A woman in eastern China has gone viral after sharing her frustration online about her daughter-in-law’s approach to money — even during a life-or-death situation.
The woman, surnamed Zhou from Jiangsu province, posted in April about a family dispute that reignited debate on mainland social media over “going Dutch” in marriage. Zhou said her son and daughter-in-law have been married for 18 years and have always split expenses evenly, a practice she had supported — until earlier this year when her son suffered a heart attack and was hospitalised.
During surgery, the daughter-in-law tried to pay the medical bill using her husband’s bank card, but there wasn’t enough money in the account. She covered the cost herself, then sent Zhou a message: “There is not enough balance on his card. I have paid for him. Please remind him to reimburse me as quickly as possible.”
Zhou said she was stunned and deeply disappointed. “At such a critical moment, is it really necessary to stick to such a calculating lifestyle?” she wrote. She added that marriage should be about facing hardships together, not operating like a business transaction.
The post quickly gained traction, sparking heated debate. On August 1, the hashtag “Do you accept husband and wife splitting bills?” had been viewed over 5 million times. Some netizens argued that such arrangements show a lack of trust and love, predicting higher chances of divorce. Others defended the practice, saying couples should be free to manage finances however they agree, as long as both contribute fairly.
The incident has added fuel to an ongoing discussion in China as more couples adopt “split the bill” lifestyles — even in matters of health and family emergencies.
