Ningbo night market watermelon assault reaches settlement

A violent dispute at a night market in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, has concluded with a civil settlement. The incident occurred on July 28 when a 21-year-old watermelon vendor, identified as Xiao Meng, advised a customer to be careful not to damage the fruit while selecting it.

This interaction led to a confrontation where the customer's daughter insulted the vendor and summoned her husband, Yang. Upon arrival, Yang reportedly threw more than 10 watermelons at the vendor's head within 30 seconds, while the daughter threw grapes at him. The vendor sustained a concussion, soft tissue injuries to the head, and a shoulder tendon injury, requiring five days of hospitalization.

Following administrative detention and fines imposed by police, the aggressors have agreed to pay nearly 70,000 yuan in compensation. This amount covers medical expenses, lost fruit, lost wages, and mental distress damages. The vendor's father noted that despite having knives available during the attack, his son chose to remain restrained, avoiding further escalation.