by Zoey Gong
The same arguments for and against taking the offer swirled around and around in his head. He finally pulled his phone out and checked his WeChat messages. One was from his mother, asking if he was coming by tonight. It was too late now. He’d have to go see her first thing in the morning. Another one was from one of his gaming buddies, BattleAx123. He didn’t have a lot of free time, but when he did, he enjoyed going on raids with a few online friends. BattleAx123 was wondering if he was free to take on a boss. He messaged back that he might have time over the holiday, if he was lucky. Right now, he needed to get some sleep. But when he woke up, he wouldn’t have five thousand yuan for the hospital fee. What was he going to do?
He switched from the WeChat conversations to moments, the more public forum where people posted their statuses. He saw that Winnie had made a post.
Anyone want to be my New Year boyfriend? she had written, along with some emoji smiley faces.
He sat up. Was she joking? Could she be serious? He thought back to the phone call she had taken while they were in the car together. He couldn’t hear everything she said, but he knew she was talking about her mom setting her up with someone. If she was more interested in doing...whatever it was she was doing in Australia more than getting married, she could be earnest in wanting someone to convince her mom she was off the market. He checked the time. She had only posted that about half an hour ago. Maybe the opportunity was still open. He messaged her, hoping she was still awake.
Hey, Winnie, he typed. He waited, but she didn’t respond at first, so he typed again. I saw your post about a New Year boyfriend. After a minute, he saw the little dot, dot, dot that indicated she was typing back. He was almost shaking with anticipation.
Oh. Really? was all she said.
He wrinkled his nose. What was that? Was she playing hard to get? Yeah, he typed. Are you seriously looking for someone?
He saw the dots appear, then they went away. He waited. And waited. Finally, she wrote back.
Yeah, she said. I’m serious. Are you interested?
Might be fun, he said. I’m not doing anything else for New Year.
What about your mom? she asked, and he froze for a minute. How did she know about his mom? Was she checking out his profile? He did have a lot of pics of his mom on there. Then he remembered that he did mention his mom during their ride. About taking her to the ice festival. He was surprised Winnie remembered.
She’d understand, he said.
There was another long pause before Winnie responded.
I’ve never hired a pretend boyfriend before, she said.
That’s okay, he said. I’ve never been a pretend boyfriend, and he added a laughing emoji.
Can we meet to talk about the details? she asked.
Sure, he said. Now?
Haha, she said. No. In the morning. Breakfast? There is a cafe next to my hotel.
Okay, he said. I remember where you are staying. 7 am?
Sure, she said. See you then.
Okay, he said. He shook his head as he turned to his Didi app to look for a rider. The app pinged almost immediately. He hoped the night would go by quickly. He couldn’t wait to see Winnie again and find out more about being her New Year boyfriend.
5
Winnie sighed and dropped her phone. She couldn’t believe she let Brock and Lian talk her into posting about hiring a New Year boyfriend! Actually, she could believe it. She was desperate. When she called her mom to tell her that she missed her flight and would be arriving two days late, her mom was furious.
“How can you do this?” she asked.
“I didn’t do it on purpose,” Winnie said. “It’s New Year! The airport was packed. And I had the worst taxi driver. There was construction. I’m sorry. I won’t miss the next flight. I’ll go to the airport the night before if I have to.”
“If you married Chang and lived here in Harbin,” her mother said, “you wouldn’t have to worry about catching flights.”
“Oh, Ma,” Winnie groaned.
“I mean it,” her mother said. “There are hospitals here you can get a nursing job at. But Chang’s family has enough money, you wouldn’t have to work at all. Just worry about your own family. Your own children.”
“What children?” Winnie couldn’t help but goad.
“You know what I mean,” her mother said. “Just wait until we have lunch with the Zhou family. You’ll see reason.”
“Wait,” Winnie said, suddenly alarmed. “We are having dinner with Chang’s family?”
“Of course,” her mother said. “I told you this.”
“No, no, no, no,” Winnie said, getting up off the hard hotel bed and pacing the tiny room. “You said we would be meeting with Chang. You never said anything about his parents.” This was getting more serious. Even in a relationship where a couple was dating for love, meeting the parents was a big deal. Usually a point of no return in a relationship. Once you were accepted by your boyfriend’s or girlfriend’s parents, an engagement was a foregone conclusion.
“I thought you knew what I meant,” her mother said. “But it’s not just his parents. His whole family will be here for the holiday too. We rented a big dining room at the Shangri-la Hotel.”
“Oh my God, Ma!” Winnie said. “I told you, I have a boyfriend!”
“I thought you broke up with him,” her mom said.
“No,” Winnie said. “You told me to break up with him. That doesn’t mean I did.”
“Why don’t you obey your mother?” her mother asked. “I thought I raised you better than this.”
Winnie was spinning in circles. What was she going to do? How was she going to get out of this? Could she just hop a plane back to Sydney?
“I...I need to go,” she finally said. “It’s late and I had a long day.”
“Okay,” her mother said, as though everything was fine. “See you soon.”
“See you,” Winnie said and hung up. She looked at the clock. Ten p.m. It would be one o’clock in the morning in Sydney. But it was the weekend. Lian and Brock would probably still be up playing one of those stupid MMOs on their phones. She messaged them in a group chat.
I’m having lunch with Chang and all his family, she said.
What? Lian asked. Now?
No, Winnie said. When I get to Harbin.
So, Brock said. What’s the big deal? Doesn’t mean you have to marry the guy.
It kind of might, Lian said.
Are you joking? Brock asked.
I wish, Winnie said. Meeting the family is pretty serious. Mom said they rented a banquet room and everything.
Oh my God! said Lian. You are going to walk out of there with a marriage certificate.
I know! Winnie typed, along with half a dozen crying emojis.
This is crazy, Brock said. And I thought it was bad when my mom kept trying to set me up with girls after I came out.
You have to tell her the truth, Lian said. Tell her you can’t get married.
I tried...sort of, Winnie said. Okay. Not at all. I told her I had a boyfriend, but she just told me to break up with him.
You don’t have a boyfriend, Brock helpfully added.
I know, Winnie said. But I thought it would buy me more time.
It still might, Lian said. Did you see that article about women hiring guys to pose as their New Year boyfriends when they go home?
No, Winnie said. New Year boyfriends?
Hold on, Lian said, then she posted a link to the article. Winnie scanned it.
Clever, Winnie finally said. Too bad I don’t know anyone here. And on such short notice. I’m flying home the day after tomorrow. And what would it cost?
Just post to your moments that you are looking for a New Year boyfriend, Lian said. If someone responds, ask them what they would charge to go home with you for a week. Just see what happens. Make sure you block any friends or family that might tell your mom.
I guess I can try, Winnie said. Thanks.
Good luck, Lian said.
&
nbsp; Keep us in the loop, Brock added.
So that was how Winnie ended up posting to her WeChat moments that she was looking for a New Year boyfriend. And Kai, that annoying taxi driver, had been the only person to respond. Could she really pretend she was dating him for a whole week? No, it was worse than that. In order for her mother to give up her plans about Chang, she would have to convince her mother that she was in love with Kai. That he was the one. She groaned and rubbed her forehead.
This was never going to work.
The next morning, Winnie was at the cafe well before she had arranged to meet with Kai. She hardly slept a wink even though she was dead tired from her trip from Australia and then trying to catch the other flight and getting a hotel and talking to her mom...She could almost feel her hair turning white. And she hadn’t even gotten to Harbin yet. She was looking in a compact mirror, lamenting the bags that were forming under her eyes when she saw Kai walk in. She nearly gasped when she recognized him.
He wasn’t just handsome. He was gorgeous. She realized that when they met in the taxi the day before, neither of them had probably looked their best. He was ending a shift of driving around the city and she had just gotten off a ten-hour flight. He had clearly made an effort in his appearance before meeting with her now. He was freshly showered and shaved, his hair fluffed up with a bit of gel, and wearing slacks and a button-down shirt with a loose collar and a black coat. He was the kind of guy a girl would look at twice, and as he smiled and walked toward her, she noticed some girls at the other tables check him out as he passed.
For a moment, she thought this plan might just work. Her mother would easily be able to believe a guy this good-looking had caught her daughter’s attention. As she stood to greet him, she couldn’t help but smooth her skirt and her hair.
“And I thought I was going to be early,” Kai said, dimples forming in his cheeks as he smiled.
“It’s been a stressful trip,” she said as she shook his warm, soft hand. They sat and the waitress brought a menu. Winnie’s eyes instinctively fell to the western options on the menu. Eggs, toast, baked beans. But as Kai quickly ordered some congee and youtai--a thick rice porridge and fried bread sticks--Winnie’s mouth watered. She added on an order of steamed buns and hot soy milk for both of them and couldn’t wait for her first real meal since coming back to China.
“So,” Kai said, handing the menu back to the waitress. “What’s going on? Why do you need to hire a New Year boyfriend?”
“I’m twenty-seven,” Winnie said. “My parents are tired of waiting for me to get married on their own. So they are trying to basically arrange a marriage with a guy I went to school with.”
“Why don’t you want to get married?” Kai asked.
Winnie couldn’t help but roll her eyes. It was the same in Australia. It wasn’t enough that a woman was unmarried. She had to constantly justify why.
“I’m not against marriage,” she said. “It could happen someday. But I’m focusing on my career right now. I’m trying to get into a competitive medical program, and dating would be a distraction.”
“But you can’t tell your mom this?” Kai asked as their hot soy milk arrived.
“She doesn’t even know I’m living in Australia,” Winnie said with a small chuckle. But Kai looked at her with no humor in his eyes.
“You’re living overseas and your parents don’t know?” Kai asked. Winnie shook her head. “Are you crazy? What if something happened to you?”
“I have friends in Australia who know what’s going on,” Winnie said. “They would take care of everything.”
Kai sat back and shook his head, rubbing his hand over his chin. “You really are in a big mess.”
“Tell me about it,” Winnie said. “But will you do it? Will you be my boyfriend for a week? Just help me buy another year. Once I get into this new program, I’m sure I can tell them the truth.”
“I’d like to help you,” Kai said, picking up his soy milk and blowing on it. “But we have to talk about money.”
Winnie nodded. She knew this would be the most important part of the arrangement. It really didn’t matter how much he agreed with her idea or sympathized with her position or not. It all came down to money.
“How much do you want?” she asked. She watched as Kai looked her over, from her hair color that only looked ombre because she couldn’t afford to go to a salon to her crystal--not diamond--earrings to her designer bag that she found at a thrift store.
“Three thousand American dollars,” he finally said, and she scoffed and started to get up. “Come on,” he said. “I have to spend the holiday away from my sick mom. Have to fly to the coldest city on earth. Put up with your crazy family and convince them I’m in love with you. What’s a week of your time worth?”
“I’m just a student,” she said. “Believe me, my time earns me very little.”
He nodded and pressed his lips. Winnie wasn’t sure what to say next. Was she supposed to bargain with him? Should she walk away? Was this just a sign of the troubles to come if she tried to go through with this? Where would she even get the money anyway?
“What’s wrong with your mom?” Winnie asked, diverting the conversation away from the money for a moment.
Kai just shook his head. “Just some health issues,” he said. “But we are coping. Still, it will be hard for her to be away from me for the holiday. I’m an only child and my dad’s gone.”
Winnie nodded. She realized he was making a sacrifice by offering to go along with this crazy scheme at all. And she did have an Australian credit card she could use. Even though she hated the idea of maxing it out, losing a couple thousand dollars would be better than losing the entire career and life she had built.
She finally sighed and nodded. “Two thousand,” she said. “And I’ll pay for your flights.”
“I need half today,” he said. “To leave for my mom while I’m gone.”
“Agreed,” she said, offering him her hand to shake on the deal.
“Miss Li,” Kai said, shaking her hand. “You just hired yourself a New Year boyfriend.”
6
Kai couldn’t believe his luck. Two thousand dollars! That would be enough to pay the hospital bill and put some money aside for future treatments. It was such a load off his mind, he could almost feel the weight lifting from his shoulders. And to earn the money, all he had to pretend to do was be in love with Winnie for a week. It would be the easiest money he ever made. And he didn’t have to risk his job to do it. He fingered the USB drive from Mr. Yang in his pocket. He wouldn’t toss it out just yet. Maybe he’d keep it as a reminder of that stupid thing he almost did that one time.
He was actually looking forward to pretending he was Winnie’s boyfriend. Winnie was pretty, smart, and determined. He would just have to smile and follow her lead. She was someone he could easily fall in love with for real, he was sure.
But this wasn’t real. As fun as it was, it was just business. But at least the distasteful discussion about money was out of the way. Now they could just spend time getting to know each other and coming up with a backstory.
“Do you have to go to work today?” Winnie asked him as they finished breakfast, which he graciously paid for.
“Oh, I guess not,” he said. “I totally forgot today was the first day of the holiday. I mean, I was going to do a taxi shift, but I think it would be better if we get to know each other a bit.”
Winnie turned her head away, but Kai thought he saw her blush a little bit.
“I mean,” he said, clearing his throat as he walked with her out of the restaurant and toward his car. “We need to tell your parents how we met and what our life together is like, right?”
“Oh, right,” Winnie said. “I guess so.”
When they got to his car, she went to the back passenger door and Kai chuckled.
“I think you should sit up front with me,” he said. “We don’t want you looking like a client.”
Winnie laughed as Kai opene
d the door for her. “This is going to take some getting used to.”
“Well, we have about twenty-four hours to get used to it before I meet your parents,” Kai said, climbing into the driver’s seat.
Winnie placed her hand to her stomach as if she were suddenly nauseous. “Let’s not do a countdown,” she said. “I’m nervous enough.”
“Sure,” Kai said, starting the car. “Where would you like to go?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” she said. “I don’t really know Shanghai very well. I’ve only ever passed through going to the airport.”
Kai looked at her in surprise. “But your parents think you live here, right? How do you convince them of that?”
Winnie laughed nervously. “I don’t talk about myself much,” she said. “It would be too easy to screw up.”
Kai shook his head and pulled out of the parking lot. “Let’s go to the Bund,” he said. “Actually, since it is the first day of the holiday, most people will be trying to travel out of town, so the sights will probably be pretty empty.”
“Sounds great,” Winnie said.
The sights might have been empty, but the roads were packed with people trying to get an airport, train station, or bus station. What would have only been a thirty-minute drive on a good day ended up taking two hours.
“Good thing you don’t have anywhere you need to be today,” Winnie said as they pulled up at the Bund and got out of the car.
The Bund was a waterfront boardwalk, so it was even cooler here than the rest of the city, and Winnie pulled her coat tight to protect herself from the biting wind.
“I’ll go see my mom this evening,” Kai said. “Let her know I won’t be around for the holiday. But other than that, yeah, I’m yours for the day.”
