Top News

“I couldn not step out of my front door. At one point, I was told 50,000 people had shown up at my house,” the 44-year-old noodle maker says, recalling the spring of 2021 when he became an internet sensation.

Before gaining nationwide attention as the “Noodle Brother,” Cheng ran a stall at a rotating local market in Linyi City, where he sold hand-pulled noodles for 3 yuan (US$0.45) per bowl without ever raising the price, The Paper reported.

On busy days, he worked from morning until 6 p.m., selling more than 600 bowls.

“I made a tiny profit. I would take home maybe 200 or 300 yuan, enough for our household,” he says.

His rise to stardom began during the Lunar New Year holiday in 2021 when a food vlogger posted short videos about Cheng and his low-priced noodles on Chinese social media Kuaishou. The post drew 200 million views, 350,000 likes and 18,000 comments, according to the Sixth Tone magazine.

In the months that follow, Cheng’s stall was overwhelmed as crowds gathered to take photos with him, shouting, pushing and even climbing onto cars, causing traffic congestion. He says at the time he felt no excitement, only fear.

Cheng says the newfound attention also came with a wave of criticism.

“Some accused me of staging the whole thing for attention.

“Others took my words out of context, turning a casual remark into proof that I had forgotten my roots. And there were those who said I was chasing traffic to cash in on my fame,” he says.

Hu Lirong, his wife, says the pressure often caused him to break down in tears after returning home. “He’s just a farmer. All he knows is how to make noodles,” she says. “How was he supposed to handle all that gossip and slander?”

Cheng later posted a video on his Douyin account, which has 2.7 million followers, asking for privacy.

“Thank you all for your support. But my biggest wish right now is to just live a normal life and keep making noodles,” he said in the video.

He has since relocated his stall to outside his home, which he opens daily after finishing his farm work.

“There are too many unpredictable things at the market … It’s peaceful here at home, and I get to spend more time with my family,” he says.

Social media attention has since faded. Cheng and his family now post videos about farming, planting and selling local produce onto Douyin. The content no longer attracts many views but he says he wants to film to document his daily routine and help villagers promote local produce.

His overnight fame did not bring financial gains, however. Cheng says he only earns a 10% commission on agricultural products, and has not raised the price of his noodles.

In the past two years, he has built a three-story house in nearby Liangqiu Town, intended for his son to live in after marriage.

“I’ve grown stronger in myself. Some people follow you online, then lose interest. There’s no point trying to hold onto them,” he says.

“Whatever you do, just don’t go against your conscience and principles, and you keep your feet on the ground.”