The most accurate conclusion about why the Chinese population supported Deng Xiaoping, based on the changes to China’s economy in the 1980s and 1990s, is:
They hoped he would reverse Mao Zedong’s policies.
Deng Xiaoping's reforms focused on opening up the economy and moving away from the strict state control and collectivization that characterized Mao's era. His policies aimed at economic modernization and improving living standards, which garnered substantial public support.