I Didn’t Leave the City to Escape — I Left to Start Living
Some people leave the city because they are tired of it;
she left because she wanted to begin.
From her family’s goose shop in Taoyuan to a new life in Xiaoliuqiu, she has redefined what “living” means in her own way.
The Beginning: From a Taoyuan Goose Shop to Xiaoliuqiu
“My whole life growing up revolved around the goose shop.”
Fang Ting’s life seemed to follow a path that had been arranged for her since childhood.
“School, home, helping at the shop — that was my routine since I was little,” she laughs.
She woke up at six to cook geese, opened the shop at eight, and closed at seven-thirty. She had only one day off a week, with almost no gatherings with friends and very little time that truly belonged to herself.
Life was simple, but rushed — a constant busyness without really knowing who she was busy for.
Moving to Taipei Opened Her World for the First Time
Her first real step away from home was moving to Taipei for work.
The pace, the atmosphere, the people on the streets — everything felt completely different from Taoyuan.
“It really broadened my view. I suddenly felt I didn’t want to stay where I was anymore.”
She started wanting to create something of her own, instead of just inheriting the life her family had laid out for her.
Since childhood, she had quietly held onto one dream:
“I want to live by the sea.”
She loves diving, the colors of the ocean, and the feeling of being able to breathe freely the moment she steps onto the shore.
When she realized that no one was selling goose meat in Xiaoliuqiu, one thought surfaced in her mind:
“Then let me give it a try.”
Her Family Opposed It — She Went Anyway
“My whole family objected. They said life there would be inconvenient, that I’d get tanned, and they were afraid people might bully me.”
But her decision was already made.
“I just went ahead first and explained later,” she smiles.
Her First Step on Xiaoliuqiu: “This is exactly what I wanted.”
She still remembers the feeling of that first day on the island:
“It was relaxing and free. Everyone was just living their own life. There wasn’t that rushed, hectic feeling of the city.”
In that moment, she knew she had found her own rhythm.
Entrepreneurship Isn’t as Pretty as a Photo: Dreams vs. Reality
Bringing her family’s goose recipe to Xiaoliuqiu meant starting from scratch:
She had to find new suppliers, adjust the flavors, and slowly get southern customers used to a northern taste.
On top of that, there was the unfamiliar environment — loneliness, few friends, and no one she could really rely on.
“It does get lonely, especially after closing at night,” she says.
But she never thought of giving up.
She had a reason to keep going — and a strong source of support:
her boyfriend would often travel down from Taipei to keep her company and encourage her.
On the Island, She Found a More Grown Version of Herself
“I used to hate making decisions, but on the island, I had to face everything myself.”
From renting a house and managing supply to handling customer complaints and dealing with unexpected situations in the shop, she learned not to rely on the protection of her family.
“The feeling of building something from nothing is amazing. I grew fast — and I grew a lot.”
She Once Felt Ashamed of “Selling Goose Meat”
At this point in the conversation, she pauses for a moment.
“I used to think that selling goose meat made me somehow inferior.”
She didn’t go to university; she finished vocational school and then went straight into the family business. Compared to the people she met in Taipei, she often felt she wasn’t as dazzling.
“When life became repetitive and routine, I would wonder if this was all I would ever be.”
But after starting her own business, something clicked:
“This is my skill. I should be proud of it, not ashamed.”
Island Life: The Freedom She Found, and the Price She Paid
“Freedom isn’t romantic — it’s learning to live without protection.”
The city comes with pressure, but island life has its own price.
“The price of freedom is relying entirely on yourself.”
When she encounters difficult customers, she can only swallow her tears and smile.
Without her family there to shield her, she has to carry everything on her own shoulders.
But at the same time, she discovered the most beautiful part of island life:
“There’s no constant comparing. There’s less pressure around material things, clothes, or how you look.”
“Every day feels simple and pure.”
She Became Someone Who Trusts Herself More
She used to avoid making decisions. Now she knows:
“The direction of your life is something you have to build through your own effort.”
That’s the version of herself that Xiaoliuqiu helped her grow into.
“For women, the hardest part of entrepreneurship is being underestimated.”
Because she’s attractive, she’s been misunderstood even more often.
“People think my effort doesn’t really count because of how I look,” she says honestly.
But she also knows what truly matters:
“Your inner core has to be strong. You can’t let other people’s opinions and comments define you.”
She adds with a half-laugh, half-sigh:
“On holidays, everyone else is dressed up and looking beautiful. I’m covered in oil, working from before dawn until late at night — but I’ve gotten used to that kind of everyday life.”
Her Strength Comes from the People Around Her
Her strength doesn’t come from some grand slogan — it comes from real people.
Friends, family, her boyfriend, and regular customers who keep coming back.
“When I’m going through a low point, they remind me: you still have so many good qualities.”
Those gentle reminders keep her from getting stuck in her own negative thoughts.
Her Definition of Success
For her, success isn’t about making a lot of money, opening multiple branches, or becoming a trending name.
“Success is living a happy and simple life.”
To be healthy, to live each day well — that’s enough.
She never regrets leaving the city. In fact, she says:
“I should’ve made this decision earlier.”
If she could say one thing to her past self, it would be:
“Don’t rush. Everything happens at the right time.”
Her Connection with HAI
Living by the Sea Makes Her Calmer, More Connected to Herself
“In the ocean, everything is on mute.”
She loves those moments when all the noise disappears, as if the whole world has been turned down to silence.
In that stillness, her heart follows the rhythm of the waves and slowly calms down.
All the impatience and anxiety she once felt in the city seem much farther away now.
Wearing Swimsuits Is a Lifestyle — and a Form of Confidence
“To me, it’s a lifestyle — and a form of confidence.”
For her, putting on a swimsuit isn’t just about work or the beach — it’s a small ritual of telling herself, “I’m doing well. I feel good in my own skin.”
The first time she wore a HÁI swimsuit, her reaction was simple and direct:
“It’s so soft and comfortable — it feels great to wear it by the sea.”
HAI’s Spirit of Freedom Mirrors Her Own Life
To her, HAII’s sense of freedom isn’t just about how it looks on the outside.
It’s about the stories of women who choose their own paths,
and the quiet courage behind every decision to live differently.
If She Had to Describe the “Island Version” of Herself:
“I am a free, unbound little sun.”
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