In 1986–1987, at the age of 74, Bai retired from his pedicab driving job and returned to his hometown in Hebei Province where he decided to live the rest of his life. On his way back, he witnessed many children working in the field. Upon learning that they had to drop out of school due to financial difficulties he decided to go back to his job of driving a pedicab in Tianjin to support the children in receiving education. However, before returning to work he first donated 5,000 yuan (US$785 in 2015) for the cause of their fees. Hitherto 2001, he often worked for long shifts, sometimes 24 hours at a stretch so that he could make the money to pay the installment for the school fee. He got an accommodation close to the railway and would wait 24 hours a day, eat simple food and wore second hand discarded clothes. He also lived in a shabby house in the outskirts of Tianjin and ate humble food, according to local media. In 1996, he opened a small store near Tianjin's railway station to make more money. Most of his income was donated to local schools and universities such as to the Nankai University where he donated 35,000 yuan (US$5,498 in 2015) for the first time in 1996. His entire contribution summed up to 350,000 yuan. In 2001, at the age of 90, he paid his last installment to the Yaohua High School and retired from his job.
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