Brother Enters Peking University, Brother Drops Out to Sell Apples? Sichuan’s SaltSource Once Again Presents a Tragic Auction Marketing Stunt, Local AuthoritiesInvestigate | Cloud Debunking
Sichuan Internet Reporting and Debunking Platform, October 18, 2024
On October 15th, blogger I’m Called Niu Yiqun posted a short video online claiming that she had encountered a local boy in Weicheng Town,Yanyuan County, Liangshan Prefecture, Sichuan Province. This boy, she claimed, was academically gifted but from a poor family. His brother had been admitted to Peking University, while he himself had dropped out of school to sell apples. The video contenttouched many netizens, but it was all a script fabricated by the blogger through staged photography.
On October 17th, reporters from relevant departments in Liangshan Prefecture and Yanyuan County confirmed to Cover News that the boy in the video, Xiaohui (pseudonym), had dropped out of school due to his own aversion to studying. His brother was indeed attending university in Beijing, but not Peking University. The blogger paid Xiaohui 200 yuan per day to act, and the corn kernels and apples Xiaohui carried in the video wereall props.
The Tragic Auction Script: A Boy’s Sacrifice for His Family
In the video posted by blogger I’m Called Niu Yiqun, she encountered Xiaohui, a local boy carrying a basket of apples and picking up corn kernelson the ground. During their conversation, Xiaohui told the blogger that he would carry this basket of apples to the town, 2 kilometers away, to sell them, and that he was picking up the corn kernels to save food. Xiaohui offered the blogger some of his apples to taste, claiming thathis family had over 100 apple trees and that he and his father had to carry the apples in baskets to sell them.
The blogger then suggested visiting the apple orchard with Xiaohui and offered to help sell the apples through online livestreaming. Xiaohui immediately expressed his gratitude and said he would gohome and discuss it with his father.
On their way home, Xiaohui revealed his story: his brother had been admitted to Peking University, and he himself was also academically gifted, capable of ranking among the top three. However, due to his mother leaving home and his father being the sole breadwinner supportingtwo children, the financial burden was too heavy, so he had to drop out of school and shoulder the family’s responsibilities.
Xiaohui also told the blogger that his father had said he would let him return to school after selling the apples, but he was reluctant. Because my father is also gettingold and his health isn’t good, he can’t do heavy work. I can’t let him continue to work so hard, I need to take on some of the burden.
After arriving at Xiaohui’s home, upon learning about the blogger’s willingness to help and livestream the sale oftheir apples, Xiaohui’s father expressed his gratitude and said that he would let Xiaohui return to school after selling the apples.
Under the video, the blogger captioned it with Too understanding, truly heartbreaking! and commented in the comment section: Beyond his age, his strength and responsibility are heartbreaking.
The Truth Behind the Tragic Story: A Staged Performance for Profit
However, the truth behind the tragic story is far from heartwarming. The entire encounter, from Xiaohui’s sacrificial decision to his father’s gratitude, was a staged performance orchestrated by the bloggerfor profit. The blogger, in fact, paid Xiaohui to act out the tragic story, using props like corn kernels and apples to enhance the emotional impact of the video.
This incident highlights the growing trend of using tragic stories and staged photography to gain attention and profit online. Whilesuch videos may evoke empathy and sympathy, they ultimately exploit the vulnerability of individuals and distort reality.
Local Authorities Investigate, Calling for Vigilance Against Online Deception
Local authorities in Yanyuan County have launched an investigation into the incident, emphasizing the importance of verifying information and resisting online deception. The investigation aims to identify theindividuals involved in the staged photography and hold them accountable for their actions.
This incident serves as a reminder to be cautious about information circulating online, particularly those that evoke strong emotions. It is crucial to critically evaluate the information presented and seek confirmation from reliable sources before forming opinions or taking action.
Views: 0