The country's youth are rewriting the rules of work — turning hobbies, side gigs and digital platforms into viable careers, and in the process are reshaping the labor market from the ground up.

A decade ago, a chance encounter quietly set Lane Lu on that path. Newly married and looking for extra income, the resident of Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, stumbled across repair-service listings on Xianyu, the country's leading secondhand marketplace.

Lu posted a listing on an impulse. What followed surprised him.

"I never expected so many people would reach out," he recalled. "Not just from my city, but from all over the country — there was even someone from South Korea."

The barriers were minimal — no deposits, no storefront, just a smartphone and a willingness to try. Lu, who had always enjoyed tinkering with gadgets, took what felt like a small, almost naive step into a niche that would ultimately generate more than 200,000 yuan ($29,270) a year.

Today, Lu splits his time between two worlds. By day, he works as a consultant at an elderly health service institution. By night — and often into the wee hours — he repairs home appliances, troubleshoots electronics and installs electric vehicle charging equipment.

The turning point came in 2019. His own Philips electric toothbrush, worth more than 1,000 yuan, broke down. Instead of replacing it, he took it apart — and realized the fix was straightforward. That moment reframed his approach. He formally listed small-appliance repair as a service on Xianyu.

"Everything broken at home comes to me," he said. "During busy days it's normal for me to work until 2 am."

For Lu, the work is about more than income. He sees it as a quiet countercurrent to disposable consumption — extending the life of devices that might otherwise be discarded. A water flosser that costs just a few dozen yuan to repair, he noted, can be made to last for years.

"Every time I repair something, the sense of accomplishment is incredibly real."

The side business has also reshaped how his family views his career. His parents, who once favored the stability of a traditional job, have come around. "My dad thinks it's great. He says I've finally found a way to show my value," Lu said.