Resilient former social media star turned Chinese wrap hawker earns praise for overcoming life’s challenges

CHINA: A former social media influencer recently received praise from Chinese netizens for her dedication and hard work in serving customers by selling traditional Chinese breakfast wraps (煎饼果子) on the street.

Several videos shared on social media feature a well-dressed and attractive woman, elegantly clad in a Cheongsam, engaging with her customers with a charming smile while skillfully preparing the famous traditional snack.

In the video, the woman maintains a smile throughout and even uses tomato sauce to draw a big heart on a pancake. A netizen commented, “She is truly adorable! Like a little sun.”

From shining social media star to mental turmoil after her private videos were leaked

The 28-year-old woman is Xia Kaixuan (夏凯旋), better known by her nickname “Doghead Lolita (狗头萝莉).”

Despite her shining and positive attitude shown in the video, Ms. Xia has been through a series of mental torment and controversies in recent years, even attempting suicide at one point.

Before this, she had a well-proportioned figure which attracted 2.6 million followers on Weibo.

However, in 2021, her ex-boyfriend disapproved of her sharing sexy photos on social media and dating someone new after their breakup. In retaliation, he publicly released intimate videos of Ms Xia and even stole explicit photos from her phone that was neither edited nor censored.

Though the ex-boyfriend was eventually sentenced, he was released from prison after just 8 months, while Ms. Xia continued to suffer harassment and insults from netizens during her livestreams, leaving her feeling overwhelmed.

The most devastating blow for Ms Xia occurred when she was expelled by event staff during a cosplay event she attended.

This incident led her to decide to release a nearly 3-minute video In February 2023, revealing that despite facing sexual abuse at a young age and being bullied online over her private videos, she chose to stay strong and continue living.

Tragic experiences since childhood

In fact, according to Ms Xia’s self-confession, she revealed her tragic experiences since childhood: she suffered sexual abuse from her biological father since the third grade of elementary school, her mother was aware of this but did not protect her.

She endured this until she graduated from high school and chose to run away from home.

To earn money for college tuition and living expenses, she took night shifts in a factory, where she became a victim of sexual assault by a supervisor.

After escaping the factory, she entered into a sugar daddy relationship to afford her education, but later, when she joined the livestreaming industry, she was deceived by an unscrupulous agent who not only withheld her wages but also hijacked her livestreaming account.

Additionally, she was asked to compensate 6 million Chinese yuan (approximately $841,800).

In the video,  She expressed a desire to preserve the most beautiful moments of her life and announced her plans to wear her favorite cheongsam dress in the video hinted at her contemplating suicide.

Found alive after alleged suicide attempt in February 2023

After posting the video explaining her intentions, she disappeared, and those around her couldn’t find her. Worried about her safety, they decided to report her disappearance to the police.

A blogger claiming to be a close friend of Ms Xia, named Xiao Ling, provided regular updates to the netizens and informed them that the local police had launched a full-scale search operation.

After a whole night of searching, fortunately, she was found alive, curled up alone in an abandoned building.

After the incident, Ms Xia announced that she returned to her hometown Shanxi to take a rest for few days as she felt tired.

Returned as a hawker selling Chinese wrap

After enduring two tumultuous years, Ms. Xia showcased remarkable resilience by embarking on a new path as a hawker, selling Chinese wraps. Driven by determination and hard work, she embraced this opportunity to build a sustainable livelihood.

Notably, Ms. Xia obtained the necessary certification for making Chinese wraps, and in May, she fearlessly launched her own business.

Her stall has been met with resounding success, evident from her recent videos and Weibo posts, where Ms Xia proudly shares her accomplishments.

Surprisingly, she found herself attracting more female customers than male visitors to her stall.

Ms Xia’s resilience earns acclaim on social media

Her inspiring story has even reached Facebook, with netizens praising the beautiful girl’s resilience and hard work, finding joy in her presence despite the pain she endured. They admire her determination to forge her path and wish her the best for the future.

One netizen praised, “She’s a hardworking and genuine girl. Her service brightens up customers’ moods! It’s worth waiting for, and customers will still leave happy. Her voice is authentic, and her polite manner of serving customers is admirable. To those who question her sincerity, do they actually enjoy going to stores where the service and tone are rude? Keep going, and thank you for your dedication and hard work.”

“She’s adorable and beautiful. A girl who earns her own money with her own hands is the best.”

“A person who has truly crawled back from hell. I hope everything goes well for her in the future.”

“She’s a pitiable girl. Please respect her. She works hard with her own hands and is no less than anyone else. Keep going!!”

“She is a girl who has endured unbearable pain and bravely lives for herself. How can she not be beautiful?”