If you’re planning a trip to Taipei, there’s a humble little stall that you might want to add to the itinerary! It belongs to a 105-year-old man, and he’s selling mantou for an amazing purpose.
A post uploaded to a Facebook page went viral after it highlighted the plight of an elderly man selling mantou (Chinese steamed bun) all day and night in Taipei to make ends meet. According to the poster, the seller is already 105 years old, and hails from Shandong, China. However, he is forced to stay in Taipei to care for his son, who suffers from a mental illness brought on by drug addiction and diabetes.
He has apparently returned to his hometown a few times, but due to having to support himself and his son’s exorbitant medical fees, he sets up stall in Jingmei during the daytime, then shifts his shop over to somewhere just outside of the Wanlong Station in the evenings. The mantou is said to be good value for money, as the portion is big, and contains onions as well.
As the poster frequently passes by the uncle’s stall, she noticed that there were some nights when the uncle seemingly did not take dinner. As such, she would try to ask him what he wanted to eat, but failed to get an answer from him as his hearing is not what it used to be. Regardless, she got him food anyway, upon which the uncle was immensely grateful, and even offered to pay her. Of course, the poster declined his payment, choosing instead to support him by buying some of his food.
By making the man’s circumstances known, the woman hopes more people, especially those living in Taiwan, can share his story, and better yet, give his business a boost.
“I’ve seen that there’s still a lot of mantou left when it’s late at night. There are a lot of people passing by the bus station, so why not take away a bag of mantou to eat at home while you’re in the process of waiting, as it’s really value for your money!” she said.
Not sure whether it’s the presence of ninjas cutting onions around us, but we’re this close to tearing up right now! Please treasure your parents and do your best to make them proud; after all, they just want the best for us by the end of the day.
Also read: AirAsia Pilot Surprises Parents With Touching Announcement On Their First Flight Together