I don't think it's a wind-up - I'm a silver fox just like him, so I can understand the way his mind works.

Don't forget the bloke has no bachelor's degree nor any teaching experience. And Sichuan salaries tend to be on the low side. The better money there is mostly on offer at language mills, and he admits to being lazy and impatient with kids. He won't go for that kind of work.
He'll be okay teaching in the boondocks at a state school. Even if he's not a good teacher, he'll be allowed to finish his contract if he avoids confrontation and keeps his head down. Besides, his employer couldn't get many applicants for a vacancy there into the new term, even if the salary was around 5,000 a month.
As for doing special things with local females, he'll be okay there if he makes his presence obvious by walking around the shopping areas regularly in his spare time, especially late in the evenings. In spite of being middle-aged, he'll be sure to attract younger women by doing so, sooner if not later. He says he's not fussy about a woman's looks. That's good, as he wouldn't be able to afford a stunning beauty in any case. Surely, he'll be able to establish a lasting relationship with a local woman. But that said, maybe it wouldn't be a good thing for him to do that, as he has admitted to having had two marriages in his homeland fall apart due to his infidelity. So, one-night stands or short-term relationships would appear to be his safest options - satisfying and uncomplicated.