Chongqing - For Liao Zemeng, the winding alleys and steep slopes of this mountain city are her daily workplace. On her electric bike, she navigates the urban landscape with the ease of a local—because she is one. Recently honored as one of Chongqing's "Ten Touching Figures," this young delivery rider has become a familiar and uplifting presence in her community.

Liao Zemeng on her daily rounds (Photo: The Interviewee)

Her Navigation Secret: Moving Like a "Living Map"

Liao, known online as "Dada Mei,"​ has turned her deep knowledge of Chongqing’s complicated streets into a superpower. "Taking this alley can save three minutes!" she says, deftly bypassing main-road traffic. As a native, she understands that map distances rarely match the reality on the ground.

Liao Zemeng has a unique work method: whenever she enters an unfamiliar residential complex, she pulls out her phone to photograph the building layout. In one complex with over 30 buildings, she spent 30 minutes wandering on her first delivery, but now she can deliver accurately within 10 minutes. She organized these experiences into a "delivery guide" and drew playful maps and tips to share in delivery rider chat groups, which earned her the nickname "living map" of the area.

From Floral Dreams to Delivery Rider's Path

Liao Zemeng's career began with a romantic dream. In 2019, this Chongqing girl with a passion for floristry came from Hechuan to the city's main urban district for training, aspiring to open her own flower shop. However, a friend's suggestion, "Would you like to work part-time as a delivery rider?" quietly changed the course of her life.

"At first, I didn't even dare to post it on Moments for fear that relatives and friends wouldn't understand," Liao Zemeng admits. But the warmth encountered on her delivery routes changed her perspective: a street sprinkler driver pausing the water curtain for her, an elderly person living alone offering a cup of hot water, a customer pressing a hand warmer into her palm during a rainstorm... These moments convinced her: "There's nothing to be ashamed of in earning an honest living through your own labor."

A "Positive Energy Communicator" on Social Media

In 2022, Liao Zemeng launched her short-video account, "Dada Mei," to document the sweet and bitter aspects of a delivery rider's life. "Dada Mei" is a nickname from the Chongqing dialect word "dada" — "pigtails", which are the decorations on her helmet.

Liao Zemeng's video content is rich and diverse: she shares interesting delivery stories inspired by Chongqing's magical terrain. She also offers a "delivery guide" to help customers optimize their ordering experience. Moreover, while delivering meals, Liao Zemeng records touching moments such as delivering food in heavy rain and customers' warm feedback.

Liao Zemeng during her work (Photo: The Interviewee)

These posts have earned Liao Zemeng millions of likes and tens of thousands of followers, making her a "heartwarming bridge" connecting the delivery rider community with the broader public.

Warmth Passer: From Individual to Group

Liao Zemeng's electric bike storage box is always stocked with umbrellas, medicines, and simple tools, ready to help others at any time.

"True love exists everywhere in life, and I just want to pass on this warmth," Liao Zemeng said. Today, she is more than just a delivery rider; she has become a voice for workers in new forms of employment, measuring the mountain city with her wheels and delivering warmth through her service.

On the streets of Chongqing, Liao Zemeng's story continues. This young girl, who has touched the hearts of her city, is writing a wonderful chapter for workers in the new era with her smile and perseverance.

(Zhang Xuege, as an intern, also contributes to this report)