close to the boss. You’re under one man but over a thousand! If you’re clever, you can soon get some real power, and if you’re really sharp, you’ll never have to worry about money.’
She poured herself more tea.
‘Don’t they say “Times make the man”? The “personal secretary” in China is a creation of Deng Xiaoping’s Reform and Opening Up policy. As soon as China opened up, everyone started chasing money; everybody wanted to be a boss. Many dream of wealth, but few succeed. Have you noticed that everyone’s title is “general manager” or “director” on their business cards? Regardless of the size of the business, their companies inevitably have grandiose names.
‘And how can all these men start a company without a secretary – wouldn’t they lose face? But a secretary for only eight hours aday is not enough, someone has to be there to fix everything all the time. Add to this the law of sexual attraction, and opportunities abound for attractive young girls. Fashionably dressed young women rush about between the stuffy government departments and quicken the pace of economic development in China.
‘Personal secretaries are also required by the foreigners fighting to stake a claim on our economy. They don’t understand the first thing about China and its customs. If not for the help of their secretaries, the corrupt Chinese officials would have made mincemeat of them long ago. To be a foreigner’s secretary, you also have to speak a foreign language.
‘Most “personal secretaries” are quite realistic about their prospects. They know that their bosses will never abandon their families. Only a fool would take their sweet words for love. There are some fools though, and I hardly need to tell you the result.’
I had listened to Jin Shuai’s exposé of the world of ‘escorts’ and ‘personal secretaries’ open-mouthed. I did not feel that we came from the same century, let alone the same country. ‘Does this really go on?’ I stuttered.
Jin Shuai was astounded by my ignorance.
‘Of course! Let me tell you a true story. I have a good friend, Ying’er, a lovely, considerate girl, tall and slender, with a sweet face and voice. Ying’er was a talented student at the art college. She could sing and play any kind of instrument, so she brought music, smiles and laughter everywhere. Both men and women liked her company. Two years ago, when Ying’er was in her second year, she met a Taiwanese company director called Wu at a dance hall. He was good-looking and smart; the real estate company he ran in Shanghai was doing well, so he wanted to open a branch in Nanjing. But when he arrived here, he found it hard to get to grips with all the commercial regulations. He spent thousands of US dollars, but was nowhere near setting up the branch after six months.
‘Ying’er took pity on Wu. With her resourcefulness, pleasant manner and good contacts, she sorted out the red tape with the commercial bureau, the tax office, the city council and the bank. Soon, the branch office was in business. Wu was overcome with gratitude. He rented a suite in a four-star hotel for Ying’er, and covered all her expenses. Ying’er was a woman of the world, but she was won over by Wu’s gentlemanly behaviour. He did not behave like the fat cats who think that money can buy everything. Ying’er decided to stop escorting other men and to throw herself into helping Wu with his Nanjing business.
‘One day, at about three o’clock in the morning, Ying’er rang me, sounding extremely happy:
‘“This time it’s the real thing. But don’t panic, I haven’t told him how I feel. I know he has a wife. He said she was a good woman. He showed me their wedding photographs: they’re well matched. I don’t want to tear his family apart, it’s enough that he’s good to me. He’s so loving; when I feel down or lose my temper, he doesn’t get angry. When I asked him why he was so patient, he said: ‘How can a
She poured herself more tea.
‘Don’t they say “Times make the man”? The “personal secretary” in China is a creation of Deng Xiaoping’s Reform and Opening Up policy. As soon as China opened up, everyone started chasing money; everybody wanted to be a boss. Many dream of wealth, but few succeed. Have you noticed that everyone’s title is “general manager” or “director” on their business cards? Regardless of the size of the business, their companies inevitably have grandiose names.
‘And how can all these men start a company without a secretary – wouldn’t they lose face? But a secretary for only eight hours aday is not enough, someone has to be there to fix everything all the time. Add to this the law of sexual attraction, and opportunities abound for attractive young girls. Fashionably dressed young women rush about between the stuffy government departments and quicken the pace of economic development in China.
‘Personal secretaries are also required by the foreigners fighting to stake a claim on our economy. They don’t understand the first thing about China and its customs. If not for the help of their secretaries, the corrupt Chinese officials would have made mincemeat of them long ago. To be a foreigner’s secretary, you also have to speak a foreign language.
‘Most “personal secretaries” are quite realistic about their prospects. They know that their bosses will never abandon their families. Only a fool would take their sweet words for love. There are some fools though, and I hardly need to tell you the result.’
I had listened to Jin Shuai’s exposé of the world of ‘escorts’ and ‘personal secretaries’ open-mouthed. I did not feel that we came from the same century, let alone the same country. ‘Does this really go on?’ I stuttered.
Jin Shuai was astounded by my ignorance.
‘Of course! Let me tell you a true story. I have a good friend, Ying’er, a lovely, considerate girl, tall and slender, with a sweet face and voice. Ying’er was a talented student at the art college. She could sing and play any kind of instrument, so she brought music, smiles and laughter everywhere. Both men and women liked her company. Two years ago, when Ying’er was in her second year, she met a Taiwanese company director called Wu at a dance hall. He was good-looking and smart; the real estate company he ran in Shanghai was doing well, so he wanted to open a branch in Nanjing. But when he arrived here, he found it hard to get to grips with all the commercial regulations. He spent thousands of US dollars, but was nowhere near setting up the branch after six months.
‘Ying’er took pity on Wu. With her resourcefulness, pleasant manner and good contacts, she sorted out the red tape with the commercial bureau, the tax office, the city council and the bank. Soon, the branch office was in business. Wu was overcome with gratitude. He rented a suite in a four-star hotel for Ying’er, and covered all her expenses. Ying’er was a woman of the world, but she was won over by Wu’s gentlemanly behaviour. He did not behave like the fat cats who think that money can buy everything. Ying’er decided to stop escorting other men and to throw herself into helping Wu with his Nanjing business.
‘One day, at about three o’clock in the morning, Ying’er rang me, sounding extremely happy:
‘“This time it’s the real thing. But don’t panic, I haven’t told him how I feel. I know he has a wife. He said she was a good woman. He showed me their wedding photographs: they’re well matched. I don’t want to tear his family apart, it’s enough that he’s good to me. He’s so loving; when I feel down or lose my temper, he doesn’t get angry. When I asked him why he was so patient, he said: ‘How can a
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