Ever heard of "living as a legend in the eyes of others"?
The person I'm going to talk about today is definitely a legend, and he is the kind of "legend" who is happy on his own.
The protagonist is a 71-year-old Shanghai lady - Zhang Ying.
In the words that are now popular, she has never played cards according to common sense in her life: she has never been married all her life, and she will not be persuaded by others to marry.
After retiring, she sold her house directly, got a driver's license, bought a car and modified it, and started her "wandering the world" mode.
Yes, in 9 years, I have traveled all over the country by car.
Who would have thought that such an old lady would dare to be so chic?
You know, if she hadn't lived like this, she would have been labeled as a "weirdo" or "abnormal" a long time ago.
But Zhang Ying doesn't care, what others say, she just lives the life she wants.
01. When it comes to marriage, I have the final say!
Zhang Ying was born in Shanghai in the 50s of the last century.
Her parents were ordinary workers, and in those days, parents didn't pay much attention to their children's education.
Especially for girls, they think that if they can read and write, it is unrealistic to expect you to study and get a good job.
But Zhang Ying has been different since she was a child, she thinks: I want to study, I want to control my own destiny.
In 1977, when the college entrance examination was resumed, she rushed directly to the battlefield and was finally admitted to the normal secondary school.
But that's not the outcome she wanted.
She was bent on going to college, thinking that she could get into a better school.
But parents think: how good the secondary school is, how decent it is to be a teacher!
So, Zhang Ying reluctantly obeyed the arrangement and became a teacher.
But she didn't like it at all.
Her parents still didn't let her go, forced her to go on a blind date, urged her to get married, and whispered in her ear every day - "It's not too young, it's time to get married, right?" ”
But Zhang Ying didn't.
"Why do I have to listen to you?"
I'm going to be my own lord for the rest of my life!
When she said this, she may have been angry, but she gambled for a lifetime.
I never got married in my life, and I didn't compromise.
When people live alone, they are more chic and comfortable.
02. Old age, completely "fly"!
Although he is not married, Zhang Yingke has never planned to "make do".
In 1991, she finally had enough of this "arranged" life and simply left her job without pay.
This was a big move at the time.
But Zhang Ying thinks: Shouldn't life try all kinds of possibilities?
She plunged headlong into the insurance industry and became a sales champion a year later.
With the first pot of gold earned, I bought a house in Shanghai.
This was originally a "counterattack" story in the eyes of outsiders, and the next step should be to enjoy a stable life.
But who would have thought that she would sell the house directly later!
What do you buy when you sell it?
Buy a car! Also bought a business car!
Converted into an RV and ready for a nationwide road trip.
That's 9 years!
Who would have thought that an old lady would take the driver's license test for 5 years!
Every year, even the coach said: "Big sister, don't toss yourself." ”
But Zhang Ying is so strong.
"I don't believe in this evil yet!"
At the age of 61, she finally got her driver's license.
She was smiling more than anyone else.
Buy a car, modify, go!
At this time, she is more enthusiastic than young people!
03. Self-driving tour, refreshing the life experience!
Her first stop was in Zhejiang.
She drove for 7 hours for a distance of 150 kilometers.
Along the way, my shoulders were stiff and my palms were sweaty.
The speed did not exceed 40!
But I didn't expect that this tossing journey actually became the starting point of a 9-year self-driving trip.
She drove all the way around the country.
I climbed the mountains, walked through the grasslands, saw the beauty of the south of the Yangtze River, and also felt the desolation of the northwest.
The car broke down on the road, and she learned to repair it herself - often broke down halfway, and the car repairer was too familiar with it.
Unexpectedly, the old lady who couldn't screw turned out to be a car repair expert.
Many people asked her, "Aren't you scared alone?" ”
She smiled and said, "What are you afraid of? It's a big deal to sleep in the car! ”
This mentality is absolute!
04. You can live exquisitely alone!
Don't look at her traveling alone, but she's not a "makeshift party".
No matter how tired you are, you have to choose a place with a good view for dinner.
If you are alone, you should set the utensils and eat elegantly.
"Life has to be a bit ritualistic."
She walks the world alone, but she is not rough at all.
Every meal is like a grand feast.
She turned her solo trip into a romantic time for her own time.
Everywhere she went, she had to check in and take pictures.
But don't think she's going to show off on the Internet.
She didn't want to go the influencer route at all.
05. She lives a pure life and just wants to have fun!
Many people say that an old lady like her should learn from Zhengzhou's "Aunt Su Min"-
Open an account, shoot some videos, make some money with traffic, and live a more comfortable journey.
But Zhang Ying scolded people back with one sentence: "I'm just happy for myself, what does it matter if I make money or not?" ”
"Live only for yourself" - this is her principle.
She doesn't want traffic, she doesn't want fame, she just needs to enjoy this journey happily.
In her life, she has lived more thoroughly than many people.
06. Life, you don't have to prove it to anyone!
Some netizens said: "Is she lonely? ”
She said, "Loneliness? I'm more fulfilled than many people now! ”
In her own way, she lives a life that others can't understand.
Some people think she's crazy, some people think she's stupid, but she doesn't care.
For her, in this life, she lives calmly and comfortably.
life, you don't need to prove it to anyone.
If you live, you will have the next stop!
That's her philosophy of life.
Maybe many people don't understand her choice, but if we can be like her, the pursuit of true happiness -
That's a success!
What do you think?