A new social media trend is emerging in China where young women are paying for professional photo shoots featuring hired male models to simulate romantic experiences. These sessions, which have gained popularity on platforms like Xiaohongshu, offer customers a brief, curated taste of companionship. Participants pay for services that include staged romantic interactions, such as hand-holding, hugging, and posing for photos that mimic couple-style intimacy.

According to reports, the cost for these sessions can reach as high as 8,000 yuan (approximately US$1,200) for a single hour. The sessions are highly choreographed, with some packages including specific physical poses like touching the models' abdominal muscles or staged kissing. The trend is largely driven by the desire for emotional companionship and the aesthetic appeal of high-quality, romanticized imagery for social media consumption. While the practice is framed by participants as a form of self-care or a fun experience, it reflects a broader shift in how young urban Chinese women are seeking to fulfill emotional needs through commercialized, temporary interactions. The trend highlights the intersection of the gig economy and the modern search for connection in a digital-first society.