That is imo unlikely. For three years, not only are their narratives about protect the elderly, they also shifted more resources to the elderly than they should, to the point young people were asking "what about us", and began lying flat and not upholding the economy.

They likely just didn't have a plan whatsoever.

Youth of China were under tremendous pressure from news that the retirement funds hit new peaks despite bad economies, that covid treatment in Wuhan doesn't favor young people first, from TV show hosts and officials talking about youth should take low paying jobs to boost the economy, that housing prices should remain high to give incentives for youth to work harder, etc.