Mysterious Hanoi street vendor selling Vietnamese spring rolls goes viral for his shifty eyes, revealing an unbelievable past.

A man selling spring rolls in Hanoi has become a sensation with his distinctive demeanor, resembling an "undercover police officer." Behind his sharp eyes lies a tumultuous past, from a local police officer to a migrant worker, before dedicating 20 years to this Hanoi street food.

A "bullet-like" gaze and suspicions of an undercover police officer.

Around 3 PM each day, at a small corner on Yen Phu Street, Nguyen Van Thanh (48 years old, from Phu Tho province) begins his familiar work of earning a living with his electric bicycle loaded with ingredients. What makes his stall different isn't the flashy sign, but his shifty eyes, quickly observing every movement around him while his hands nimbly roll the rice paper rolls.

The clips capturing this moment quickly attracted millions of views. In the comments section, netizens were amused, with many even claiming he looked more like an undercover police officer on duty than a street vendor. His resolute gaze, heightened vigilance, and calm demeanor created a strange allure, drawing crowds of customers curious about the man's true identity.

The truth about the past and occupational "flaws" after 20 years of making a living.

Sharing about his sudden fame, Mr. Thanh smiled kindly and explained about his "flaw" in his eyes. In reality, those constantly shifting eyes are the result of nearly 20 years of selling street food on the sidewalks of Thanh Nien and Truc Bach streets. He explained that because customers often stop their vehicles in the middle of the road, he has to roll the rice paper rolls while simultaneously observing traffic to ensure safety and avoid causing congestion. Over time, this constant observation became a natural reflex, to the point that his wife back home often teases him about this occupational "flaw."

Interestingly, netizens' suspicions about his "police-like" demeanor turned out to be well-founded. Before becoming a street vendor selling spring rolls in the capital, Mr. Thanh worked as a commune police officer in his hometown of Phu Tho. He also experienced a hard life working as a construction worker abroad. After trying various jobs, he ultimately chose to stick with his spring roll stall to support his children's dreams. The discipline and quick wit he acquired during his time as a commune police officer seem to remain deeply ingrained in the way he runs his small stall today.

Motivation from the 10,000 VND stall and the pride of the children.

Despite unexpectedly becoming an internet sensation, Mr. Thanh maintains his simplicity and humility. Every day, he spends 4-5 hours in the morning preparing the ingredients and pastry shells himself using his own secret recipe. Although he attracts more customers than before, he still limits the number of pastries sold to about 300 per day at 10,000 VND each to ensure quality. Recently, to stabilize his business and comply with urban regulations, he rented a small space for 2.5 million VND per month.

Behind those captivating "bullet-shaped" eyes lies the heart of a devoted father. He carefully saves all his income from his food cart to send back home to support his three children's education. For him, the greatest joy isn't fame, but the fact that his children back home proudly tell their friends about their "famous dad." The support of his customers and the nightly phone calls home are the biggest motivation for this former village police officer to persevere with his food-making business, contributing to a unique aspect of Hanoi's street food scene.