slow-Paced' Rider**
During an evening interview conducted while he was still on his electric bike near a bustling snack street, Zhang Yu had to briefly pause to handle an imminent late delivery. Maling Mountain Town, located at the foot of the Maling Mountain scenic area in northern Xuzhou, was originally named Wangzhuang Town but was renamed to boost tourism. While not comparable to economically powerful towns in Southern Jiangsu, Zhang Yu considers its economy relatively strong within the local context.
Tourism brings vitality to the town. By evening, the snack street becomes "particularly lively," hosting about 30餐饮 shops and over 50 stalls, including chain brands like Luckin Coffee and Auntie Shanghai, once exclusive to cities. Upon returning in 2023, Zhang Yu noticed that aside from Luckin's self-delivery, no other outlets offered外卖 services. "I thought there was an opportunity here," he recalled.
Starting a乡镇 delivery service is straightforward—a small electric bike costs only about two yuan in electricity for a full day's use. His delivery area is compact, centered around the town, stretching 5 km north-south and 3 km east-west. The roads, once muddy paths from his childhood, are now all cement, simplifying navigation.
Before returning to Maling Mountain, Zhang Yu attempted delivering in nearby Suqian City but lasted only three days, overwhelmed by the time pressure. On his hometown's cement roads, he discovered a new experience. "City riders never see the scenery. Here, I have the spring breeze and wheat fields; the feeling is profound," he shared. In the city, roadside trees seemed perpetually green, making him feel like an NPC in a predefined game map, unaware of seasonal shifts. At home, he discerns the wind's changes through the seasons, watches flowers bloom, and butterflies flutter. "When the small trees bud, I feel spring has arrived," he noted.
His first delivery order was for Mixue Bingcheng. Township customers primarily include local shopkeepers with no time to cook and migrant workers ordering gifts like flowers or cakes for elderly parents or children during holidays, such as "the first cup of milk tea in autumn." "We see it as a young people's holiday, but many think of their parents at home, which is quite touching," Zhang Yu said. Delivering these symbolic gifts and witnessing the recipients' "radiant smiles" brings him immense happiness.
In the township, customers are relatively consistent; after two or three orders, familiarity develops. A different system operates here, alleviating delivery pressures compared to city algorithms. "If a customer orders, even if I mark it as delivered immediately, they don't mind waiting a bit longer. If it's genuinely late, they understand," he explained.
Addresses in乡镇 can be challenging. Houses grow organically, lacking standardized numbering. "Customers are quite clever with their addresses," Zhang Yu remarked, reciting examples like "the alley next to Old Ji's Braised Meat Shop, south to the end, then east 10 meters, by the third well," reminiscent of secret rendezvous codes.
Beyond food delivery, Zhang Yu also handles errand runs, like delivering medicine. One evening, he used a petrol bike for a delivery after his e-bike ran out of power, incurring fuel costs higher than the service fee. While some envy his monopoly, joking that "the whole town depends on him for meals," Zhang Yu feels he cannot afford a day off, driven by responsibility and anxiety. "If I rest for two days, customers unable to order might not return, affecting my business," he stated. Currently, he handles around 50 orders daily, developing a muscle memory that sometimes leads him unconsciously to shop entrances.
**Expanding外卖 into Townships**
In his videos, Zhang Yu, clad in his rider uniform, promotes his service: "Fellow townsfolk, I'm the Maling Mountain delivery station head. I know who loves which dishes and which village roads are rough. Whether you're working the fields, caring for kids, or just feeling lazy, click on your phone, and hot meals will be at your door in half an hour."
Initially, his decision to deliver in a town faced skepticism. "People thought I was foolish. If the town never had it before, it must be unworkable. Plus, many elderly villagers can't use phones," he recalled. Early orders were scarce as villagers were unaware of the service. Zhang Yu made efforts like distributing flyers near schools and using a promotional vehicle for broadcasts. Short videos proved most effective, attracting nearby residents who added him on WeChat, where he posted tutorials on address entry and coupon use.
He estimates 70% of the town's餐饮 outlets now offer外卖, a result of his direct negotiations. Some shops remain excluded because the owners are illiterate and cannot read orders. He cites "Third Sister's Rolled 'Chaopai'"—a local specialty of pancake-wrapped fried mushrooms, vegetables, and hotdogs—as an example. The owner, illiterate but a 30-year business veteran, communicates solely via voice messages on WeChat.
Penetrating the rural market is challenging. Older generations grow vegetables at home and cook meals,不理解 the need for delivery. Young villagers hesitate, fearing criticism from elders for "being lazy." Zhang Yu has delivered to students living with grandparents who instruct him to leave orders quietly without alerting their grandmothers.
Zhang Yu initially joined a Henan-based "Small Town Delivery" platform specializing in incubating and operating乡镇外卖, with over 4,000 established stations. His entry in 2023 coincided with a surge in new consumption in townships. As growth slowed in first- and second-tier cities,连锁 brands turned to乡镇. For instance, Luckin Coffee had entered 1,550 counties, covering over 80% of China's counties, and in January partnered with Supply and Marketing Dajijituan to build an efficient urban-rural coffee supply chain.
Concurrently, major platforms like Meituan, JD.com, and Taobao were expanding into乡镇外卖. In July 2023, Meituan launched its "Township Delivery Partner Plan." According to Meituan Research Institute, penetration rates in developed provinces like Zhejiang and Jiangsu exceeded 95%.
Feeling a sense of urgency, Zhang Yu decided, "I must secure Meituan外卖. If other operators take over, the market cake is limited, and we'd lose out." Initially, Meituan services in Maling Mountain were managed by larger agents who struggled to find riders and eventually terminated their contracts. Seizing the opportunity, Zhang Yu took over the agency, committing to a daily minimum of 110 orders through a competitive bidding process.
He found that major platforms offer inherent market recognition. Tourists and remote workers ordering for families instinctively use familiar apps. Additionally, chains like Luckin and Mixue offer better deals on large platforms, stimulating consumption. For contractors, although per-order profits are smaller due to higher platform commissions, volume increases. Consumer subsidies mainly come from contractors; greater discounts boost orders but require careful balancing.
In Maling Mountain, Zhang Yu wears multiple hats: Meituan contractor, station head, rider, and business manager dealing with merchants, assuming all market risks himself. He meticulously calculates the business model—travel times between villages, vehicle range, speed, and maintenance schedules. However, professional marketing poses challenges. "As a乡镇 novice, I don't know how to strategize promotions or timing," he admitted.
乡镇外卖 has peak and off-peak seasons. Currently in a trough post-Lunar New Year, with residents away working or studying, consumption is tight. Orders pick up after May Day, peaking during summer. "March is the year's weakest period," Zhang Yu stated, sounding like a local economist. He plans to hire help for May Day, starting training now so new riders熟悉 routes by then.
**The Dream of乡镇 Riders**
Riders like Zhang Yu are increasingly common, reflected in platform data. However, he believes the potential of乡镇外卖 depends on pricing and service quality, still in a "volume-building" phase. "We currently serve only about 50% of the township; the other 50% is in villages," he noted. His deliveries focus on the town center, while scattered rural populations present a real challenge, creating an imbalance among demand, supply, and rider distribution.
Zhang Yu explained that covering the entire township during peak hours would require three to four riders to handle orders from the center and outlying villages. However, during off-peak times, volume is insufficient to sustain them. For remote villages, a single order might mean hours of travel for less than 20 yuan hourly wage, limiting profitability and rider salaries despite expanded coverage. "One rider can earn over 10,000 yuan, but adding another might reduce each to 5,000," he said.
Wang Tianyu, Deputy Director of the Social Law Office at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, previously noted that urban外卖 thrives on high density, short distances, efficiency, and standardization—conditions often absent in rural areas. In 2025, Meituan Youxuan, focusing on lower-tier markets, closed most operations due to high rural delivery costs.
" insufficient rural外卖 supply stems from an underdeveloped county商业 system," analyzed科技 finance expert Zheng Lei. Rural areas lack scaled supply chains, face high self-supply and delivery costs for merchants, and deficient digital support, hindering a stable service ecosystem.
Consequently, a town like Maling Mountain may only support one rider earning over 10,000 yuan monthly. Many inquiring about the job are attracted by the income, but Zhang Yu cautions about the realities, like braving heavy rain. After a recent downpour during lunch peak, he fell ill but had to continue, lacking a replacement.
Aware that "our scale is still small, and rural elderly have lower consumption," Zhang Yu envisions diversifying services utilizing the delivery network. For example, grouping villages and having a rider handle deliveries, errands, and even minor repairs like plumbing and electrical work, offering timely, affordable help—a "diversified business" model aiding the community.
Positioning himself as a返乡 entrepreneur, Zhang Yu sees ample commercial potential in乡镇. A friend successfully opened a hotpot店 despite initial doubts. "Many don't understand what乡镇 are really like; I can't claim to either," he admitted. Previously running a small餐饮店 in Wuxi, working long hours for similar earnings, he returned to Maling Mountain and opened two small shops, losing 50,000-60,000 yuan.
Now, with sudden fame, he seeks to leverage the opportunity, consulting AI for advice on gaining followers. Reflecting on his limitations, he mused, "You can't earn beyond your认知." Townsfolk call him "internet famous," but he insists he remains "just a delivery guy." Torn between urban and rural life, he considers handing the business to partners and seeking work outside but feels his skills are commonplace, and a 5,000-6,000 yuan salary elsewhere might not surpass his current earnings. After much thought, he remains uncertain but leans toward staying, valuing the safety net of home: "Outside, if you can't afford food, you borrow from friends. Here, my dad says, 'Just come home and roll a pancake.'"
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