New Express ran a feature earlier this week on the couchsurfers of Guangzhou, who you probably saw if you’ve ever been to 13 Factories on a Friday night. Curious what Chinese kids think of global nomad culture? It’s on Weibo.

“Is he into me or is he just staring?”

You Are The One, the slightly obnoxious dating show that the whole country watches, is now being replicated in nightlife venues in Guangzhou. More than 100 singles poured into one event held at a Western food restaurant in Tianhe last Friday evening, and, organizers say, 40 of them managed to couple off. If you have 100 RMB or so to spare and think you can stand questions more probing than you’re likely to face anywhere in the daylight, there’s one singles event beginning at 6PM tonight at the Kowloon Peninsula Restaurant, 2/F China Shine Plaza at #9 Linhe West Rd., and a You Are The One-themed night at the same place and time tomorrow.

If you’re already off the singles market but still want something new this weekend, take note of the newest trend for engaged couples in Guangzhou, semi-nude wedding photos.

D8wed.com, the company which made the news this week after advertising the wedding photo service with stripped-down prices on Weibo, has a number of offices both in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, more info here.

Airport bus cancels Tianhe Hotel stop

Media confirmed today what we’ve been hearing over the past week, that buses to Baiyun airport in Guangzhou have not been stopping at Tianhe Hotel on Tiyu West Rd. Buses, however, are still making their scheduled stops behind nearby CITIC plaza. City authorities have been slow in deciding whether or not to renew their contract with the hotel, and it officially expires today.

However, a spokesperson for the bus company has also said that despite erratic service in recent days, pending a final decision, the service will continue and the Tianhe Hotel stop will be put back on the route beginning Monday. Please let us know who you’d rather believe.

Does the neighbor’s dog speak to you in your dreams?

Authorities in Shenzhen have enacted a law that gives building management companies the authority to issue fines of up to 500 RMB to anyone whose dog barks too much. The new legislation doesn’t list any specific hours in which loud dog sounds are prohibited, so we’ll see how it goes once they start issuing daytime fines.

Guangzhou sex culture festival dates announced

Onto sex, the dates for this year’s annual sex culture festival in Guangzhou have been announced. Entry costs just 30 RMB and doors to the event, held at the Jinhan Exhibition Center (广州锦汉展览中心) close to China Hotel, will be open from November 12-14.

The theme for this year’s festival is “the beauty of sex” and a competition will be held for the sexiest news stories from across China and around the world from the past year. News reports have said that an effort will be made this year to keep the festival more “decent” than in past years, but the giant boner statue and other traditions of the festival will remain. Porn, sexual performance enhancers, blow-up dolls and other goodies are often on sale at the festival.

Foshan factory boss pulls midnight runner

The owner of a plastics factory in Foshan’s Nanhai district, Kong Yongqi, has fled the country along with his family, leaving more than 1,100 former employees empty-handed and out of work. In its 22nd year of operation, the factory has been seized by the court, with all machinery inside still intact. It’s not known why he fled, but former staff at the factory interviewed by Yancheng Evening News have speculated that Kong has probably fled to avoid paying back a high-interest personal loan of 50 mln RMB he took out earlier this year.

Hong Kong-bound travelers increasing the RMB supply

Daily Economic News reports today that as the RMB continues to rise, business is booming for money changers at the Lowu border crossing. Staff at money exchange shops on the Shenzhen side of the border interviewed for the story said that they will change RMB into any currency for amounts of up to 5,000 RMB; anything larger has to be done in the back. One money changer said that even small shops are exchanging up to 4 mln RMB each day. We don’t really get economics, but if the RMB is rising, wouldn’t it be wiser to buy in now instead of selling?

The same story reports that police have busted underground moneychanging operations in Shenzhen and elsewhere earlier this year, seizing a total of 10 bln RMB.

Tianhe schools cancel lunch and noon supervision

Parents of thousands of children in Guangzhou are scrambling now after a number of elementary schools in Tianhe district announced this week that they have canceled both their lunch program and the afternoon rest period. With nowhere for the kids to eat or nap, maybe foreign English teachers in the area will help pick up the slack.