However, in the 1913, her brother Zhang Gongquan arranged for her marriage with Xu Zhimo, a rising poet and son of a rich businessman.

After giving birth to Peter, Youyi received a letter from her estranged husband, declaring his intentions to divorce.

Upon her return from Europe in early 1927, she worked as a German lecturer at the Soochow University, then opened Shanghai's first garments corporation, manufacturing and selling fashionable women's dresses.

[4] She traded actively in the stock market and managed the finances of the China Democratic Socialist Party (1946-) with the assistance of her elder brother, Carsun Chang (Zhang Junmai 张君劢).

After Zhimo Xu's death in a plane crash, Zhang participated in the editing and publication of his poetry anthology.