Reading marks new chapter in internet age

Desire to share

Anne, another video maker, who declined to disclose her real name, said she is unhappy that some people don't listen to different opinions on the internet, adding that she has learned to ignore trolls.

Since early 2017, her desire to share has resulted in her posting short videos on Bilibili about reading. She has more than 50,000 fans, some of whom ask questions about reading habits and how to choose books.

Both Bai and Anne are moved by many fans telling them their life stories, with some even sending photos of their newborn babies to Bai to share their joy.

"They take me as a friend they have never met, and some girls even write long messages asking me for advice about their relationships. It makes me feel that it's significant to continue making these videos," Bai said.

Anne, an English-language teacher at an education center in Beijing, likes to read novels and non-fiction.

"For me, reading is a form of entertainment－just as some people love painting or watching movies. We get a lot of pleasure out of them," she said.

She compares books to food, saying that while some people are not fussy about their food, others are keen on certain dishes.

"Some take to reading solely because they want to learn something, but for others, reading can be fun and become a habit," she said.

To make her videos appear more professional, she tried at first to read reviews related to the books she wanted to introduce, summarizing these opinions. However, she was soon at a loss about the content of the works.

"As a teacher, I tend to avoid talking about things that I have not fully understood. For example, you need to read many books to lecture about the philosophy of Taoism," she said.