The recognition of emotional value has become widespread. Sometimes it is derived from companionship; other times, people seek it in affirmation from others, says Hu Xueliang, who has been trying to build his business for nearly two years.

Emotional value is defined as the perceived utility derived from an alternative's capacity to arouse feelings or affective states, while functional value is defined as the perceived utility derived from an alternative's capacity for functional, utilitarian or physical performance. And many studies have argued that the source of competitiveness has shifted from functional value to emotional value.

The 25-year-old Hu is from Henan province and runs a business that provides supervision and support for those who need them to stay focused on their studies. Society is full of distractions, with many people constantly talking about achievements like earning millions of yuan, buying homes or cars, or getting their children admitted to elite schools. On the other hand, many individuals feel lonely, guilty and "left out", perhaps because they lack direction or the self-discipline needed to pursue their goal, Hu said.

"That's where the value of these virtual services comes in. We offer companionship and affirmation," Hu said.

Hu majored in computer science with law being his other subject. After graduating in June 2022, he initially planned to pursue higher studies and even created a chat group to prepare for the postgraduate entrance exam. The group had more than 200 individuals, who shared resources and study materials, in order to improve the group's knowledge base.

Despite failing his postgraduate entrance exam, Hu realized the study group idea might have commercial potential. He consulted the other group members, who agreed to launch paid services for providing guidance for students. This led to the creation of a premium study group which also offers "extra services" including providing study materials and mutual supervision.

Hu launched his business in December 2022 to provide supervision for studies through Taobao's e-commerce platform."Many wanted to study but feared they wouldn't be able to continue. They needed someone to guide them and hold them accountable for their failure. Random agreements with friends weren't very effective because there were no real consequences for failing, and often one party would simply give up," he said.

That's when Hu had the idea to formalize the arrangement with monetary incentives. He hired more than 300 supervisors, mostly students working part-time, to help the clients stay on track. The cost was kept low, about 2 yuan ($0.3) per hour.

The supervisors don't just earn those 2 yuan per hour, they also benefit by holding themselves accountable for their failure while they supervise others, he said.

The supervisors and clients are required to turn on their phone or laptop cameras and study together with their clients. The clients have a wide range of goals, from taking school entrance exams to clearing professional exams. Many students also take up part-time work while pursuing higher studies.

However, managing these supervision relationships isn't always easy. For instance, one supervisor had arranged a 7 am session with a client. But when the client was five minutes late, the supervisor went back to sleep. This prompted the client to lodge a complaint, asking, "Can't they wait for just five minutes for me?" Hu had to intervene to calm the client down and resolve the issue.

In another case, a supervisor initially warmly encouraged and provided special guidance to a client. But as time passed, the supervisor returned to the normal schedule, leaving the client feeling a sense of loss and forcing him to think that the quality of service had declined.

In the past year, Hu's supervision service has handled tens of thousands of orders, ranging from hourlong sessions to packages of 10 hours or more.

"Today's youths, who grew up without worrying about basic needs such as food and shelter, tend to seek emotional or spiritual fulfillment instead," Hu said, while admitting that he, too, has struggled with self-discipline and is using this business to improve himself. "During my university days, I created gaming groups, studied psychology, and volunteered to care for people living with depression. My entrepreneurial journey is not just about proving my worth but also about fulfilling my social responsibility."

Hu is seeking financing for his business. "My family is willing to support me financially. But if I rely on my family for funds, the pressure might become too much to bear, because I don't know if my business will succeed in the long run. For now, my business earns enough to support my daily life, and that's enough."