Quirky China: Porsche owners trash farm, quarantine in a phone booth for weeks and Shanghai couple have a huge online wedding

A nomadic woman in Shanghai lived in a phone booth for most of April after the city went into lockdown
Another consequence of the lockdown was a couple who invited 3,000 guests to their online wedding

Coronavirus China

Liya Suin Shanghai

Published: 5:00pm, 6 May 2022

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Police arrested four women in eastern China for driving a Porsche through a farmer’s field, trashing his crops and stealing his vegetables.

The Zhejiang province farmer surnamed Deng caught one of the women red-handed at around midnight after hearing loud noises from his field next to his home.

After the farmer caught her, the woman tried to offer financial compensation for her crime, but the man refused and called the police instead. After she was detained, the woman identified her accomplices, who were later apprehended.

The man grew vegetables like spinach, cabbage and bok choy for a living, many of which were either destroyed or ruined by the women.

The public was outraged after one of the women told the court: “We did it for fun. If we could not finish eating all of the vegetables, we would have just thrown them away.”

One person commented: “Driving a Porsche and stealing vegetables? It’s like the well-fed don’t know how the starving suffer. Next time it would be better if they drove directly to the police office.”

Living in a phone booth during lockdown

A woman in Shanghai lived in this phone booth when the city went under lockdown. Photo: Weixin

A middle-aged nomadic woman in Shanghai was “evicted” from a public phone booth that had become her home during the city’s ongoing lockdown to combat its latest Covid-19 outbreak.

The woman, who had decided to live a nomadic lifestyle before the pandemic hit Shanghai, had lived in that same booth for a short period before the lockdown. She would spend her days walking her dog and doing her laundry.

While the woman does not have a home, she dresses neatly and appears to be able to take care of herself.

She told China Youth Daily, “the phone booth is located at a very tranquil school area. Although it’s only one square metre, it’s free and fit for one person. I enjoy it.”

“I live a simple life and I have enough food and clothes. As long as I’m healthy, everything is fine.”

After declining help from authorities, the booth was taped up, forcing her to leave.

A huge online wedding

A pandemic worker walks in front of a couple getting married online in Shanghai. Photo: Baidu

While one Shanghai couple surely wished they had their wedding in person, the newlyweds adapted to the current lockdown and celebrated their marriage online with thousands of their neighbours.

Ji Pengcheng and Qi Liangliang, both 28, were able to increase their guest list dramatically and had 3,000 guests at their wedding, according to Tencent news.

After they sent a request for volunteers in a WeChat group dedicated to the area, the neighbours also took part in the wedding planning. Some people offered them gifts like champagne glasses, flowers, candles and even a wedding dress.

Others made videos to offer the couple their blessings.

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