Lu Ruxian hails from Rong'an, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. He left home eight years ago and has since been walking the streets of Nanning, making a living by collecting scraps worth a monthly earning of 200 yuan (US$32.1). Lu said he used to be a mine clearance soldier serving on the China-Vietnam border. An accident during one mission left his hand disabled. He now lives in this old building on Mingde Street and is an alcoholic.