A boy from southeastern China's Sichuan province was recently repatriated from Dubai after smuggling himself into the country by hiding in the cargo area of a plane for nine hours, Chengdu Economic Daily reported on Sunday. The boy, named Xu Xiaojun, explained that he had been seeking fortune and adventure.

Xu’s parents said that their son had dropped out of school after completing middle school. He then worked at a factory in Jiangsu province. On May 10, he told his parents that he was going to work in a branch factory in Shanghai, but instead he rented a house near Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport.

After climbing a tree to jump over the airport fence, Xu sneaked into the cargo space of an Emirates Airlines airplane and hid there for the next nine hours. Xu was ultimately discovered by local police when the plane landed. He was then sent back to China.

According to local law, Xu could have been accused of jeopardizing aviation safety and illegal immigration. However, after negotiation with the Chinese consulate, the Dubai procuratorate did not charge him.

Some guessed that Xu’s reason for traveling to Dubai was to become a junkman, since there were prominent rumors online that it was possible to earn 470,000 yuan ($71,657) every year doing this. Xu explained that he had hoped to work and make money in Dubai, but he also wished to travel there to explore.

Xu is now resting at a relative's. His parents said they plan to discuss his future with him when he gets home. Going back to school is a priority, his father stated, adding that professional training is also an option if Xu doesn't want to study.