Not only did Hong Kong superstar Chow Yun-fat plan to donate his money to charity when he dies, but he also helped turn a single mother’s life around and boost her struggling business.
Wang Lili, a single mother of two, entered the business world right after her husband, the breadwinner of the family, passed away in 2013.
She was receiving financial assistance from the government, but Wang wanted to provide more for her children. She took out a loan for 1 million Hong Kong dollars ($127,000) from her family, according to AsiaOne.
But her plan backfired. The “chee cheong fun” (rice noodle roll) business she opened, an eatery located in Tai Po, was not generating enough revenue and lost about 5,000 yuan ($746) every month.
Wang went on to enhance her culinary skills by learning how to make rice noodle rolls from a couple in Shenzhen. She garnered more support as her hard work and determination gradually became known in the area. Her story eventually made it Chow Yun-fat.
“One weekend, there was a long queue outside the shop. At that time, I heard someone calling out to me. That person turned out to be ‘Fat Gor’. I was overwhelmed that a big celebrity like him would actually go out of his way to patronize my shop in such a remote location,” she told Lianhe Zaobao. “I feel that I am really lucky. Because of him, many people came to visit my shop. He brought luck to my business and revived it. I am really thankful to him.”
After Chow’s visit to her eatery, the number of customers increased and it became a more profitable business.
Wang thought she should pay back Chow for his kindness, but the actor refused the money and free meals offered, Global News reported.
She now dedicates her time giving back to society in her own way such as funding children from single-parent families in need.
Images via Zaobao
