But Ruan didn't know any of this. No newspapers in the mainland have reported a story in the language he is able to read.

The company called Ruan recently to come negotiate further. But when Ruan went to Zhuhai, a manager refused to talk about the core issue of more compensation, he said.

"Do you have any difficulties? Is there anything we can do for you?" Ruan said the manager asked him, saying the company could pay his train costs and accommodations in Zhuhai.

"I don't need anything right now, but there is a tough life a head of me and that's where the problem lies." Ruan told the Global Times.

One day at home, inspired by a TV program he watched, Ruan came up with the idea of organizing a performance art piece by young people who had lost their fingers and hands at the factory.

The plan was for a row of young handicapped workers to sit on a production line, making rubber hands and arms with the Elec-Tech logo on a sign beside the worktable.

"It's called the factory that produces severed fingers and hands," Ruan said.

The plan was postponed because Elec-Tech called. But he is still waiting for them to talk about specific compensation, rather than issues like train tickets.

"If the problem is not solved, I'll still bring on the show," he said.