Tired after years of living "for others", To Man decisively left, starting a journey to inspire millions of Chinese housewives.
To Man, 56 years old, never thought that someday she would feel this freedom.
No need to worry about having her husband snatched the car keys, or no one else chirping on the street, just going from way to the other, you can even freely eat whatever you like, not eating according to your bland taste.
On the morning of September 23, 2020, To Man drove out of the garage, watching her daughter fade away in the rearview mirror.
Wherever she went, To Man also took videos and posted them online, becoming an inspiration for women stuck in marriage across China.
To Man's life was always in control.
One winter afternoon in 2019, she accidentally clicked on a link on the internet, reading someone's article about sharing a trip alone.
"I can do it too", To Man told herself and immediately told her daughter, but she just thought her mother was joking.
Her daughter has twin sons and needs her mother's help with care.
She was quietly preparing to move for the year, while still taking over the housework.
To Man has never looked forward to spring in her life.
By September 2020, kindergartens nationwide reopened.
As the shipper moved home from one dish to another, her husband was a little confused.
"He realized if I left, he would also have to move out of his daughter's house and no one would cook for me," To Man said.
Her husband tried every way to stop his wife, mainly with provocative words.
"I can't continue to live like this anymore", To Man told herself.
Finally, the car was filled with necessary supplies.
From Zhengzhou, she drove to the west, to the Three Gates, a city along the Yellow River, then to Xi'an, a famous ancient capital of China to see the terracotta horse statue under the tomb of Qin Shihuang.
She refills free drinking water at the service stations.
On the way through many dangerous ramps, she did not feel fear, only freedom.
Having lived with her husband for 30 years, she knows that he does not eat spicy, knows that her husband likes to fish, likes to eat fish.
Most of the time the two live in a parallel world.
After the daughter got married and gave birth, the two shared a room.
"Can't say this, can't say that", To Man said.
She was beaten by her husband, back pain for many days.
Once while having dinner with a classmate, her husband burst into a restaurant, telling everyone "my wife has a mental problem", asking them not to invite her to eat again.
"He just wanted me to feel ashamed," To Man said.
Chinese people usually prefer boys over girls.
The first two years after she got married, she quit her job because the factory was closed.
"She really has a lot of clothes," she said.
Doctors diagnosed her with depression in 2019. When in the worst condition, she often cried alone and had to take medicine.
Only after driving for hundreds of kilometers did she call her mother for the first time.
To Man knew that in her mother's mind, there was no reason to break up a family as long as he did not betray her or ask for a divorce.
Every time To Man fell down, she called her mother to complain and only received a cold reply saying "Do it yourself".
She grew up in her mother's sternness and to get rid of it, To Man got married at the recommendation of the factory where she worked.
After giving birth, her daughter stayed home with depression after giving birth, often blaming her husband for not taking care of her when she came home from work.
"I am very afraid of men when they are angry, worried that my son-in-law will look down on my daughter for not making money," she said.
Therefore, her grandmother helps her children look after her grandchildren so that she has time to find a job and become financially independent soon.
"I really don't care at all," To Man said.
During the trip, her husband did not question his wife.
During 30 years of lonely and boring marriage, To Man never thought of a divorce.
"Think about it, if I get divorced and I move out, how much will it cost to buy a new house? What about my daughter? On holidays, who does she know about the house? This also worries my kids."
The most important thing is that she overcame the most difficult days while looking after her children while looking for work.
To Man thinks that her husband's decision to stay with me is similar.
Before going solo, she often read time travel novels.
During the trip, she also changed her mind about her husband and felt sorry for him.
But now conflicts with her husband are no longer important.
After sharing a video of his trip online, someone posted it again and To Man immediately had thousands of followers overnight.
She planned to go to Kunming, then to Lijiang and Dali, camp by the lake and fall asleep while singing birds.
She did not think she would go home at any time, nor did she think about her future plans.