Zhang Jing and her sister purchase local specialty goods in a market in Benxi, Northeast China’s Liaoning province, on Jan 10. [Hei Ke/for China Daily]

"I was always being recognized in the streets of Shenyang and was the subject of gossip, so I wanted to leave the city, a place of sorrow," Zhang said.

She and her son moved to Beijing at the start of last year. Her son is studying at a private middle school and has adapted well to life in the capital.

"He has grown into a big boy and is much more optimistic than before," Zhang said. "He gets along well with his classmates. They often come to our house on weekends."

They are living in a one-bedroom rented apartment in Chaoyang district that costs 4,000 yuan ($640) per month.

"It costs more to live in Beijing, I need at least 100,000 yuan a year to cover our overall expenses," Zhang said. "So I had to find a way to make a decent living."