Thorny mountain path, warm human kindness

For three years, Zhang Shun endured through rain or shine to deliver goods for the entire village. He covered the fuel costs himself, compensated for damaged items out of his own pocket, and never once received a word of thanks. Yet, over a mere fifty-cent bottle of soda, he was turned in, slapped with a fine, and had his goods seized, leaving him with nothing to show for his efforts. Zhang Shun didn't cry or protest; he simply stopped serving them altogether. It wasn't until the villagers ran out of salt and rice, spending two weeks barely scraping together enough for a single decent meal, that they realized how much they had relied on him. In tears, they showed up at his doorstep, pleading with him to come back.