News You Might Have Missed: Superheroes and Sadistic Gifts

Red Bud to the rescue

If you decided to quit Beijing for the holidays, you might have missed out on some unique Christmas and New Year gifts. A buxom babe posing as a masked crusader descended upon the city to offer Christmas cheer, coffins got gifted (thanks a lot, Ms. Meyers), the subway continues to expand, and sadly, goldfish just can't win.
One holiday gift came in the form of a masked woman. Active on QQ Weibo under the moniker "Red Bud Woman," this caped crusader was out on Christmas Eve sporting a blue mask, revealing tights and plenty of cleavage. Her mission: bestowing food and clothing on those less fortunate in the Wangfujing area.
Is there any rhyme and reason behind this? Red Bud Woman has informed her QQ followers: "When I was younger, I used to watch Zero [sic] and those kinds of Western movies, as well as read Jin Yong novels. I always felt there were a lot of Chinese heroes in ancient times. Why don’t we have any now? One person’s power is limited, but if everyone carries forth chivalrous spirits and help whenever you can, then we can prevent callous behaviors." Equally straightforward was her explanation behind the superhero suit. "I admit the way I dress is revealing, but why is that anyone else’s concern? As a woman, I want to show my beauty to others and make people like me. Is this wrong?"

Great work, have some mantou

Did you get any bonuses or presents from work for the New Year? If you didn’t, you missed out on the chance to win a coffin or maybe a TV. Those are a few of the gifts up for grabs in end-of-the-year lucky draws at Chinese companies. At the top of the list: a cash bonus worth your entire year’s salary. At the bottom: a steamed bun. (It symbolizes your rising career.)

The timetable to ride

If you missed out on that cherished steamed bun, here’s a New Year’s gift for everyone. Beijing’s latest subway extensions (Lines 8, 9, and 15) will be open to the public on certain days for limited hours while they are still in the testing stage. If you’ve been longing to visit Bird’s Next, rest assured that the whole of Line 8 will reopen during the set time in addition to the northern extension that runs to Changping. Line 15 will extend further into Shunyi District from its current Houshayu terminus, and Line 9 will bring the Fangshan line one step closer to connecting with the rest of the grid. Line 9 will also include the first station at Beijing West Railway Station – but don’t hop on a train just yet. It’s not connected to the rest of the subway yet.

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Looking for something a bit more sadistic? In the latest pet trend, teacup pups are out and tattooed goldfish are in. The inking process takes six months to complete, and gives owners of the aquatic creatures an extra boost of good fortune, in addition to their current (uninked) status as symbols for wealthy and harmony. These golden treasures have already been the victims of a keychain craze and a synchronized swimming show, and this latest stunt probably isn’t making friends of the fishes happy. The worst of it? A tattooed Chinese character is so cliché. What’s next: barbed wire around a fin or a butterfly just above the tail?

Should have checked that translation