Shi Xin stands in the factory he works in on Jan 18, 2017.[Photo/Xinhua]

During this year's Spring Festival travel rush season, Shi faced the same problem as he'd always had to deal with: obtaining a train ticket home.

Train tickets could be hard to get when many of the people across China are on the road traveling for Spring Festival reunions. It is expected that nearly 3 billion trips will be made during this year's 40-day Spring Festival travel season that started Jan.13.

Shi got lucky this year. Thanks to one of Guangdong's poverty relief program, he received a free train ticket home.

On Jan 18, Shi arrived at Guangdong Railway Station four hours earlier, waiting for the train.

It is the first time he got a sleeper this time. In past years, he had to carry a stool and sit on it for the whole trip in the train to his home.

Shi Xin knows he can not always live like this. He plans to come back home and run a breeding farm, while taking the responsibility of caring for his parents and son after he has earned enough money.

"I'm no longer alone after all. In his 30s, a man must think more for his whole family."