From a 5-minute video call to a ₹36 lakh wedding: This Groom now seeks divorce after just 9 days

A Chinese man who married a woman after speaking to her for just five minutes on a video call is now seeking a divorce, saying he regrets making such a life-changing decision without properly knowing his partner, according to a report by the South China Morning Post. 

The 32-year-old man, identified by his surname Gu, said pressure from his parents influenced his decision to marry quickly. What started as a search for a life partner through a matchmaking service has since turned into a dispute involving marriage, money and trust.

Matchmaking service promised a quick marriage

Gu, who is from Zhejiang province in eastern China and is an only child, paid 200 yuan (around ₹2,700) to register with a local matchmaking centre.

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The agency initially introduced him to three women from his area, but none of the matches worked out. It later suggested women from other provinces and told Gu's family that a marriage could happen within two days.

Wanting to help him settle down, his family agreed to continue with the process.

A five-minute conversation before marriage

In April, Gu was introduced to a 30-year-old woman from Shaanxi province in northwestern China.

The profile provided by the matchmaking centre stated that she had no debts, no criminal record and no serious illnesses or genetic diseases. It also said she was willing to have a "flash marriage and marrying far away".

Despite the significance of the decision, the pair spoke only once before getting married — during a five-minute video call.

Gu asked about her job and family background during the conversation. She said she worked as a salesperson, while the matchmaker answered most of the questions.

The agency also promised to provide her credit history report and premarital medical examination report before the wedding.

Trusting the information provided, Gu and his family agreed to proceed with the marriage, even though they had never met the woman in person.

Family spent nearly ₹37 lakh on the marriage

Gu's family spent 265,000 yuan (around ₹36.8 lakh) in total.

The amount included a 100,000-yuan bride price (around ₹13.9 lakh) and a 160,000-yuan matchmaking fee (around ₹22.2 lakh). The family also paid for the matchmaker to accompany the woman from Shaanxi to Zhejiang.

Just three days after their first video call, the couple registered their marriage.

At that stage, Gu's family had still not met the woman's parents.

Concerns emerged after the wedding

Problems began to surface soon after the marriage.

The documents promised by the matchmaking centre were never provided. Gu later took his wife to a bank to check her credit report and discovered that she had around 100,000 yuan (around ₹13.9 lakh) in debt.

The woman reportedly told him that the debt belonged to her former boyfriend and had nothing to do with her.

Gu also became concerned after noticing that the name linked to her mobile payment account, which requires real-name verification, was different from the name he knew.

The following day, she informed him that she had high liver enzyme levels and needed to lose weight. She reportedly said the condition would not affect her fertility.

Divorce request leads to legal dispute

Just nine days after registering the marriage, Gu decided he wanted a divorce.

He said he regretted making such a major decision without properly knowing his partner.

Although the woman initially agreed to the divorce, she later changed her mind and filed a case against him.

She claimed that his request for divorce had affected her mental health and submitted a diagnosis of depression. She also sought 50,000 yuan (around ₹6.9 lakh) in compensation.

The woman further alleged that Gu expected her to wear make-up, do household work and find a job after marriage.

Refund battle with matchmaking agency

Gu has also filed a complaint against the matchmaking centre, demanding a refund of the 160,000-yuan fee (around ₹22.2 lakh) he paid.

The agency has refused to return the money, arguing that it fulfilled its obligation by introducing a partner and that the couple legally married.

The matchmaker also suggested that the pair may have planned a fake divorce in an attempt to recover the payment.