Two videos circulating on Weibo — China’s equivalent of WhatsApp — and Douyin, its version of TikTok, have gone viral, showing a man suffering a fatal fall from a high-rise after losing his balance while trying to adjust his footing on a window ledge.
The videos, originally from 2023, have resurfaced, accompanied by speculation about the circumstances surrounding the incident.
While some claim he fell while attempting the risky maneuver to scare his girlfriend, others suggest he was trying to hide from his lover’s husband.
“Bro reaped the repercussions of his actions,” one user said, while another cautioned, “It’s not the right time now.”
A man met his end in a gruesome fall from a high-rise, and the internet can’t stop speculating about the cause
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The first viral video runs for 30 seconds and shows a blond man dressed only in yellow track pants, holding onto a windowsill while crouching midair.
The footage shows his legs starting to tremble after a few seconds, but it does not show him falling off.
The tragedy unfolds in a second video, which runs for five seconds, where the man releases his grip on the window, and his body soon hits the ground with a thump.
The video features the disturbing screaming noise of both the man and those recording the incident.
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According to claims on present-day social media, the man was a popular fitness influencer named Huang Mao. He allegedly hung from the window to escape his lover’s husband when he unexpectedly returned home.
However, the Sichuan Observer reported in May 2023 that he did so to scare his girlfriend following an altercation.
The local news outlet claimed the man’s girlfriend was heard pleading, “Believe me, I haven’t lied to you about anything,” and urged him to get back inside the house, but he refused to comply.
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Netizens reacted strongly to the video at the time, with one advising the masses, “If you don’t do stupid things, you won’t d**,” and another celebrating the fact that his girlfriend can now “legitimately change boyfriend.”
A separate user expressed sympathy for the neighborhood’s residents, noting that “property prices will drop” given the incident.
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Netizens who believed the forbidden romance story had things to say, too.
“Having an affair takes guts. Escaping takes arm strength. He overestimated the former and underestimated the latter,” one jested.
“Was it worth losing your life over?” another asked.
“He was a fool who got what he deserved,” remarked a third.
Chinese netizens also speculated on the alternative identity of the man in the video, and who the cheating woman was
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The man in the video was said to be the son of an owner of a state-owned enterprise, while the woman he was involved with was believed to be a married news anchor for Jinan TV surnamed Zhang.
Social media users claimed that the anchor was exposed in 2022 for having an affair.
Her husband was reported to be a teacher at a primary school, while she had a positive reputation among her peers.
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In March of the said year, she reportedly attended a symposium meeting where she stated, “We must adhere to professional ethics and cultivate a good public image. We must firmly uphold our political stance, maintain professional conduct, cherish our honor, remain humble and prudent, avoid arrogance and impetuosity, and persevere.”
She added: “We must further enhance our sense of responsibility and mission to ‘overcome difficulties and strive for innovation,’ and strive to become outstanding journalists with both moral integrity and professional competence in the new era.”
A statement allegedly issued by her husband in 2021 also circulated on Weibo in 2023.
The statement claimed that his wife had been married before marrying him.
He additionally alleged that the anchor prevented him from seeing their daughter and claimed that she and her family abused the girl.
The statement also suggested she may have outstanding debts.
While this video was from 2023, China recently made headlines for another fatal high-rise fall
Image credits: South China Morning Post
A 38-year-old Hong Kong air conditioner repairman passed away on May 19 after falling off the eleventh floor of the Billionaire Avant building in Kowloon City while working without protective gear, according to South China Morning Post.
A source told the outlet that police received a report at around 12:15 pm.
The Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims soon issued a statement, informing that the victim was employed as a subcontractor.
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The organization also informed that the man was married and had a six-year-old son. His widow, a homemaker, was worried about family finances.
“Since he was a subcontractor, there will be no industrial accident compensation. We will help the family apply for emergency funds,” the organization said, adding that five fatal accidents had occurred so far in May.
“This is too outrageous. How can someone just be gone like that?” a netizen expressed
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