Zheng never imagined that his impulsive act would result in a jail term, and he was devastated by the bitter experiences he endured after his release. He remembers the date he left prison, Dec 20, 2012, and how grateful he was for the gift of 200 yuan ($31) provided by a friendly warder.
"I was jobless. My wife was dead. I had nothing," he said. "To comfort my elderly parents, I returned to my hometown to spend the 2013 Spring Festival with them."
Repeated setbacks in his search for permanent employment sent his self-esteem into a downward spiral. "I was employed as a cook in a local restaurant and as a worker on construction teams, but my employers asked me leave when they learned about my criminal record. They were worried that I would fight with the other workers," he said.
His daughter was also distrustful. "She kept away from me because of my offense, and we rarely communicated. I had no money or time to give her, and I was unable to look after her. I didn't know how to play the role of a father," he said.
Touch and go
Despite severe depression, Zheng managed to endure the first six months without incident, but it was touch and go: "I even wondered about whether I should offend again, because at least that would have allowed me to settle down (in prison)."
Disappointed, he left Jiamusi, and spent a year wandering from place to place. "My unstable life ended in late 2015, when I met Ying," he said.
Ying used to lead construction teams in Hebei province, but when the work dried up he offered his services to the provincial branch of China Ex-Convict Aid.
"I like helping other people, and Zheng was the first person my branch helped. At first, I asked him to do odd jobs, hoping that I would get to know him that way. At the same time, I posted his information online and contacted a couple of local companies that were willing to provide financial aid or job opportunities," he said.
"In fact, we are a 'bridge' between kind-hearted people and ex-offenders. We aim to help them grasp opportunities to regain society's trust," Ying said.
Fortunately for Zheng, Ying was quickly able to help him raise 50,000 yuan as a startup fund for the fruit store. "Business is good. I'll send the startup money back to the people who provided it as soon as I can," Zheng said.
His new-found stability also resulted in improved relations with his daughter, who is now 24 and pregnant.
"She sends me photos and videos on WeChat (a popular instant-messaging platform). The fruit store has improved my life and provided a new connection with my daughter. It's helped me to rediscover the feeling of being a dad," he said. "What's more, I also have a girlfriend, so this feels like home."
A long struggle
Like Zheng, Ni Zhijie, struggled for a long time following her release from jail in 2011. The 59-year-old Jilin province native ran a liquor store for many years, but in 2007, she was sentenced to six years in jail for providing fake receipts.
Ni's absence left her family in financial difficulty, and the problem was exacerbated when her husband injured his leg and was laid off work.
"I didn't know who I could ask for help until my neighbors told me to turn to our community. I agreed to do some sewing work in the community, which I later discovered has a duty to help people like me to settle down," she said.
"I had to teach myself about the policies related to ex-convicts, because initially the community committee and local government didn't contact me," she added. "The government officials treated me very well after they heard about my experience, but why didn't they volunteer to provide me with aid before that?"
The current rules require local justice bureaus to follow ex-inmates after they are released from prison, but experts question the validity of the approach. "It just takes them to the places the former convicts have registered as their residences," said Wang, the China Ex-Convict Aid founder, who added that the help on offer at present is far from adequate.
