Since I let go of my ayi before Spring Festival, I’ve been on the look out for a new one. The WeChat groups have tossed around a few names, but many don’t travel out to where I live, and others have said the dog is a no-go for them. Plus, truth be told, I’ve actually enjoyed taking back my home from the auto-pilot it had been running on when ayi was around. So I’m not quite ready to commit to a new full-time ayi just yet. But we can all use some help now and then, particularly if there’s a party you’re organizing at home or if you want to do some major Marie Kondo-ing around the house. This is where the nifty Home King 好康在家 Hǎo kāng zàijiā – which has a more poetic Chinese name that means “Good health at home” – app steps in.

This app allows you to hire an ayi to either just cook, or cook + clean + watch kids, on a one-time basis. The sessions are four hours each and start from RMB 229. If you pay for a package of 25, it’ll cost you RMB 4,999 upfront, but ultimately comes out to less than RMB 200 per session. You can choose from a morning session from 8am to noon, or an afternoon session from 2-6pm.

One benefit of using the app is that they have a small army of ayis on standby and are ready to assign one to you at any time, though they do have a tendency to book out a few days in advance. Plus, once you find one that you really like, you can take note of her name and ask for her to return next time. This service also enjoys a reputation with many locals as being “professional and friendly” as well as “being affordable.”

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to hire an ayi through the app after you’ve downloaded it by searching “Home King” or 好康在家 haokangzaijia.

After completing the registration – which is easiest by syncing with your WeChat account – you can choose either the blue button on the left 日式保洁 Rì shì bǎojié for “Japanese-style cleaning” which really means deep cleaning, or the orange button on the right 做饭保姆 Zuò fàn bǎomǔ for “Cooking, watching kids, and cleaning” or what I call the all-in-one. The difference is a mere RMB 30 / session, so it makes sense to choose the latter if you’ve got kids and might want the ayi to get involved with childcare, or if you’ll also like ayi to cook you a meal.

If you chose the “Japanese-style cleaning” option on the left, on the next page click the second tab from the left. This lets you book an ayi for a single visit. Then click the button with the price on it to book your time slot.

Click the Buy Now button in the bottom right of the next page and click through the options until you get to the final page, where you’ll have to add your address (if you hadn’t already) and choose the date and time. At the time of writing, the next earliest appointment was two days away, so I would recommend planning a few days in advance.

For the all-in-one option, choose the single visit option that appears in the middle of the page with the price RMB 259. You’ll have to choose your time slot before you can click through to the payment page, where you’ll get to choose your date. This option was fully booked for the remainder of the month at the time of writing, which proves just how popular this service is.

To find out how reliable the service was, I tested the app by hiring an ayi for an afternoon of cleaning and cooking. The day before, an SMS was sent for verification. If you wish to cancel, you can do so up to two hours before the appointment. The ayi was slightly late and gave me notice that she would be, so that was acceptable. She also brought a uniform to change into.

I gave her instructions to deep clean the kitchen, which she performed to a T. However, she wasn’t quite as meticulous as I wanted when it came to washing the humidifiers around the house. Later, I asked for her help with cooking dinner – roasted salmon with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. She politely offered advice on the best way to prepare the vegetables and potatoes, and also followed directions to cut and cook well. However, her cooking advice didn’t really pan out, but that’s not surprising as we tend to be rather picky with our meals.

So would I use the service again? Yes, I would, though I wouldn’t want the same person who came the first time. I’m still not ready to commit to a full-time ayi, but will use the app every week or so to help with the chores (I especially hate washing the humidifiers). And if I happen to find “The One” on the way, then hurrah for me!

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Images: Vivienne Tseng-Rush