Keeping their distance

As an influencer with more than 110,000 followers, Liu Yuwei, 23, wakes up to a stream of notifications. Before getting out of bed, she checks her social media, responds to friend requests, and sends a few emojis in reply to memes in her favorite group chat.

It's all part of her morning routine — a ritual that doesn't demand deep thought or emotional energy. For Liu, qing shejiao, or "light socializing", is how she navigates relationships, making quick, low-investment connections throughout the day.

By the time she sits down with her first coffee, she has already shared an article on WeChat Moments and given a "like" on a friend's post. These small, fleeting interactions — without deep emotional exchange or long-term commitment — define her social life.