The Deaf and Mute worker. (啞巴)
I worked with an assembly line worker one day. Children who had ear and throat diseases in rural areas often lead to permanent damages to their hearing and language development.
The lady worker sat there all day, head down and focused on her work station.
I was not aware of her physical predicament at first, just thought she was unusually shy.
Until other workers told me she could not speak and hear, but she does uses sign language and can lip read.
I came away realizing that how socially isolated she must feel, sits there day in and day out, hours to a stretch. She would go for lunches and dinners with the group, but remains at her station during short breaks, munching on an apple. Every day.
Employment opportunities in China are often introduced by friends or friend of a friend, so she could have been introduced by someone. She is a steady worker and reliable, just show her once the procedure and she would dutifully perform the task, I think the factory always appreciates workers who are dependable and she certainly is one of them.