Chuang Zi-ning, a girl from China's Taiwan region, opened a coffee shop beside the rice fields in Yakou village, Nanlang subdistrict, Zhongshan, 4 years ago. She never imagined that she would transform from a Taipei urbanite into a new villager who now proudly says, "I am a Yakou villager."

Nestled in the golden inner bay of the Guangdong‑Hong Kong‑Macao Greater Bay Area, Yakou is a rare pastoral retreat amid the bustling metropolitan area. It has not only accommodated Chuang's coffee dream but also become her spiritual sanctuary.

Over the past 4 years, Chuang has witnessed tremendous changes in Yakou. Today, the village boasts over 35 coffee shops and 13 distinctive homestays, forming a culture-tourism system that integrates coffee, food, markets and rural sightseeing, drawing over 6.37 million visitors each year.