Warrior Zhuo and the Fish Farmer, a TikTok love story
In China, love and marriage will never go out of fashion
As women all over the world struggle to avoid nuptial nonsense if they can, the ancient institution has lost none of its lustre in China, where love and marriage blossom beside the street, and Warrior Zhuo met her match.
Chinese media loves a love story. Zero-to-hero narratives with fairy-tale endings are not hard to find in the world’s most populous nation.
With disastrous Valentine’s Days still fresh in many memories, suckers and losers everywhere can take hope in how a beautiful Chinese warrior princess took pity on a handsome young reject she found sobbing by the side of the road.
Two years after relieving a stranger of a bunch of toxic roses on Valentine’s Day, the SCMP tells how “Warrior Zhou” is to marry heartbroken Meng, who she found wandering the streets of a small town in the central Chinese province of Henan.
Valentine’s Day proposal
It was Valentine’s Day. Meng was carrying a bouquet of flowers, one that had just been rejected by a woman he thought loved him. And who he had planned to marry. At 22 years old and trapped in a rustic province of just 99 million people, Meng knew there could never be another woman for him, when a voice nearby said…
“Hey handsome, if she doesn’t want them. You can give them to me!”
A zombie of grief, Meng handed over the roses and gift box with the engagement ring inside and silently walked away.
Warrior Zhou sharpens her nails
Of course, in any other century, that would have been that. But the warrior is no fool and takes the careful precaution of filming the whole event and posting it on TikTok, China’s centre of Internet virology, and tens of thousands of strangers helped her track the unfortunate young man.
“Warrior Zhou” was swamped by advice from people, urging her to track him down and nail him. Angry mothers raged. How dare she spurn this great chance that had come her way!
Three days after posting the original video, Zhou posted again…
“I’m now looking for this guy across the whole Internet! I received your ring and flowers but I don’t know your name yet. If you are unmarried, I am also unmarried. So why don’t we be brave?”
It made a lot of sense. Thumbs-up for love! Like, like, like!
Sweet potatoes
Once again, the social media Sherlocks got to work and it was discovered that the man’s surname was Meng. This was quite a result. There are only five million Mengs in China, and half of them are female. The game’s afoot!
It was a great surprise when Meng was not spotted partying with Blackpink in Acapulco but was instead found selling sweet potatoes in the local market. It wasn’t much information but was enough for a warrior.
On reflection, Meng never stood a chance.
They fell in love.
The cake broke the sugar bowl and they lived happily ever after, or at least until now.
On February 14, the happy couple registered to marry, news which quickly went viral. Victoriously brandishing the marriage documents, Warrior Zhou proclaimed…
“I really didn’t think much of it at the time. I just saw his lonely figure and casually shouted, not realising that it would change our lives.”
May your life be beautiful!
The original video of Warrior Zhou calling out to Meng on the street continues to attract comments from well-wishers, and you can see why. You could say the couple have become a symbol of love in Douyin. And maybe they are.
Zhou said…
“I am a single mother, with my daughter Duoduo. I run a small shop in the country, and he is farming fish and sweet potatoes. Two people who had nothing to do with each other came together and found happiness.
“The people I should thank the most are my followers at TikTok. I never thought they would find him through my videos. Now that we’ve got our marriage certificate, we’ll choose the right time for our wedding.” she added.
The SCMP tells us that the original video from two years ago had attracted 38,000 comments. A fan who has been with Warrior Zhou from the beginning said…
“I have followed you from the very beginning. May your love be complete! And may your life be beautiful!”
