As a post woman in Chenfang town,Jiangxi province,Luo arrives at the office each day at 7:30am (having pulled herself out of bed an hour and a half earlier).In the morning she sorts letters,papers and parcels,and acts as the only clerk in the office.Inthe afternoon,she carries the mail to people living in eight villages scattered in the hills.Two roads lead to the villages.One winds among hills and streams before reaching one villageabout 20km away,and can only be covered by foot.The other is 25km long,allows the use ofa bicycle and has seven villages along the way.Luo said it often takes five hours to finish a round trip of deliveries,and it's hard to say whichroute is easier."It's a bit more tiring to walk the hilly road,because I have to climb the hills.Yet on the otherroute I probably carry more mail by bike,"she said.Luo, 43,
the daughter of a farmers'family in Chenfang,worked on the farm before becoming apostal worker.In 1996,the post office asked Luo's parents if she would like to fill a temporary vacancy.Luodidn't expect that "temporary"
position to last for 10years,until she became an official and theonly employee of the post office in 2008.She used to carry up to 55kg of mail,but now she is not as strong as she used to be,and thereare fewer letters and telegrams today.Yet she is proud that she has never lost one letter or made a late delivery."The hills seem dangerous,though.I seldom see other people walking.
Sometimes there areanimals popping out of the woods,such as rabbits and boar,"Luo said. "It's a bit scary."But animals are not the only frightening thing she has run into.In 2001,Luo was stopped by aman attempting to rob her."I was carrying parcels of mail with a pole,and suddenly he came out of the woods,asking me togive him my money."She finally drove the robber away."I was so scared,there was really nothing I could do but put down the mail,
grab the pole in myhand,and shout out loud."She also suffered heatstroke while working in summer,and once passed out on the way for twohours."Now besides food and water,I take some medicine for heatstroke,"she said。The hardships don't stop her love for the job,however.Luo said the villagers treat her like afamily member,and sometimes invite her for a meal or to stay for the night.