At 72, Jiang Enlan from Zhangjiatun village in Jiaozhou, Shandong province on the Chinese mainland has finally repaid over 2 million yuan in family debt—a burden she and her late husband carried for more than three decades.
Her journey began in the 1980s with a humble 200 yuan loan and a pushcart to sell daily essentials at local markets. By the early 1990s, her honesty and dedication had transformed that cart into "Dazhong Fast Food", a cozy stall serving truck drivers and villagers alike with a team of a dozen employees.
Feeling confident, Jiang's husband invested the couple's savings in a woven-bag factory. Within five years, the venture collapsed, leaving them with 1.65 million yuan in unpaid loans. When he succumbed to liver cancer in May 2004, Jiang faced relentless collection calls. She vowed to shoulder every yuan: "If I die before I finish, my sons will carry on."
Undeterred, she reopened the restaurant alone. Rising at 4 a.m. to buy fresh ingredients and working late into the night, Jiang cooked, served, washed dishes and balanced the books. Even surgeries for varicose veins in 2010 and a high-risk heart procedure in 2014 did not keep her away.
Her unwavering integrity won community support. Neighbors and debtors lent her money without pressure, and villagers pitched in with grocery deliveries, bulk orders and silent donations. Loan by loan, she paid it all back with exacting precision.
In June 2024, after 20 years of relentless effort, Jiang made her final payment. She's now planning modest renovations on the restaurant, and she can call the fruits of her labor her own. Her two sons hold stable jobs in Jiaozhou, while her grandchildren pursue education and careers in Qingdao.
Above the counter, a faded scroll reads "Yi Nuo Qian Jin" (One Promise Worth a Thousand Gold). It's a fitting tribute to a rural restaurateur whose journey shows that perseverance, honesty and community spirit can conquer the toughest challenges—and it resonates far beyond Jiaozhou, offering a universal lesson for young entrepreneurs and changemakers worldwide.
Reference(s):
72-Year-Old Shandong Restaurateur Clears Over 2 Million Yuan Debt After Two Decades
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