On November 7, 2024, a minor collision occurred in Guangzhou involving a Rolls-Royce, owned by a woman surnamed Zhu, and a truck driven by Li. The Rolls-Royce, valued at over 6 million yuan (approximately US$830,000), sustained damage during the incident. Despite the damage, Zhu chose to decline compensation from Li, opting instead to cover the repair costs herself after learning about his difficult financial circumstances [04d40652].
The incident quickly went viral, leading to a significant increase in Zhu's following on Douyin, China's version of TikTok, where she gained over 1.4 million followers. However, this newfound fame came with scrutiny; some social media users accused Zhu of staging the accident for attention. In response, Zhu defended herself on social media, asserting that she would never jeopardize her children's safety for the sake of fame. She also invited authorities to investigate the claims against her [04d40652].
Li's family suggested that he could potentially profit from the attention surrounding the incident, but he declined any offers of compensation or fame. This situation has ignited discussions on social media about the implications of public scrutiny and the nature of fame in contemporary society, particularly in the context of personal misfortune and generosity [04d40652].