A man surnamed Yao from Jiayuguan, Gansu, recently made headlines after posting online that he had stopped funding a student he believed was using an Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max, which he felt did not align with the criteria for receiving financial aid. He claimed that after halting the support, the student questioned him and pressed him to continue donating, sparking widespread public debate and attention.

By the morning of September 10, Yao had deleted the chat logs with the so-called "aided student" from his social media account. The previous day, he posted a video stating, "I have properly arranged things for her. After communication, she is willing to take on part-time work during her free time... She has agreed to switch her phone to a cheaper Redmi model costing a few hundred yuan, and the extra money will be used to pay next year's tuition fees." The video also showed that he had instructed his assistant to resume supporting the student.

On September 10, an office worker at the Jiayuguan Civil Affairs Bureau stated that they had heard about the situation the day before, noting that the teacher appeared to be providing support unilaterally without going through the bureau. Officials said the relevant departments are currently investigating the authenticity of the incident.

A staff member from a related Jiayuguan government department told reporters that after the matter surfaced, public security and education authorities immediately launched a verification process. However, Yao refused to provide any information about the student involved. The staff member explained that Yao began posting the information on the evening of September 7, and by September 8, police and other departments had made contact with him. He provided monthly bank statements from his past donations but declined to reveal the child's details, citing privacy concerns. The statements had also been processed, showing only the payment dates and amounts.

As a result, the identity of the aid recipient cannot be confirmed, and the validity of the story remains unverified. Furthermore, an investigation revealed that no educational institution in the local area has any record of a person named Yao, and he does not operate a tutoring or training business. Officials added that if the story turns out to be true, Yao's years of supporting students deserve public recognition. The relevant departments will continue investigating the matter's authenticity.

On September 8, screenshots of a conversation between Yao and a student he had been sponsoring sparked public outrage online. Many netizens expressed anger, while others questioned whether the event was genuine. On September 9, Yao told reporters the incident was real. After the online uproar triggered official involvement, he learned that the student had spoken impulsively in a moment of panic. He subsequently delivered her monthly living allowance and arranged a work-study opportunity for her. Reporters were also informed by Jiayuguan authorities that staff had already taken notice and were involved in processing the matter.