How much are you willing to change to get a boyfriend or girlfriend? A single man on Chinese social media Xiaohongshu showed his personal extent after two years of asking for advice.
The man, Xiao Ai (小艾), posted on Xiaohongshu in Dec 2021, asking others what he could do to change himself to attract a partner. Most commenters showered him with ridicule about his looks or financial status.
However, some gave him genuine advice, and Xiao Ai took it to heart. For two years, he underwent an impressive change in many aspects.
After his journey of self-improvement, he finally got married this year, capping off an inspirational story.
A TikTok user posted a video recently discussing who she called “the most inspirational guy” on Xiaohongshu.
In Dec 2021, Xiao Ai posted a photo of himself and asked, “I can’t find a girlfriend. What’s my issue?”
Source: @cicilovecheese on TikTok
In the comments, he also provided more personal details: he was born in 1996, stood at 170cm tall, and worked a hard labour job for 3,000 yuan (S$573) a month.
He also possessed no house, insurance, or dating experience, although he owned a second-hand car.
Source: @cicilovecheese on TikTok
Perhaps expectedly, most of the comments mocked him. They named his issues as being too fat, ugly, poor, short, and more, deeming him a “hopeless” case.
But like diamonds in the rough, some netizens, mostly women, decided to give him genuine advice. He started small, taking the advice for new glasses and a haircut.
Source: Xiao Ai on Douyin
Others suggested he go on a diet. He went ahead and rapidly lost weight, but called the result poor, as it sapped his mental state and left his skin quality subpar.
Source: Xiao Ai on Douyin
Yet he did not stop at physical appearances alone. He wore many combinations of his clothes, letting his helpful “sisters” on the “review committee” pick out a good set.
Source: Xiao Ai on Douyin
Xiao Ai’s next attempt at losing weight was more fruitful with better tips. The man that netizens ridiculed as fat put on a more muscular build through much hard work.
Source: Xiao Ai on Douyin
His next goal was a proper hairstyle change, eventually getting a much fresher look. Over the next few months, he would continue adjusting his hair.
Source: Xiao Ai on Douyin
He even managed to get a blind date going, according to the caption of a Douyin video. However, the other party rejected him because of his low income.
Unperturbed, he resolved to improve his salary in 2023.
Such an endeavour required more than just a physical or fashion change. He dedicated a month of full-time studying and attained a nursing certificate, and so spent two hours a day caring for the elderly.
Source: Xiao Ai on Douyin
After slightly increasing his job salary, he now takes home about 9,000 yuan (S$1,699) a month through the sales of car parts and provision of services, the supplemental caregiving pay, and his social media earnings.
One year and four months into his self-improvement journey, Xiao Ai has more than tripled his salary.
At the request of his followers, Xiao Ai posted a before-after photo in the same suit he started his journey in.
Source: Xiao Ai on Douyin
The difference proved stunning, a testament to how far Xiao Ai had come.
“Fashion is not just about looks,” he half-joked, “I don’t suit that uniform.”
Xiao Ai’s journey finally capped off three days ago, just two months shy of two years. He proposed to his girlfriend, who tearfully accepted, and they registered their marriage.
Source: Xiao Ai on Douyin
Xiao Ai had been very private about dating, but he mentioned meeting his girlfriend’s parents in a July post.
Other observant followers noticed that despite his huge social media following, he only followed one person: a freelance photographer. This photographer turned out to be his current wife, who remains the only person he follows on social media.
“That is just so romantic,” the aforementioned TikTok user commented.
Also read: Vietnamese Woman Loses 30kg In 4 Months After Boyfriend Has Affair With Her BFF
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Featured image adapted from Xiao Ai on Douyin and Douyin.
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