At their boarding school in Xuzhou, China, Xie Xu and Zhang Chi shared more than lessons. Zhang needed help moving around the campus, and Xie carried him between the places their school day required them to be.
By the time their friendship drew attention in 2015, the routine had continued for three years. It included classrooms and the canteen, along with help with everyday tasks. Both students remained among the strongest performers in their class, according to contemporary reporting.
The reporting appeared before their next educational steps were settled. Xie had applied to Nanjing Polytechnic Institute, while Zhang was preparing for the college entrance examination. Their plans pointed in different directions, after three years in which Xie's daily help had allowed them to keep attending lessons together.