Sweeping the whole country, Beijing can't hold on!! Now it's already the final step, but there are still people who haven't noticed! Qiqi babble TALK Episode 977 20260922

The video compiles multiple testimonies from job seekers, the unemployed, migrant workers, and family members, describing the situation where university graduates face low‑pay jobs, middle‑aged people are rejected because of age, 12‑to‑16‑hour workdays become the norm, migrant workers wait for jobs in the labor market, and families sustain themselves by cutting food and consumption. Based on this, Qiqi comments on China’s employment and economic environment, and discusses the growing desire to leave due to rising life pressures.

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What are you thinking at this moment? No lying allowed.

Many netizens advise the parent that the child can no longer stay at school; they may already have mental issues at school. The parent replies that they cannot stop staying at school because the school is too far, so there is no choice. Netizens say the school is completely unacceptable, and one netizen gave a very realistic comment: if you don’t truly care about him, you will lose him.

[Video clip – university graduate] I received a university diploma. After entering the workforce, guess how much the monthly salary is? 4,000 yuan – is that the answer everyone expects? Qingdao University of Science and Technology – this degree should not be considered low among ordinary qualifications, right? I used to think the diploma was a class‑crossing, wash‑away golden ticket, as if having it guaranteed a relatively stable and high‑pay job. But after entering society I realized that in this era, education is so trivial it’s hardly worth mentioning.

[Video clip] Why are so many people unwilling to work now? I finally found out today. Today is my fourth day of unemployment, so I especially understand those who stay at home and don’t look for work – because their former economic pillar has been destroyed. They now have no way to support their families.

[Video clip – graduate student] I really don’t know the point of pursuing this non‑key‑university master’s degree. Since August I have sent out hundreds of resumes, and only a few have been shortlisted. First interview, second interview, AI interview – layer after layer of hurdles. A few days ago the interview was for a sales position, and there were many candidates born in 1992 competing. Some companies have finished screening; whether you pass or not, at least give us a word. The most speechless part is when HR online asks about salary and says, “You’ll discuss it in person.” I wonder, is that something that can’t be disclosed? Isn’t salary the most important concern for workers? Doesn’t a trip cost nothing? Are there others like me who have internship experience yet still hit wall after wall in job hunting?

[Video clip] This is a hospital charity fast‑food stall; every day many people line up. This year money is really hard to earn, everyone saves wherever they can. What will happen in the future? The off‑season has started, and there’s no work even if you want it. Many friends say they work 17 hours a day – how can a person endure that without dying of exhaustion? Now even if you want to work there’s nothing. Maybe it’s because on September 1 most people paid tuition and have no money left for consumption, so garment factories have no orders. Probably now that we’ve paid tuition we’re all eating pickles and steamed buns.

[Video clip] This industry is about to be finished for you. If you don't work a 12‑hour shift now, you can't even find a job. Twelve‑hour shifts have become the norm, and 15‑hour, 16‑hour shifts are also everywhere. Think about it: with that schedule, how much rest time is left? The rest is basically just earning this little money, most of which goes to paying hospitals. This is the current overall situation: earning 3,000 yuan a month, with two days off a month, and everyone is scrambling for such shifts, even 2,800 yuan shifts are taken. Seriously, I tell you, why can the boss set such terms? Because he finds that no matter how little he pays, someone will still work for him. Working 28 days a month for 3,000 yuan means about 100 yuan a day, not counting lateness, performance bonuses, or leave; in the end, even earning 3,000 yuan is a struggle.

[Video clip – family of a middle‑aged unemployed person] If nothing unexpected happens, my husband has zero income this month; he's middle‑aged and unemployed. He hasn't told me yet; I noticed some company items were taken back, secretly asked his coworker, and confirmed he was indeed dismissed. I'm staying at home with the kids, with no income. How will we handle the mortgage and living expenses this month? What will a family of three eat and drink? Let me laugh for a moment, otherwise I might not be able to laugh at all this month. First, calculate this month, clear out the food we stocked in the fridge, see how long it lasts. I need to think about how to get through the coming days.

[Video clip – job seeker] Since graduation I've interviewed at five or six places, and the strangest one was at a job fair. Do you know what they said? They said I have to pay a 2,500‑yuan deposit. When I heard that, I was about to explode, but I stood up and said, "Okay, if it's not a good fit I'll leave." Then I went up to him to hand over my résumé, and he asked, "What makes it not a good fit? Salary?" I said the salary is far from my expectations. He asked, "What is your expectation?" I said it's too far off, so I didn't answer and just asked for my résumé back. I took the résumé and was furious on the way home. If companies can't afford to hire people, they shouldn't be hiring at all, okay? Who are you insulting here? Do you think I'm going to be your African laborer?

[Video clip – labor market job seeker] It's 7 a.m., look at how many people are here. People can't keep working; the women looking for work say more and more people are showing up at this time. No one has any work to give, I’m not wrong. Can't go down, don't go out, just stay home and wait. Let's talk after August 15. It's already September 6, it's 7 a.m. and there are still so many people; it's really confusing.

[Video clip] Uncle, stop eating that, here's 10 yuan, stop eating it, you'll get sick. Really, stop eating it, buy something else to eat.

[Video clip] I don't know how much you all are saving this year. At our home we hardly cook dinner anymore; at lunch we steam a bit more rice and make a bit more dishes. If the rice runs out, we add some noodles to the leftover dishes; if there's still a bit of rice, we make egg fried rice for the family in the evening, just enough for a few bites. If I'm not hungry, I just skip dinner altogether and definitely won't go out to a restaurant.

[Video clip] At home we have already started stockpiling trash bags; let me show you my bag, it's already full. Buy less if you can. These past two days I realized the slippers I'm wearing have been used for five or six years, the soles are broken, but the point is to save wherever possible.

[Video clip – job‑seeker who gave up] I have stopped looking for work, I have given up, because I think the current wages and benefits are too low; the pay doesn't match the hours. When I see that kind of pay and workload, I'd rather stay at home. Staying at home saves money; a day at home costs at most twenty‑ or thirty‑yuan. If I go to work, the salary is so low that I still have to buy food and drinks, just to coax myself to go.

[Video clip – job seeker] Today I interviewed for a school cleaning job, 2,500 yuan a month, they said they only hire one person. The school is huge; can't they hire more people? How long would one person have to clean to finish? It would be exhausting. Tell me, if it were you, would you go?

Many families now can't even lift a pot. Don't doubt it. People living in multi‑million‑yuan mansions can't afford a few hundred yuan of property fees; those with multi‑million‑yuan cars can't afford a few hundred yuan of fuel. This is what a friend from a legal training program told me. Communist Party, is the unemployment rate you publish real? Fuck, middle‑aged people go out looking for jobs, can't find one, end up not even affording instant noodles, and have to borrow money for the travel home.

[Video Clip·Middle-aged Worker] On September 5th at 8 a.m., there were fewer recruiters and all the workers were present. I just finished resigning today; a 12‑hour shift is really not for humans, not just physical labor but soul‑crushing. Working 12 hours a day with early shifts, then alternating early and night shifts. If I keep going like this for another 3 or 5 years, I’ll still be the same, having sold all my time to 12‑hour days, which I can’t accept. So I decided to quit after completing this month. Today I finished the month, I left no fallback and quit outright. Now I’m sitting at home, feeling a bit relieved but also a bit anxious.

[Video Clip·Middle-aged Job Seeker] Sisters, I didn’t expect the video I posted yesterday about us middle‑aged people looking for jobs to go a little viral. I didn’t expect so many middle‑aged people to resonate so strongly. Where are we lacking? Someone please tell me, what exactly are we middle‑aged missing? When you look for a job and they hear you’re 40, they don’t even give you an interview.

[Video Clip] The second half of the year may have no work to be done, I feel it, I sense it. Right now factories are either shut down or about to close; yesterday a notice came out saying they were stopping. In Qingdao it’s the same, shutting down batch after batch. The second half really looks bad, the environment is truly poor. This year the number of unemployed is just too high.

[Video Clip·Middle-aged Unemployed] I was born in 1989; I left my job in January and still haven’t found work. Do you know how terrible the job‑search environment is now? Our family has four members, all unemployed.

[Video Clip·52‑year‑old Job Seeker] I’m 41, born in 1985, the crisis of a middle‑aged man—I truly felt the bitterness and helplessness today. I went to an interview again, ran to the company’s building, and just as I was about to go up, someone came down and asked what I was doing. I said I was there for an interview. He asked how old I was; I said 52. He said 52 is unsuitable, there’s no position for you. I said I was referred by someone, and he said it doesn’t matter who referred you, because the rule is under 45; you’re seriously over the limit, they definitely won’t hire you, and even if you got in it would be useless. I don’t know, sisters in their 50s like me, are you just lying flat at home, or do you have any good jobs?

[Video Clip·78‑year‑old Job Seeker] A man from Hubei, 78 years old, constantly looking for work. He has little savings and needs to pay rent next month, so he’s worried. He says he needs to find something quickly to get through the current difficulty. Why is it so hard? Even part‑time jobs are nowhere to be found.

[Video Clip] Today is September 2, 5:18 a.m. Beijing time; the labor market is still packed with migrant workers looking for jobs, and many more are on their way, day after day.

[Video Clip] I always thought the situation in Hong Kong was similar to ours, that every industry there is also very competitive. Who would have thought that today my aunt told me there’s a restaurant and a tea house over there hiring, and she asked me to help find two people to work there. Of course you need to get a work permit. One week, from Friday afternoon to Sunday night, roughly two or three days a week, pays about 20,000 yuan a month. My goodness, I thought there was no business over there, everyone was unemployed, but she said they can’t even find a dishwasher. A dishwasher job is now that hard to fill, and they have to recruit from the mainland. Looks like I didn’t understand the outside world; some industries there are still doing well, just not for us.

[Video Clip] My aunt is now planning to go over there on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, giving up the work here because the most we can earn here in three days is only one or two thousand yuan, but working two or three days a week over there brings 20,000 yuan a month. I’m really impressed, it’s still that profitable over there.

[Video Clip] The trash bin downstairs from my building, every day a can is pulled out; from my observation it’s less than eight hours, and four or five groups of people rummage through the trash bin daily, sometimes before dawn they’re banging and clanking, it’s so annoying. Per capita income is 110,000 yuan, it’s that high, yet people still can’t afford meals and have to scavenge the trash.

[Video Clip·Full‑time Mom] It really is an economic downturn now; even I, a full‑time mom, have to go out looking for work. I used to complain that full‑time moms can’t work, now reality hits hard. If I don’t go out now, I’ll never have another chance.

China’s economic recession storm is raging, turning the labor market into a life‑or‑death arena. Millions are struggling to survive, just to avoid being swept away by the torrent.

Degrees that once guaranteed a bright future—college or master’s—are now fragile and heartbreaking. Countless young people have to shelve their dreams, driving ride‑hailing cars, delivering food, taking odd jobs, even crowding onto sidewalks to set up stalls.

Meanwhile, middle‑aged workers bitterly face the cruel elimination of the age curse, forced to sell their lives to 12‑ to 16‑hour, exhausting sweat‑shop jobs just to earn a meager wage.

Harsh survival pressure smothers any hope of turning things around, forcing many families into extreme frugality: skipping dinner, mending old clothes, or queuing for cheap charity meals.

However, more terrifying than material scarcity is that this recession has completely crushed an entire generation's spirit, making them bitterly realize that even if they fight tooth and nail, the only thing they can do now is clench their teeth and barely survive each day.

I can say that the CCP has always treated the Chinese people like frogs in warm water, and now it’s almost like they’re being boiled in waste water. So more and more people realize they are in deep trouble and want to run away. But we all know the essence of the warm‑water‑frog method lies right here.

When it’s a hot spring and you’re soaking comfortably, the pot lid is open. But as it’s about to boil, the lid snaps shut. That’s roughly the current situation: because the Chinese are about to be boiled to death in this pot, the CCP timely slams the lid on. The Chinese now can’t even run away; they’re trapped and dying there.

I remember a few years ago, Chinese people kept saying our country was the best developing nation, inviting others to come soak in our hot springs, everyone thought China was developing the fastest and the best. Now many want to run but can’t.