A heartbroken man has become the talk of Chinese social media platforms after he spent six days walking in the wilderness without basic necessities such as food, water or a smartphone, as he attempted to forget his ex-girlfriend after a breakup.
The man identified as Xiaolin left his rented flat on June 20 on foot with his last known location being somewhere in the Dalang Mountain area around 1 am the next morning, according to a report in South China Morning Post.
The incident came to light when Xiaolin's younger brother called the police in the Yuhang District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang province to report him. Officers found Xiaolin's flat empty, his mobile phone left behind and reviewed the surveillance footage, which showed him leaving the flat.
As the mystery deepened, Yuhang police mobilised more than 100 officers and local residents to search the area. However, the search yielded no result despite authorities deploying police dogs, drones and sonar devices.
It was on June 26 that the police made a breakthrough. Xiaolin was spotted on surveillance cameras in a park in Lin'an District. The local authorities were alerted, and Xiaolin was found.
According to the police, Xiaolin was struggling with a recent breakup and decided to venture into the mountains to clear his mind. He walked the mountain trails covering a distance of approximately 40 kilometres and survived by picking wild fruits and drinking water from mountain streams.
"When we found him, his clothes were in tatters," said Zhu Liliang, the deputy director of the Yuhang Police Station.
"He did not eat or drink for the first three days. Later, when his body could not take it any more, he drank from mountain springs and ate food found near village homes."
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Social media reacts
As the story of the lovelorn man went viral, reactions poured in from social media users. "I am honestly so impressed that he managed to leave his phone behind," said one user, while another added, "To be honest, that girl is lucky she broke up with him. Someone this extreme is not relationship material," said another.
Currently, Xiaolin is in a stable condition and as per the police, he knows the distress he caused to his family and friends by wandering all out on his own.