Is trying the new buying?

The Full Circle: Wedding e-invites, microshifting, subway shopping / Knitting isn't just for your grandma anymore! Gen Z and Millennials have reclaimed it, turning quiet needles and yarn into a loud, viral movement. We tug on the thread of the modern knitting takeover (15:33). On the show: Steve, Yushun & Yushan.

What if the newest trend in shopping isn't buying, but trying? Free tastes, test drives, and no-questions-asked returns are reshaping malls into showrooms for a growing trial economy. For consumers, the risk feels almost nonexistent. For brands, trust becomes the currency. But when does trying stop functioning as a preview and start replacing purchase altogether? And what happens when the free samples run out? On the show: Steve, Yushun & Yushan.

Markets are seen as rational systems driven by data, while weather seems purely physical and unpredictable. China's meteorological authorities and the Fudan University are now bridging this divide. They have unveiled "Shangji," a pioneering AI model designed to decode the hidden patterns that connect weather forecasts directly to stock market moves. / Can your workout actually be hurting you (18:02)? On the show: Niu Honglin, Steve & Fei Fei.

Winter is the ultimate stress test for our energy system. As temperatures plunge nationwide in China, the demand for electricity surges. From heating millions of northern homes to powering the non-stop factories in the south, this seasonal surge creates a complex, high-stakes challenge that is unmatched in scale and intensity anywhere on Earth. On the show: Niu Honglin, Steve & Fei Fei.

When a public transit system must find new revenue, innovation follows. In China, subway operators are answering the call with a radical solution: transforming stations from simple transit points into vibrant, multi-purpose commercial hubs. This nationwide facelift is redefining the very purpose of urban infrastructure, turning subterranean spaces into the heart of community and commerce. / The invisible threat of third-hand smoke (13:39). On the show: Steve, Niu Honglin & Yushan

Loyalty can be expensive. For years, digital platforms have used your personal data to quietly test the limits of what you will pay. Now, a global crackdown has begun. From China to the U.S., new laws are prying open the algorithmic black box. This emerging transparency promises to challenge the secret math of personalized pricing, a hidden economy built on data. On the show: Steve, Niu Honglin & Yushan

For many urban professionals, the classic long vacation is being replaced by the micro-vacation. The traditional getaway often requires intense planning, difficult time-off negotiations, and creates a significant financial burden. This new philosophy focuses on escape in manageable, spontaneous fragments, offering renewal without the elaborate cost. / Let's welcome the Nihao China app for international travelers (19:40)! On the show: Niu Honglin, Steve & Xingyu

A concept called micro-shifting is hailed as work's future, offering flexible, autonomous bursts championed by digital professionals. Yet for millions locked into rigid hours and fixed locations, this promised departure from the nine-to-five reveals a critical divide between flexibility and fairness in the modern economy. On the show: Niu Honglin, Steve & Xingyu

The Soapbox: Is Beijing deserving of its fashion critique? / You get a wedding invite. You click. They know. In China, digital invites are turning curiosity into a new kind of social pressure. A simple "save the date" is now a data mine. So, is this the end of the casual RSVP (14:04)? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan

Digital life is rewiring our instincts. In China, eating alone is no longer seen as lonely. It's a curated luxury. From viral solo booths at fast food chains to an entire economy profiting from our collective comfort with solitude, we're exploring the rise of the "social anxiety economy." Why is being blissfully alone in public becoming the new normal? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan