After working for a news agency for 15 years, 40-year-old Nianan quit her job. Having to be on-call 24 hours a day was extremely stressful, so when her parents suggested that she quit her job and work for them, she jumped at the chance. They promised to pay her $570 a month, which meant Nianan no longer had to worry about rent, utilities, or groceries. Instead, she became a “full-time daughter,” now spending her days accompanying her parents grocery shopping, cooking dinner with them, driving them to wherever they need to go, and even has time to spend an hour a day dancing with them. Nianan is also responsible for managing the electronics around the house, as well as for planning one or two family trips each month. As blissful as all this might sound, Nianan says she still feels the desire to make more money. Fortunately, her parents don’t object to that, assuring her that if she finds a more suitable job she can “go for it.” Currently, her monthly salary is paid out of her parents’ monthly pension, which is around $15,000. The unusual arrangement sparked a heated online debate, with some people criticizing Nianan for living off her parents, while others claimed it’s nobody’s business but the family’s. China’s notorious “996” culture — working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. 6 days a week — has been causing many people to suffer burnout.
