I just finished eating and came across a video. A middle-aged couple looked into the camera and said, “Kid, was today exhausting? Don't push yourself too hard.” So many young people in the comments were calling them Mom and Dad.

I've seen those accounts too. They're called “virtual parents,” right? It sounds a little strange, but a lot of people in the comments genuinely felt comforted.

Some of my students say the thing they fear most is going home and being asked about their grades. They've already worked so hard, yet the first thing their parents say is still, “Why didn't you rank near the top again?”

It's not that many parents don't love their children. They're just used to expressing their concern through criticism. But young people already have enough pressure these days—work, buying a home, getting married—none of it is easy.

A programmer working in Shanghai wrote in the comments that every time his parents call, they urge him to take the civil service exam and ask when he's bringing a girlfriend home. I feel suffocated just hearing about it.

Stability is certainly important, but he's already in his thirties. If his parents still treat him like a child, it's no wonder he goes online looking for a few gentle words.

He knows those videos are probably run by a professional team, but he said that having even a little warmth is better than none. That sentence was really heartbreaking.

Sometimes comforting someone doesn't require a long lecture. Even if they just say they're tired today, pouring them a glass of water and listening until they're finished might be enough.