From Sohu, QQ, NetEase:

Young Couple Spends an Average of 5 Yuan Per Day [<1 USD] to Save for a Home, Once Went 8 Months Without Eating Meat

4 years ago, young Inner Mongolian guy Qiu Guoying and Hebei young lady Hao Ranran met and fell in love at a factory in Baoding. The young guy is poor, that even his suit when getting married was borrowed. He promised that he would use his two hands to earn [the money to buy] a home of his own and give his wife a good life. For this dream, the young couple even “agreed on three laws”: Don’t go shopping, don’t go on vacation, don’t eat out.

The wages of the two total less than 4000, and the down payment for a new home in the actory is at least 100,000. They drew up a plan for saving money: save 3500 every month, and have the down payment in 3 years. Every month, the money left over after rent and such expenses, they can only spend 5 kuai on average each day. The wife racks her brain to save money, only buying the cheapest vegetables, once going 8 months without eating meat. The husband for his part works as much as he can, and has practically not had a sound night of sleep [in a long time].

[The following paragraph is only on the Sohu report and originally from a third CCTV microblog post about this story:]

Before Spring Festival, the young couple finally moved into their own home. In their new home, every single brick and every single lamp was [paid for by] their bit by bit of savings. Perhaps the closer they are to their dream, the more they are reminded of their past days of hardships saving money. To this day, husband Qiu Guoying doesn’t know that in order to save money, his wife once found cabbage leaves others had left over for them to eat for an entire half month…

The CCTV report:

Comments from Sina Weibo:

兰陵忆潇湘：

Just whose sadness is this [who caused this], and you [CCTV] still have the nerve to broadcast this! Talk about treating us as the ignorant masses!

魔力豆豆0：

My husband also saw this microblog post, and said if we didn’t have a home [house/apartment], we’d rather rent a place than live so miserably. I also think this kind of life is too oppressive/stifling. We don’t have high standards for eating and I too can do without luxury goods. Although I don’t like to go shopping, I too will go buy things I like, such as plush toys, clothes. Also, we like to go traveling.

翎水翔影：

Seeing the comments here, it’s almost all criticizing the system this or mortgage slaves that. I bet there there weren’t many people who finished watching [the video] either. Is there really nobody moved by the couple in it and their unceasing perseverance in the pursuit of their dream? Sigh, I’ll reshare it, for my friends, as well as myself, and hope that in this new year everyone can work hard towards learning from the couple in the video and realize their own dreams. My dream is simply to pass the graduate school entrance exam. This year I must succeed.

晨晨晨晨晨P：

A way of pursuing one’s dream. They’re willing to do it, and at least they achieved their dream, whatever the cost.

萌Baby_小7：

All of a sudden I feel sad.

Comments from Sohu:

shale290 [搜狐河北省秦皇岛市网友]

Well done, having both a dream and taking action [to achieve that dream], impressive.

Loving, hardworking, and frugal, they’ll have a happy life [in the future], and I wish the young couple the best.

希望有房 [搜狐北京市网友]

“To become rich through one’s own efforts” has already become an empty phrase in today’s society.

傲视苍莽 [搜狐河北省石家庄市网友]

All forced by high housing prices, where for a home, the meaning of living is almost gone.

However, having a goal is also a good thing, and perhaps there is a joy in this too.

远宇青云372040 [搜狐四川省达州市网友]

A sad ordinary commoner home-buyer.

zhoujin8899 [搜狐安徽省阜阳市网友]

Did the home prices not increase in those three years?

Here where we are, from ’05 to ’13, they increased almost every year, with surprises every day.

Comments from QQ:

金健运动

Money is earned, not saved.

水晶妮妮

Housing prices are killing people! However, being able to meet this kind of girl is also a sort of blessing/happiness!

过去的CD

To have a wife like this, what more could a husband want, he’ll have everything.

许绍连

Just what kind of values is this news trying to impart? On the surface, it looks like love that involves sharing in hardships and happiness, but in fact makes people see the huge pressures housing prices have brought to ordinary people. If after so many years of scrimping and saving people can only save up for a down payment, then what exactly is the value and point of this life? A single apartment? China’s home prices, what a rip off!

乐山

No car, no house. To have this kind of wife, brother, you are too blessed! May you be happy until you are old [all your life]. This kind of wife is too difficult to find.

Comments from NetEase:

网易广东省广州市网友 ip：183.4.*.*:

Only want to say, there really is no need to be so strict on oneself, as one only has 20,000 something days in one’s life!

kjsoul [网易四川省成都市网友]：

If saving money can buy a home in the Heavenly Kingdom, then that would be a surprise.

冰山一角ra [网易北京市网友]：

5 yuan average per day, just enough to eat food, but once you have your home, what will you be like as a person?

朝鲜网民 [网易山西省太原市网友]：

I feel like crying, it is too difficult.

freedom2023 [网易山东省潍坊市网友]：