Zheng Jingtai was a well-dressed partner at a law firm in Quanzhou, Fujian province, until two years ago. Then, he quit his job to take a break, and along with his wife, Qing Ying, embarked on a journey that took them from the eastern province to the country's northwest and back.

Their return journey to Quanzhou from the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region was with the help of horses.

The experience won Zheng about 170,000 followers online after he did live broadcasting to share their journey from time to time.

"I had to give up my income and hand my work over to my business partners half a year in advance to ensure the best interests of my clients," recalls Zheng, 39. "I can always make money, but I can live only once, so I had to listen to my inner voice."

For him, it was a choice not so much out of a whim as it was about a search for the meaning of life.

In early 2020, Zheng had then been married for just two years and had about 400,000 yuan ($62,600) in family savings. The couple lived in a rented apartment in downtown Quanzhou. Zheng painted a rosy picture for Qing about the trip to persuade her to go along.

"I told her how romantic it would be to travel across the country, playing with horses and enjoying the sea and blossoms," he says.

He convinced his in-laws about how he had things all planned out for later. Zheng's partners at the law firm were supportive of his decision and would have him back after the trip, he says.