These days, many passers-by always _ a beggar on the Jiaochangkou Street in Yuzhong District of Chongqing in southwest China. The beggar's name is Xia Haibo, and he was born in Meihe Village, Tianmen City of Hubei Province. Being 25 years old, he is quite a special beggar in some ways -- he doesn't beg on his knees, as other beggars do when begging. Rather, he often stands in the crowded street, either reading a book or thinking about something carefully. He also started a blog on the Internet which has been clicked more than 500,000 times. He likes reading -- he has read many classical Chinese poems. He has kept writing and recently, he has planned to publish his writings. In 1998, Xia entered Tianmen Middle School as the best student in his town. However, a year before he took the college entrance examination, he came down with a high fever and was later diagnosed   as having rheumatoid arthritis  . In order to treat his disease, his father borrowed 60,000 yuan from relatives and friends. However, with this money, he didn't recover from the disease. He did not want to become a burden   to his family any more. So in July, 2006, he left his hometown and went to Wuhan to make a living by begging. Begging has become a job to Xia now. However, he doesn't plan to go on living like this. "By July 24, 2008, when I have been begging for two years, I will stop my begging life. I promise," he said. It is his plan that by using the money he "earns", he will rent a small shop in his hometown and keep on writing in his spare time. Right now, he is trying to finish a book of his own. The book, called Love Is With Me, tells about the people who helped him during his begging life. When did Xia Haibo get the serious illness?
In 1998. In 2001. In 2000. In 2006.