At just 18, Ms. Yang calls a 6 m² office toilet her “apartment” in Zhuzhou City, Hunan, China.
She pays only 50 yuan ≈ $7/month — barely enough to cover utilities.
Her quiet daily life exploded on Douyin in early 2025, touching millions.

Born in rural Hubei, she moved to the city to sell furniture, earning around 2,700 yuan/month — while the local average salary hovers near 7,500 yuan.
Rents? 800–1,800 yuan. Unaffordable.
Yet she still sends money home so her younger brother can continue school.
Refusing debt or defeat, she made a deal with her boss: at night, the restroom (two squat toilets + sink) transforms into her bedroom — folding bed  , curtain  , clothes rack  , and a small pot for cooking noodles  .
By day, she packs it all away, washes clothes in the sink  , and hangs them to dry on the rooftop  .
Her boss has now promised to renovate an office room for her to move into soon.
Yang’s dreams remain humble and clear:
A house of her own

A car
A stable, ordinary life for her family
Her story quietly forces a tough question:
In 2025, in a country as advanced as China, should anyone have to live in a toilet just to build a future?
#growingUpPoor #ChinaReality #HousingCrisis #Resilience #DouyinStory