Her work had given her firsthand knowledge of the challenges faced by small food vendors.
Running a stall required preparation, consistency, customer service, and the willingness to work even when the conditions were uncomfortable.
Deng understood that the apparent simplicity of selling snacks concealed a demanding routine.
Food had to be prepared. Equipment needed to be maintained. Customers had to be served. Sales had to be sufficient to justify the time and expense involved.
And unlike a student who could receive grades after completing an assignment, a vendor faced immediate financial consequences when business was slow.
Deng believed her son needed to experience that reality.
If Shen thought studying was difficult, perhaps working would help him appreciate the opportunities that education could provide.
Her intention was not to introduce him to a glamorous entrepreneurial lifestyle.
It was to demonstrate that adult responsibilities could be far more demanding than schoolwork.
But what Deng viewed as a warning, Shen would soon see as an opportunity.
The Mother's Unusual Parenting Experiment
Rather than continuing to argue with her son, Deng decided to let practical experience deliver the lesson.
She encouraged Shen to try operating a street-food business.
The decision made sense from her perspective.
Because she already worked in the industry, she could introduce him to the basic requirements of preparing and selling food.
She understood the work involved and could offer guidance as he learned.
Most importantly, she believed that direct exposure to the challenges of running a stall would change his attitude toward school.
In her interview with the South China Morning Post, Deng explained that she wanted her son to confront the difficulties of earning money because he seemed unwilling to confront the difficulties of studying.
It was a classic example of experiential learning: instead of explaining a principle through words alone, a parent creates an opportunity for a child to discover it through experience.
Parents use similar approaches in many everyday situations.
A child who complains about household chores may be given more responsibility to understand how much work goes into maintaining a home.
A teenager who wants an expensive product may be encouraged to earn the money required to purchase it.
Someone who underestimates the difficulty of a particular profession may be invited to observe or participate in the work.
The goal is often to replace an unrealistic assumption with practical understanding.
Deng's experiment followed that logic.
She expected Shen to discover that earning a living required more than simply showing up and collecting money.
But there was something she hadn't fully considered.
Her son might enjoy the challenge.
He might prefer the immediate feedback of serving customers to the delayed rewards of academic study.
And he might find that the responsibilities she expected to discourage him actually motivated him.
That possibility would soon become impossible to ignore.
From Electric Bicycle to Mobile Food Stall
With his mother's guidance, Shen began preparing for his new venture.
He used a modified electric bicycle as the foundation for a mobile snack stall.
The arrangement allowed him to transport equipment and food to a location where he could sell to customers.
For a young person beginning a small business, mobility can be useful.
A traditional restaurant usually requires substantial resources, including premises, equipment, furnishings, and ongoing operating expenses.
A mobile stall can involve a different cost structure, although it still requires investment, maintenance, and compliance with applicable local rules.
Shen's modified bicycle offered a practical way to begin selling food without operating a conventional restaurant.
He focused on fried chicken and snacks, a category of food his mother already knew well.
That family experience was an important advantage.
Shen was not entering an entirely unfamiliar industry without guidance.
He had access to someone who understood food preparation, selling practices, and the demands of street vending.
This does not diminish his effort.
It simply provides context for how a teenager could begin operating a stall relatively quickly.
Small businesses often benefit from knowledge passed between family members.
A parent who works in food service may teach a child how to prepare ingredients efficiently.
A family member with retail experience may explain how to communicate with customers.
Someone familiar with transportation or repairs may help another person understand equipment and maintenance.
These informal lessons can be valuable forms of practical education.
For Shen, the experience was particularly relevant because he had already been studying culinary arts.
His work at the stall was therefore connected to a field in which he had received vocational training.
That connection makes the story more complicated than a simple rejection of education.
Although Shen had become disillusioned with school, the skills involved in food preparation and service overlapped with the subjects associated with his educational program.
The difference was that he could now apply practical knowledge in a setting where the results were immediate.
Customers either bought his food or they didn't.
A successful day produced visible sales.
And the teenager could see a direct connection between his work and the money coming into the business.
For someone who had struggled to find motivation in the classroom, that experience may have been particularly satisfying.
A Work Schedule That Would Exhaust Many Adults
One of the most remarkable details of the story was Shen's demanding daily routine.
According to his mother's account, he began preparing food at approximately 9 a.m.
He then traveled around 13 kilometers to reach his selling location.
By approximately 4 p.m., he would set up his stall and begin serving customers.
His work continued late into the night.
On some days, he did not return home until around 3 a.m.
That schedule reveals how physically demanding the experience could be.
Preparing food, transporting equipment, operating a stall, serving customers, and cleaning up afterward all require time and energy.
Standing for long periods can be tiring.
Working outdoors may involve uncomfortable weather.
Handling food requires attention to hygiene, preparation, and safe storage.
Serving customers during busy periods can create pressure to work quickly while maintaining quality.
And operating late at night introduces additional concerns about personal safety, fatigue, and adequate rest.
These are serious considerations for anyone running a food stall, especially a teenager.