Living Alone at 59: Waiting for My Husband to Return Home

Welcome to Fang & Jun's Life. I am Fang, 59 years old. I have lived my entire life in this flat, quiet village on the eastern coast of China. After working for years, a lung illness forced me to stop heavy labor and stay home to heal. My husband, Jun, is a carpenter working far away, but he will be retiring and coming home to me very soon. In this video, I share a real day of my life on the plain. I start by making a soft egg custard for my sensitive stomach. Then, I take a short e-bike ride to the town market to buy some fresh crucian carp for soup. I also ask for some empty clam shells to grind into feed for my hens. Country life is full of these small, practical habits. Later, I visit my parents who live about 2.5 miles away. My mother's health is failing, and the best I can do is help her sit in the yard to let the sun warm her tired back. In a village where most young people have left, we do our best to care for our land and each other—like opening the hotbed for my mother-in-law's seedlings. Life here is slow and simple, but it is not without its heavy moments. Yet, there is always peace to be found. Thank you for joining me today.