A Chinese student managed to evade rent payments by covertly residing beneath the stairs of a Shanghai mall for six months. The individual, whose identity remains undisclosed, fashioned a living space equipped with an ergonomic chair, tent, mattress, table, and computer, as revealed in a post on X shared by Shanghai Daily.

The English-language newspaper detailed that he ingeniously utilized an inverter to generate electricity for his computer, cellphone, and kettle throughout his prolonged stay. The South China Morning Post added that he occasionally left his improvised dwelling to recharge his devices using mall outlets.

Although a security guard had noticed him several months prior, the guard permitted his presence after the student explained his need for a quiet study space. According to Metro, he was preparing for the challenging Gaokao exams, the national undergraduate admission assessments in China.

However, in late October, another security guard discovered the hidden abode and, lacking sympathy for the studying excuse, led to the student's arrest on October 30, as reported by The Post.