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A 20-year-old woman in eastern China has captured hearts by pivoting from a rubbish collector to a runway model
Known online as Chaoren Leng, or "Superman Leng", Leng Minghui assists her boyfriend's family at a refuse collection station in Taizhou, Zhejiang province.
In July last year, videos of her working in dirt-stained clothes went viral, with netizens mesmerised by how her 1.81m stature and chiselled features contrasted with the surrounding rubbish.
Seeing her potential, renowned self-made "village supermodel" Lu Xianren took Leng under his wing
Lu, who shares a similar background as Leng, shared catwalk tips and connected her with industry opportunities.
"You are a born supermodel," Lu said, according to South China Morning Post.
The young talent made her runway debut at the SS26 Fashion Source in Shenzhen last November.
Strutting in an orange ensemble inspired by the popular latiao (spicy strips) snack, Leng received thunderous applause and has since collaborated with brands like CHERY.
After her grandfather died when she was 15, Leng worked various odd jobs before meeting her boyfriend, whose 64-year-old father she now affectionately calls "Dad"
His family took her in and financed her secondary education, leading her to turn down modelling agencies to stay and help with their rubbish handling business out of gratitude.
"Collecting rubbish is a means to have a full meal, while modelling is a dream. These two paths do not conflict," she said.
Acknowledging that her chance at stardom is a rare stroke of luck, the determined model is putting in the hard work to improve her craft
"I am fully aware that opportunities in modelling are rare for me. I must double my efforts," she mentioned in her videos.
"I am focusing on perfecting details in my catwalk, head turns, poses, and more. Only by doing so can I truly shine on the runway," she added.
