In a story that has left many people surprised, a Chinese programmer has revealed that he has been living in his car for the past four years, despite owning a sprawling four-storey house in his hometown, the South China Morning Post reported.
Zhang Yunlai, 41, originally from Yangjiang in China's Guangdong province, moved to Shenzhen six years ago for work. While most would expect a tech professional in one of China's booming cities to settle into urban apartment life, Zhang took a completely different route.
His choice wasn't driven by financial troubles, but by a desire for freedom and comfort, he says. A camping trip to a park sparked the idea, and soon after, he transformed his electric car into his home-on-wheels.
"An electric car lets you use air conditioning and fit a mattress inside, so sleeping there feels pretty comfortable," Zhang told local media.
During the week, Zhang's routine is finely tuned: he eats at his office cafeteria, showers at a gym, charges his car at public stations, and parks overnight near a park where he folds down the seats to sleep. His laundry is taken care of during weekend visits to his family home, which spans a spacious 400 square metres.
Zhang claims that his daily expenses have dropped to about 100 yuan (roughly Rs 1,200), with minimal parking and utility costs. Over the past three years, this lifestyle has saved him over 100,000 yuan (around Rs 11.6 lakh).
But for Zhang, it's not about the money. "I do not have much financial pressure. Even if someone offered me free rent, I would not move. The park environment is far better than a typical flat, and it gives me freedom," he said.
Before moving to Shenzhen, Zhang worked remotely and now earns several tens of thousands of yuan a month as a programmer. Despite his financial stability and property back home, he says he has no plans to return to conventional living anytime soon.
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