The travel restrictions imposed by China have kept many people from going home for Tet, but some are relieved to avoid questions such as "how much salary" and "when to get married".

In the 6 years since Du Zini left home, she has never forgotten to celebrate Tet.

"I stopped eating and sleeping. After eating, I went out. Every day I was relaxed and comfortable," the 28-year-old girl said.

Last week, Du canceled his flight back home due to epidemic restrictions.

For the second year in a row, millions like Du miss out on the most important vacation of the year - a time to reunite with the family, get together on a treadmill, visit relatives and meet friends as the government tries

For the past few months, Chinese officials have been trying to convince people not to travel during the holidays by providing cash subsidies, providing free mobile data, and even facilitating household registration in the city.

Villages in Henan province hang large red banners warning people: "Taking the virus home is filial. It is not conscientious to give it to your parents."

This year's Tet comes at a sensitive time in China.

Many people are not only disappointed but also angry at the strict measures that the local authorities have applied to limit the movement of people, in order to avoid outbreaks of disease in their areas.

Spring operation (the journey back home to celebrate the Chinese New Year) this year is expected to have the lowest traffic volume in more than a decade.

On January 31, 4 days after Xuan Yun started, officials said that the number of people on the train decreased by 75% compared to the same period last year.

Those who still try to return to their homeland face the barricade of additional, sometimes conflicting local regulations.

In Ke Tay, a city in Heilongjiang Province, a villager returned to her hometown last week and authorities came to seal her home, asking her to quarantine for 7 days.

In Tianjin, a coastal city of more than 15 million people, those returning to the city's suburban districts were ordered to undergo home quarantine for 14 days.

"We couldn't get together last year. Now, the situation is much better, but we still can't. It was a bit too much," wrote another.

On January 31, Mi Feng, a spokesperson for the National Health Commission of China, asked local authorities to remove mandatory testing measures and quarantine people from low-risk areas.

However, some people feel that there is luck in luck.

"For all the boys of married age, who every year find excuses not to return to their hometown, epidemic them a perfect excuse," wrote one Weibo user.

"It's great. I won't be urged to get married," wrote a girl from Jilin province.

People living in blocked areas near Beijing have a Tet holiday that lasts for several more weeks.

She spends all day reading, watching TV with her mother or playing with her two-year-old nephew.

"Last year, we couldn't gather a lot of people to eat, couldn't really celebrate Tet," she said.

However, Sui didn't mind that this year's Tet might be so quiet as well.