A young post-80s couple says goodbye to the city's hustle and bustle, leaving the city behind to return to the countryside as pioneers

In this fast-paced era, we are trapped on society's assembly line, living a monotonous and repetitive life shuttling between three points: the office, home and the subway station.

Have you ever thought about saying goodbye to the wounds of city life and returning to live in a simple village?

Believe it or not, of the young people crushed by pressure, nine out of ten have dreamed the beautiful dream of "leaving the city behind and returning to the countryside."

But bound and tied down by the constraints of reality, very few can follow their hearts so freely and go live a leisurely, contented life in the countryside.

And the young post-80s couple we are talking about today -Liu Yu and his wife Toutou- are among the rare few who canbravely leap out of reality's framework and stop at nothing to realize their dream of living in the mountains.

Liu Yu and Toutou were college classmates. After graduating in 2011, they spent a year and a half working and traveling in New Zealand.

Both are children of the mountains, embracing nature and simplicity to their core, with quiet rather than noisy hearts, so they often could not find a sense of belonging in the bustling city.

In 2015, they returned to their hometown of Suizhou, Hubei, took over the family's tea-growing business, which had been running for more than 30 years, and rented several rooms by the lake to renovate. From then on, they plunged deep into the mountains, living a secluded mountain life.

With no more bright city lights and the noise of the world left behind, a lake, a mountain and 20 mu of tea fields stretching across the hillsides turned their life into exactly what they had idealised.

When the house was first rented, it had already been abandoned for many years. And since it sits in this quiet, remote little mountain village with little sign of life around, it looked all the more lonely and desolate.

It was built by educated youths sent down to the countryside more than 20 years ago. The young couple rented two rows of houses facing each other and carefully renovated them into their own home, giving it a lovely name:"In the Mountains"。

After a vigorous renovation, the once lifeless house had taken on a completely new look.

It is based on crisp white walls paired with natural wood, with glass windows added to increase daylight and ventilation. The interior is rationally laid out with a kitchen, dining room, bedroom, tea room and more, meeting the couple's living needs to the greatest extent.

Besides being surrounded by lush trees on all sides, the outer walls are also covered in verdant Boston ivy, which not only blocks the harsh sunlight and brings the house a canopy of shade and coolness, but also greatlycreates a landscape art effect that looks utterly delightful to the eye.

A pavilion was built in the courtyard, where they can sit to cool off and rest in their spare time, or pick vegetables and chat in the shade,scenes from childhood faintly reappearing before their eyes.

In what was originally a bare courtyard, they also deliberately carved out a small garden. They planted climbing roses, lilies, salvia and more,and when spring comes, it is a riot of brilliant colors, looking so full of life.

Between the courtyard and the house runs a 30-meter-long corridor, with one end connecting to the kitchen and the other to the dining room.Whenever a gentle breeze blows or the rain falls like a curtain in summer, this becomes their favorite place to linger.

At the end of the corridor is a round opening, which, together with the soft lighting under the eaves, not only improves the daylight but always gives the place a special charm.

The interior space has been completely renovated. While retaining its rustic flavor, it also incorporates many modern materials and elements. It is based on white, natural wood and a small amount of gray, together creating a fresh and comfortable atmosphere.

The wooden furniture in the rooms is basically handmade, mostly made from a large catalpa tree that failed to survive.

Looking around, the steady, natural wood and the bare cement floor set each other off beautifully, filling the whole space with a rich, rustic feel.

Although far from crowds and the city, the young couple's country life is not the least bit boring or lonely.

They love plants and flowers and love life. Occasionally they hold a flower-arranging gathering at home, inviting like-minded friends over to share gardening tips, or to taste their homemade green plum wine and small snacks, spending a wonderful time together.

On ordinary days, Liu Yu and his wife sit quietly by the window sipping tea and reading books,watching the light and shadow flicker outside and the seasons change. Everything is so tasteful and so cozy.

Their home has two tea rooms, one Chinese-style and one Japanese-style. Though different in style, each has its own highlights.

The Chinese-style tea room has a round window facing the lake, with a wintersweet planted outside. Looking out through the window,the scenery outside is like a flowing painting, often so beautiful you cannot look away.

The Japanese-style tea room was converted from a low kitchen, with tatami and a Japanese tea seating area inside. It can seat up to 15 people for tea and rest, and the overall feel is comfortable and cozy.

Outside the tea room are several peach trees and maple trees, and some moss has been scattered on the pebble path,so it looks quite like a dry landscape garden, full of a fresh, natural, Zen flavor.

Imagine, in such an elegant and pleasant space, with an old electric fan blowing and a glass of homemade plum wine,how could one not lose oneself entirely, as if placed in a wonderland like the Peach Blossom Spring?

Perhaps the scenery at "In the Mountains" is so wonderful that it often attracts the masters from a nearby temple to come for Zen meditation and tea.

In winter, when everything outside is covered in white snow, the little farmhouse courtyard is especially intoxicatingly beautiful, forming a lovely, tranquil picture.

There are no rare delicacies here, but there are plenty of natural, organic, flavorful farm dishes.

Their vegetables usually come from their own garden plot. The home-style flavors look quite ordinary, yet sometimes they are so delicious they make your mouth water, and the taste is especially fresh.

There are also many fruit trees in the mountains for them to pick from. Every harvest season they reap abundantly, fully enjoying nature's gifts.

Having said goodbye to the city life of heavy traffic, growing flowers and vegetables, strolling in the mountains and picking wild fruit have become the real daily routine of Liu Yu and his wife. In front of and behind the house, opening a window reveals the beauty of the four seasons and the scent of the countryside. For city dwellers, such a life is so cozy and so luxurious~~~

May there come a day when we are not anxious over hardship or chasing fame and fortune, but live only to feel the small certain happiness in life.