A breakout star

Duty of care

Being the firstborn in her family, from a young age, Su helped take care of her two brothers, which made her feel "underappreciated".Despite longing for an independent life, at age 23 she married her husband, who she had only met twice since being introduced to one another through a matchmaker.

Marriage, perhaps somewhat predictably, did not bring Su the freedom that she desired.

"Although we live under the same roof, I feel so disconnected with my husband in many ways－most of our conversations turn into arguments, we keep our money separate and I do all the chores, even when my husband and I were employed full-time," Su says.

They had a child, with Su taking on much of the responsibility of raising their daughter.

When her daughter gave birth to twin boys three years ago, as most Chinese grandparents do, Su helped take care of her grandchildren. In the eyes of Liu Weiwei, her son-in-law, Su is "a very kind and hardworking woman", who has been full of care for her grandchildren.

Liu, however, agrees that the relationship between Su and her husband is somewhat tense, and they seldom talk. He notes that Su was diagnosed with moderate depression last year.

The turning point arrived on a winter's day last year, when Su discovered a blog by someone sharing their road trip experiences online.

"This is exactly what I needed－to get away from family and be myself," says Su, who, several years ago, bought her five-seater hatchback with a loan.

She has been planning the trip for a year and decided to start her journey when her grandchildren went to school in September.

Finding tips for road trips and spending around 12,000 yuan on necessary appliances, including a rice cooker, a mini refrigerator and a rooftop tent, Su had about 10,000 yuan in her bank to fund the trip. Then, three months ago, she started the car, put her foot on the gas and left home.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Su has adhered to social distancing policies－trying to avoid crowds and wearing masks indoors.

"I have made new friends and been to amazing places. No longer feeling stressed, I smile more and, since mid-November, I have stopped taking my anti-depressant medication," Su says.

Her daughter and son-in-law are happy to see the change in Su, from a silent mother in depression to a confident and talkative woman.

"Divorce is not a consideration, because if I find another man, he is more likely to be older than me, which means that I have to take care of yet another person," Su says, adding that there are also financial factors to consider.

Her husband refused China Daily's interview request.