“On the one hand, I think I am so marvellous for having a low starting point but reaching the same height as many people whose starting point is much higher than mine. On the other hand, thanks to my father, who brought me to Beijing, where he worked as a migrant worker, I could access the computer and online information. Otherwise, I would never have thought of studying at a university,” she added.

Xiaoxiao was born in a rural family in northern China’s Hebei province. After graduating from primary school, her father told her not to go to school any more but to earn money for the family.

Her first job was working as a waitress at a restaurant in Shanxi province in northern China when she was only 14 and just 140cm tall.

In the following decade, Xiaoxiao worked different jobs, such as telephone sales, heater installer, cashier, food stall owner, customer service worker, administration assistant and product manager in several mainland cities.

At one point, she was swindled by a pyramid scheme training course and only escaped when the organisers realised she was too young and had no relatives or friends worth exploiting.

Xiaoxiao said her fate changed in 2011 when she was talking with a man online who told her: “You are smart and you should receive more education. You should consider zikao [a college entrance examination for self-taught students].”

Sensing this was a life-changing opportunity, Xiaoxiao spared no effort when preparing for the test which paid off when she was offered a place as an undergraduate at a university in Beijing.

In 2015, she obtained her bachelor’s degree in psychology after passing all her exams across 40 subjects.

The following year, Xiaoxiao and her husband moved to Shenzhen in southeastern China. After hearing from a friend that PolyU’s design master's degree is highly ranked, Xiaoxiao, who was interested in design, decided to apply.

She said one of the biggest challenges in the application was the English language IELTS test — a standardised assessment of English language proficiency for non-native speakers. Once again her dedication paid off and she managed to receive a high score on the test.

In 2021, Xiaoxiao received her master’s degree from PolyU and started to pursue a PhD degree at the university.

The next stage in Xiaoxiao’s academic career will be as a visiting scholar at a university in Finland for one year.

“I hope I can publish a thesis paper in a journal with a high impact factor,” said Xiaoxiao. “For the next year, my goal is to finish my PhD degree.”

03:18

Protests against Taliban’s university ban of Afghan women erupt across Kabul

Protests against Taliban’s university ban of Afghan women erupt across Kabul

After sharing her experiences online, Xiaoxiao said many internet users messaged her, asking how she came to study for a master’s and PhD degree on the basis of a primary school education. Some people said they felt encouraged by her story, and would start working harder than before.

“For rural students, my advice is that you could take the zikao test like me while working and studying in your spare time to obtain a university degree. Honestly though, this channel is full of difficulties,” she said.

“If you want to move forward, don’t break the law and don’t hold any illusions. You should leverage the internet to study instead of indulging yourself in online videos.

“My current life is good. But I won’t slow down or stop. I will go forward and forward, unleashing all my energy and potential,” said Xiaoxiao.

Her personal journey has won her praise and admiration from mainland Chinese social media.

“What an excellent girl who never stops struggling! I can imagine the great hardships she experienced. I admire her! Best wishes for her!” one person said on Weibo.

“She really has encouraged me a great deal,” another said.