Wu Hongfu: Resilience

From Chengdu in Sichuan to Changchun in Jilin, from the southwest to the northeast—this is a journey through time and space spanning 3,000 kilometers.

He still remembers the scene of his first trip to Northeast China—Sichuan rarely sees snow, so he could hardly grasp just how cold it really is in the Northeast.

He still remembers stepping off the train and immediately rushing to buy a pair of thick cotton shoes, crunching softly as he trudged forward through the snow.

He still remembers this line—it represents 8 years, nearly 3,000 days and nights.

He is Wu Hongfu from Hank Marketing Department, the "Great Emperor."

In August 2006, Wu Hongfu joined Dadi Hank, taking charge of the Northeast market. Right from the start of his role, the first priority was to adapt to the new environment.

Northeasterners are known for their boldness, warmth, and fiery enthusiasm—drinking heartily, often to the point of getting thoroughly drunk. Wu Hongfu has long since lost count of how many times he’s ended up passed out from alcohol. Once, he and a sales representative from a rival company were invited as guests to the home of a feed enterprise boss. The host eagerly poured drinks, and soon enough, glasses clinked back and forth as everyone—including Wu—gradually succumbed to the alcohol. The only real difference? While Wu, still barely conscious, stubbornly dragged himself outside to vomit in the yard, his colleague simply collapsed right onto the bed. What started as an ordinary drinking session ended with vastly different outcomes. Naturally, Wu Hongfu emerged as the luckiest among them all.

For southerners traveling to Northeast China, winter is the toughest season to endure. One day during the winter of 2007, the temperature plummeted to minus 20 degrees Celsius. A biting cold wind whipped through the air, carrying snowflakes that felt like razor-sharp blades slicing into his face. Wu Hongfu had traveled to Harbin to visit a local client. To brace himself against the extreme cold, he donned a double-layered hat and wrapped himself up tightly from head to toe. Unfortunately, there was no road access to his client’s location, so he had no choice but to rely on a traditional three-wheeled fire-powered vehicle common in the region. By the time he finally arrived at his client’s doorstep, the other party was already taken aback by the sight of Wu covered in snow—and with his feet soaked through from the icy slush. They quickly ushered him into the office, where they lit a cozy fire to help him warm up. Ultimately, Wu’s sincere efforts won over his client, who immediately placed an order. But as Wu prepared to leave, he suddenly realized he hadn’t even jotted down the driver’s phone number. So, braving the relentless snowstorm and freezing winds, he trudged on for another forty minutes until he finally reached the bus station.

At the end of 2010, driven by the demands of the Northeast market, Wu Hongfu left behind his elderly parents and hometown, relocating with his wife and daughter to Shenyang, where they settled down and focused entirely on advancing his career.

Compared to the past, today the northeastern black soil is filled with the fragrant aroma of abundance.

Facing it all, Wu Hongfu remains calm and composed. He often says, "Be honest in who you are, and approach your tasks with a joyful heart." Between the lines, his words reveal the genuine simplicity of Chongqing people and the straightforwardness typical of those from Northeast China. Perhaps life truly is an uneventful journey—occasionally accompanied by a crisp, biting chill—but after the coldest winter days comes the warmth of spring.