Man spends ₹37 lakh on a bride he never met: Days after wedding, wife starts pulling out one surprise after another

A 32-year-old Chinese man married a woman he had never met in person. The entire courtship consisted of a single five-minute video call. They married just three days after being introduced, the South China Morning Post reported.

For many Indians, this may sound like an arranged-marriage setup suited for special occasions. Such formalities are in practice for those who cannot come for a physical visit. However, there’s a twist here. Nine days later, the Chinese man deeply regretted the decision.

Gu, from Zhejiang province, blamed intense parental pressure for his rushed choice. He registered with a local matchmaking centre for 200 yuan (less than ₹3,000).

Three local women rejected him. The matchmaker then suggested women from other provinces. A 30-year-old woman from Shaanxi was introduced in April.

Her profile stated she had no debts, no criminal record and no serious illness. She had agreed to a flash marriage. During their brief video call, Gu asked about her job and family. The matchmaker answered most of the questions himself.

Gu’s family agreed to proceed without meeting her in person. They spent 265,000 yuan ( ₹37 lakh) in total. This included a 100,000-yuan ( ₹14 lakh) bride price and a 160,000-yuan (over ₹22 lakh) matchmaking fee. The matchmaker escorted the woman to Gu’s city, according to SCMP.

After marriage registration, the promised credit and medical reports never arrived. Gu took his new wife to a bank himself to check her credit history. He discovered she carried 100,000 yuan in debt. She claimed the debts belonged to a former boyfriend.

Further problems emerged quickly. The name on her mobile payment app did not match the name he knew. She then disclosed a liver enzyme condition and told him she needed to lose weight. She insisted neither issue affected her fertility.

Nine days after the wedding, Gu demanded a divorce. His wife initially agreed, then changed her mind entirely. She sued him for divorce instead. She claimed his demand had caused her to develop depression and provided a medical diagnosis.

She then sought 50,000 yuan ( ₹7 lakh) in compensation. She also accused him of demanding she wear make-up, do chores and find a job.

Gu separately sued the matchmaking centre for a refund of the 160,000-yuan fee. The centre refused. They argued that, since he had married the woman they introduced, their obligation was fulfilled. They suggested the couple had staged a fake divorce purely to recover the money.

Social Media Reaction

The story went viral and sparked widespread debate online. Reactions ranged from amusement to sharp criticism.

“If you treat marriage like a game, marriage will teach you a lesson,” SCMP quoted a social media user as saying.

According to another user, some people enter marriage after knowing each other for just days. A third called the situation more absurd than the plot of a television drama.