Living Simply in Rural China | A Simple Day with My Dad: The Unspoken Love in Chinese Families

Added: 2026-05-05

[00:00:06]Hello everyone, I'm Shyla.

[00:00:09]I'm in my fifties and live a quiet life alone in the countryside.

[00:00:15]Today I’m going to visit my 74-year-old father, the person I miss the most in my heart.

[00:00:23]My mom has been gone from us for 14 years, leaving dad as my deepest tie to this world.

[00:00:31]No matter how busy I am, I never miss my monthly visit to him.

[00:00:39]I plan to go to the supermarket first to buy some things.

[00:00:50]I will buy some eggs and milk for him.

[00:00:55]These foods are soft, easy to digest and full of nutrition, which are very suitable for the elderly.

[00:01:04]Right now, eggs cost only 3 yuan per 500 grams.

[00:01:10]That’s approximately 40 US cents for a little over a pound.

[00:01:16]My 74-year-old father loves eating eggs, so I always pick up a bag for him.

[00:01:27]This whole bag of eggs costs 20 yuan (about $2.80 USD).

[00:01:34]This box of milk costs about 40 yuan (around $5.60 USD).

[00:01:43]I’m usually quite frugal with myself, but when it comes to my family, I’m more than willing to spend money.

[00:01:53]As we grow older, we come to realize that the people we care about most are always our family.

[00:02:00]I want to ask all of you: who is the one you miss and care about the most in your life?

[00:02:07]Dad’s home isn’t far from mine, just about 10 kilometers (around 6.2 miles) away.

[00:02:16]My dad lives with my younger brother, who works as a construction worker building houses in the countryside.

[00:02:24]He leaves early and comes back late every day, working from dawn till dusk.

[00:02:31]So most of the time, it’s just my father staying at home alone.

[00:02:36]As I walk up to the door, I already see my dad waiting for me inside.

[00:02:42]I’m carrying the eggs and milk I picked up for him, simple little things.

[00:02:48]No fancy gifts, just what I know he likes and what’s good for him.

[00:02:54]He never says “I missed you” out loud, but I can see it in his eyes.

[00:03:01]Every time I come to visit him, I always take the time to wash his clothes for him.

[00:03:07]I also clean the house thoroughly, sweeping the floor and wiping away the dust.

[00:03:15]I just want him to live in a clean and tidy home, comfortable and at ease.

[00:03:22]Even though these are small and ordinary things, they are my way of taking care of him.

[00:03:31]When I clean and wash clothes for him, he’s actually very happy and moved inside.

[00:03:39]He just doesn’t know how to express his feelings, so he only smiles and watches me busy.

[00:03:54]Growing up in rural China, many older generations held the belief that boys were more valuable.

[00:04:02]But my dad was never like that, not even a little bit.

[00:04:06]He never treated me differently just because I was a girl.

[00:04:11]He told me I could be anything I wanted, no matter if I was a girl or not.

[00:04:17]Even when life was hard, he always saved the best bites for me first.

[00:04:24]Now that I’m older, I realize how rare and precious that kind of quiet love was.

[00:04:31]It’s not loud, but it’s the kind that wraps around you and keeps you safe for life.

[00:04:39]I know not everyone was this lucky back then.

[00:04:42]I’m curious, what was the view on boys and girls like in your family growing up?

[00:05:14]After washing his clothes, I’m now mopping the floors for him.

[00:05:58]He’s getting older, and bending down to scrub the floor isn’t easy for him anymore.

[00:06:07]I mopped the floor thoroughly, wiping away every bit of dust to make the house bright and clean for him.

[00:06:37]Now that all the housework is done, it’s time to take my dad out.

[00:06:43]We’re heading to the town market, and I want to buy him some new clothes.

[00:06:48]He never splurges on himself, always wearing the same old clothes for years.

[00:06:57]This is a common electric tricycle in rural China.

[00:07:02]It’s small, easy to drive, and perfect for short trips around the village.

[00:07:08]Today I’m using it to take my dad to the town market.

[00:07:13]It has a little roof to keep out the sun and wind, so he can sit comfortably without worrying about the weather.

[00:07:24]For many older people here, this kind of tricycle is like their “family car” practical, reliable, and always there when you need it.

[00:07:37]We’ve arrived at the town market, the busiest spot in our small town.

[00:07:46]There are all kinds of clothes, shoes and daily necessities here.

[00:07:53]I’m picking out some new clothes for my dad.

[00:07:58]I pick soft, comfortable and warm styles that suit elderly people.

[00:08:05]He keeps muttering about “wasting money” and saying his old ones are still good.

[00:08:10]But he still stands patiently, letting me adjust the collar and check how it fits.

[00:08:19]He’s trying on the new jacket, and it fits him perfectly.

[00:08:27]After getting the jacket that fits him so well, I’m now picking out a pair of matching trousers for him right here at the stall.

[00:08:36]When buying clothes for the elderly, I don’t just look at the style.

[00:08:41]Soft fabric, loose fit, and easy-to-wear designs are what matter most to me.

[00:08:51]These pants are stretchy and roomy, so he’ll feel comfortable whether he’s sitting, walking, or doing small chores around the house.

[00:09:02]These two pieces — the jacket and trousers — cost 80 yuan in total, which is roughly 11 US dollars.

[00:09:14]After picking out the jacket and trousers, I saw a shoe stall and decided to get him a pair of slippers too.

[00:09:25]For older people, a good pair of house slippers needs to be both soft and non-slip.

[00:09:32]When I was little, Dad was always the one buying new shoes and clothes for me.

[00:09:37]He worked so hard to support our family, but he never skimped on me.

[00:09:43]These slippers are non-slip and warm, just hoping he won’t slip and will be comfortable at home.

[00:09:51]These slippers cost 20 yuan, which is about 2.8 US dollars.

[00:10:15]We found a small stall at the market and ordered a bowl of liangpi, also known as cold rice noodles.

[00:10:23]Liangpi is a very famous traditional snack in China.

[00:10:27]It’s made from wheat or rice, smooth, chewy, and served cold.

[00:10:33]We mix it with chili oil, vinegar, garlic sauce, and fresh cucumber.

[00:10:40]It tastes sour and spicy, refreshing and appetizing.

[00:10:46]This stall has been here for years, and it’s the same flavor my dad has loved since he was young.

[00:10:55]We sat side by side, sharing a bowl of this simple street food, and it felt like we were kids again.

[00:11:03]Now, so many years have passed, and we’re both getting older.

[00:11:08]His hair is grayer, and I’m no longer the little girl he used to hold by the hand.

[00:11:14]But the taste of this liangpi, and the quiet comfort of sitting together, are still exactly the same.

[00:11:27]He’s always loved tomatoes, especially the sweet, juicy ones from the market.

[00:11:32]I picked out the reddest, ripest ones for him, the kind that are perfect for cooking or eating raw.

[00:11:42]hese tomatoes he loves cost just 10 yuan in total, which is about 1.4 US dollars.

[00:11:59]We finished our meal and took a ride along the riverbank.

[00:12:06]The wind was soft, the sun was warm, and we didn’t need to say much. Just sitting beside him like this, I felt completely at peace.

[00:12:18]For us Chinese, family is the deepest root in our hearts, passed down for thousands of years.

[00:12:30]We are taught from childhood that filial piety is the most important virtue, and we never say love out loud with fancy words.

[00:12:42]All our love and care are hidden in these trivial little things, in every bit of quiet company.

[00:12:50]With my dad here, I will always have a home to miss, a place to run to without hesitation.

[00:13:00]This is my ordinary day in rural China, simple and unremarkable, but full of the warmest love and the most solid peace.

[00:13:09]What do you usually do to cherish the time with your family?