Photo: A screenshot of a video posted by Phoenix Weekly

A man who makes a living by collecting and selling waste in Shaoxing, East China's Zhejiang Province, recently gained popularity after he livestreamed drawing an oil painting on social media. The grass-root painting lover's story reached a climax when he received a surprising call on Friday from his favorite artist who he has long wanted to meet. 

The 39-year-old man, surnamed Wei, first became well-known on Chinese video-sharing platform Kuaishou for drawing classic oil paintings that copy from world masters in his 15 square-meter rental house.

From a beginner to a skilled painter, the 39-year-old man said he has read hundreds of painting books over the past five years and aimed to become a professional artist to "change his destiny as a waste collector."

After media widely reported his story, Wei received a surprising phone call from Guo Runwen, a professor at Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, who he has long admired and wanted to meet. 

The professor expressed respect in his call for Wei's passion for painting and encouraged him to keep up practicing to improve skills, according to a report by Phoenix Weekly on Sunday. 

"Although we live in different working states, we are equal and consistent in expectations for the beauty in art," said Guo.