China wife exposes husband’s US$1.5 million insurance-buying affair involving 180 hotel stays

A Chinese man’s seven-year affair with an insurance agent has ignited a legal dispute, revealing dramatic details uncovered by his wife.Guo, from Liuzhou in Guangxi province, southern China, is married to Zhen, with whom he shares a two-year-old daughter, according to Hongxing News.In 2017, Zhen discovered flirtatious messages exchanged between her husband and Li, an insurance agent eight years his junior. These texts included “I miss you” and multiple transfers of 520 yuan (US$77), a figure widely associated with “I love you” in Chinese due to its phonetic similarity.Years later, while hospitalised in 2024, Zhen discovered that Guo had bought medical insurance policies for her and their daughter. This revelation raised suspicions that Guo and Li had continued their relationship.Zhen later calculated that Guo had transferred over 3 million yuan (US$447,000) to Li over the course of the seven years.Insurance records indicated that he had acquired more than 50 policies through Li, paying over 10 million yuan (US$1.5 million) in premiums. During this period, Li was promoted to manager in her insurance firm.During the lawsuit, it was revealed that the husband had acquired more than 50 policies through Li, with premiums exceeding 10 million yuan (US$1.5 million). Photo: ShutterstockZhen subsequently filed a lawsuit against Guo, Li, and the insurance company, seeking a refund of the premiums.She alleged that Guo had used marital assets for these purchases and that Li had unduly influenced them.Additionally, she demanded the return of the 3 million yuan transferred to Li and filed a separate claim against Li’s husband, arguing that he should share liability for the repayment.Li denied having an affair with Guo, stating that there is no legal prohibition against meeting in hotels for business discussions. She claimed that it was Guo who sought a refund due to an inability to afford the premiums and had joined forces with his wife to recuperate the funds.Nonetheless, a police report indicated that Guo confessed to staying in hotels with Li over 180 times. Guo also stated that he owned more than a dozen properties and faced no financial difficulties.The court determined that Guo and Li had engaged in an improper relationship and ordered Li to return about 900,000 yuan in inappropriate gifts to Zhen, along with interest. Li’s request for a retrial was subsequently denied.Li denied the affair with Guo, asserting that there is no legal restriction against meeting in hotels for business discussions. Photo: ShutterstockThe insurance company contended that Guo’s extensive purchasing history represented “rational decisions consistently reaffirmed over time” rather than purchases made under pressure or impulse.Further ReadingGuo, however, acknowledged that his relationship with Li played a significant role in his decision to acquire multiple policies.The dispute regarding the insurance contracts remains under review.The case quickly went viral on mainland social media, amassing over 100 million views on related posts.One online observer remarked: “Guo called it business with his wife, love with the agent, and an investment in himself. In the end, he gained nothing but a lawsuit.”Another commented: “Money given to an affair partner may be reclaimed, but insurance is a different story. The purchase itself was legally valid and should not simply be cancelled.”A third added: “According to Li’s perspective, she may have viewed the affair less as romance and more as a business opportunity.”