China beauty influencer pays off US$57,000 family debt; accused of faking cerebral palsy
Self-taught ‘angel with broken wings’ content creator rises from rural beginnings; builds own business despite disability
A beauty influencer with cerebral palsy from southwestern China who paid off her family’s debt has faced accusations of faking her condition.
Lin Ling, 25, who is also known online as “Glutinous Rice Cake Lin”, was born into a rural family in Bijie, Guizhou province.
According to the mainland media outlet, Hangzhou Daily, Lin was diagnosed with jaundice at birth.
Due to her parents’ lack of medical knowledge, treatment was delayed and by the time she turned one, she had developed cerebral palsy.
Lin said that her twisted limbs and communication difficulties made her self-conscious from a young age, leading her to feel too shy to go out alone.
Her father reportedly mortgaged their house and accumulated heavy debt, while her mother worked away from home, leaving the three children in the village.
In 2022, Lin was inspired by the growing internet culture and started her journey as a beauty influencer.