Preface 5
A Determined Singleton 7
Interview location: a cafe in Haldian District, Beijing
Interviewee: Liu Yue
Age: 28
Profile: head of the administrative office of a real estate company. From
Sichuan, bachelor's degree, previously a personnel secretary and office
manager.
Love with a Shelf Life 18
Interview location: a restaurant in Chaoyang District, Beijing
Interviewee: Wang Mengmeng
Age: 28
Profile: boss of a culture company, bachelor's degree
Is It Wrong to Be Prudent? 28
Interview location: a pub and a restaurant in Sanlitun, Beijing
Interviewee: Cao Xiaoqi
Age: 33
Profile: a high school teacher, MA degree, from Northeast China,
columnist for some Beijing newspapers
Proof-Reading Error Leads to a Love Affair 36
Interview location: a teahouse in Chaoyang District, Beijing, and QQ
messaging
Interviewee: Liu Qingqing
Age: 29
Profile: from Hubei, junior college graduate, worked for a Beijing
newspaper, now a freelancer.
All Men Are Promiscuous 44
Interview localion: McDonald's in Zhongguancun, Haidian District, Beijing
Interviewee: Deng Na
Age: 29
Profile: from Chongqing, teacher at a Beijing beauty school.
An Unwilling Dependant 50
Interview localion: a care in Pudong District, Shanghai, and MSN messaging
Interviewee: Pan Yanmei
Age: 30
Profile: from Zhejiang, formerly a postage stamp dealer in Suzhou, now a
company employee in Shanghai
Mystery and Innocence 60
Interview localion: a restaurant and cafe in Jingtian in Futian District, Shenzhen
Interviewee: Yang Xiaohui
Age: 27
Profile: from Hubei, associate degree, formerly an administrative clerk and
secretary to a company general manage, currently a freelancer
Beautiful Marriage Obsession 69
Interview localion: a Hakka hotel in Luohu District, Shenzhen
Interviewee: Xu Zijuan
Age: 29
Profile: bachelor's degree, from Guangdong, formerly a computer trainer,
now staff member of a public institution
A Single Mother 75
Interview localion: MSN messaging
Interviewee: Chen Qing
Age: 25
Profile: bachelor's degree, administrative clerk of a company
From Fairy Tale to Myth 92
Interview localion: a meeting room in Shenzhen Times
Interviewee: Zhong Haiyan
Age: 26
Profile: owner of a garment shop
Woman of Fierce Desires 97
Interview location: the offices of Shenzhen Evening News
Interviewee: Jiu-mei
Age: 28
Profile: from Hubei, formerly owner of a garment store in Shenzhen.
Living with Two Men 107
Interview location: the offices of Shenzhen Evening News
Interviewee: Qin Xiangyu
Age: 28
Profile: enterprise employee; currently living in Shenzhen.
Loves that Led Nowhere 116
Interview location: the meeting room of Shenzhen Times
Interviewee: Ma Xiaofei
Age: 36
Profile: from Heilongjiang Province; BA degree; living in Shenzhen as a
company clerk for over 10 years; cosmetics saleswoman; now running her
own company.
The Dazzling City 123
Interview location: meeting room at the Shenzhen Times
Interviewee: Xu Jiaming
Age: 30
Profile: from Shandong Province; BA degree, living in Shenzhen for almost
four years; a website editor in Shenzhen until late 2004; now an enterprise
employee in Shanghai.
Looking for a Holiday Lover 128
Interview location: the offices of Shenzhen Evening News
Interviewee: Cao Zimei
Age: 29
Profile: from Hunan Province; formerly a website chief information officer;
now a company branch manager
United Hearts but Separate Lives 134
Interview location: UBC Coffee House, Futian, Shenzhen
Interviewee: Xu Xiaoting
Age: 27
Profile: from Zhejiang Province; once lived in Xiamen, Dongguan, Shenzhen
and Beijing; now a care manager.
Lovers in Heaven 151
Interview location: The meeting room of Shenzhen Times
Interviewee: Liang Cuiye
Age: 36
Profile: director of teaching and guidance office in a Shenzhen school
Fruitless Loves 160
Interview location: the offices of Shenzhen Evening News
Interviewee: Zeng Miao
Age: 26
Profile: university graduate; living in Shenzhen; enterprise employee
My Life is Like a Screenplay 168
Interview location: numerous e-mail messages
Interviewee: Marry
Age: 21
Profile: from Wuhan; a company employee.
In Flight from the Wealthy 176
Interview location: a Western-style diner in Guangzhou
Interviewee: May
Age: 27
Profile: graduate of a prestigious university; on the staff of a public
institution.