Hot uni students earn over S$2,700 a month by offering climbing buddy services on China’s Mount Tai

Imagine taking your love for hiking and turning it into a lucrative business.
That’s what entrepreneurial Chinese university students are doing during their holidays.
The Mid Autumn Festival has just passed, and on October 1, China will celebrate National Day, a holiday which typically spans seven consecutive days.
And many will take this break to climb Mount Tai, the highest point in China’s Shandong province.
However, the climb up Mount Tai is known to be very challenging, and takes an average of 3 hours and 35 mins to complete.
Here’s where the climbing buddies come in. A group of university students, mostly handsome athletic young men, are offering a “pei pa” service, which roughly translates to “climbing buddy”.
They charge up to 450 yuan (S$82) per trip. Other than providing companionship during the route, they also cheer their clients on, motivate them, help take photos and videos, and provide refreshments at rest points.
Some even go as far as carrying their clients on their backs, while others piggyback children during the entire climb so their parents can successfully complete their route.
A Chinese influencer recently hired the services of two climbing buddies. She documented their journey up Mount Tai, and throughout the climb the young men were very attentive towards her and would help her up steps when she ran out of energy.
They had prepared for her a kit, which included sunglasses, a cap, a mask, and a climbing stick. They also brought along a watermelon so she could enjoy a refreshing snack during their break.
She also had the option of holding their hands or touching their abs for 50 yuan (S$9).
Wait, how does touching their abs help in the climb?
Guess the service is not only for unseasoned climbers, but also for those who might be feeling a little lonely.
One female student, Qiu, who recently started working as a climbing buddy, shared that she earns over RMB 15k (S$2.7K) per month.
According to Qiu, a night climb costs S$82, while a day session costs S$64. She provides a chargeable service where she films her clients and edits the clips for them. Students, females, and those in the military are also entitled to special discounts.
Qiu receives about 40 bookings on average per week, and is expected to be busy throughout the National Day holiday period.
We wonder if any young, fit Singaporeans are now inspired to start a buddy climbing service on Bukit Timah Hill?