Wah lao, cannot tahan. Just now, my buddy jio me to go one small KTV pub, you know, just for a quiet drink. Not one of those big, at-as places, just a cozy small spot. Everything seemed normal until the hostesses arrived.
One of them sat next to me. Let’s call her “Butterfly.” PRC, looked very fresh-faced, definitely a newcomer. Started talking to me in Mandarin, asking about Singapore, standard stuff. Then, she drops the bombshell.
“You Singaporean men are so rich, hor?” She giggles. “I just arrived. My first time in Singapore. Everyone told me in my hometown, ‘Go Singapore, Singapore men are generous. You can find financial freedom there!'”
I almost choked on my beer. Financial freedom? What talking you?
She then went on a whole standard-operating-procedure PRC speech. Talking about how expensive it is to send her son to school, how her aging parents need medical care, how difficult life is. Basically, laying it on THICK, trying to squeeze some extra tips and maybe a little “investment” out of me.
“Brother, can you help me? Maybe you have business connections? Or you want to invest in a business back in China with me?” She kept leaning in. She also kept mentioning how she needs a “stable relationship” (read: financial sponsor).
Hello, I came here for a drink, not to be a venture capitalist! You think Singapore men are ATMs? You think we just dispense cash? We also have bills to pay, okay? Rent is not cheap, ERP is going up, and my Kopi C is more expensive than it was last month!
She really took my polite conversation as a sign I’m a multi-millionaire looking to adopt her family. The audacity! First time come SG, and already eyes also shining with dollar signs.
And she wasn’t alone. Another hostess was pulling the exact same stunt on my friend, but her story was about starting a milk tea shop. Same script, different cover story.
Seriously, this “financial freedom from SG men” mindset needs to go. We are not your shortcut to wealth. Go work hard, like everyone else. Don’t think you can come here, sit on a sofa, sing two songs, and expect to live like a Tai-Tai.
I left after one drink. Couldn’t take the constant, shameless begging for money disguised as conversation. Next time my friend jio me, I’m staying home and drinking Tiger beer in front of the TV. At least the TV doesn’t try to get me to buy a share in a non-existent PRC property.
So annoyed. Just wanted to wind down, but ended up feeling like I was in a pressure cooker with a professional gold-digger. Tsk.