Ye and her mother now take care of the couple's daughter, 3, almost all the time.

Ye's husband, Wang Dan, works for a State-owned company, and before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out half of his time was spent on business trips overseas.

He felt he was unloved, he says, because his wife devoted herself totally to her daughter, and he realized he had little love for Ye, so he broached the subject of a divorce.

Communication was the biggest problem in their marriage, she says, the couple talking very little with one another. Any time she said something, he would disagree or simply say nothing, she says. Gradually she felt exhausted and stopped initiating conversation.

"During the day I work, then look after my daughter. I had no more time to put into making the marriage work, and I thought he would agree that we should make an effort to stay together and raise our child. To be honest, I had never imagined he would tell me he wanted a divorce."

However, Ye says, she soon realized the futility of staying in a marriage that did not make her happy or that made her feel as though she was not supported. The couple thus agreed to divorce, with Ye taking custody of their daughter.

"I cannot foresee marrying again," she says.