Recently, the topic of a 22-year-old female university graduate from Henan returning to her county town to work as a bus driver with a monthly salary of 2,000 Chinese yuan has sparked discussion online.
According to the mainland media outlet “Tide News,” after graduating with a bachelor’s degree, the girl had worked in new media operations in a big city before returning to her hometown in Henan to live. She took on the role of a bus driver and shared her daily experiences driving the bus on social media, attracting attention.
The girl mentioned that after returning to work in a small town, she aimed for a more relaxed lifestyle. Although her monthly salary is only 2,000 yuan, she can sustain herself.
Despite having to wake up early every day at 5:30 AM, she stated that she has the benefit of working one day and resting one day, and she doesn’t find it difficult. Moreover, she gets to live with her parents every day and enjoy their home-cooked meals. She said, “My parents already think I’m great, as long as I’m happy.”
In recent years, as the Chinese economy continues to decline, the idea of lying flat and having low material desires has become a popular topic among young people. Social platforms such as Douyin, Weibo, and Zhihu are filled with numerous netizens sharing their daily experiences of lying flat.
Regarding the girl’s choice, Liu Qing, a quirky idea mentor and a distinguished professor at East China Normal University, commented that the location is just an indicator, and one should not be confined by the concepts behind the labels of “Beijing drift” or “county drift.” It’s essential to know what one values. Yan Fei, an associate professor at Tsinghua University, also commented that regardless of the choice, one should strive for “self-consistency” and live life seriously even in smaller cities.
Interestingly, the girl’s twin sister chose a different path and opted to pursue opportunities in a big city.
The topic has stirred discussion online. Many netizens expressed sentiments like, “As long as you’re happy, that’s what matters. In today’s life, happiness is hard to come by.” Some asked, “Is there job stability?” “Working for a state-owned enterprise for stability.” “The key is not to lie flat.” “Just need some financial subsidy, worried about the future?”
Some questioned, “Isn’t a monthly salary of 2,000 yuan a bit too low?” “Can’t even afford bubble tea with that.” “Definitely not feasible for guys.” “Public bus drivers in our area don’t have such benefits.”
Some netizens also raised concerns about “depreciation of education.” “One day on, one day off, working for only half a month?” “This is more suitable for retirement than for young people.” “What is this example trying to teach us?”