BEIJING, Jan 23 — A former flight attendant in China who quit her job and moved back to her hometown to become a pig farmer has earned 200,000 yuan (US$28,000) in just two months.

Yang Yanxi, 27, originally from Heilongjiang province in Northeastern China, made the bold decision to leave her job as a flight attendant with a Shanghai airline after five years.

During her tenure, Yang’s monthly salary was only 2,800 yuan (US$380), particularly during the company’s tough times.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), Yang was living in Shanghai when she realised that, despite her lifestyle choices—frequently asking her parents for money to buy luxury bags—her parents had been struggling financially. They had even taken on debt to support her.

The turning point came when Yang discovered that her mother had secretly undergone several surgeries to remove lipomas. This prompted Yang to quit her job in October 2022 and return home to support her family.

In April 2023, she took over a relative's pig farm and began raising pigs.

According to SCMP Yang shared her new rural lifestyle on a popular mainland short video platform, gaining nearly 1.2 million followers.

In her videos, she showcases her daily work on the farm, preparing food for the pigs, cleaning up after them, and even interacting with the animals while dressed in beautiful dresses.

Despite the physical strain of rural life, Yang remains committed to her new career.

“I work so hard at the pig farm that my back and waist ache every day. After a full day, I smell stinky,” she said on social media as reported by SCMP.

Yang's journey hasn’t been without its challenges. On January 6, she accidentally injured her left foot with an ice pick while fishing on a frozen lake.

However, she stayed positive and continued to engage with her followers, even making a wooden cane to help her get around.

Yang has earned over 200,000 yuan (US$27,000) over the last two months through pig farming, selling livestock, and managing her social media account. Looking ahead, she hopes to expand her farm, open a specialty store, and even start a hotel.

Her story has drawn widespread attention on mainland social media, with internet users praising her for her dedication to her family and her willingness to take on a new path.