NDTV – A 31-year-old newlywed man in China went viral for enduring a 320-kilometre (km) round-trip commute to work each day out of love for his wife. According to media, Lin Shu shared videos on Douyin detailing his arduous daily journey, which he describes as the “longest commute distance”.
In one video, Lin explained that he wakes up at 5am and departs from his home in Weifang, Shandong province, at 5.20am. He rides an electric bike for half an hour to reach the train station, where he catches a train at 6.15am. Upon arriving in Qingdao at 7.46am, Lin takes a 15-minute subway ride to his office. He then has enough time to have breakfast in the company canteen before starting work at 9am. After finishing his workday, Lin spends another three to four hours travelling back home, covering the 160km distance once again.
Despite the astonishment of social media users over his extensive commute, Lin asserts that it is all worth it “because of love”. He shared that he had been in a relationship for seven years before marrying his wife in May. The couple bought a flat in Weifang, where his wife is from, to provide her with a “sense of security”.
As per media, Lin shared that he used to live in a rented flat an hour away from his work but he added that he wanted to spend more time with his wife and that it costs more for a flat in Qingdao. He also said that he does not find the commute too much of a chore, thanks to “the convenience of intercity transport”. And that his manager does not expect him to work overtime, given his situation.
However, he went on to say that his commute is temporary because his wife is looking for a job in Qingdao. The couple also plans to settle there if she is successful.
Lin’s story has accumulated more than seven million views on social media platforms. “Six hours a day. He must love his wife very much,” one person said. Another person who works in Beijing said Lin’s commute time is not unusual, “There are so many people who travel so far every day who work in Beijing and live in Tianjin or Hebei.”
“How much does he earn a month to keep up a lifestyle like this?” asked another.
