From his home in Wuhan, Hubei province, Wei Fei headed toward Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, on Jan 8 without notifying his wife or other family members.

"When I was a soldier, I didn't have a chance to go to a battlefield, but now I will be wherever I am needed", the 35-year-old veteran said.

Wei is a native of Baoding in Hebei, which is experiencing an outbreak of COVID-19.

He learned from the internet that a restaurant called Zhuangliyan in Shijiazhuang was sending free meals to medical workers in the city, and delivery drivers were urgently needed.

After a nine-hour journey by train, Wei went directly to the restaurant.

"I deliver meals to several hospitals — several hundred packages a day. I worked as a volunteer in Wuhan last year, so I was familiar with everything," Wei said.

"My first job was here in Shijiazhuang," he recalled.

While volunteering as a deliveryman, Wei asks his friends in Henan province to mail necessities and food items so he can give them to people in need.

From February to April last year, Wei worked as a volunteer in Wuhan, transporting supplies and medical personnel 15 hours a day.

"Shijiazhuang is like Wuhan last year. The streets are deserted," he said. "I hope it can get back to normal soon."

Although he hid his trip from his family, he hopes he will be a role model for his 11-year-old son in the future.