During a scorching summer in Laiwu, Shandong province, a heartwarming chain of support unfolded in a watermelon field. Faced with a farmer's predicament of selling 8,500 kilograms of unsold watermelon, the ZTO Express Shandong Laiwu branch proactively purchased the entire stock. The branch then distributed the melons not only to its frontline delivery personnel but also brought this refreshing gesture to street sanitation workers. Through this concrete action, ZTO Express demonstrated a profound sense of compassion and goodwill, moving from supporting farmers to caring for grassroots laborers.
The news report highlighted the plight of Farmer Fu, who was unable to sell his 8,500 kilograms of melons. In late July, under the blazing summer sun of Laiwu, 65-year-old farmer Fu looked at his field in Gaozhuang Street with a heavy heart. After three months of hard work, his 8,500 kilograms of watermelons had ripened, each one of premium quality, crisp and sweet. However, lacking sales channels and transportation, buyers were nowhere to be found. With daily temperatures rising, the melons risked rotting in the field within days. This harvest represented half a year of Fu's labor, his family's primary income, and the tuition for his daughter's upcoming school year. After Jinan Broadcasting and Television Network reported Fu's story, it garnered sympathy and attention from the public.
Zhao Xiwei, the head of the ZTO Express Shandong Laiwu branch, received the news. Upon seeing the report, he immediately decided to prevent the farmer's hard work from going to waste, authorizing the branch to purchase all 8,500 kilograms of watermelons. "We operate our courier services in Laiwu every day, and we have a deep connection with this land. When a fellow villager faces difficulties, we must help if we can," the branch head stated.
A heartwarming relay under the scorching sun The ZTO Express Shandong Laiwu branch's compassionate intervention was put into action swiftly. The next morning at 8 o'clock, Meng Zhaojuan, the Party branch secretary and labor union chairman of the Laiwu branch, led several couriers to Fu's watermelon field. Upon seeing the branch team arrive, neighbors and passing villagers set aside their own tasks to join the effort of moving the melons. In the sweltering heat of the field, everyone spontaneously formed two lines, creating a "human conveyor belt" for picking, passing, and loading the watermelons onto the truck. Despite the intense sun, the couriers, drenched in sweat, never paused their efforts. After nearly three hours of continuous work, all 8,500 kilograms of watermelons were securely loaded onto the large truck.
After the loading, Meng Zhaojuan presented an envelope containing 10,000 yuan in cash to Farmer Fu. At the market price of 0.5 yuan per jin (0.5 kg) at the time, the 8,500 kilograms of melons were worth 8,500 yuan. The straightforward Fu refused to accept the extra 1,500 yuan. "Uncle, the extra money is a small token from everyone. Keep it to buy school supplies for your child," the team persuaded him. Tears welling in his eyes, Fu clutched the envelope, unable to speak for a long moment, repeatedly expressing his gratitude in his local dialect.
Extending goodwill from the field's sweetness to the city's coolness The two trucks laden with watermelons returned to the ZTO Express Laiwu branch, but the act of kindness did not end there. Meng Zhaojuan greeted the couriers returning from deliveries: "You've all worked hard delivering parcels in this high heat! Come, take one each, taste the sweet melon from the farmer, and cool off!" Beyond providing a benefit for the branch's employees, Laiwu ZTO Express also decided to pack the remaining several thousand jin of melons and deliver them in batches to the sanitation workers holding the line on the streets. Subsequently, ZTO Express couriers drove the boxes of watermelons to various sanitation stations across the city. On the streets, sanitation workers in their orange uniforms accepted the melons with broad smiles. "It feels like the warmth of a big family. It truly sweetens the heart," one sanitation worker said with a smile.
Down-to-earth responsibility: Being a courier with a warm heart The chain of kindness was perfectly completed this hot summer, starting from media reports calling for help, moving to the courier branch's on-site purchase, continuing with the couriers braving the sun to help harvest the melons, and ending with the distribution to sanitation workers. Doing one good deed is not difficult; what is difficult is passing on goodwill through concrete actions. For the ZTO Express Laiwu branch, this was a simple act of help from the heart. But for Farmer Fu and the frontline workers on the streets, this care was tangible and heartwarming. What the courier company delivers is not just packages, but genuine human connection. Through the most grounded and simple methods, the ZTO Express Shandong Laiwu branch showcased a company's sincerity and sense of responsibility in being rooted in the community and caring for society.
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