At the beginning of the 21st century, China experienced unprecedented urbanization, with hundreds of millions of rural people pouring into cities in search of a better quality of life and more employment opportunities. Over time, competition in cities has intensified, and the cost of living has skyrocketed, while rural areas have seen significant improvements in infrastructure and living conditions driven by the government. Against this backdrop, three specific groups, including college graduates, older migrant workers, and aging urban dwellers, have begun to reconsider their life and career choices, and have gradually returned to the countryside.
In the late autumn of 2025, Yang Zhiyong stood in front of his newly built vegetable greenhouse in a small town in Jiangsu Province, looking at the golden sunset, and his heart was full of a sense of accomplishment. Five years ago, as a software engineer in the city, tired of endless overtime and increasing pressure in his life, he decided to return to his hometown to start his own business and embark on a journey of agricultural innovation like no other.
"Look, how are these tomatoes growing?" Yang Zhiyong showed his old friend Li Qiang his smart greenhouse project, a high-tech agricultural enterprise he founded using the technical experience he had accumulated in the city and combining local agricultural resources.
Li Qiang, a construction worker who has worked hard in the city for many years, also chose to return to his hometown two years ago. He smiled and replied, "It's much better than your job in the city!" Now I can spend time with my wife and children every day, and I can take care of the elderly, and my quality of life is not at all comparable to before. ”
The conversation between the two is full of memories of the hard life of the past. They were once ordinary members of the city, facing fierce competition for jobs and a high cost of living, but now they have found a new way of life and value realization in the countryside.
Yang Zhiyong's agricultural company not only provides employment opportunities, but also promotes the technological transformation of surrounding agriculture. "We use advanced Internet of Things technology to monitor crop growth, which reduces a lot of manpower and material costs, and improves the yield and quality of crops." Yang Zhiyong detailed his agricultural innovation projects.
As for Li Qiang, he used his savings and experience in the city to start a small furniture factory after returning to his hometown, specializing in the production and sale of handicrafts with local characteristics. His products are quite popular on the Internet, which not only brings him a stable income, but also allows him to enjoy the happiness of being reunited with his family.
Over time, the town has developed into a complex of agricultural technology, rural tourism and local crafts, attracting more and more dreamy and capable young people like Yang Zhiyong and Li Qiang to return to the countryside.
Their success stories have also inspired more young people who feel lost and stressed in the city to choose to return to their roots and find a new way of life. The change in the town became a vivid illustration of the potential of the rural area and the possibilities for future development.
A few years later, Yang Zhiyong and Li Qiang held a celebration in the town, not only to celebrate the success of their respective careers, but also to celebrate the transformation of the town. Tourists and investors from all over the country come here and they are full of praise for the development results here.
The culmination of the celebration was a cultural performance by local villagers and returning youth, showcasing the town's unique blend of tradition and modernity. Yang Zhiyong spoke on stage: "These years of hard work have taught us that no matter where we are, in the final analysis, the most important thing is to find a way of life that can make you and your family happy. ”
The story of Yang Zhiyong and Li Qiang is not only a testimony of personal struggle, but also a microcosm of the changing times. It reminds us that true success is not just a career achievement, but also a sense of fulfillment and happiness in life. It is a process of inward development and centripetal exploration, and it is also a constant pursuit of the balance between tradition and modernity, urban and rural. In this rapidly changing world, knowing and returning to our roots is perhaps the most solid sense of security we can find.