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Zhou and his wife, Li, have experienced a tumultuous relationship marked by breakups and reconciliations since their first marriage.
Zhou faced heatstroke on the way. (Representative Image)
How far would you go for love? A man in China, driven by his longing to reunite with his wife after two years apart, rode about 4,400 kilometres to southwestern China over 100 days to see her. Zhou, a 40-year-old man from Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, left Nanjing on July 28 motivated by a desire to reconcile with his wife, Li. Their tumultuous relationship, marked by breakups and reconciliations since their first marriage, seemed to be on the brink of collapse.
Zhou met his wife, Li, in Shanghai, and the two married in 2007. The marriage did not last long, and they divorced in 2013. However, their relationship improved, and they married again. They both share a son and a daughter. Speaking about his relationship, the man told Yangtse Evening Post, “There wasn’t a serious issue between us; we’re just both very stubborn and acted impulsively, leading to several break-ups and reconciliations.” He mentioned that the duo remained in contact and hoped to reunite.
On the other hand, his wife Li told the portal, “He reached out wanting to get back together, and I jokingly said I was driving to Lhasa. If he could ride a bike there, I might consider reconciling.” She mentioned that while she said it casually, Zhou took it seriously and did it.
Zhou’s remarkable journey was not without its challenges. During his 4,400-kilometer trek, he faced two major incidents that tested his resolve. The first occurred in Anhui province, where he developed heatstroke and required hospitalization. The second happened in Yichang, Hubei province, where he fainted on the road due to heatstroke and dehydration.
This dire situation prompted his wife, Li, to drive hundreds of kilometres to care for him. Touched by his sincerity, Li decided to join him, and together they drove toward their destination, Lhasa. Along the way, Li faced altitude sickness in Nyingchi, 400 kilometres from Lhasa, but the couple persevered and finally reached their destination on October 28.
Reportedly, Zhou is now planning his next bicycle adventure to Nepal and Europe, while Li has returned home to Jiangsu province.