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A woman in China rents her time out to strangers for just 1 Chinese yuan, or 14 cents.
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The woman, known as Peggy, said her clients are shy and lonely, per SCMP.
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Chinese users are divided: While some find her work inspirational, others say it’s just another job.
A woman is renting herself out to strangers for a little more than a dime — and in return, she’ll accompany them to do things they don’t want to do alone.
The 26-year-old woman, known as Peggy, rents out her time for just 1 Chinese yuan, or 14 cents on Xiaohongshu, a social media platform similar to Instagram, according to The South China Morning Post. The report did not specify the duration she spent time with these strangers in exchange for the money.
Peggy, born in Xinjiang, a province in northwestern China, said in the SCMP report that she offers her time to strangers to “feel alive” and help people “do things they dare not do alone.” She’s currently based in China’s capital, Beijing, where she meets people looking for company.
Since May, three people have hired Peggy — a programmer who wants to sell balloons in a park, a rock climbing enthusiast, and a man who wants to attend a games event hosted by McDonald’s, according to the SCMP. The report did not specify how much she got paid in total, or if she quit her day job for this gig.
Peggy described her clients as “shy” and “lonely,” per the SCMP, citing an interview with state-owned outlet Jiupai News. She added that charging these people a few cents is simply symbolic as she wants to give herself “a sense of ritual” and that they both pay for the things they do together.
Peggy said she started renting her time out to people online after she realized that she didn’t enjoy working at the regular jobs she had before, per the report.
Chinese users on Weibo were divided on Peggy’s lifestyle, with some people commending her for spending time with strangers.
“I want to rent myself out too,” one user commented.
Another user wrote: “She is very brave and wonderful.”
But one user pointed out that what Peggy is doing is nothing more than a job, albeit not a very lucrative one.
“I don’t understand, what’s the difference between this and going to work? Apart from the price, what is the difference between getting a salary of 10,000 yuan?” the user wrote. The amount of 10,000 yuan is equivalent to around $1,400, considered a high income in Beijing — and unlike Peggy, many locals are trying to land high-paying jobs in China’s bleak job market.
It’s not the first time someone has rented their time out to strangers. In January, a Japanese man said he works as a “Do Nothing Rent-a-Man,” accompanying people in activities like eating and shopping. In the US, websites like RentAFriend.com have gained some traction, where people can hire strangers living in the area to hang out with them.
Read the original article on Insider
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