A water delivery driver has discovered a profound sense of inner happiness while pursuing his artistic dream.
Liu Rujing, a water delivery driver in Guiyang County of Chenzhou City, central China's Hunan Province, delivers barrels of bottled water during the day and immerses himself in oil painting at night.
Liu, who has loved painting since childhood, often sketched characters from TV shows in his exercise books. Back then, he dreamed of becoming a painter and creating his favorite artworks. However, due to his family's difficult economic situation, he dropped out of school after graduating from middle school to work in southern China. From shoe factories to electronics manufacturers, Liu has tried various jobs, working as both a laborer and a security guard. In 2004, while reading in a library in Shenzhen City, he came across an album that reignited his passion for art.
"The colors of those paintings stunned me and reignited my dream of painting," said Liu.
He purchased some drawing tools and used his free time to paint alone in the factory dormitory. As he began experimenting with oil painting, he copied works and taught himself by reading books. Each painting often took him more than ten days to complete.
"During that time, whenever I completed a painting, my colleagues would praise my work and tell others that there was a talented painter in the dormitory. Their compliments made me incredibly happy," Liu said.
The encouragement from his colleagues brought Liu great joy and fueled his passion for art. However, purchasing the cheapest brushes, paints, and drawing paper still cost him several hundred yuan each month - quite a significant expense for someone whose monthly salary was only one or two thousand yuan (about 140 to 280 U.S. dollars) at the time. Despite this financial burden, he never considered giving up.
"For an ordinary person, spending five or six hundred yuan (approximately 70 to 84 U.S. dollars) on art supplies might seem wasteful. However, for those who genuinely love painting, it's viewed differently. Personally, I don't indulge in other hobbies like smoking or drinking, so whether I spend hundreds yuan or one thousand yuan doesn't matter to me. At least painting is a positive pursuit; in fact, it's a worthwhile investment," said Liu.
In 2021, it was time for Liu's son to begin his schooling. To support and care for their children, he and his wife returned to their hometown of Guiyang County and opened a bottled water shop. That same year, their daughter was also born, and Liu worked hard to sell and deliver water to support their family of four.
Although running the water shop is busy and demanding, Liu paints every day and has managed to carve out a 3-square-meter space in their shop of over 10 square meters, which brings him great satisfaction. However, his passion for painting was initially not recognized by his family.
"We often argue about his painting hobby. As we get older, I believe we should save money to buy a house. Living requires financial stability," said Chen Juan, Liu's wife.
"Since I have a wife and children, I must support my family and take responsibility. I want to sell more bottled water and earn more money, but painting remains a dream - just a dream, to be frank. At that time, I felt a conflict between my aspirations and the realities of life," said Liu. Chen gradually noticed that her husband's eyes lit up with a special brilliance and his expression became intensely focused whenever he painted. She was genuinely touched by Liu's dedication to art.
"I eventually came to understand his perspective, and he told me that everyone should have dreams. A person who steadfastly pursues their dreams, regardless of the challenges, embodies a truly positive spirit. Now, I fully support him in his passion," said Chen.
With his wife's support, Liu has become much more pragmatic. From then on, he devoted four hours each night to painting, completing a piece in three days. Currently, Liu is gradually developing his own style. In addition to keeping some of his works for himself, he also gifts his paintings to loyal customers.
"Everyone should embrace their dreams and pursue them wholeheartedly. Don't let humility hold you back from chasing your aspirations. The journey itself can bring fulfillment and happiness; success is not the only measure of joy. Often, true happiness is found in the process of pursuing your dreams," said Liu.
Water delivery driver in Hunan discovers inner happiness through artistic dream
