On Saturday, the interview at Huanyu had already caught the attention of countless people.
In Zhou Yi's fan forum, many were eagerly waiting to hear what interviewees at Huanyu had experienced and whether the benefits and perks Jiang Ruolan had mentioned were actually true.
Wu Ying had been posting numerous updates in the forum since the morning. However, due to professional ethics, she refrained from sharing photos and instead provided a simple description of everything they encountered after entering Huanyu.
Still, many people didn’t believe her.
As they finished the interview and left Huanyu, they checked their phones and discovered that several hashtags related to Huanyu had suddenly appeared on the trending list.
[#Huanyu]
[#40YearsOldIsNotEvenHalfwayThroughLife]
[#ZhouYi]
[#TheWorldMustAllowRoomForOrdinaryPeople]
Wen Xin blinked in surprise: "What's going on? Why are these hashtags flooding the forum?"
Wu Ying excitedly clicked on the hashtags to check: "It’s a livestream! Could it be that our interview process was livestreamed? That would be so embarrassing for me today!"
Wen Xin instinctively frowned and said, "That’s unlikely to be an official Huanyu livestream. Look at the angle—it’s clearly off. It seems more like… secret filming."
Upon playing back the livestream, the angle only captured Zhou Yi and Jiang Ruolan, leaving the interviewees out of view.
Moreover, the footage was taken from a high vantage point, giving it an odd perspective.
If it were an official Huanyu livestream, the angle wouldn’t be like this, and they certainly wouldn’t hide it from the interviewees.
However, people’s focus wasn’t on the livestream’s perspective but rather on the things Zhou Yi said during the broadcast.
Initially, the livestream had very few viewers. Most people didn’t even know what it was about, and seeing Zhou Yi and Jiang Ruolan’s striking appearances, some assumed it was a drama being filmed.
But the person who streamed it deliberately included Huanyu-related hashtags, which eventually led Zhou Yi’s fans to discover it. They shared it in the fan forum, attracting countless people to watch the playback.
While the livestream itself had minimal viewers, Gao Wenhao’s underlings thought it was no big deal. Who would’ve guessed that the playback would go viral?
Even though they deleted the livestream playback, it was already too late. Zhou Yi’s fans had recorded it and uploaded it to the forum.
Soon, more and more people interested in Huanyu’s interview saw the livestream, and some of Zhou Yi’s words resonated deeply with many viewers. Before long, Huanyu found itself trending.
[#Wow, the benefits Huanyu mentioned are actually real!]
[#I’m 30, unemployed, and struggling to find work. Zhou Yi’s words brought me to tears. My family just criticized me for being a failure at 30.]
[#Exactly. Being 40 shouldn’t be a big deal. Why do some companies insist on shutting out anyone over 40? What did we do wrong? Is it just because of our age?]
[#I wasn’t fired, but being forced to resign feels even worse. After 40, there are barely any interview invitations.]
[#40 years old isn’t even halfway through life, yet companies abandon us. Is it really this hard for ordinary people to get a job?]
[#Personally, I loved his line “The world must allow room for ordinary people.” We ordinary folks just want to survive. Why are we expected to do three people’s work? This society has become so distorted.]
The comments section was filled with people who deeply related to his words.
Some of them were forced to leave their jobs because they had reached the age limit set by their companies.
Others were people who, due to their age, could no longer find work.
This has caused younger people to start worrying: if we reach the age of 40, will we face the same predicament?
In this era where capitalists wish they could make one person do the work of three, being "ordinary" has somehow become a mistake.
If you're just a graphic designer, the company expects you to not only excel in graphic design but also know photography, 3D modeling, and, if it's a social media company, you'd better know how to manage operations and write for WeChat public accounts. In some absurd cases, companies even expect you to double as a salesperson...
Clearly, these are roles meant for multiple people, yet one "exceptional" individual is forced to take them all on.
Why are people compelled to compete so intensely? Because if you don't, there will always be someone more competitive who can juggle multiple responsibilities.
And so, being "ordinary" becomes a mistake.
Even if you're an expert in your primary role, the company will still choose someone who can wear multiple hats. Capitalists only care about cutting costs; they don’t consider the plight of the workers.
Over time, most companies have adopted this approach, and society has become grotesquely distorted.
In most companies, young people are working three jobs while being paid for just one.
Because if you don’t do it, someone else will.
Occasionally, young workers’ calls for change trend on social media, resonating with many. But then what?
Nothing changes.
Society continues to operate the same way, and one or two people alone can't change anything.
As for those over 40, their needs aren't even acknowledged.
It’s at this moment that Zhou Yi tells you:
He doesn’t expect anything extraordinary from you—just doing your job well is enough.
Forty is only halfway through life; there are still endless possibilities ahead.
Slacking off at work is normal; balancing work and rest is the best way to work.
A nine-to-five schedule is the most basic requirement a company should meet. Social insurance and benefits are protections companies are obligated to provide for their employees. Perks and benefits are what employees deserve to enjoy.
Overtime and late-night work are slogans only incompetent bosses would advocate.
...
In this live broadcast, Zhou Yi said many things.
These were just a few of his words, but they struck a deep chord with countless workers.
This broadcast once again brought several topics into public discussion:
Employment age limits, maternity leave, workplace competition...
At this moment, both Jiang Ruolan and Zhou Yi were also looking at the trending topics online.
“Mr. Zhou, we found it. The camera is here. It seems someone sneaked into the company while we were away and installed it,” Jiang Ruolan said, frowning as she scrutinized the miniature camera in her hand. She then handed it to Zhou Yi.
Zhou Yi smirked, narrowing his eyes with a sly smile.
Who was this fool trying to lend him a helping hand?
With the trending topic boosting visibility, his popularity had skyrocketed.
He casually tossed the camera onto the table. “It’s fine. I don’t know what that person’s intentions were, but it ended up being free publicity for Huan Yu. I should be thanking them.”
Jiang Ruolan chuckled too. “That’s one way to look at it, but we should still be cautious. Huan Yu is like a ship that’s just set sail; we’ve already encountered plenty of rough waters.”
Zhou Yi nodded. “Yeah, get someone to change the locks later, and let’s hire two security guards as well.”
Jiang Ruolan browsed through the trending topics and then slightly frowned as she looked at Zhou Yi: "Mr. Zhou, should we explain to everyone that this wasn't intentional on our part?"
There were quite a few comments below questioning whether Zhou Yi was merely putting on a show.
Zhou Yi nodded: "I'll give you the company's Weibo account. From now on, you will manage it. Whenever Huanyu encounters any issues, you can issue a statement to clarify."
Jiang Ruolan received the password for the account named "Zhou Yi's Little Assistant" and promptly logged in.
At 1 PM, Jiang Ruolan released a statement.
The main points were as follows: First, the livestream was not officially authorized by Huanyu; it was broadcast by an unknown person who had secretly installed cameras in the office.
Second, the content of the livestream was entirely genuine, and Zhou Yi stands by every word he said.
Third, Huanyu is delighted to have received so much attention, and they will address any doubts with the passage of time.
Fourth, they are determined to find the unknown individual and hold them legally accountable.