Shanghai Escapades A Risky Adventure in China

As of 2023, I’ve lived in Asia for just over 20 years.

I’m 44 years old now, so I was 34 at the time.

I had lived in Shanghai, working for a manufacturing firm for about 3 years.

I knew the ins and outs of life there for the most part, thanks to having a great team of locals that showed me the ropes.

My Time Working In China

I even had my production manager complain that I got better deals in the black markets than he did, even though the vendors probably knew I had more money than him.

At the time, I had just finished a boxing match with many weeks of training prior and was in tiptop shape.

As I had lived there, some of my team members showed me the ropes in the bars and massage parlors.

Do not do what I did in the below story; just take heed about the risks.

Travelling Around Remote Areas of China For Vacation

So, I was on leave between firms and decided to go back to China for a long trip to visit some remote areas that I didn’t have the time to go to while living there.

This particular night, I did not meet up with any co-workers and was wandering alone through a popular shopping area.

Checking Out Some of The Local Freelance Girls

An older lady came up to me. Usually, I swish them away or just ignore them, but she was persistent.

Then she said the line that caught my attention, “Would you like some cheaper bedroom fun?“

I stopped, and I asked, “How ugly are your girls?“

She explained, “No, not ugly at all—beautiful.“

So, I figured I’ve got nothing to lose; let’s just go and take a look, which is the only way to get out of this situation with this lady.

Again, I knew this already.

Being Lead To The Grim Part of Town

She leads me down a side street only a few buildings in from the main strip and up a spiral staircase to a small, thin hallway from the reception desk of a small hotel, which was lined on both sides of the hall with rooms.

I am shown into the first room, which is actually very good looking.

Looking back, the room has a long sofa along the right side of the room with a low glass table in the middle and a small TV on a set of drawers.

Nothing too fancy.

No Happy Ending, Just A Massage Please

Then, the Mamasan comes in with a few girls; they’re quite old, average age was about mid-40s or so.

They explain the menu, and I say no to the bedroom fun session—a simple massage to start off with will suffice.

Then, I had to pick a girl.

Not much to pick from, to be honest, not like being in Thailand, Laos, or Vietnam by any means.

I figured I would go with the biggest girl in the lineup—not good-looking, but I figured she would give me the best massage.

She seemed a bit hesitant but agrees.

This Massage From A Big Chinese Woman, Was Pretty Good

While things are getting prepared, I am chatting with the Mamasan.

“Where are you from?” she asks.

“New York,” I reply

“Traveling?“

“Yes Hotel Mar” I lie.

I just saw the sign a little ways before the T got me.

Then the big lady comes in and has me take off my clothes and lie face down, with me only wearing a towel.

The massage is good, surprisingly.

The lady has very strong hands but a somewhat low speaking voice.

After the massage time, they ask me if I want more.

The girl is a bit nervous and asks me to wait a moment.

She opens the door and says something, and one of the older girls comes in to replace the big one, with no explanation.

Here Comes The Massage Scam

I’m told to flip over, and the old girl starts on me and goes a full course.

This is not what I ordered.

She helps me get dressed and goes to leave.

At that moment, three guys come walking in with a mammoth of a man and two big guys, and one skinny one—he must be the bagman.

Extra Fee’s Says The Mamasan

The Mamasan says I have to pay an additional huge fee for the room and service charge and another fee for the room charge.

I disagree, as I did not order any changes.

We go back and forth, and the Mamasan leaves to talk with the two enforcers.

The biggest of the two sits next to me—he actually spoke the best English of all, to be honest.

I could see myself having a great night out drinking as he seemed genuinely nice, considering his job.

The other big guy stands in front of the door.

We are going back and forth, and I say I might have some more money in my bag, but I cannot find it, as I have so many pockets in the bag.

Trying To Keep Calm In This Situation

He says they can take credit cards, to which I respond that I don’t have any on me and why would I carry them to come to a place like his shop, to which actually he agreed with and laughed.

I’m really dragging this out, and I’m making small talk while also trying to keep calm.

After about 10 minutes, the big guy is now getting impatient, but he is not on edge.

In that instant, I shot sideways across the sofa and I put my elbow into the big guy’s head, which connected with the wall and left an indent.

In the next second, again, having just recently had a boxing match, two steps back, one large side step to clear the table, and advance towards the second big guy.

He panicked, which allowed me to punch him.

He doubles over, and I step back and give him an uppercut.

He drops down, which means I have to back up.

Fighting My Way Out of This, Boxing Style

I then go full speed at the third guy, who is scrambling to open the door lock, but he is not in time.

I managed to ram him into the door.

It comes off its frame and falls into the hallway.

I do not stop and take off down the stairs.

I think there was a guy on the outside of the door that got hit by the door between the door and the reception desk.

Cheap door.

As I’m bounding down the stairs, I got a small scratch on my arm from the door frame screws, but that’s it.

After getting to the road, I saw the old lady.

She asked how it was, and I said great before jogging off down the streets to make sure I’m not followed a second time.

I was in Shanghai on business.

I was called to a shop that a player’s lead had found.

Turns out he met a tout, which only told me about after I arrived.

After arriving and I realized what was going on, I tried to get him to leave, even going as far as the front door of the establishment.

He begged me to stay and that he would pay.

I told him that I was sure he would pay a lot, but he ignored my warnings.

So, okay, fine.

I was taken into another room with a girl he picked for me, and you know the deal.

When done, I was brought back to my friend.

Same story as above.

Some guys came in, my acquaintances decided he did not agree with the hidden charge, and I got into a disagreement.

I told him to chill and told the muscle to stand down, as I would not take kindly to physical threats, and we should just talk it out.

That failed.

Crazy Times To Be Had In Shangai

So short story, my acquaintance was shoved down, whereby I put that guy into the wall.

The second muscle grabbed me, so I put him into the other wall. Then the first guy tried punching me in the back.

 As I was again in boxing training, his punches were so weak that I laughed and handed the second guy to my friend, who just sat on him to stop him from going back to me.

I then focused my attention on the first guy.

We tussled a bit, and I ended up putting him through a glass door.

I then tried to help my acquaintance escape, but we were on the second floor down a long, narrow hall.

So, two more guys came up.

I couldn’t get through another two, so I agreed to go back to the room.

The Mamasan came in and lost her cool on seeing the carnage in the room.

The big boss was called, and we negotiated it all down to just 3K from 5K in local currency.

I also got him to agree that the door was not chargeable to us, as the fat muscle guy was the one that went through it, and so he should pay for it.

As you have mentioned in one of your other uploads, you do not wear nice watches or jewelry, which I had to tell my acquaintance in an unobvious way to hide his watch.

Maybe it was a Rolex or something like that.

He went with the boss to an ATM to get the additional funds while I waited.

I was sitting with one of the last two guys that came into the room, and we compared scars and injuries.

Another guy I could see having a fun night of drinks with until I realized my left butt cheek was really itchy.

When I scratched it, I saw there was blood.

I had actually cut myself on a shard from the door but had not felt it at the time.

So, the big chap got me some tissues.

When it was all said and done, the big boss and I had a quick laugh about it all, and we were on our way back at the hotel.

Now about 2:00 a.m., I asked my acquaintance to get bandages and alcohol from a shop.

He was then tasked with cleaning and bandaging my backside so that I could fly home the next day.

Having To Take A Trip To The Hospital

Once home, I took the train from the airport, dropped my things off, and went straight to the hospital and got stitched up.

I told my ex-wife I slipped in the shower and got cut by glass.

When I saw her next and was walking a bit funny, I still have that pair of pants today with a puncture hole through the left back pocket as a reminder of the adventure.

My acquaintance agreed with me that he should have left when I told him to.

I admit if he had not offered to pay, as I was his guest, I would have left alone. So again, do not do what I did.

Looking back, especially the first time, it was at one moment where I saw their guard was down, and I took my chance.

If I had failed, I would probably have been found on the side of the road battered and bruised at best.

If you will go to seedy places or agree to follow a tout, do not bring any cards.

Do not bring them to your hotel, but if you do, tell the hotel staff to call the police and have them handle it, then change hotels as soon as you can.

You can get pushed into a back room giving tea and then have to pay some silly service charges, even if you do not buy their ripoff goods.

So, be warned.

China is way worse than, say, Thailand for scams and being cheap.

I have a good laugh about these and other adventures with my friends.

After reading back through my story, I realize there will be some comments from guys thinking I’ve made everything up, but it’s such a bizarre couple of stories that it is actually true.

However, I can guarantee you that these incidents actually happened.

Having the opportunity to be in the same situations again, I would definitely act in a different way, as one does not end up in a predicament like this.

You put yourself in such by your own decision to follow or enter premises that you had not planned to.

I will be heading to Thailand for another week’s holiday with my goo bar girl.

I have been seeing her for almost a week, so I have broken the three-day rule.

Let’s see what the future holds.

Thanks for reading my story.