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The mesmerizing scent of spicy pig chitterlings tested the isolation limit of Duan Wei, teacher, writer and a down-to-earth foodie.
Duan, 55, lives in Yingshan County in Hubei, about 150 km from provincial capital Wuhan. Like most cities in the province, Yingshan had been in shutdown since late January due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.
The county, administered by Huanggang, reported 62 cases of COVID-19 infections. No new cases have been reported for days.
Last week, the county government issued a decree to restore order. Eateries began opening their long-shuttered doors and serving comforting dishes such as Duan's favorite spicy pig chitterlings noodle.
"We were stuck at home for over 50 days. Now the restriction is lifted and freedom comes at last," he said.
Duan ventured out of his apartment but couldn't help worrying that breakfast diners would be too crowded and could pose a risk.
"I read in the news that a beef noodle restaurant was forced to shut down again because too many customers went. Luckily, there were only a handful of people showed up at the eatery that I went to. It looked somehow lonely," he said.
One diner nearby grumbled: where have all the people gone? Are folks eating breakfasts at home instead? On the day when the shutdown ended, the vitality of the city had far from recovered.
Duan gulped down a full bowl of spicy noodles and took a walk along the streets.
A few people lined up at banks, but shops selling fruits, smartphone accessories, and clothing were less frequented. "The epidemic has hurt businesses hard," he said.
Duan planned to obtain a travel document for his mother-in-law, but when he arrived, there was already a long line. "Most of those in the queue were young people who needed the documents to go out of the county to work," he said.
Starting from March 25, cities in Hubei have lifted outbound travel restrictions in all areas except Wuhan, which is expected to resume inbound and outbound traffic on April 8.
The lifting of shutdown measures will allow local people to get back to normal lives and embrace the best season of the year before it ends soon. In Duan's hometown, people are busy digging wild grasses in parks and concocting them into seasonal treats.
Duan received a call from his older brother who lives in the countryside, and it was an offer of stewed lamb to share. Family gatherings like this have been rare in the last two months.
In the countryside, fields have been weeded, the peripherals have been reinforced with new mud, and cattle are plowing the field, Duan observed. His brother takes care of some tea trees for him, though the lockdown had prevented him from picking the first batch of fresh buds for tea.
For Duan, school opening is not yet in sight. As long as it is sunny day, he can not resist the urge to go outdoors and breathe the fresh air.
"Don't go out! Don't go out! Don't squander the efforts of others!" shouts a public advertisement at the building entrance to his apartment.
"I think they could replace the ad now," he said.
(By Xinhua Writers Lou Chen and Huang Haibo)
