A promotion offering 98 yuan domestic plane tickets is being advertised by Chinese online travel platform LY. COM. While such a low price sounds amazing, there is just one catch: The purchase is not told where the flight is heading, nor when it will take off.

The promotion has become a trending topic on Chinese social media, as some people have been attempting to book them ahead of the upcoming summer holiday. Labeled as a “destination blind box” on the site, tickets are purchased through a rather simple booking procedure, in which passengers provide their travel information, select a departure airport and then pay their 98 yuan. If the randomly chosen date and destination are unsuitable, users may ask for a refund, but once they “lock in” their tickets, there is no going back.

The “destination blind box” is now a hot topic on China’s online platforms. “I believe young people are a big target demographic (目标群体) for this promotion, because they not only enjoy the thrill of the unknown, but also like to show off their lives through these types of commercial activities. Like this one for instance, it doesn’t matter whether they finally go or not. Booking a ticket and posting about it on social media can still suggest that one has adventurous and life- loving qualities,” said Fan, a marketing expert who has worked with civil aviation clients.

Many people not only shared the screenshots of tickets they drew, but also came up with a tutorial to teach the booking procedure under the free canceling policy. However, some others claimed it is too rare to draw a ticket that is ideal. “If it wants to be a profitable activity, the release of the tickets must have been planned ahead and is not as random as it seems. It will not have popular airlines. The marketing campaign may also be aimed at the fast sale of some tickets from less popular airlines that were originally not that expensive. If they sell a large quantity of tickets, the company may still earn a profit even though the price is 98 yuan,” an expert in tourism suggested.

My home has been broken into on more than one occasion in recent years, and I’m looking for the best way to secure it. Should I stick with a traditional deadbolt (门栓) lock with a key, or should I upgrade to a smart lock?

My neighbour suggested that I should fit a smart lock. A smart lock, which is linked to an app, can be opened using fingerprints, a keypad or a traditional key. If you live in an apartment building and don’t have a convenient place to hide a spare key, or if you need to let someone in remotely, such as a cat sitter, a smart lock is undoubtedly a smart choice.

However, a locksmith (锁匠) warned me not to rush to a decision. Some apartment buildings have old doors that won’t accommodate smart locks. Worse still, if someone really wants to break into your home, that person will probably be able to. Everything that gets locked gets unlocked. whether it’s a smart one or not.

Indeed, after testing popular models of both traditional and smart locks, quite a few proved to be easily picked, often within minutes. Still, one traditional lock, the Schlage B60N, which is extremely difficult to pick, and one smart lock, the UltraLoq U-Bolt Pro Wifi, were highly recommended. The locksmith also suggested that customers buy the lock that they’re most comfortable with — as long as it has a deadbolt. Also, smart locks should come with a traditional key in case of battery failure.

There’s always a risk for any network-connected device to be compromised, even if the chances are small, said Dr. Prakash, whose students successfully hacked a smart lock. Therefore, it is wise for smart-lock users to pair the device with an additional sensor that sends you a signal when the door is opened or closed.

China’s government is expected to improve work on serving and caring for senior citizens, as the nation prepares for a coming “retirement(退休) wave” over the next decade, experts said.

The nation has faced a growing aging population in past years, which may lead to labor shortages, putting greater pressure on the pension(养老金) industry and slow economic development. Moreover, the aging problem may become more serious around 2035, when the number of over-60s in China is expected to increase over 400 million.

However, these aging people, especially those “younger elderly” — who are around the ages of 55 to 60 years old, show an increasing willingness to be employed again. 51Job, a website that provides job opportunities, conducted a survey among retirees returning to the job market, among whom 46.7 percent of those surveyed said that they got the job to realize their personal and social value, and another 19 percent hope to go after better career development by using their skills. Around 34 percent of surveyed reemployed retirees said that they work to support their family or meet their higher-level consumption(消费) needs.

Pang Shi, director of the Chinese Academy of Personnel Science’s department of employment and entrepreneurship, said people are encouraged to have a more positive attitude toward the aging population to help promote the sustainable development of the pension industry. She said that the large population of the “young elderly”, are in relatively good health with more sound knowledge backgrounds, working skills and social experience, and have great potential to give full play to their talent.

“They are qualified to return to the job market. Developing human resources among the elderly can help relieve labor force shortages the nation has faced,” she said. “Getting seniors reemployed can also help reduce their own financial pressures to avoid being poor, which can also help relieve the nation’s pension pressure.” “It’s necessary to look at the aging problem with a systematic view,” she added.