A defiant old man, Huang Ping, who refused to leave his home, now lives in the middle of a highway under construction in Jinxi, a town southwest of Shanghai, China, according to The Metro.

Mr Ping admits that he has some regrets for not accepting the government's compensation offer. Despite the offer, he chose to stay in his two-storey house. In response, workers built the motorway around his home, which is set to open in the spring. 

To avoid the noise and dust from construction, Mr Ping and his 11-year-old grandson have been spending much of their time in the town centre. They return to their house each evening after work ends.

However, Mr Ping is concerned that once the motorway is operational, the noise will be constant, making it difficult for them to live in peace.

"If I could turn back time, I would agree to the demolition conditions they offered. Now it feels like I lost a big bet," he told The Metro.

The homeowner added, "I regret it a bit."

While Mr Ping laments his decision, it seems locals are finding the whole thing rather fascinating and have flocked to the property to take pictures.

Mr said he had been offered CNY 1.6 million (Rs 1.9 Crore) and two other properties, which was later increased to three. The secretary of the Jinxi County Party Committee previously said that Huang refused to relocate because he was dissatisfied with the government's offer.

Now Huang Ping lives in the centre of a road that will soon be very busy highway. Ping must pass through a sizable pipe in order to reach his front door. The homeowner's roof is nearly level with the road's two lanes. Nowadays, his home is a popular tourist destination.