A bizarre incident occurred in Lanzhou, Gansu Province, when a woman helping an elderly man cross the street was unexpectedly slapped in the face. The event, which took place on the evening of September 12, was captured by a driver and quickly went viral on Chinese social media.

According to reports by the South China Morning Post, the elderly man, estimated to be in his 70s or 80s, was carrying two heavy bags and struggling to walk across the street. He was not on a designated pedestrian crossing, forcing some vehicles to pass closely, making the crossing more difficult.

Seeing the situation, a woman sitting in the passenger seat of a nearby car got out, ran to help the man, and used her left hand to support him while signaling with her right hand for vehicles to stop. Shockingly, the elderly man turned and slapped her in the face, knocking her glasses to the ground.

After picking up her glasses, the woman looked at the man in disbelief before returning to her car. She and her husband reported the incident to the police, who located the elderly man and asked him to apologize.

The incident has sparked widespread discussion online. One user commented, “We should comfort the woman. I can imagine how upset she must be after being slapped by the very person she tried to help.” Another wrote, “This slap will discourage people from helping those in need in the future.”

Some also suggested that the elderly man may have misunderstood her intentions. “Perhaps he thought she was a stranger with bad intentions when she suddenly approached him,” one user said.

This is not the first time a helper in Gansu Province has faced difficulties. In May, another woman assisting an elderly man in a residential area was falsely accused by his family after he fell. Security footage later cleared her of wrongdoing, but she still faced online harassment and depression.

Experts note that when unable to fulfill a request, politely refusing is safer than risking misunderstandings. Clear communication can prevent conflict and maintain positive relationships.

Sources: Maeil Business News