A Chinese university student has gone viral after spending more on shipping than the air conditioner itself to help her boyfriend cope with Europe’s ongoing heatwave while studying in the United Kingdom.
According to Chinese media, the woman, identified only as Ma Zhi, bought a portable air conditioner costing just over 1,000 yuan (approximately RM590) and paid more than 2,000 yuan (around RM1,180) to have it urgently shipped from Chengdu to the UK.
Her boyfriend, who is studying in Britain, reportedly told her that his university accommodation had become unbearably hot because it was not equipped with air conditioning.
“He couldn’t sleep at night because the room was simply too hot, so I decided to send him an air conditioner,” she was quoted as saying.
Because wall-mounted air conditioners are not permitted in many UK student residences, she opted for a portable model instead. Although the unit has already been shipped, she said it has yet to arrive.
Another Chinese resident living in Italy shared a similar experience after purchasing a portable air conditioner during a trip back to China. The unit took about one month to reach Europe and cost roughly 1,000 yuan (RM590) to ship.
The resident said the air conditioner arrived just in time for the current heatwave, adding that it helped keep both the household and family pets safe from the soaring temperatures.
Europe has been experiencing an intense heatwave in recent weeks, driving a surge in demand for cooling appliances such as air conditioners and electric fans, with many retailers reportedly struggling to keep up with sales as temperatures continue to climb.
