A resident of Chengdu, Sichuan province has come up with a novel idea for bringing in some extra cash. The man, Liuhui, has found success leasing himself to people as a kind of paid companion, albeit one whose responsibilities exclude any activities that violate morality or the law. Other than that, his temporary "owners" can ask him do just about anything. Through this business model, Liuhui is able to earn up to 10,000 RMB ($1,451) per month, and he already has a client base of more than 500 customers.
In March, Liuhui signed a three-month contract, leasing himself to a young woman. According to the contract, Liuhui was obligated to receive any and all messages sent to him by the woman. On the very first day of the lease, she sent him more than 200 messages. She told Chengdu Economic Daily that she needed an outlet in her life where she could express all her negative emotions. It was for that purpose that she rented Liuhui.
On April 6, Liuhui was rented by another woman who cried almost nonstop throughout the duration of the lease. Hoping to be comforted by a stranger, the woman said Liuhui opened her mind and relieved her bad mood.
Liuhui started his business in 2012, after seeing an American man lease all his possessions, including a sofa, fridge, microwave, bike and even clothing. At that time, Liuhui was a journalist for a magazine. After negotiating with his superior, Liu began writing a column to chronicle the stories of his leasing experiences. Now he has recorded more than 500 stories.
Liuhui believes that even though people have many chances to experience interesting new things in modern society, they often still feel bored and alone. He said that people today are less inclined to trust others, but this lack of trust can have a damaging effect. He also told Chengdu Economic Daily that it is this idea of trust that has kept the leasing experiment interesting to him.
Wang Fang, associate professor at the School of Psychology at Beijing Normal University, noted that Liuhui's customers are seeking satisfaction by leasing a companion because they lack a simple, safe and relaxing forum for communication. Communication between strangers sometimes feels easier and safer, she added.
