Many young Chinese bachelors and bachelorettes are turning to rental girlfriends and boyfriends to appease familial and social pressures to be in relationships.
These romantic partners for rent can be found on China’s online platforms and apps, according to People’s Daily Online. They reportedly range in age and appearance and can cost from dozens of yuan to hundreds of yuan, with the the most expensive costing 1,000 yuan ($157) per hour.
Services offered by rental boyfriends and girlfriends include dining and travel companionship, chatting, and visits to parents.
One Beijing man named Xiaolei (a pseudonym) told People’s Daily he found it stressful to visiting home for long holidays without a girlfriend.
“I’ve already promised my mother I’d take a girlfriend back home this time,” he said.
After a deal to have his co-worker pose as his girlfriend on the visit fell through, he turned to looking for a rental girlfriend online.
Individuals advertising their rental services may not always be who they say they are, however, as People’s Daily reports those who register to advertise their services with apps do not have to provide real names or ID cards.
