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Ever wonder what a date with a rented boyfriend was like? You've come to the right place.
By Michelle Toglia — Written on May 27, 2020
Everywhere you look it seems like there's a fake significant other who can meet your needs. What happens when you need a boyfriend for the day? There's a site that's got you covered.
Melanie Lee, a blogger for Alibaba, gave Taobao, which is a Chinese online marketplace with a Rent-A-Boyfriend section, a whirl. And lucky for us, she spilled her story,
Here's what you must know about how her day-long "date" went down.
1. Most of the contenders are average men.
When she met her boyfriend for the day, she described the 30-year-old as average.
"To me, he looked like he could be the world's nicest guy, or canniest serial killer." Which in the world of fake companions, sounds about right.
2. This companionship costs a pretty penny.
How much would you pay for a temporary boyfriend?
Of course, that depends what you need him for. For many women in China, the pressure to have a significant other is so great that they use this service to find men to accompany them when they visit their families.
Depending on the family, I could see women spending a fortune on fake beaus to quiet overbearing parents and nosy cousins around the holidays.
While Melanie and her rented guy didn't visit her family, she paid "more than the average monthly income for a Chinese family" for her date.
3. For $264 (1,500 yuan), the hired boyfriend comes with his undivided attention for a day.
However, kissing, hand-holding and "other dodgy physical contact" weren't included. During their daytime date, the "couple" toured the city of Hangzhou.
They took a boat tour, ate, and visited Lingyin Temple, a Buddhist temple.
4. Things can become as awkward as they do when meeting a stranger.
The faux duo started off sitting as far apart from each other as two people possibly could in a taxi, to eventually coming close together for a photo.
He put his arm around her, though he wasn't too chatty. Melanie says when the conversation slowed down, they both pulled out their phones and texted friends.
5. They're human, too.
Melanie described her day-long BF as distant — not the charming lad she had expected.
As the date went on and the ice cream fondue was flowing, he opened up about his dating history, and even the pressures he faces in China to find love.
"Men are expected to have a lot of money before they start the search for a wife, and women face a lot of pressure to get married young.
If you are like me, nearly 30 with not a lot of money, your chances to marry soon are low," he told his fake date.
He mentioned his only long-term relationship ended after he lost his savings in the Shanghai stock market.
Even though the BF for hire doesn't think he'll find love on the job because no one would ever take him seriously, his job pays the bills and lets him travel.
Normally, he's hired by single women to fend off family members, but he's even played the role of entertaining mistresses when their men are out of town.
After the date, Melanie says he did shed some light on the pressures men also face in China to find the one.
And if you ask us, this first date was filled with "don'ts." The hired BF mentioned his ex, texted on the date and brought up money issues. But hey, he's fake — the rules may be different for rented dates.
Michelle Toglia is the Deputy Lifestyle Editor at Bustle.