It is easy to understand why the man sitting in front of me is the most popular male social escort for the Chinese New Year.

He is tall, handsome with or without his spectacles - a nonprescriptive accessory to give him the "intelligent" look - and looks like the man your parents will definitely approve.

Add to that his ability to speak English, Mandarin, Cantonese and some Hokkien.

Fred is his booking moniker with his escort agency, but he asks that we do not use his real name as his family members do not know he is working as a social escort.

The Singapore Management University student has only half of the first Chinese New Year day set aside for his personal visits - he is booked for the rest of the 15 days.

The most number of sessions he has is for today - six.

He charges $600 per hour and requires a minimum of two hours per booking.

On top of that, if he has to play mahjong or any other game during the festivities, any losses he incurs has to be borne by the client.

He has been doing this for three years and hopes he can quit after he graduates.

Fred, 23, takes on such jobs to help pay his school fees.

He said: "I feel it's fine since there is no sex involved."

But holding hands and acting loveydovey are all part of the services he provides.

"You can't be all stiff and awkward in front of the client's parents, which could give the game away," he said.

And that is why he insists on a "preliminary meeting", for which he charges at a lower rate. He usually rejects those who decline.

Said Fred: "I take my job seriously as a professional and I don't want to give my clients a chance to complain that I am not worth the money they pay."

Mr Ernest Ting, who runs the agency that Fred is with, said that this is what makes the young man popular.

Top performer

"Fred is one of my top performers who always gets good testimonials from his clients," he said of Fred, who is single.

But the parents are not the toughest to impress.

He said: "It's the 'yi ma gu che' (aunts in Cantonese) who would have a long list of questions.

"They always want to know when the big day is."

Fred leaves it to his clients to handle the answer, but at times, when it gets too trying for the woman, he takes over.

"Usually, that would mean the relative has been really irritating," he said.

"So, I have a range of answers that includes 'When we strike Toto' and 'Oh, as soon as she says yes'.

"All that with the client's blessing, of course."

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