虚拟恋人

A paid service where someone role-plays as your romantic partner — texting good morning, listening to your day, and saying all the things a real partner might say if, you know, you had one. Popularized on platforms like Taobao and Douyin, 'virtual lovers' fill the emotional void for lonely young Chinese who find dating exhausting, expensive, or just not worth the drama. Think of it as outsourcing your love life to a freelancer.

China's Gen-Z faces brutal competition, long work hours, and sky-high dating costs, making real relationships feel unaffordable or inaccessible. The rise of the 'lying flat' and 'involution' mindsets has pushed many young people toward lower-effort emotional substitutes. Virtual lover services boomed as a cottage industry, raising debates about loneliness, commodified intimacy, and whether digital companionship is self-care or avoidance.

花钱雇人扮演恋人角色，提供情感陪伴、甜言蜜语和虚拟亲密关系的服务形式。