A 27-year-old man in China revealed that he often struggles to find work because he both looks and sounds over a decade younger.
There are many people in this world who can be said to have a babyface and it can get pretty annoying once they reach adulthood. Because while a youthful look is something that inspires a lot of envy, this doesn’t usually mean that someone who’s been an adult for over a decade enjoys being mistaken for a child .
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The classic example of a babyface’s drawbacks involves getting carded well into your 30s, but it can also make things awkward in the dating department and can even make you the subject of international news if you’re caught doing something that’s only for adults .
But one man has had it particularly hard as his youthful looks made a tough situation worse until his story got enough traction online.
After his father suffered a stroke, 27-year-old Mao Sheng from the city of Dongguan in China’s Guangdong province found himself in a position where he had to support him.
As News18 reported, however, this proved overwhelmingly difficult for him since his youthful appearance and voice has compelled local employers to treat him with suspicion.
After he and some friends canvassed multiple factories for opportunities, only Mao was left without any work. And since his father is still recovering, he’s had no other option but to keep trying.
During an interview conducted in his city, Mao showed off his ID card, which confirmed that he was indeed born in 1995.
However, it seems this hasn’t helped assuage any potential employer’s concerns as they apparently still think he’s lying about his age.
And he told it, this would be a real concern for them as they often cite fears of being accused of child labor when they turn him down.
According to the International Labor Organization, most businesses found to be using child workers in China can be fined at least 5,000 yuan per month that each laborer worked.
After Mao told his story, he started to attract widespread attention throughout China’s TikTok equivalent, Douyin.
And while Ladbible reported that some couldn’t believe he was actually 27 any more than the factory owners did, his story made most viewers sympathetic to the predicament that’s clearly taking a toll on him.
As one user said in a translated comment, “Please don’t laugh at him, at least he is willing to make money down-to-earth and make clean money without causing chaos to the society.”
In the words of another, “I watched each of his videos, and I felt that he never laughed or was happy. Seeing his expression made me feel unspeakably sad, alas!”
But as sad as his story was for them, it seems that his viewers’ dedication to sharing it may have already made his situation happier.
According to News18, the viral attention prompted several business owners to extend job offers to Mao and he has since accepted one of them.
Now that he’s reportedly employed, he’s hoping to make enough to support his father’s recovery. Once this rough chapter in their lives has been overcome, Mao believes he’ll then be ready to find love and start his own family.
Whatever happens, he can take comfort in knowing that so many of his fellow citizens are firmly in his corner.
h/t: News18
