Meme or Self-proving? "ByteDance Stock Trading 30 Million Financial Freedom" Individual Claims "Returned Hometown to Work as Security Guard and Delivery Driver," English-only Posts See Over 90% Drop in Views

Odaily Odaily News Recently, @leto_bao, who became an internet sensation with the persona of achieving "financial freedom through stock trading at ByteDance with 30 million RMB," responded to rumors on the X platform. He claimed, "I have returned to my hometown. I work as a security guard in an office building during the day, deliver food at night, set up a barbecue stall in the early morning, and sell breakfast at the school gate in the morning. I only sleep 3 hours a day, shuttling between McDonald's and hospital outpatient clinics. I dare not go home because debt collectors block my door every day. For meals, I open free treasure chests; for showers, I use the company bathroom. I have already reached a repayment plan with the bank, expecting to clear the debt in 50 years. Please stop making fun of my suffering."

The community speculated that it might be for entertainment effect, a playful response using memes. However, some people questioned in the comments that he still hasn't provided solid proof of his investments, suggesting it's merely hype. Others even claimed to have found records of his previous failed attempts to build an online presence.

Subsequently, he stated bluntly: "I will no longer post in Chinese. The Chinese circle on X is very toxic—filled with anger, bot accounts, and no real discussion. Everyone is chasing creator rewards rather than genuine communication. My posts haven't received any feedback worth responding to. I feel I can get more from the English community here." However, the viewership of his subsequent tweets plummeted from hundreds of thousands to only around 40,000 to 70,000.