An 11-year-old boy from Hebei Province, northern China, touched the hearts of millions after using six months’ worth of saved pocket money—one yuan note at a time—to buy his mother a birthday gift: a pair of shoes.
Carrying a thick stack of coins and bills totaling around 200 yuan (approximately US$28), the boy walked into a local shoe store and asked to purchase a comfortable pair for his mother. Noticing that she had been wearing an old, worn-out pair during her daily commute, he wanted to surprise her with something new and practical.
Moved by his thoughtfulness, the shop owner offered him a generous discount on a pair of white sneakers. In the end, the boy paid just over 100 yuan from his savings, keeping the remaining change. She reassured him that his mother could return or exchange the shoes if needed and encouraged him to continue saving.
Touched by his filial devotion—something deeply valued in Chinese culture—the shopkeeper decided to film the moment. Hoping to inspire her own teenage daughter, she posted the video online. It quickly gained widespread attention, going viral with millions of views, over 428,000 likes, and tens of thousands of supportive comments.
Many praised the boy’s gesture as deeply heartwarming. One viewer wrote, “If I were his mother, I’d treasure those shoes forever.” While some suggested the shop owner should give him a pair for free, others felt strongly that he should pay for them himself. As one commenter put it, “He earned this joy through patience and effort. That sense of accomplishment matters more than anything.”
