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Chinese women rent boyfriends on Singles' Day to avoid badgering parents

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Blablurn

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awkward-couple.jpg


As today marks China's Singles' Day, many young Chinese women are again resorting to renting fake sweethearts as acceptable boyfriends to present to their parents, Shanghai Daily reports.

To avoid the never-ending inquiries from parents and relatives on the especially sensitive holiday, many men and women have resorted to renting a boyfriend or girlfriend to keep their parents off their back.

More than 250 results show up when the query for a phony significant other is searched on Taobao.com, with fees ranging from 500-8000 Yuan per day, excluding transport, accommodation, dining and other fees.


Services include accompanying clients back home to see their parents, chatting with parents, attending social gatherings, going shopping and taking part in various other activities.

Usually the "fake sweetheart" and the client exchange photos online and settle on services and prices. Afterwards they meet for a rehearsal where the client briefs him/her about the situation, family, background, job, salary and most importantly how they fell in love.

Sometimes situations get awkward. One 26-year-old Xu Li recalls that he impressed a woman's parents so much that they invited him to spend the night in their daughter's bedroom.

"I slept on the floor that night," he says.

Rented girlfriends are not as popular as renting boyfriends, one recruiting agency told the report, as renting a girlfriend is considered more sensitive and can be "dangerous".

Italian expat Joe Celano, 29, says he was asked by two female colleagues to be a fake boyfriend. He recalls a 27-year-old woman offered to pay him 8,000 yuan for a one-week trip to meet her parents during Spring Festival.

"That was ridiculous," Celano says."I'm a man of faith and I can't accept this. It's cheating. In addition, I think Chinese parents should bear part of the blame for their daughters' desperation."

http://shanghaiist.com/2013/11/11/singles-day-women-rent-boyfriends.php
 

Dennis

Banned
Sometimes situations get awkward. One 26-year-old Xu Li recalls that he impressed a woman's parents so much that they invited him to spend the night in their daughter's bedroom.
lol score
 

sohois

Member
Italian expat Joe Celano, 29, says he was asked by two female colleagues to be a fake boyfriend. He recalls a 27-year-old woman offered to pay him 8,000 yuan for a one-week trip to meet her parents during Spring Festival.

"That was ridiculous," Celano says."I'm a man of faith and I can't accept this. It's cheating. In addition, I think Chinese parents should bear part of the blame for their daughters' desperation."

Oh WTF? I totally would've taken that offer. Should've whored myself around TaoBao earlier dammit
 

siddhu33

Member
It's basically being paid to do all the things that people hate about relationships, without any of the good things...
 

Cipherr

Member
"That was ridiculous," Celano says."I'm a man of faith and I can't accept this. It's cheating. In addition, I think Chinese parents should bear part of the blame for their daughters' desperation."

God damn.. Joe is real as hell.
 

sohois

Member
I thought Chinese women had plenty of available dudes

Demographics vary greatly by region; in particular rural areas have a surplus of men but in cities it is less severe. Thus for people how live in Shanghai (given the report is from the Shanghai Daily) there is not some great surplus to exploit.
 

wildfire

Banned
I heard about this the other day


i'd do it

Considering how much they pay it is possible to plan for next year and earn a $500 hundred dollars for 3 days after expenses and factoring lost income from time off from work. Can squeeze out more if you plan with a group.
 

Jenga

Banned
who wants to make plans for a trip to china

okay, plan is we get a GAFFER dating ring going in china

if all goes well, we pull in enough cash to pay for the trip. hopefully our appeal as foreigners will smooth over any hygiene issues some of you may have
 
Do note that I don't think parents in asia will 'stop badgering' if their daughter brings home anything but a chinese dude.


well ok, maybe if you look like a rich white guy.
 

Jenga

Banned
Do note that I don't think parents in asia will 'stop badgering' if their daughter brings home anything but a chinese dude.


well ok, maybe if you look like a rich white guy.

get this, what if the daughter WANTS to piss off the family

rich rebellious chinese is what we're after
 

tino

Banned
If you are in China and you want to do it, you probably can. You can even write the whole sales pitch in English, assuming somebody will post it on taobao for you.
 
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