Yue Li, once a senior manager for a top Beijing property company, has made a bold change. She left her busy city job for a simple life on Dongzhai Island, an uninhabited island in the East China Sea. There, she works as a quality inspector at a fish feeding base, earning 3,000 yuan (US$430) a month. Her duties include checking fish feeding equipment, recording water temperature and sea wave data, and monitoring fish growth. The nearest town, Daishan Island, is 40 km away. Yue said she quit her old job due to extreme pressure. “I was on business trips for 300 days of the year. While I was in Beijing, I spent four hours commuting between the office and home every day. At that time, I was at the extreme points of both my physical and mental health,” she said. She added, “I asked myself: is this the life you want?” Her new job started in mid-December after she saw a recruitment ad in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province. The role offers fewer workdays with plenty of free time. “I will be away from the hustle and bustle of city life. I can also spend lots of time reading books and enjoy the setting sun and the sea,” Yue shared. Life on the island is tough. The weather has often been stormy and cold. Heavy rains caused water to leak through her kitchen roof. Winds reached Level 9, making it impossible to light a fire for cooking. Supplies reach the island only rarely by ship. Rats are common, and one stole her toothpaste soon after she arrived. Despite challenges, Yue loves the rich supply of seafood. She often catches eels and crabs and shares photos online. “The supply of eels and crabs is super-rich here. There is more than enough for me to eat,” she said in a video. Yue calls her new life a rare experience. “This life experience will definitely be a highlight of my life. I have sought my freedom and inner peace in this simple and harsh environment,” she explained. Her story has sparked admiration online. One user said, “This is the dream life of every fishing enthusiast.” Another joked, “Sister, do you need a bodyguard? I can be that. I will not charge you any money, as long as you allow me to fish with you.”