Chinese husband splits expenses, installs cameras to monitor wife during 40-year marriage

In China, divorce is not simple; couples must first endure a 30-day cooling-off period after applying for mutual consent

A husband in southeastern China has insisted on going Dutch with his wife for 40 years and even installed home surveillance cameras to monitor her; despite this, the wife wants to give their marriage another try.

The couple from Fujian province sought assistance from a local mediation TV show as their conflicts escalated.

The husband, identified by the surname Li, complained that his wife, surnamed Chen, had vandalised their home, writing curse words on the walls and even damaging the door with an axe.

He stated that her behaviour had depleted all his trust in her, prompting him to invest several thousand yuan in surveillance cameras to keep an eye on her.

Chen, on the other hand, argued that her unreasonable actions stemmed from Li’s emotional distance, which drove her to madness.

Last year, after suffering a stroke, she was hospitalised. Upon her discharge, her doctor recommended a restricted diet. Consequently, Li suggested they prepare meals separately.