Low rent

In China there is a market for boyfriends since unmarried women can be harried by their families, but it may not be seen a the role of a lifetime;

"I offer such a service only because I'm bored and know fewer female friends at work," said Ding Hui, 27, a salesman in the plastic industry in Shanghai, with a monthly salary of more than 10,000 yuan ($1,600).

He leased himself twice last year during Spring Festival and National Day.His customers were two 28-year-old women.

He charged 3,000 yuan each, and the customer had to cover his round-trip tickets, accommodations and bought him clothes to make him look smart.More than 260 rent-a-boyfriend services can be found on taobao.com, with the number climbing.

An anonymous female netizen, who claimed to have rented a boyfriend, said on the website: "My parents are very satisfied, so that my pressure is greatly reduced."

Another comment reads: "It's good that I've fulfilled the wish of my parents".

Ding said trust building is very important, and the job is all about acting, which proved to be tough for him.

"I was exhausted as I had to flatter others for seven days and had to think before I spoke. I don't want to do it anymore," he said.

That's show biz.