Legal lenience brings back 'dream life'

A hard restart

In the first few months after his release, Yu felt anxious and lost as many of his friends had already married and obtained stable jobs.

He needed money for daily life and to help his family repay some debts they owed from before the incident. However, his criminal past meant he could not even get unskilled work such as a job as a deliveryman or as a driver for ride-hailing services.

"The employers' refusals were understandable. It's normal for them to worry about someone with a criminal record," Yu said. "I would be sad for a short while, but quickly move on to the next thing, because there was no point in being depressed for too long, after all."

In August last year, a relative who works in the food industry suggested that Yu help sell mooncakes at a market during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Yu agreed. To his surprise, lots of customers recognized him and came to the stall to support his endeavor.

At the same time, a few companies asked Yu if he was willing to do livestreaming to help sell goods to people nationwide. However, he declined as he knew his notoriety would attract online views that might bring much more money for the family, but could also be risky as livestreamers can easily be criticized online if goods turn out to be faulty.

"I just wanted a simple, ordinary life," he said, adding that he has become more cautious and has learned to think twice before acting.

The success of the mooncake sales made him confident, so he thought he might be able to start a small business. After about two months' preparation, Yu and his sister opened a shop selling snacks in Guanxian.

Making food safety and product quality a top priority, he patiently answered questions from consumers and actively communicated with manufacturers to guarantee supplies.

Now, the income from the shop helps Yu to cover basic daily expenses and also repay the family's debts.