A long drive through bumper-to-bumper holiday traffic turned into a viral love story after a man used a simple banner to ask fellow motorists for help reaching his girlfriend in time to propose.
The 26-year-old man, identified as Tan, drove 932 kilometers across China during the country’s busiest travel period to surprise his girlfriend with a marriage proposal.
According to a report by the South China Morning PostTan is originally from Jiangxi province in central China but runs a business in Fujian province. In February, during the massive Spring Festival travel rush, he decided to drive to Guizhou in southwestern China, where his girlfriend had returned to celebrate the Chinese New Year with her family.
The Banner That Caught Everyone’s Attention
Before beginning the 12-and-a-half-hour journey, Tan placed a bright red banner inside the rear window of his car. The message was simple but heartfelt.
“Brothers, let me go first. I am heading to Guizhou to propose to the love of my life.”
The banner quickly caught the attention of other drivers on the highway. Several motorists recorded videos of the car and shared them on social media, where the story soon began circulating widely.
Tan later told Jiangxi TV that the banner served two purposes — to share his excitement and to politely ask drivers to give him way amid severe traffic congestion.
China’s Spring Festival travel period, known as chunyun, is widely considered the largest annual human migration in the world. With millions of people traveling to their hometowns, highways, railways and airports across the country often experience heavy crowds and long delays.
Kindness On The Road
Despite the traffic chaos, Tan said many drivers responded warmly after noticing the banner.
“At first, the journey felt endless,” Tan said. “But the closer I got, the more excited I became. The kindness I received made my happiness even greater.”
According to him, several motorists honked their horns and waved as they passed by. In one instance, during a particularly long traffic jam, a woman even stepped out of her car to congratulate him.
Surprise Proposal And Viral Fame
Tan’s girlfriend had no idea about the plan. The couple met during university and have been in a relationship for four years.
When Tan finally reached Guizhou and proposed, she was surprised — and happily said yes.
On February 26, the newly engaged couple returned to Jiangxi together.
Videos of the banner and the romantic journey soon went viral on mainland social media, gathering more than two million views. Many users congratulated the couple, while one joked that after so many drivers helped him reach his destination, Tan must make sure he does not disappoint his fiancée.
