My name is Zhang Hailong, and I graduated from a third-tier university in Guangzhou, majoring in massage therapy. Since the wellness industry is ubiquitous and always in demand, finding a job wasn’t too difficult for me.

However, as everyone knows, leisure establishments often employ hostesses and male escorts—or, to put it bluntly, prostitutes. In the eyes of many, this is a dirty industry, and anyone who works in it brings shame to their family. Because of this, I’ve always kept my job a secret from my family, telling them I work at a hotel.

To be clear, I’m not an escort. My job involves providing services like foot baths and saunas—things most people are familiar with. These kinds of places exist everywhere, from small foot massage parlors in towns to large wellness centers in bustling cities.

The former are usually found in smaller towns and offer legitimate services, while the latter cater to urban clientele, providing more upscale experiences.

I don’t see anything shameful about my work. We earn our living with our hands—no stealing, no cheating. Honestly, this line of work isn’t easy. When we encounter overly demanding clients, it’s us who suffer. We’re at their beck and call, and even after serving them, we might still get complaints, which can lead to deductions from our bonuses.

In severe cases, we could even lose our jobs. That said, the income is decent. On average, I make around seven to eight thousand yuan a month, sometimes over ten thousand, and at the very least, about five thousand.

Having worked at the hotel for two years, I’m considered a seasoned employee with a steady stream of regular clients. My income hovers around eight thousand yuan, allowing me to live comfortably.

Many people in this industry are here out of necessity. Most of us have low educational backgrounds and started working early, lacking specialized skills. Places like this offer training and employment. While the work can be tough, it’s still better than working in a factory.

Then there are the professional hostesses and male escorts who provide “special services,” which are entirely different from what I do. Their services fall into the mid-to-high-end category in hotels, and they earn significantly more. Of course, they’re selling their bodies and souls, whereas I rely on my skills.

I don’t look down on them, but I’ve never considered crossing that line. However, reality and ideals can be harsh.

If it weren’t for one misstep, I might have continued my normal life. But I made the mistake of getting involved in gambling.

Eventually, I lost all my savings and ended up owing tens of thousands in high-interest loans. That’s when I finally woke up to the fact that I had gambled away everything I had.

The loan sharks’ money had to be repaid. Even if I wanted to run, it wouldn’t have been easy. These lenders are deeply connected, with people everywhere. If you don’t pay, they won’t let you go.

And so, I was forced into providing the kind of services I once avoided—becoming what people call a “male escort.”

Feeling down but still having to work, I hadn't been on duty for long when a regular customer came in for a foot bath. It was a woman named Chen Xiaotang, quite attractive, a corporate white-collar worker with a decent income. Due to her high stress and frequent travels, she often felt exhausted by the end of the day, so she came in every few days. She was probably my most frequent customer each month.

As usual, I carried my kit into the room and found her sitting alone in a chair, playing with her phone. She always used vinegar for her foot baths. I filled a basin with water, added vinegar, and brought it over to her. I helped her take off her shoes and suggested she soak her feet first. However, as soon as her feet touched the water, she jerked them back, almost kicking me in the face.

"Ah!" she exclaimed, looking at me and saying the water was too hot!

I was momentarily stunned, realizing I hadn't checked the water temperature. I quickly apologized. Fortunately, being a regular, she was understanding and didn't make a fuss.

In the past, I always felt excited when she came in because she was quite attractive, and I enjoyed serving her. But this time, I wasn't in the mood. I had her soak her feet and then started massaging them.

She was still in her work attire, a white blouse with two buttons undone. From my angle, I could see a hint of black beneath. Normally, I would sneak a few glances while massaging her feet, but not tonight. After finishing the service, I let her rest in the room and then left, returning to the break room.

Unexpectedly, I was soon called in again. This time, it was an older woman, a stranger who hadn't been here before. Perhaps because I wasn't in good form that night, she scolded me several times during the service.

When I came out, before I could even return to the break room, my boss called me over. He asked what was going on, saying that customers were usually very satisfied with my service, but this new client had been complaining about my poor service, bad attitude, and lack of skill...

At first, I didn't say anything, as I hadn't planned to tell anyone about my situation. But he said if I didn't come clean, he couldn't let me continue working. I was making around seven to eight thousand a month, which was pretty good, and I certainly didn't want to lose this job. So, I told him everything.

After learning about my high-interest loan, he took me out for a late-night meal after work and handed me a card. He said, "Zhang Hailong, you owe so much money, and it's high-interest. Go make some quick cash! Otherwise, you'll never pay it off!"

I was momentarily stunned. Honestly, I didn’t doubt his words. Those loan sharks were ruthless. Every month, even if I couldn’t repay the principal, I had to at least pay the interest. Otherwise, they’d chop off my fingers or break my legs. I’d seen it happen before—they were capable of it.

“Boss, what’s a quick way to make money?”

“Private health services. A lot of the guys who used to work with me are doing it now. If you’re good, you can make twenty to thirty thousand a month, maybe even more. Give it a try.”

Private health services?

Wait a minute!

Wasn’t that just a fancy term for… *that*?

He noticed the look on my face and knew exactly what I was thinking. “You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to. I’m just giving you an option. Those loan sharks aren’t people you want to mess with. Think it over.”

He was right. Those loan sharks were vicious—they’d chew you up and spit you out without a second thought. I didn’t have any powerful connections, and if I didn’t pay up, they’d kill me for sure.

But I still couldn’t bring myself to do it. The thought of it made me sick to my stomach. If my family ever found out, they’d break my legs themselves!

He didn’t push me, just told me to think about it. After we finished our late-night meal, I headed home. The next morning, as I was getting ready for work, a van pulled up in front of me. Several men stepped out, their faces twisted with menace, and they were carrying metal pipes. They surrounded me, and I knew I was in trouble. I tried to run, but there was no escape—they had me cornered.

I recognized them. They were the enforcers for the loan sharks. Then it hit me—today was the day the interest was due. A man with a gold chain around his neck grabbed me by the throat and slammed me against the van. “You little punk, you think you can just not pay? You think we won’t cut off your hands and feet?”

They actually pulled out knives and started punching me. The pain was excruciating. I doubled over, clutching my stomach, gasping for air.

“Please, give me two more days! I swear I’ll pay you back!”

“Two days? Screw that! If you don’t pay today, I’m taking a finger. If you’re more than three days late, you’re losing your hands and feet!”

"I... I don't have the money right now..." My voice trembled, on the verge of tears. When I first gambled, I never imagined it would lead to this. Before lending me money, they were all polite and courteous, but when it came to collecting debts, their attitudes did a complete 180.

But the truth was, I really didn't have the money!

"No money? Then pay the interest first! Fifteen hundred! If you don't have it, ask your colleagues for it. Call them now!" He pressed a cold, menacing knife against my neck. My back was drenched in sweat, and I had no choice but to call our boss, asking him to come over without explaining the situation.

When he arrived, the loan sharks immediately cornered him, forcing him to help me repay the debt. Realizing he was trapped and that these people were not to be trifled with, he reluctantly paid the fifteen hundred in interest.

As they left, one of them kicked me hard in the stomach, leaving me writhing in pain on the ground. They warned me to pay on time next time, or else I'd face the same treatment.

My boss, now fifteen hundred poorer, was furious. But when he saw me, he didn't lash out. Instead, he muttered angrily, "Damn it, I told you these people are trouble!"

"Zhang Hailong, you're on your own. I'll take that fifteen hundred out of your paycheck. Next time, don't drag me into your mess!" With that, he turned and left without another word.

I slowly got to my feet, my body aching, and decided not to go to work that day.

Back in my dorm, I couldn't stop thinking about the loan sharks. How could I possibly earn enough to pay them back with my current job as a masseur? Seven or eight thousand a month wasn't nearly enough!

No one was willing to lend me money, and I didn't want to die or be beaten to death by the loan sharks. I had to find a way to repay the debt. Suddenly, I remembered the card my boss had given me the night before. I hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath.

"Damn it! I'll do it! Worst case, I'll earn enough money and move somewhere else!"

I knew I had no other options. I didn't have any true friends here, and borrowing tens of thousands of yuan was out of the question. If I wanted to make money, this was the only way.

I never thought I'd end up like those people, selling my soul and body for money. But reality left me with no choice.

So what if I became a male escort? Plenty of people were doing it. Why couldn't I? I kept psyching myself up, but thoughts of my family filled me with guilt. I didn't know how they'd react if they found out. Yet, the thought of the loan sharks made me shudder with fear.