After graduating from university in 2020, Gao Yu faced challenges securing stable office work in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province in southern China.
Reluctant to abandon her aspirations for a white-collar job in a big city, Gao Yu, like many rural Chinese youth, returned to rural Yunnan to support her family's online fresh food business. She requested anonymity for this interview due to fear of reprisal from Chinese authorities.