Chinese businesswoman harvests lotus roots to repay $700,000 debt

A businesswoman from central China who once enjoyed a life of privilege is now rebuilding her future through hard physical labour in rural lotus ponds.

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According to Changjiang Daily, as cited by South China Morning Post, 44-year-old Hu Qin from Hunan province accumulated significant wealth after launching a fruit business with her husband in 2012. At its height, the venture expanded to more than thirty shops across the country and Hu's assets reportedly exceeded ten million yuan, around 1.4 million US dollars.

The couple lived in a villa by the Xiang River, employed a driver and multiple housekeepers and travelled extensively. Their lifestyle, however, changed abruptly in 2019 when poor management decisions caused a severe cash flow crisis. The business collapsed, leaving them five million yuan (US$700,000) in debt.

Forced to sell their luxury home, Hu and her husband spent several years travelling across China, renting temporary homes and selling farm produce to survive. A friend eventually encouraged them to visit Wuhan in Hubei province where they tasted local pork lotus root soup. Hubei lotus roots are highly regarded across China for their crisp, delicate texture and are believed to help boost immunity, slow ageing and improve a person's mood.

“We realised for the first time how delicious lotus roots could be, so we decided to stay in Wuhan and start over,” Hu said.

As reported by SCMP, the couple began live streaming their work in rural lotus ponds, digging up lotus roots and selling them on social media. Initially, Hu's husband managed the digging, but years of urban living left him unable to endure the physical strain for more than half an hour due to severe back pain. Hu eventually took over the demanding work while her husband assumed responsibility for cooking, laundry and other household tasks.

Lotus root harvesting typically takes place in autumn and winter when the leaves have withered and the water is icy cold. In their videos, Hu is seen waking at five in the morning, applying make up, putting on protective gear and stepping into thigh deep mud with a ten kilogram high pressure water gun.

The labour is intense. Hu acknowledges that she once enjoyed a glamorous life and had never done physical work, making the transition difficult. “But I believe that if I keep going, life will slowly get better,” she said.

Her live streams now attract several thousand viewers, and on her best days she reportedly sells up to four thousand five hundred kilograms of lotus root. Her husband said the business has already allowed them to repay more than one million yuan, around 140,000 US dollars, of their debt. He also commented that they rarely buy beef because it remains too expensive.

The couple now lives with their two sons in a modest rented flat in Wuhan as they continue rebuilding their lives.

Source: HindustanTimes
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