Who's gone from hero to zero this week in Beijing? Who has the halo of goodness shining above their heads, and whose dastardly deeds have plumbed the depths of depravity?
Hero of the week
Bike flesh-searching netizens
A Japanese cyclist riding his bike around the world saw his journey go awry while passing through Wuhan, Hubei Province, when his bike worth 16,000 yuan ($2,541) was stolen. Kawahara Keiichiro, 28, parked his pimped out two-wheeler he refers to as his "girlfriend" to take a stroll along a pedestrian street, only to discover it was missing when he returned.
Chinese Web users were delighted Kawahara was able to experience an authentic part of daily Chinese life. Fortunately, he was on the last leg of his trip. Had he visited China first, he may never have left the country.
The incident was posted on Sina Weibo by a Web user, and was forwarded on more than 50,000 times by Monday. A local man who saw the news on Weibo bought the stolen bike for 1,000 yuan at an underground market, returning to its grateful owner. Though the story had a happy ending, perhaps next time Kawahara will check the Lonely Planet travel guide and realize bike theft is as common in China as noodle soup.
Villain of the week
Tortoise torturing spree
A bale of rare tortoises in Zimbabwe caused controversy last week when they dropped four hungry Chinese nationals into hot water by getting them deported. In an apparent return of favor, the Chinese men in question had boiled and devoured around 40 of the endangered Bell's hinged tortoises.
The crime unwittingly exposed that the Chinese nationals were also staying in the country illegally.
Police raided their abode to find large drums full of unkempt tortoises living in their own filth, and a graveyard of hollowed-out shells that had already been dined upon. China has become friendlier with various parts of the African continent in recent years, and it is thought that despite the recent tortoise torturing spree, it will not sour relations.
The four men may have been betrayed by the tortoises, but had kept an exceptionally wide and varied diet.