The National Subsidy Encounter

Old Wang's life after retirement was as bland as water. His only enjoyment was playing a few chess matches at the park entrance's chess stall every afternoon. Recently, Old Wang had something new to talk about: Apple phones, after national subsidies, had fallen below 3000, as cheap as street stall goods. Old Wang's five-year-old flip phone was long overdue for replacement, so he joined the buying frenzy.

That day, Old Wang got up early and squeezed into the crowded shopping mall. After much effort, he managed to grab a nationally subsidized iPhone 16. The phone was brand new, and the box had a strange QR code that prompted, "Scan to activate for first use and sign the User Experience Agreement." Old Wang didn't think much of it. He scanned, signed, and completed the process.

After activation, Old Wang found that this phone was a bit different from regular Apple phones. The screen didn't have any fancy apps; instead, there was a huge countdown timer that displayed "30 days." There was only one app on the phone called "Daily Feedback," which required three daily submissions of ratings for "life satisfaction." Old Wang was a bit puzzled, but he was an honest man, so he filled it out carefully each day, with his scores always remaining at "Satisfied" or "Very Satisfied."

Initially, Old Wang thought the phone was quite good – the photos were clear, and the internet was fast. However, as time went on, he started to feel that something was off. The security guard at the entrance of the community would ask him with a smile how he was feeling, the market vendors began to inquire about his quality of life, and even his chess opponents started complimenting him on his good complexion. Old Wang felt as if he was being monitored, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong. After all, everyone was smiling at him.

As the countdown reached day 29, Old Wang discovered that he couldn't submit his "life satisfaction" ratings no matter what he tried. The app displayed "Rating System Under Maintenance." Old Wang anxiously wandered around the community, trying to find someone to ask what was going on, but everyone avoided him as if he had something strange on him.

On the morning of day 30, Old Wang woke up to find his phone screen black and unable to power on. He hurriedly rushed to the Apple after-sales service but was told that this phone was not covered under warranty. The young lady at the counter pointed to a notice on the wall that said, "Nationally subsidized phones are special user experience products. They automatically expire after the 30-day cycle. Please do not transfer them."

Old Wang was dumbfounded; he felt like he had been tricked. He went home and stared blankly at the black screen of his phone. Then, he noticed a newspaper on the table, with the headline, "National Happiness Index reaches a new high, thanks to the cooperation and support of all citizens." Old Wang was stunned. He looked at the radiant smiles in the newspaper and suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

He remembered the small print on the phone's packaging: "User Experience Agreement." He now understood that he wasn't just using the phone. He was part of a user experience, a sample for data collection, a tool for a nationally subsidized "happiness". And behind those smiling faces, there was a cold number.

Old Wang slumped powerless on the sofa, tightly clutching the black "brick" in his hand. He felt like he was back to his pre-retirement state, swept along by the times, lost and confused, only this time he didn't even have anyone to complain to. Outside the window, the sun was still shining brightly, as if nothing had happened. But Old Wang felt like he had been bleached.