In our monthly series 'Getting Moderately Deep With... ' we ask a food vendor tough questions. Well, sort-of tough.
This month, we meet Zhang Hao at his dad’s grocery store in Beijing.
How are you feeling today?
I’m feeling super good, since I get to spend time with my mom and dad.
What’s the first thing you thought when you woke up this morning?
I was back in my hometown in Hebei, so I thought about what my trip back to Beijing would be like, whether or not the traffic would be jammed.
Who is your best customer?
My best customer is a British man living upstairs. He’s such a talkative guy; it’s always a great pleasure talking to him. We usually chat about our hometowns.
Who are your worst customers?
People who are bad tempered and don’t like to chat.
Which living person do you most admire?
I really admire LeBron James.
What is your idea of the perfect day?
Chinese New Year’s Eve, with all my family members around the table, sharing all the amazing dishes.
When and where are you happiest?
When I’m back in my hometown hanging out with my childhood friends.
Which talent would you most like to have?
I’d love to be able to speak fluent English so I could chat with all the foreign customers.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
When I got third place in the Asian Canoeing Tournament.
If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?
I don’t know what I’d want to change, since everything’s going well already.
What is your most treasured possession?
Definitely my parents, since they are the closest to me both biologically and physiologically, and they love me unconditionally.
What trait do you most value in a person?
Inner beauty, like kindness. As long as someone has this, nothing else matters.
What is it that you most dislike?
Those who fail to keep appointments without first notifying.
What is your motto?
‘If you really want something, and try hard to achieve it, there is nothing you can’t do.’ My canoe trainer used to tell me this when I was the captain of my team.
What always makes you laugh?
I laugh at practically anything, but I guess I laugh the hardest at funny stories.
What’s the most surprising thing that’s happened to you?
When I received the first gift ever of my life, back when I was a kid. My dad called and said he couldn't make it back home that night but he ended up coming home – with a present!
Who is your hero?
My canoe trainer. It’s kind of hard to explain why in words, but I have a deep sense of respect for him.
Which era of Beijing history would you most like to have lived in?
I think I’d choose the current era over any other, since we, as youth, have more opportunities to succeed and enjoy life.
Zhang’s family shop is in Beijing's Concordia Plaza, next to Ladies Street, in Liangmaqiao.
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