After twelve years, it must have been hard to leave. I had plans to treat friends to dinner and explore more, but in the end, I left in a rush.

The entry permit wasn't that expensive, was it? Though I've forgotten how much it cost, haha.

Definitely not buying, absolutely not!

Haha, it's the busiest line in the entire country!

Every place has its downsides, but Shenzhen's energy and opportunities continue to draw countless people. Social security issues are also being continuously addressed and improved, and I'm confident things will get better.

Most big cities in China are predominantly populated by migrants. Aren't most people in big cities striving for better prospects? If you like it, settle down. If not, go home. To each their own, I suppose.

Haha, well, it's the holidays!

Go on then, which temple are you talking about?

My ancestors were all Beijingers, but we're already thinking of retiring early and moving to another city. We also hope our kids can find work elsewhere. Beijing isn't the city of our childhood anymore. Many self-proclaimed 'New Beijingers,' or 'first/second-generation Beijingers,' are the ones caught in the intense competition in districts like Xicheng and Haidian. After urban 'tidying up' and population dispersal, storefronts are neat and uniform, but that vibrant, down-to-earth atmosphere—the 'breath of life'—is fading. We took our kid to Tianjin, and at night, so many street food carts appeared. We browsed, picked things, bought a bag of egg puffs—our kid was overjoyed. You rarely see such scenes in Beijing's urban areas now. Every day, the streets are filled with frustrated honking, anxiety, and a general sense of agitation. But in this current environment, perhaps just getting by is the top priority.

If it weren't for life's pressures and a strange twist of fate, who would willingly choose to stay long-term in a place like this, always feeling subordinate?

Hangzhou's dining reputation has been ruined by those chain restaurants.

I studied in Nanjing for 5 years and have been working in Hangzhou for 6 years now. Food-wise, Nanjing is slightly better. Jiangsu province itself has Huaiyang cuisine, and other regional cuisines in Nanjing aren't 'fused' like they often are in Hangzhou. Personally, I feel the most authentic local restaurants in Hangzhou are surprisingly Tonglu cuisine places! Hangzhou is full of fusion restaurants – the kind where you eat and still don't quite know what you had. Prices are noticeably higher in Hangzhou for everything: food, clothing, housing, transportation. However, salaries in Hangzhou are indeed higher than in Nanjing. For transportation, Nanjing is definitely less congested. Hangzhou's roads are narrower, with more traffic lights and cars, making driving in the main city during rush hour very time-consuming. While Hangzhou has the West Lake scenic area, I personally prefer Nanjing's historical and cultural atmosphere, though Hangzhou as a city is generally tidier and more organized. Overall, Hangzhou is more expensive for everything, but offers more job opportunities, higher income levels, and is more competitive. Nanjing's food is slightly better, Hangzhou's traffic is a bit worse. Scenery-wise, they're about on par, with Nanjing having a stronger historical and cultural feel.

Negative review! File a complaint!

I've been to Wuxi and absolutely loved it.

Is it very crowded this season too?

The mountains around Hangzhou's West Lake are genuine subtropical native forests, you know!

This has a really preachy vibe... lol.

How much is the entrance ticket?

FYI: 'Jie Ge, Don't!' is an educational video produced by the Taiwanese government.

On Xiaohongshu, any random street can be hyped up as a tourist spot. If you actually believe it, you're setting yourself up for disappointment.