The Chinese will gossip about foreigners. Let's face it, they've nothing else to do, and we are special here, because of being outnumbered greatly by them in the society.
Personally, I don't give a damn what they say about me. I'm only here for the pay. I move on from contract to contract every academic year. It's like having a long everlasting holiday while making money at the same time.
I've found it very difficult to make close friends with Chinese people I work with, as there's always an element of mistrust from the Chinese side. So, I don't try to do so.
I find the Chinese extremely curious, annoyingly so. For example, whenever I return to the school from the shops laden with groceries, they peer into my shopping bag to see what I've bought, and then mutter what it is to one another in Chinese! They are also very eager to know what brand of cigarettes I smoke. Whatever makes 'em happy, poor souls that they are! Their lives are very boring indeed! I think male FT's are in the main thick-skinned, and can tolerate that kind of crap, though, as you say, it can become rather tiresome at times. But just think how much worse it must be for female FT's and black FT's, who will undoubtedly arouse much more interest amongst the locals than white male FT's!
Finally, as I care nothing what they think of me, I speak with girls at length if that's what the latter wish to do. That's not against the law here! No doubt, the onlookers will say very unkind words about the girls - I know what they're capable of, and the thicker they are, the more slander they'll talk! As I know practically no Chinese, I'm unaware of it, a good thing really!