Shi Qi's videos, filmed on the streets of Henan province, have garnered hundreds of thousands of shares on Douyin, according to The Cover on 15/7. Many viewers commented that the student bears a striking resemblance to a young Cecilia Cheung entering the entertainment industry, praising Shi Qi's natural beauty without makeup.

One Douyin user, Shenye, received over 60,000 likes for a comment urging producer Yu Zheng to sign Shi Qi to his film company.

However, some viewers suspect a publicity stunt orchestrated by a company. Comments on Weibo included, "She is indeed beautiful, but there are many girls like her. The fact that she alone is causing such a stir makes me think Shi Qi's mother might start livestreaming sales soon," and "She does have elegant features like Cecilia Cheung, but let the girl focus on her studies."

Shi Qi rose to fame with her makeup-free video. Photo: Weibo

Amid the praise and controversy, Shi Qi's mother stated that her daughter's fame was accidental and that the family is not collaborating with any team to launch her entertainment career. A source close to the family revealed that Shi Qi's mother has received numerous advertising offers. The family currently wants their daughter to concentrate on her studies and has not accepted any proposals.

The high school student has been studying dance for years and plans to apply to a university arts program.

Cecilia Cheung in her early career. Photo: HK01

Now 45, Cecilia Cheung rose to fame in the Asian entertainment scene for her acting talent and fresh beauty, earning the title of "Hong Kong's Jade Girl". At 18, Cheung was cast by Stephen Chow in the leading role of "King of Comedy", the top-grossing film in Hong Kong in 1998, which earned her the Best New Performer award at the Hong Kong Film Awards.

Nhu Anh (according to The Cover)