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Blake, Wm. The Harlot and the Giant. 1824.

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In China, thousands of men are hiring bodyguards not for protection but to impress women.

Over 10,000 people ordered “private bodyguard” services in just the first 20 days of January, with inquiries on Taobao quadrupling since last year.

The service has sparked debate online, with some criticizing “these young people who don’t have any socialist character and only care about showing off.”

The service is becoming increasingly professionalized, with companies offering guards trained in specialized military, police, or intelligence units, ready to be dispatched within 30 minutes in major cities.