Torch bearer of FISU World University Games witnesses Chengdu's growing consumption power over past decade

Torch bearer Huang Xuegen ran with the torch on the last day of the torch relay of the 31st International University Sports Federation (FISU) Summer World University Games in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, on July 26.

"I became too excited to sleep," Huang said, expressing how he felt as a torch bearer. Huang, born in the 1990s, is a delivery man at a JD Express branch in the city.

Huang Xuegen carries the torch on the last day of the torch relay of the 31st International University Sports Federation (FISU) Summer World University Games in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, on July 26, 2023. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

"I'm too honored to be a citizen in Chengdu. Carrying the torch bears a resemblance to delivering parcels. It's a great responsibility for me," Huang added.

As a delivery man for nearly 10 years, Huang has witnessed the growing consumption power of residents and constantly improving infrastructure in Chengdu. At the branch he works for, the number of deliverymen has risen to over 10, and the number of handled parcels has increased several times. Huang owns an apartment and a car, and his employer provides him with social insurance.

Huang Xuegen, a delivery man in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

Huang is a Good Samaritan. One day in September 2022, on his way to work, Huang made a detour of more than 10 kilometers to send a doctor who failed to hail a taxi for an emergency case. The doctor shared Huang's story on a social media platform, which was forwarded by media outlets. For Huang, helping others is something he should do.

In his clients' eyes, Huang is enthusiastic, efficient and reliable. "Whether picking or delivering parcels, he is always sweetness and light. He is also generous and earnest. If there's a problem, he can help us out no matter how late it is," said a woman surnamed Liu, who has been cooperating with Huang for more than seven years.