---
title: "Chen Keming: My Wife's Unwavering Devotion Is the Warmth of a Lifetime"
description: "Chen Keming recalls a snowy day 30 years ago when he and his wife Duan Juxiang, after buying goods in Hankou, walked five kilometers to Wuchang Railway Station. To keep warm, they put their freezing feet in each other's clothes, a moment of shared hardship that symbolized her unwavering support. Her refusal to leave him after he lost two fingers as a carpenter inspired him to start a business, eventually founding Keming Noodles, which now employs over 3,000 people."
author: "New Distribution"
publisher: "New Distribution"
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published: "2016-09-19"
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---

# Chen Keming: My Wife's Unwavering Devotion Is the Warmth of a Lifetime

> Chen Keming recalls a snowy day 30 years ago when he and his wife Duan Juxiang, after buying goods in Hankou, walked five kilometers to Wuchang Railway Station. To keep warm, they put their freezing feet in each other's clothes, a moment of shared hardship that symbolized her unwavering support. Her refusal to leave him after he lost two fingers as a carpenter inspired him to start a business, eventually founding Keming Noodles, which now employs over 3,000 people.

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Over 30 years ago, one winter, I ran a small general merchandise stall in Nan County. One day, it was snowing. My wife Duan Juxiang and I had just finished stocking up at Hanzheng Street in Hankou, Wuhan. Each carrying a full load on our shoulders, we walked five kilometers to Wuchang Railway Station to catch a train. Because of the snow and slippery roads, we supported each other and walked slowly. When we arrived at the station, the train we usually took had just left, and the next one was about five hours away.
At that time, the snow was falling heavier, and there were few people at the station, making it feel especially desolate. The station had no heating, only a few ventilated windows where the north wind whistled through. My wife and I sat on a long wooden bench in the waiting room, shivering from the cold. Especially our feet, they felt like they were stepping in an ice cellar, numb from the cold. I was afraid my wife would get cold, so I quickly pulled her into my arms, and we huddled together for warmth. Our bodies warmed up, but our feet became more and more unbearable.
Then my wife Duan Juxiang said to me, "Keming, take off your shoes and put your feet in my clothes to warm them." It was a good idea, but I was reluctant because my feet smelled. I quickly said my feet weren't cold and suggested she put her feet in my clothes instead. My wife said, "Either we both do it, or neither of us does." I had to smile and say, "Aren't you afraid of my smelly feet?" My wife smiled calmly and said, "We're an old married couple, why would I be afraid of your smelly feet?" Then she helped me take off my shoes. I was so cold that I obediently put my feet into her warm clothes, feeling a warmth I had never experienced before. At the same time, I put her feet into my chest.
My wife's feet were ice-cold. When she first put them into my clothes, I felt a shudder throughout my body; that icy sensation is unforgettable. I also knew that when my feet went into her clothes, she must have felt a bone-chilling cold that was uncomfortable. I couldn't help blaming myself. If I hadn't lost two fingers while doing carpentry, she wouldn't be here suffering in the cold with me. At that moment, she should have been at home by the fire, warming herself with the children, enjoying family happiness.
"See, you're suffering because of me? Back then, I told you to divorce me, but you wouldn't, and now you have to endure this hardship with me."
"It takes a hundred years of cultivation to share a boat ride, and a thousand years to share a pillow. Sharing hardships and joys together is what makes a true couple. What is this little hardship?"
My wife's words warmed my heart, but at the same time, I felt very sad. I had let her down. Over the past two years, my beautiful wife had become thinner, darker, and her skin rougher—all because of me! Looking at my disabled left hand, I couldn't help recalling the incident when I lost two fingers while planing wood.
At that time, being a carpenter was a relatively good profession. Others earned only a little over ten cents a day, but as a carpenter, I earned two yuan a day. Moreover, I was skilled at my craft and had a small reputation locally, so there was always work. I was a studious person and invented a planing machine that was highly efficient but had a low safety factor. Once, while working at a construction site, I accidentally lost two fingers on my left hand forever. Losing two fingers meant I could no longer do carpentry work, and my life suddenly fell into hardship, and my future became uncertain.
My wife Duan Juxiang, although she had already given birth to two children, still looked young and beautiful. People who didn't know her thought she was a young girl and even introduced suitors to her. With my disabled hand, I couldn't do carpentry anymore, so I couldn't give her a happy life. I couldn't bear to let her suffer with me, so I thought about divorcing her. After the divorce, she would surely find a man better and more capable than me and live a good life. At that time, I was very conflicted. My wife was beautiful, capable, and kind-hearted. Honestly, I didn't want her to leave me, but in my current state, I couldn't give her a good life. I had no choice!
One evening, after dinner, when the children were asleep, I said to my wife, "Juxiang, my hand is like this now, and I might not be able to earn money in the future. Let's get a divorce. Find a capable man and marry him, and live a good life. That is my wish. The children can be taken care of by my siblings, and you can find someone else."
This was something I had thought deeply about, and I said it calmly, trying to control my emotions.
Unexpectedly, when my wife Duan Juxiang heard this, her heart ached, and she cried with me in a hug. She said, "No, absolutely not! A married woman follows her husband no matter what. If you, Chen Keming, beg for food, I will beg with you. Besides, what is this little setback? We are still young, and there are plenty of opportunities. If you can't be a carpenter, we can farm or do small business. We won't starve."
In this way, my wife's unwavering devotion and careful care gave me tremendous support, encouraging me to muster the courage to face life again. After my hand healed, we set up a stall on a street in Nan County, selling small general merchandise. When busy, my wife helped me set up the stall and stock up.
More people gradually came into the railway station, and the waiting room felt a bit warmer.
"Keming, doing small business is a bit tiring, but the profit is not thin. These two loads of goods, even with a small profit, will earn over a hundred yuan."
My wife's words interrupted my memories, and we began to envision our future at the station. I said to my wife, "After each stock-up, you set up the stall in Nan County, and I'll carry the goods and sell from village to village. That way, we'll earn more and faster."
My wife said, "That's great. When the business grows, we'll open a big store where we can shelter from the wind and rain."
The snow stopped at some point, and the dreams of the future and my wife's warmth made me feel warm all over. My feet were no longer numb but warm, and I felt that life was fulfilling and happy.
In a person's life, there will always be storms and hardships; when encountering cold, there will always be people and things to warm you. Without this good wife who shared hardships with me, I wouldn't be where I am today, nor would I have founded Keming Noodles. It was my wife Duan Juxiang who made me who I am. Not only did we support our own family, but we also created a warm working environment for over 3,000 employees. During the entrepreneurial process, we also encountered several cold snaps, but it was the Keming people who huddled together for warmth and overcame each difficulty. In a mysterious way, I regard Keming Noodles as my beloved. For over 30 years, I have been with Keming Noodles, supporting each other, warming each other, and growing together.
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