Hu Yingrong, 46, moved to Cu Son Island, Zhoushan county, Zhejiang province, with her husband. The island, home to 55,000 residents, is a two-hour ferry ride from the mainland. Historically, men primarily engaged in fishing or quarrying, while women managed households and wove fishing nets for meager wages.

Previously, Hu worked in a fishing net factory. She earned only one yuan (0.14 USD) for weaving 10 meters of net, averaging 5-8 yuan per hour.

Women delivery drivers on Cu Son Island, Zhejiang province. *Xie HaiLong*

When local food delivery services emerged, Hu transitioned to this new occupation. Initially, she struggled with navigation and managing the continuous flow of orders. To ensure timely deliveries, Hu often had to brave dense fog, strong sea winds that made her vehicle unstable, or wade through puddles left after rain. "The most exhausting part, however, is running up multistory buildings without elevators, or navigating through narrow alleys packed with elderly people's vegetable carts," she said.

"The greatest reward of this job is time autonomy. Driving and feeling the island breeze brings a sense of freedom," Hu stated.

Hu is a top performer on the island, with a record of 189 deliveries per day. Her monthly income is approximately 8,000 yuan (about 1,100 USD).

In the past year, female food delivery drivers, averaging around 40 years old, have transformed the island's labor landscape. From strangers speaking different regional dialects, they formed a community of 14. They share orders, guide new drivers, and maintain a tradition of gathering on payday.

Chen Lirong, 29, the team leader, recounted being rejected from shipyard jobs because "women find it difficult to focus on work while caring for children when their husbands are away." "Food delivery offers flexible hours, helping me balance family responsibilities," Chen explained.

To support her colleagues, she often arranges day shifts for those with young children, while she takes on overnight deliveries herself.

A young woman driving an electric delivery scooter on Cu Son Island, Zhejiang province. *Xie HaiLong*

This profession has become an economic pillar for women in unique situations. After her divorce, Wang Jinrong, 44, raised four children on her own. Within the delivery team, Wang receives support from colleagues by swapping shifts to have more family time.

On social media, the drivers' story has garnered positive feedback. One commenter wrote: "They aren't just delivering food; they are liberating themselves from economic dependence."

*Thanh Thanh (China Youth Daily, SMCP)*