Diverse appeal

"This applies not only to work but also to taking care of your own health and family. It is important to have the patience to deal with the tasks at hand, one by one. When they look at us, many young people express their admiration and say they want to be like us, but our current state is the result of a gradual accumulation of rewards from the actions in our youth," she says.

Sun says that the quartet's admirers and online followers are diverse. The young viewers comprise one major segment, while those in their 50s form another large group.

"It's very interesting to interact with young people. When we first started on the short-video platform, fans would leave us messages," she says.

"We would add some of them to our social messaging accounts and connect with them, becoming friends. Of course, now that we have a lot more fans, we can't add everyone anymore.

"In 2019, when we were beginning to really become online content creators, we had a lot of contact with our fans. We were curious and asked young people why they liked us, being older ladies. They couldn't really explain why, but they felt like they had found a place where they could confide and express their inner thoughts.

"I don't know many of their real names, only their online usernames. There's a netizen with the moniker Nuan Nuan ('Warm'), just like her demeanor, very warmhearted. She and my son were born in the same year, and her parents are the same age as me, so I feel a special connection with her. She told me that when she chats with me, it feels like all her troubles disappear. We can talk deeply about what's on their minds."