Beijing Is Filthy Through and Through — Even Mao Ning Has Never Seen It!? You Wouldn't Dare Go to Xi'an Even If You Were Told To! The Four Hits Inside the Wall — Better Pick One Quick! Qiqi Baba TALK『Refreshing Mind 804』20261020

Hosted by anchor Qiqi, this episode begins by comparing remarks about urban public restrooms made by a former White House press secretary with those of Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning. It then compiles numerous submissions and everyday video clips from netizens across China, offering a comprehensive look at the desperate plight facing ordinary citizens amid current severe economic headwinds—including waves of unemployment, wage cuts, factory owners absconding, unpaid wages, difficulties finding work, and general destitution.

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Full transcript:

Hello, everyone, welcome to Qibaba TALK. I'm Qiqi. First, let's take a look at what the recently departed White House secretary said. Next is the response from Ms. Mao Ning, that "female star" of our Foreign Ministry.

She is welcome to visit China more often if she has the opportunity.

So she said in an interview yesterday that in 2016 there was a perception that China was set to overtake the US However she said that this would not have been possible Because I quote her again China didn't even have proper toilets And do you have any comment on these remarks? Thank you.

Those outdoors restrooms, I'm not talking about camping or anything like that, I mean right inside normal cities, are just terrifying. For example, during the first half of this year, didn't a school in Xi'an have a leak in its restroom pipes? Let's take a look at the kind of approach they took.

Just going to use this restroom.

Let me ask you, aren't you terrified? What if this bucket fills up and isn't emptied in time? What if the string hanging this bucket accidentally snaps? What if it accidentally tips over? Wouldn't that literally be shit hitting the fan?

Brothers, is doing business this tough this year? A dumpling place opened downstairs from me just a few days ago. Tonight I didn't feel like cooking, so I thought I'd go grab a bowl of dumplings. I walked up to the door and saw the lights were on, but then I saw a few words posted on the door: Shop for Transfer.

You must have diverse channels of information. The narrower your information sources are, folks, the more trouble you're in, you hear me? So, everyone, don't bury your head in the sand, and don't deceive yourselves, okay? In the end, burying your head and deceiving yourself isn't even the scariest part; the scariest part is that you actually believe it.

Reaching these two machines, I've shut them all down. No orders. I've been doing this for 15 years, and I have never seen market conditions this bad. For the remaining two months, I don't even know what to do.

Is this place going to go under? It feels like it's completely shut down. Look, it's past five o'clock and you can't even see anyone down there. Not just people—you can't see a single car, not a ghostly shadow in sight. Look at the North Gate, once the most crowded place packed with people and traffic. Could it be for real?

Something even scarier than a pay cut is that this kind of financial blow has begun. A while ago I was chatting with a friend. He said he currently brings home just over 1,000 yuan a month. I was stunned at the time. I asked, are you kidding me? Why don't you resign over just 1,000-plus yuan? You're teasing me, right? He sent me a screenshot of his paycheck, and only then did I believe he truly makes barely a thousand-plus a month.

To what extent has the job market tumbled now?

I have a former colleague who now works in HR. He said his company just opened a position this morning: Financial Assistant, monthly salary of 6,000 yuan, working six days with one-day weekend, requiring one to two years of work experience. Not long after he posted it—just in the time it took to turn around and grab a cup of water, less than ten minutes—no exaggeration, with a sudden ding, over a hundred resumes flooded in instantly. And among them, there were plenty of graduates from 985 and 211 universities majoring in finance and economics. He couldn't even finish reading them all. That is precisely why our submitted resumes are basically unread, or read without any reply: because they simply cannot manage to review them all or reply to everyone. When hiring for just a single position, why would they need that many people?

Alright, do you know how many kilograms it is? You can do it.

How many kilograms are you, how many kilograms are you, that's sitting down, isn't looking at the time when you're looking at the time different from laying it out?

Down to the fourth floor, ah. Did you take a liking to it? If you did, let's go. Then get in the car and let's go. Going up to the fourth floor, what can I see, can I see it? In a bit I'll take you home to play, alright? Then go, then give it to me, let's go, what are you doing? Oh my, oh my, I want to order, I don't want someone else's, can't work, don't you want to go home? Alright then, in a bit I'll go home, I'm done, did you do it, did you do it? Is this plain water alright? Alright, uh, the year 2000, ah.

Ah, ah, may I ask, how on earth can one actually make money?

Not a single tear, at the age of pure sand, using paper carvings I can't even survive, my building wants to stomp people beneath its feet, making money is too hard, only the longer it gets, how can one make enough, what needs to be lying-flat to be respected, changing the new order.

Grading orders, fuck, you fell asleep? Holy shit, you're fucking awesome.

Fuck, how much time do I have left on this order?

Holy shit, you sleep, you sleep, sleeping for half a day, fuck. When I just grabbed the order you were still here, after this was finished you're still here.

Do you know what the standard for a well-off family is?

Should I tell him? First, no debt, savings of over 100,000 yuan, a monthly income reaching over 6,000 yuan, and at least one spouse with legal means. Second, both husband and wife are first-time spouses, all offspring are their own biological children, and married life is harmonious. Third, owning their own home to live in, and owning a car for transportation. Fourth, in good health, family safe and sound, and parents still alive. Forget it, I'd better not tell him; I don't know how many standards he could actually meet, and I don't want to crush his spirits.

Today I lost my job, without any warning, without any buffer. One second they were still syncing links and workflows with me, and the next second they told me I was 'optimized'. I am walking on the street right now, completely afraid to go home. I don't know where to go, because all my family members know that at this hour, I should still be working. How do I tell them that starting tomorrow, starting tomorrow, I don't need to go to work anymore? It wasn't until today that I realized I can panic this badly too. I feel like a heavy boulder is pressing on my chest, and I can't catch my breath at all.

A couple of days ago I went to an interview for a job paying 1,800 yuan a month. At the time I thought the pay was ridiculously absurd, so I posted a video venting about it. But when I looked at the comments section, it was even more heartbreaking. Someone said they've been unemployed for half a year, and if there's an 1,800-yuan job, they would definitely take it. Others said that where they live, jobs paying just barely over 1,000 yuan are everywhere. Seeing all this, I suddenly didn't feel like complaining anymore. That's just how the macro environment is this year.

In the past, if you put in a bit of effort during the noon peak hours, you could make 70 or 80 yuan in a single shift. Now, during the daily noon peak, you only make 20 or 30 yuan. How many tough situations are still waiting ahead? With so many people, where are the orders supposed to come from? If there are no orders in another ten minutes, I'm calling it a day.

Fuck, whenever someone asks me what I'm going to do in the future, I fucking start to get triggered about what to do next. I fucking have no money and no love, and I fucking feel like just staying alive is already fucking awesome. Yet they still ask me what I'm gonna do in the future? I'm fucking done with this, fuck.

Please, everyone, have more children. We are almost all losing our jobs. Our kindergarten enrolled only 21 kids this year, just one class. I heard that there are two public primary schools around here. One primary school has just over thirty people in total, including both teachers and students. The other one has a total of just over eighty students and teachers, and it's right on the brink of going under. If nobody gets married or has kids in the future, teachers will lose their jobs, and schools will all go bankrupt.

On a totally normal afternoon, I heard catastrophic news—our family's income stream has been cut off. The source of our livelihood is gone, my friends. What does that mean? I stay at home taking care of the child, and my child's father lost his job. Our income is completely cut off. The kid is still drinking formula and wearing diapers. What should we do now? Holy shit, what are we supposed to do now? Unemployment... being unemployed actually happened to us.

You might not believe it if I say this, but now many enterprises in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai have already been reduced to free-falling. How should I put it? Many enterprises in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai are already out of orders. Why? Many enterprises simply have zero orders coming in.

I haven't been paid wages for three months, yet my kid asks me every single day, "Mom, did you get paid today?" She has been asking for three months, and I've answered "no" ninety times. Yesterday she asked again, and I said no. She said, "Mom, when can we eat at that restaurant? My heart feels a bit sore." Right after she asked that, I got a bit impatient and said, "Stop asking every day. When I get paid, I will tell you!" She said, "Okay, I got it." Sigh, I wasn't annoyed with her, I was frustrated with myself. On the day I finally get my paycheck, the very first thing I'll do is take her to that place... whatever happened over there, Mom remembers. As soon as I get paid, the first thing we'll do is buy it and go.

Don't blame other countries. 99.9% of the suffering and pressure you experience in your daily life does not come from other countries, but from those right around you. One day you will understand, though I hope you never have to understand.

This year might be the best year out of the next five years. Here is a piece of bad news: another normal closure. Look at this, my good friend spent over 100,000 yuan on renovations over six months, and nearly 200,000 yuan on machinery, and now it's all empty inside. They have to transfer this shop, too.

My salary is now three months overdue. I haven't seen a single cent up to now. I came to work for money, but turns out I haven't gotten a single penny. Can you believe it? You promised to pay wages on the 25th of every month, but up until now you haven't given me a single cent, and I haven't seen a single penny. Every day I come to work like a volunteer, working like a laborer without receiving any compensation or pay for my hard labor. And every day I have to chase you for my pay like a debt collector. I originally thought a big brand wouldn't withhold wages—first it was delayed by 14 days, then 34 days, and now you've delayed it for two months. My wages from June 6th, my very first day working here, haven't been paid yet. After all, I have to live. Now I don't have a single penny left, I can't even afford to take the bus.

A factory that was running completely fine packed up and moved away overnight. Let me show you this company where I used to work. The cranes are all over here, and the situation is just like this. The boss ran away overnight, and the workers didn't get their wages either. Just now a lot of police were here, along with many employees, and now everyone is standing here demanding their unpaid wages. Really, who is going to defend the rights of workers? After working hard for a whole year, near the end of the year, we can't even get our wages. I still strongly advise everyone to keep your eyes open when looking for a job. Times are tough for everyone these days; finding a reliable labor agency and job is really important.

It's way too overcrowded, way too overcrowded. Every session, every new class, the training over at Wanda has at least forty or fifty newcomers joining. The result of this is that with new people constantly joining, delivering food outdoors is completely overcrowded everywhere now. This is the kindergarten I operated for 15 years, and now it's about to close down.

Let's just close down... we really have no money left today. Now we are truly impoverished.

I can't even afford instant noodles, and right now this... this bowl of instant noodles was two yuan and fifty cents, two yuan forty cents, bought at that snack shop. It's cheaper at the snack shop, so this is my only bag, my last bag of instant noodles. It's been a long time since I could eat this. I bought it earlier and had it left over, and there's one last pack of chili powder. Now at home, there's nothing to eat at all. I can't even afford snacks to eat, I can't afford anything, there's nothing to eat. Every day now I can't even fill my belly, I'm just starving, my stomach is just growling with hunger, there's nothing to eat. I'm just this poor, just this poor. Some people even question whether I'm playing the victim. Where am I playing the victim? Playing the victim? Look at my actual situation yourself. Playing the victim... people who really don't know anything shouldn't just arbitrarily criticize others. As for Pin Hao Fan discount meals, they say it's super cheap, but some people still don't eat it, you know?

This brother is from Luzhou, Sichuan. He came from home and hasn't found a job for three days. All the money on him is used up, and he hasn't eaten now. I made some stir-fried pork with peppers and added a fried egg for you. Here, brother, take another drink. From Luzhou, Sichuan, right? Are there any brothers from Luzhou here? Get him a job working on a ship, he's from Luzhou, Sichuan.

The current burden on ordinary people.

It has reached an unbearable degree. The cost of living keeps rising, pressure has doubled, amidst pay cuts and layoffs in this state of life, young people don't dare to get married, as they can't even support themselves.

We haven't been paid wages for 21 months, yet people are still here. This is too hard. Who on earth is making money? I want to ask. This environment is really... this situation is really like total bullshit, I feel. Right now, it feels like you work super hard at your job, but every month you still have no money, and the company's performance is also terrible. Seriously, for Double Eleven and Double Twelve, I felt nothing at all, no desire to shop whatsoever, because I have no money. I feel that right now, even when ordering a Pin Hao Fan discount meal, I have to check which shop and which price is cheaper before ordering it. Has it really come to this? I keep thinking, who on earth is making money? Can someone tell me, please? Who is making money—the kind who can make tens of thousands of yuan a month?

Not eating... you don't even have shoes! Wait a minute, let me get a pair of shoes for you, okay? Clothes... you don't even have shoes, it's very cold. Friends, please help me. I am Ruibao's mother. My son was diagnosed with congenital heart disease right when he was born. He is almost three years old now. To delay deterioration, we have persevered with rehabilitation for more than two years. While bringing Ruibao to rehab, I also sell balloons in crowded places. Ruibao's father is a veteran with a grade-5 disability. He delivers food while working a job. Even so, our home is completely drained and burdened with debt. But he is only three years old, I really don't want to give up on him.

Can't afford rent, the landlord kicked me out. I'm sitting by the roadside now, riding an e-bike by myself, not knowing where to go, holding WeChat, not knowing who to text.

As for the domestic economic situation, I won't tell you whether it's good or bad. It's called "stable." It will definitely be stable in the future and stable for a long time—that is, next year might be even more "stable" than this year. Folks, remember this: from now on, in China, don't dream about getting rich overnight anymore. Just completely give up on that idea. Let me tell you, for ordinary people in the future, if you can save a clean 5,000 or 6,000 yuan a month, that's pretty good. If you can reach over 8,000 or over 10,000, you're already a high-income person. Let's live down-to-earth lives and not aim for the stars. Money will be very hard to make in the future. Having a stable monthly income of a few thousand yuan is really good. Let's just not set our expectations and goals too high. Living honestly, doing our duties, and staying safe and sound—that is already the best.

The storm of China's economic recession is raging mercilessly, turning the lives of millions of grassroots workers into a desperate battle for survival. Under the heavy pressure of economic stagnation, massive waves of factories are shutting down and ceasing operations, shops are being transferred one after another, and bosses absconding with funds have left countless people suddenly with nothing, wandering the streets with nowhere to settle. The job market has frozen over, competition has turned unusually brutal, and workers, just to scrape by, are forced to fight among themselves for jobs that drain their physical strength yet offer meager pay, barely enough to feed themselves. This brutal survival pressure has completely snuffed out hope for the future, forcing an entire generation of young people to give up, adopting lying flat, not getting married, not having children, and not buying houses as a helpless, silent protest. Nowadays, the dream of striking it rich or turning one's life around has been utterly shattered. In this dark vortex of recession, their only and most heartbreaking desire is merely to cling desperately to a cheap job, just to save themselves from the fate of sleeping on the streets. Thank you all for watching. What are your thoughts on China's current economic and social reality? Feel free to leave a comment below to share with us. If you want to keep up with more in-depth analysis and reports, please be sure to hit subscribe, like, and turn on the notification bell. See you in the next video.

The situation right now is: one group can't find a job; one group is working but could be fired at any moment, facing unemployment; another group can go to work normally, but their wages are withheld; and yet another group gets their wages paid on time, but their working hours are inhuman. It's basically the devil's combo chain behind the Great Firewall—you have to pick one. Well, which one do you pick? Alright, that's all for this episode. If you want to support me, please join the membership channel. I also really hope to chat with everyone during member livestreams. That's all for this episode, see you next time.