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Ni Xialian, known as "Ping Pong Grandma", returned on Oct 10 to her hometown of Shengzhou in Shaoxing, where she enjoyed local delicacies, learned traditional Yueju Opera, and reconnected with family and friends.

Ni, whose parents were native to Shengzhou, grew up in Shanghai but holds a deep connection to her roots. In Shengzhou, she relished the town's famous xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) and rice cakes, saying she could "never forget the taste of home".

She also delighted local children by sparring with them in table tennis, filling the gathering with laughter. As she left, Ni waved warmly to the crowd and was moved to tears as she bid farewell.

Reflecting on her visit, she noted the remarkable changes in Zhejiang's countryside, where common prosperity is increasingly visible.

Born in Shanghai in 1963, Ni joined China's national table tennis team in 1979, securing mixed doubles gold and women's doubles silver at the Tokyo and Gothenburg World Table Tennis Championships. After retiring from the Chinese team in 1986, she studied at Shanghai Jiao Tong University as table tennis was gaining recognition as an Olympic sport.

Ni later moved to Germany and, in 2000, acquired Luxembourg citizenship, where she continued to compete internationally. Now 61, Ni has participated in six Olympic Games, making her the oldest table tennis player in Olympic history and a beloved figure in the sport.