In this day and age, everything in your life can be used for online content. Like your domestic helper’s room for example.
At least that’s what Mainland Chinese Xiaohongshu user Wu Xiao Xixi thinks.
Earlier this week, the 38-year-old, who is from Guangzhou but now lives in Singapore, shared a clip of her new helper’s living conditions in her apartment.
Xixi, who works in the beauty industry, said when she shared a photo of her helper’s room, she had received a lot of questions from netizens and so she would be answering all of them in the video.
It starts off with Wu Xiao Xixi walking into her kitchen, claiming: “In Singapore, the helpers’ rooms are always in the kitchen.”
Um, says who?
When she enters her helper’s room at the end of the kitchen, she chirps “It’s not very big, but I think it’s still quite cosy.”
The room only has space for a single wooden-frame bed, a small side table and stool, which she says were all bought on Taobao,
“The length [of the bed] is long enough but for the width, [the helper] has to squeeze a little,” she says.
There was also a small hand-held mirror, toilet paper, toothbrush, sanitary pads and a few other household items, which were all displayed on the side table.
According to Wu Xiao Xixi, she also put up two wall shelves from IKEA, though one of them is filled with her child’s things.
She went on to share that they had installed a ceiling fan, which comes with a light, for the helper’s room.
“Many of you mentioned the bad ventilation [in the room]. I don’t think we have to worry too much, because there is a window right outside,” she said while walking out to show the window.
“The window is quite big. I feel that Singapore is chillier than Guangzhou, and it’s windy here, so it should be quite comfortable for the helper since our house has windows facing both the north and the south,” she reasoned.
Um, how does having a window outside the room help when the helper shuts her door?
Wu Xiao Xixi also proudly declared that her helper has her own toilet right next to her room.
“This, I think is even better than the living conditions of my hostel in university,” she said.
She added that the helper can also use the bathroom in the guest room as there isn’t a separation for dry and wet areas in the helper’s toilet.
At the end of the video, Wu Xiao Xixi stressed that she has prepared another small hand-held fan in the kitchen, which the helper can use if she feels too hot while working there.
“All in all, I think this is considered quite humane!” she laughed.
Netizens, however, do not agree.
“Your helper’s room looks so shabby yet you still call it cosy?” said one netizen, while another pointed out: “The room doesn’t even have space for her to put her clothes or luggage.”
Another wrote: “This looks more like a prison cell”.
A user was also concerned about the heat in Singapore, and asked how the helper is supposed to survive in a windowless room with no air-conditioning.
We wonder if Wu Xiao Xixi is regretting her decision to do a tour of the helper’s room.