Zhao Yazhi, at the age of 72, is still bustling around on the stage. She finishes work in the wee hours of the morning with her eyes bloodshot from staying up late, all in an effort to provide a secure environment for her three sons and grandchildren. She single-handedly shoulders the family's expenses, having invested all her retirement savings into her sons' entrepreneurial ventures and covering all the costs for her grandchildren's tuition and extracurricular classes. Netizens exclaim: What a tough mother she is!

赵雅芝72岁了，还在舞台上跑来跑去，凌晨收工眼睛熬得通红，就为了给三个儿子和孙子孙女撑起一片天。她一个人扛着全家开销，养老钱全砸在儿子创业上，孙辈的学费兴趣班也全包。网友直呼：这当妈的，太不容易了！

Her eldest son, now 48 years old, used to work as a journalist at a newspaper office, earning a relatively stable income of HK$20,000 a month. However, he was determined to strike out on his own, opening a restaurant and becoming the boss. He borrowed a large sum of money from Zhao Yazhi for this venture. Unfortunately, the restaurant closed down after just a few months of operation. Now, he spends his days playing video games at home and even relies on his mother for basic living expenses.

她的大儿子，今年48岁，原本在报社当记者，收入还算稳定，一个月能拿两万港币。可他偏要自己闯荡，开餐厅当老板，向赵雅芝借了一大笔钱。结果餐厅没撑几个月就倒闭了，现在整天在家打游戏，连基本生活费都得靠妈妈给。

Her second son, aged 45, hasn't had an easy time either. He went into partnership with friends to open a clothing store, fully expecting to make a big profit. But to his dismay, his partner ran off with the money, and the clothes just wouldn't sell, piling up in the warehouse instead. The business was a complete financial disaster, and the money used was all from Zhao Yazhi. Now he manages the family business, but the financial holes left by the previous failed venture are still being filled by his mother.

二儿子45岁，日子也不省心。他和朋友合伙开服装店，满心以为能大赚一笔。谁知合伙人卷钱跑了，衣服也卖不出去，全堆在仓库里。这生意亏得一塌糊涂，用的还是赵雅芝的钱。现在他管着家族企业，可之前欠下的窟窿，依然是妈妈在填。

The youngest son, aged 38, is considered the most "dream-chasing" one in the family. He studied at the Beijing Film Academy and even obtained a degree in the United States, aspiring to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry. However, after acting for several years, he has never achieved fame. Netizens have criticized his acting skills, claiming that he only gets roles thanks to Zhao Yazhi pulling strings. Once, when appearing on a CCTV program, he said his mother was a housewife and his father was his life mentor. The audience was taken aback after hearing this—with Zhao Yazhi being so busy, how could she be seen as a mere housewife?

小儿子38岁，算是家里最有“梦想”的。他读过北京电影学院，还去美国拿了个学位，想在娱乐圈闯出名堂。可演了几年戏，始终没红，网友吐槽他演技不行，全靠赵雅芝找关系接戏。有回上央视节目，他说妈妈是家庭主妇，爸爸才是人生导师。观众听完都愣了：赵雅芝忙成这样，哪像家庭主妇？



What's even more astonishing is that Zhao Yazhi not only supports her three sons but also has to cover the expenses of her grandchildren. Tuition fees, interest classes, and tutorial sessions—all of these require money. It's said that over the years, all the retirement savings she had accumulated have been burned up by her sons' entrepreneurial endeavors. With the family expenses seeming like a bottomless pit, she has no choice but to grit her teeth and keep going.

更让人咋舌的是，赵雅芝不光养三个儿子，还得管孙子孙女的开销。学费、兴趣班、补习班，样样得花钱。据说这些年，她攒下的养老钱全被儿子创业烧光了。家里开销像个无底洞，她只能咬牙接着干。

To make money, Zhao Yazhi takes on more than twenty commercial performances a year, and also appears on variety shows and engages in live - streaming e - commerce. During one live - streaming session, she was scolded so harshly by netizens that her hands were trembling, but she still managed to tough it out and finish the broadcast. Fans say that she often finishes work in the wee hours of the morning, with her eyes as red as a rabbit's. Yet, as soon as she faces the camera, she's still the Zhao Yazhi with a beaming smile. Who can tell how exhausted she really is?

为了赚钱，赵雅芝一年接二十多场商演，还跑综艺、做直播带货。有次直播，她被网友骂得手都在抖，可还是硬撑着播完。粉丝说，她收工时常常是凌晨，眼睛红得像兔子。可一面对镜头，她还是那个笑容满面的赵雅芝，谁能看出她有多累？

Why is she pushing herself so hard? In the final analysis, it's because she can't bear to let go of her children. When her sons' business ventures fail, she steps in with money to help fill the financial gaps. When her youngest son aspires to be an actor, she scours around for connections to give him opportunities. When her grandchildren want to attend good schools and take interest classes, she can't bear to see them lose at the starting line. What mother could stand by and watch her children suffer?

她为什么这么拼？说到底，还是放不下孩子。儿子创业失败，她就掏钱帮忙填窟窿。小儿子想当演员，她就四处找人脉给他机会。孙子孙女要上好学校、报兴趣班，她也舍不得让他们输在起跑线。哪个当妈的能眼睁睁看着孩子吃苦？

To maintain a youthful image, she also has to spend a fortune on beauty treatments and skincare. After all, what the audience recognizes is the radiant and glamorous Zhao Yazhi, not a weary - looking old woman. She needs to make herself appear ageless forever so that she can land more jobs and earn more money to support her family.

为了保持年轻形象，她还得花大钱做美容保养。毕竟，观众认得的是那个光彩照人的赵雅芝，不是满脸疲惫的老人。她得让自己看起来永远不老，这样才能接更多工作，赚更多钱养家。

Her life has also sparked widespread discussions among many people: Should parents really sacrifice so much for their children? Some netizens say that Zhao Yazhi loves her children so deeply that she has brought all this exhaustion upon herself. Others believe that children need to learn to grow up on their own and can't always rely on their parents to bail them out. What's your take on this? If it were you, what choice would you make?

她的生活，也让很多人开始讨论：当父母的，到底该不该为孩子付出这么多？有网友说，赵雅芝是太爱孩子了，才会让自己这么累。也有人觉得，孩子得学会自己长大，不能总靠父母兜底。你咋看？如果是你，会怎么选？