Young Chinese women take home rented ‘boyfriends’

CHINA’S young women terrified of returning home without a handsome other half are resorting to hiring “boyfriends” for the duration of their visit.

A shopping website, Taobao, has launched a new rent-aboyfriend service which allows would-be fake other halves to advertise their services – complete with price lists.

According to Chinese newspaper, the People’s Daily, rent-aboyfriend must be hired for a minimum of three days and offer a range of services including dinner for 50 yuan (R84) and shopping trips (30 yuan), on top of their 30 yuan hourly fee.

Other services include seeing a film, although you will have to pay double if the movie is a thriller, and a 50 yuan peck on the lips, although hand-holding and a goodbye kiss on the cheek or forehead are free.

“I wanted to earn some pocket money when I had just graduated from university and started to work,” explains one advertiser, 27-year-old Matthew Fang from Chongqing.

“This rental business isn’t bad, especially during the Chinese Lunar New Year when there are family reunions.”

And business is booming for a reason.

Chinese women in particular still face enormous parental pressure to meet a suitable man and rather than face a barrage of questions from nosy relatives, hire their men instead. – Daily Mail.