On February 24, the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, the festive atmosphere still lingered in Jingning County, Gansu Province. At noon, Zhang Yingying, a sorting worker at Gansu Demei Diyuan Modern Agricultural Group Co., Ltd., received a call on her phone. "Sister Zhang, can you come to work tomorrow?" asked the familiar voice of her manager on the other end. "Yes, yes, I've been waiting!" Zhang Yingying replied with a laugh.

The next morning, inside the apple sorting workshop, the rich aroma of fruit filled the air. More than thirty female workers sat around piles of apples, skillfully sorting, bagging, and packing them into boxes. "These apples have already been sorted by machines, but we still need to check them again before packing," Zhang Yingying explained as she picked up a bright red apple, slipped a protective net over it, and gently placed it into a cardboard box beside her. Her movements were practiced and efficient—the entire process took just over ten seconds.

"Last year, I worked here and earned over 30,000 yuan, averaging more than 100 yuan a day," Zhang Yingying said with a smile. "The company provides transportation and even serves lunch—it's much better than working away from home." In Jingning, apples are a valuable source of income for local residents. Thanks to the apple industry, this small county in eastern Gansu has enabled more and more rural women like Zhang Yingying to earn a living right in their hometowns.

"I can take care of my family and make money at the same time. How often do you come across an opportunity like that?" Zhang Yingying remarked. "This batch of apples is being shipped to Shenzhen this afternoon. We've been receiving many out-of-town orders lately, so everyone is working extra hard." As she spoke, the hum of machinery filled the workshop, and forklifts carried packed apple boxes to the loading area. The women chatted and laughed as they worked, their hands moving swiftly without slowing down. The words "Jingning Apple" printed on the boxes stood out clearly under the lights.

Li Na, the operations manager at Demei, moved through the workshop, occasionally stopping to inspect the quality of the packed boxes. "We employ local rural women year-round. During busy periods, over a hundred workers can show up in a single day, each earning at least 100 yuan daily," she explained. "They can farm, look after their children, and still earn an income—this is what a good life really looks like."

Outside the workshop, a large truck was being loaded, ready to embark on the long journey to Shenzhen. Inside, Zhang Yingying and her coworkers continued their busy work, their smiling faces filled with hope for the year ahead.