Long-distance marriage arranged through matchmaking agency goes wrong fast; wife's debt discovered three days after registration

A mass wedding ceremony held at a subway station in Zhengzhou, China. This image is not directly related to the article. [Xinhua]
A mass wedding ceremony held at a subway station in Zhengzhou, China. This image is not directly related to the article. [Xinhua]

A man in China married a woman he had spoken with for just five minutes over a video call — only to demand a divorce nine days later and ultimately find himself entangled in a lawsuit.

Gu, a 32-year-old man from Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, met a 30-year-old woman from Shaanxi Province through a local matchmaking agency. After a single five-minute video call, the two married within three days, the South China Morning Post reported June 19. Gu began having regrets just nine days into the marriage.

According to the report, Gu paid a 200-yuan (about $30) registration fee and was initially introduced to three women from his home province of Zhejiang. None showed any interest in him, so the matchmaker recommended a woman from another region and promised the marriage could be arranged within two days.

Gu and his parents accepted the agency's proposal.

He was then introduced to the 30-year-old woman from northwestern Shaanxi Province in April. Her online profile stated she had no debts, no criminal record and no serious illness. She had also agreed to a "fast marriage" and a "long-distance marriage."

The two confirmed their interest in each other through a five-minute video call alone. The woman said she worked in sales, though the matchmaker answered most of the questions on her behalf. The agency promised to send her credit report and medical examination results before the wedding.

Gu's side paid a total of 265,000 yuan (about $36,700) to the bride's family and the agency, including 100,000 yuan as a betrothal gift and 160,000 yuan in matchmaking fees. He also asked the agency to bring the bride to Huzhou.

Throughout this process, Gu's family never met the bride in person.

Three days after the marriage was registered, however, the agency had still not provided the promised credit check or premarital health examination records.

Gu went to a bank himself to check his wife's credit and discovered she carried 100,000 yuan (about $13,800) in debt. The bride claimed the debt belonged to a former boyfriend and had nothing to do with her.

Gu also found that the name on his wife's mobile payment app did not match the name he knew her by. The following day, she told him her liver enzyme levels were elevated but said it would not affect her ability to conceive.

Nine days into the marriage, Gu concluded he had rushed into it and demanded a divorce. The woman responded by submitting a medical certificate saying his divorce demand had caused her depression, and she sought 50,000 yuan (about $6,900) in compensation.

Gu then filed a lawsuit against the matchmaking agency seeking a refund of its fees. The agency refused, saying the marriage had been successfully arranged and no refund was owed. It also raised allegations that the couple had staged a sham divorce.

Chinese internet users reacted with a mix of disbelief and dry humor. "This is more absurd than a drama series plot," one wrote. Others said, "If you treat marriage like a game, married life will teach you a lesson," and "Marriage is one of the most important decisions in a person's life."

China Pick
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jshan@heraldcorp.com