As far as Ma was concerned, Wilawan's tender and caring personality and her fluent Chinese left a deep impression. Their conversation ranged from the goods transported via train to the network's impact on foreign trade and the meeting made Ma feel even prouder of his hometown.

After dinner, Wilawan wanted to treat him to the meal as a token of appreciation for his help, but Ma insisted on paying the bill. As time went by, the two grew closer. One day, Ma reserved a table at a restaurant with a great ambience, carefully prepared flowers and a gift, and confessed his feelings to Wilawan, who happily agreed to be his girlfriend.

In early 2023, Ma proposed, and they soon got married. Their daughter, Guoguo, was born in February last year, bringing even more joy to their family.

Ma says that he likes to take photos or short videos of the scenery along the route when the train stops at a location. He says that the scenes, especially winter landscapes covered in snow, may be new and exciting for his wife, who had never worn a down jacket before moving to China.