My sister’s son lives in the U.S and arrived in Shanghai yesterday, 4/28. Yesterday morning my sister was waiting anxiously for her son’s message. He should be in Shanghai already. She knew his departure time and calculated his arrival time. She had told him to let her know upon his arrival.
She posted a message in her family group asking her son, "Arrived?" The son replied, “Arrived.” She asked, “When did you arrive?” “A few hours ago.” After that, the son has not said anything to his parents in Beijing for that day.
My sister said, “我感觉心凉. This is a big deal for me. We plan to drive to Shanghai to see him. This maybe the only time that our family meets this year. I really look forward to our once-a-year family reunion. I know he must be busy, still I’m sure he lets his girlfriend know soon after he arrived. I’m just not as important to him as his girlfriend.”
I told my sister, on the one hand your concerns are natural and rooted in the Chinese tradition as shown in the saying 儿行千里母担忧.
On the other hand, he may be busy or may be tired or may call his girlfriend first, which he should. We don't know what happened. But keep in mind it's both unproductive and useless to speculate about other's actions or motivations, as it can lead to unnecessary stress and misunderstandings.
I encourage her to communicate openly with her son about her concerns and expectations. I'm sure this honest communication can help alleviate any misunderstandings and strengthen their relationship.