Overripe melons sold out to honor killed farmer
A thousand kilograms of overripe melons were sold out in less than 10 hours to honor a local hero and melon-farmer who was brutally stabbed to death in northern China's Hebei Province.
Cui Jingxiang, 47, was stabbed to death at a market fair in Anci district in Langfang city on July 23.
The murder was commited by a gang of thieves who killed Cui for warning others of the gangs whereabouts.
Police have arrested six suspects in connection with the case.
Cui was the head of a family of six, including his mother who has a mental disease, a wife in poor health and a daughter who just graduated from university.
A melon farm of 0.4 hectare was the major source of the family's income.
"After my father died, the melons were left on the farm and were going bad, so were hard to sell," said his son, Cui Quanzheng.
Cui Jingxiang was seen as hero for warning people at the fair about the gang.
The family's financial struggle was reported by a local newspaper on July 28, and the report went viral on social networking app WeChat, followed by hundreds of residents buying the melons to help the family.
Cui was well-known for being a helpful person, heroic even.
He has previously been beaten by thieves at a Beijing wholesale market as he had warned customers to watch out for the thieves.
Once he saved the life of a two-year-old child by rushing him to hospital after he was attacked by a dog.
Several years ago, he helped a taxi driver who had been robbed and injured.
On Tuesday, Anci District Government awarded Cui hero-staus and granted his family 100,000 yuan (14,870 US dollars).
In recent years, the family had borrowed 300,000 yuan to construct a green house, pay the medical bills of Cui's mother, and cover the cost of university tuition for his daughter.
A total of 80,000 yuan is still to be repaid.
However, locals have pitched into help with an array of activities. On July 30, an archery contest was held at Chongde Archery Club in the city. Instead of medals, winners were awarded melons.
A local gym announced that they would donate 100 yuan to Cui's family for every gym card they sold, and a volunteer organization bought all the remaining melons.
"Money sent. No need to deliver the melons. We can't allow a good Samaritan's family to suffer from society," said a WeChat user who donated 20 yuan.
Another WeChat user, who bought 20 yuan of the melons, said he was touched by Cui's deed.
"Please accept my respect. Hope the criminals are severely punished by law in response to social calls," he said,
As of July 31, more than 35,000 yuan had been donated to the family.