Why do Chinese people say not to let AC blow directly on you?
In some homes and offices, the argument is not whether the room is hot. It is whether the cold air is hitting your neck, belly, knees, or back directly.
Wind as a care category
Chinese household advice often treats moving cold air as more concerning than still coolness. This connects air conditioning to older language about wind and cold.
That cultural logic can be explained without claiming that every discomfort comes from air conditioning.
Useful comparison
The Western office question may be: what temperature is the thermostat? The Chinese household question may be: where is the wind blowing?