In praise of slower pleasures

At a lakeside village stop in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, the view framed by dark blue sky, and sunset glowing over rice fields, changed her perspective. "We're always chasing destination-worthy scenery, but the most beautiful moments are right beside us," Zhou says.

Posting her bus trip on RedNote, Zhou found that her trip was no longer just her own, but also evoked memories and one of the comments saying "that's the bus route to my grandma's house!" touched her heart.

The journey also became a metaphor for shedding life's burdens. Starting out with a backpack, laptop bag, and a cross-body bag, Zhou gradually mailed nonessentials to her flat in Xiamen. "By the fourth day, I had just one outfit. It made me realize how much we carry, physically and mentally, that isn't truly needed."