Xinjiang is a typical region that thrives on transfer payments. Civil servants, teachers, and doctors within the system all enjoy much higher benefits compared to their counterparts in the eastern coastal areas at the same level. On top of that, the influx of energy, oil, high-energy industries, and state-owned enterprises has brought a large number of high-paying jobs. So, Xinjiang will never fall into a K-shaped curve. Transfer payments are like bags of chocolate falling from the sky—everyone gets a share. Not only does it avoid deflation, but it also maintains long-term imported inflation. The direct result is that any restaurant you go to or want to visit in Xinjiang will be one to two times more expensive than you imagined. And it’s the same everywhere—no one bargains. When you dig deeper, you’ll find that even a third-tier teacher training college graduate, whose salary might max out at 3,000 yuan per month in a county-level city in Henan, can earn nearly 10,000 yuan in Xinjiang. With such high wages, these people can afford to eat lamb skewers, big plate chicken, buy fruit every day, drink yogurt, and snack on almonds—all of which have pushed up Xinjiang’s prices. That’s why you’ll see big plate chicken priced at 70–100 yuan per serving in Xinjiang. Take it or leave it—they’re never worried about selling it. This is a classic case of imported inflation, and it’s actually a great thing. Everyone is happy and enjoying life.