I became a free "servant" from morning till night.

There is a generation gap due to different living habits and concepts.

Mrs. Liu, who lives in Nanyanli community in the mountainous area, is 80 years old this year, but she is strong, clear-headed and cheerful. She and her wife have lived here since the early 1980s. Until she was old, all her four sons got married outside. The old couple still live here alone, buying food, cooking, washing and cleaning, and doing everything by themselves. A few years ago, my wife suffered from Alzheimer's disease. Mrs. Liu had another responsibility to take care of the patients, but she still arranged her life in order. In view of the age of the old people, the children and daughters-in-law have repeatedly proposed to bring the old people to live together, but the old people always politely refuse.

Before the Spring Festival last year, his wife died suddenly, and Mrs. Liu suffered a great blow. As a child, I know the pain in my mother's heart. So, Mrs. Liu's four sons discussed it and took turns to take their mother to live in their own home. Mrs. Liu agreed, but she didn't live long and returned to her old house.

In fact, sons and daughters-in-law are particularly filial, but why did Mrs. Liu go home anyway? Because she doesn't feel as comfortable as at home. The old man slept little and woke up after 5 o'clock in the morning, but he was afraid that his son and daughter-in-law would make noise. When they wake up, they must stay in their rooms. I was hungry at five or six o'clock in the evening, and my son and daughter-in-law had not arrived home yet, so Mrs. Liu was embarrassed to eat first. I wanted to go out to buy a dish, but my son stopped me and worried that she would have a problem on the road alone. Besides, the decoration of the room was done by her son and daughter-in-law. Mrs. Liu is afraid to put small handmade works that she has nothing to do on the table, for fear that they don't like them. "I know they want me to live comfortably, but I always feel like an outsider."

Returning to the old house where she has lived with her wife for decades, Mrs. Liu's heart is relaxed. Although the two-bedroom apartment is not big, it is clean and tidy. Pictures of the old couple are hung on the wall, and warm photos of children and grandchildren can be seen everywhere in the bedroom. On the table and cabinet are her usual small works such as paper-cutting and stockings. Going out at 5 o'clock every morning, every grass and tree is so familiar and secure.

Aunt Lin has just returned from a month's trip to America and will go to Guilin next week. Her circle of friends is either a photo of her dancing and singing activities or a photo of her visiting famous mountains and rivers. She is full of energy and vitality every day, nothing like a 65-year-old man. She thinks retirement can be so chic because she doesn't live with her children.

Aunt Lin's son has been married for several years. "In the first year of marriage, the feeling of living with my son and daughter-in-law is really bad." Aunt Lin, who speaks very quickly, feels that she and her wife are simply free "servants" for her son and daughter-in-law. At 6 o'clock in the morning, the old couple should prepare breakfast for the young couple first, and sometimes they have to knock on the door to wake up, lest the young couple be late for work. Daughter-in-law likes cats and dogs, and has a dog and two cats at home. "It's also our job to feed the cat and walk the dog." At noon, the old couple warmed up some leftovers casually, took a rest in the afternoon and thought about cooking something delicious at night. Dinner is often painstakingly cooked, but the young couple still find it unappetizing. Cleaning, washing clothes and other household chores are basically done by Aunt Lin.

Aunt Lin likes singing and dancing. After retirement, she joined the community choir. Sometimes the sisters of the choir will organize outings and even go abroad to play. Aunt Lin can't attend because she has to take care of her son and daughter-in-law. Aunt Lin thought twice and proposed to live separately from her son and daughter-in-law, so that they could exercise their self-care ability and have more time to enjoy their old age. Now, Aunt Lin goes to the university for the aged to study computer and climb mountains with old friends ... Every Monday to Friday, the schedule is full and people look much younger.

Older people with higher education and better economic foundation prefer their own lives. In some newly-built residential areas, the conditions of young people buying houses are relatively good, and most parents have their own houses. "Such old people have their own lives after retirement, or join some cultural and sports teams, and they are always happy."