21-year-old Qian Wei Cheng, an Automotive Engineering student at Tsinghua University, recently became an internet celebrity after photos of his watermelon flesh carvings went viral.

There are a lot of talented food artists out there who can turn watermelons into intricate works of art, but most of them use special tools to carve the tough shell of the fruit, whereas Qian Wei Cheng uses only a spoon and knife to work on the soft red flesh. Photos of his edible masterpieces surfaced on major Chinese social sharing sites just a few days ago, catching the attention of both casual users and news reporters. Contacted by several media outlets, the 21-year-old amateur artist appeared shocked by all the attention his carvings were getting, especially since to him they were just a fun way to pass the time when he got bored doing his homework or studying for his exams. For most of the designs, Qian just used a spoon, while for the most detailed ones, like the rose below, he also used a small knife.

“Watermelon Man”, as Chinese internet users have named Qian Wie Sung, told reporters his artistic career began last summer, when he and his colleagues spent most of their nights studying for their exams in the university’s study hall. Oftentimes they would buy melons, and at one point he started using his spoon to carve a skeleton in the fruit’s pulp. His friends were so impressed they encouraged him to make more, and often uploaded his works to various sites. It usually took him between thirty minutes to an hour to finish a piece, and after taking a photo, he feasted on it. Qian says most of the 41 watermelon carvings doing the rounds online were created last year, with just five of them dated this summer. That’s because this year’s melons are so sweet he just can’t resist eating them enough to carve his designs, the Chinese student claims.