The Spring Festival, one of the most important festivals in China, is approaching. However, many young people who used to yearn for the festival when they were kids, especially those who work in large cities away from home, now have very mixed feelings about the holiday.

On the one hand, they want to return to their hometowns to reunite with their family. On the other hand, they are afraid of prying questions from relatives about their marital status and salary.

This phenomenon shouldn't be ignored because it shows that houses, salaries and the number of children one has have become the standards of success, which shouldn't be allowed to prevail.

The Spring Festival is a rare opportunity to unwind and have fun. Young people who return to their hometowns might want their relatives and friends to realize the improvement of their abilities and horizons. Therefore relatives and friends should stop asking questions about income, housing, cars and marital status.

As for young people, they don't need to be overly sensitive about such questions and should realize they are being asked out of love. Also they will become less troubled by these questions as long as they work hard and improve themselves.

(This is an edited excerpt of an article originally published in Beijing Youth Daily on January 8)