For many Chinese people, buying fresh-cut flowers is increasingly a part of daily life, rather than a luxury reserved for special occasions like Valentine's Day.
This is particularly true for Lin Xiaoyun, a Beijing resident who purchases fresh flowers almost weekly through live-streaming sessions hosted by vendors from the Dounan Flower Market, Asia's largest fresh-cut flower trading market.
"Dounan's merchants offer great deals. For just 10 yuan (about 1.4 U.S. dollars), I can enjoy a week's worth of beauty," she said. "Work is exhausting, and taking care of my daughter is also quite tiring. Buying flowers is a way to make myself feel better."
Lin's story is part of a broader trend in China, whereby more people are incorporating fresh flowers into their daily routines to brighten their homes and boost their spirits.
Lang Yu, who runs a physical store at Dounan Flower Market in the city of Kunming, Yunnan Province, has witnessed this shift first-hand. "People now place great importance on ceremonies and celebrations. Fresh flowers have become a common way of expressing love," he said.
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