从酒托女到党国骗局：男人的欲望与陷阱

但，

The Party-State’s Endless Traps: Let’s Talk About Bar Scammers

Translated by ChatGPT

This industry used to be quite popular. I’m not sure about now, as my only encounters with them happened twice—once in Chongqing and once in Lijiang. The former was accidental, and I managed to turn the tables; the latter was a deliberate tease with a friend. Lijiang, in particular, is a place where lust-driven young men easily fall prey. I’ll explain why.

Bar scammers are usually not extraordinarily beautiful. However, young men, driven by hormones, can easily fall for women who know how to dress up and act coquettish. You can hardly blame them.

In Chongqing, I met one online. We had a pleasant chat, so we agreed to meet for dinner. Back then, I was just a naive young man with no idea of bar scams.

But the moment I saw her, something felt off—not because of her looks, though her real appearance was naturally less attractive than her heavily edited photos.

I’m the kind of person with a sharp sense of intuition. In just one glance, I can sniff out someone’s personality, strengths, weaknesses, and potential danger. By the way, has anyone else experienced that electrifying feeling when meeting someone for the first time and instantly sensing there’s a story between you?

Anyway, back to the woman. My first impression wasn’t good. Soon, she led me to a poorly decorated spot.

As soon as we sat down, she ordered red wine without showing me the menu. I thought having a drink wouldn’t hurt, but when the wine came, the bill followed. A bottle of ordinary red wine was billed at around 2,000 yuan ($280).

That’s when I realized I’d been scammed.

I didn’t have enough cash, so I quietly paid with my card, ate a little, and then excused myself to step outside. Standing at the entrance, I called the police. Some might say reporting a bar scam wouldn’t get much attention. But if you frame it as extortion or robbery, and mention that the culprits are still on-site, the police might be more motivated to act.

When the officers arrived, I casually mentioned a connection to a high-ranking national security official. Instantly, their demeanor changed, and they resolved the matter quickly. Needless to say, I got my money back.

Now, let’s talk about Lijiang, Yunnan.

Lijiang is famous for more than its scenic views; it’s also known for its romantic allure.

Many people go there hoping for a romantic encounter or, at least, a one-night stand.

I’d guess most leave disappointed—or worse, scammed.

Young men visiting Lijiang are especially vulnerable. Why? Let me explain.

When you’re there, open WeChat and use the “Nearby People” feature. If you’re inexperienced, you’ll be shocked to see a flood of attractive women in the list, seemingly just a chat away.

Excited, your mind races with romantic fantasies. But while you’re daydreaming, many are getting scammed—and you could be next because most of them are bar scammers.

Things might be different now, but this was the situation a decade ago.

At the time, I quickly realized the women I contacted were likely scammers. But since I was on a road trip with a friend, and we were bored, we decided to tease them.

We soon arranged to meet two women.

If you’re not picky, it’s easy to arrange dates in Lijiang. However, you must always choose the meeting spot yourself, especially if you suspect they might be scammers. Otherwise, they’ll take you to a predetermined trap.

At the bar, the two women chatted away, trying to keep things light and engaging. However, their true intentions started to show when they suggested we visit another “amazing” place after finishing here.

What should have been an amusing game of cat and mouse turned awkward because my friend took it too seriously. He firmly declared we were on a budget, effectively shutting down their attempts to escalate the scam.

Even the most oblivious scammers would sense the futility of the situation at that point. They made some polite excuses and left quickly.

And so, our night ended on an anticlimactic note. We left the bar, and I treated my friend to some grilled fish and drinks on a rooftop, surrounded by good-looking strangers as we chatted about the Party-State’s misdeeds to kill time.

The grilled fish was quite good, by the way—still memorable to this day.

Men are just too easily swayed by women. If emotions and desires take over, it’s hard to resist. For young men, full of vigor, a glimpse of a woman’s shoulder can fuel endless fantasies.

It’s only when we grow old and lose interest in such pursuits that we become less vulnerable.

The maturity of a politician is often inversely proportional to their libido.

Still, without romance and passion, wouldn’t life be dull?