Fishpond owner drains pond to return lost ring, heartwarming story goes viral

A fishpond owner in Wuhan, Hubei province, has won praise online for his dedication to customer service after draining his entire pond to help a customer retrieve a lost gold ring.

The customer, who wished to remain anonymous, told Jiupai News on Tuesday that they had lost the ring while fishing at the pond a year ago. Despite attempts to recover it at the time, the 3-meter deep and over 0.57-hectare pond made the task nearly impossible.

The owner, identified only by his surname Li, promised the customer he could retrieve the ring when the pond was next drained for cleaning and disinfection, which occurred on March 3.

"The ring weighs 50 grams and is made of pure gold, reportedly worth over 20,000 yuan ($2,800)," Li said. "It holds sentimental value for the customer."

After the water was drained, the customer spent three days searching the mud before finally finding the ring.

Li's act of kindness has been widely praised online, with many netizens commending his honesty and commitment to customer satisfaction.

"In response to the online praise, Li simply stated that he hopes all his customers are satisfied and that returning lost belongings is the right thing to do," Jiupai News reported.