Public outrage as Chinese man takes part in matchmaking event while wife goes to toilet

A Chinese man who joined a matchmaking event while his wife had briefly gone to the bathroom, then claimed he was single, has sparked outrage online.On April 1, during “Auntie Wang’s Matchmaking” event in Bengbu, Anhui province, central China, a man who claimed to be single went on stage to find a partner was exposed on the spot.The event, which originally took place in Kaifeng, Henan province, also in central China, has attracted much attention on mainland social media.The 51-year-old man on stage with the host of the matchmaking event. Photo: WeiboThose taking part are invited on stage to share their preferences for a partner, while audience who meet the criteria can step forward.The famous host, known as “Auntie Wang,” is 63-year-old Zhao Mei, who brings a playful and humorous touch to the matchmaking process.According to videos circulating online, the man stated that he was 51 years old, had divorced in 2012, and had a son and daughter.He also said that he had come specifically for a woman on stage.“I am just an ordinary working man. I used to be successful in Shanghai and I still am,” he said.The man’s wife, left, confronted her husband, right, when she returned from the bathroom. Photo: WeiboSoon after, another woman expressed interest in him and also went on stage, and the man responded that he wanted to get to know both women at the same time.“You came up here for this woman, and she came up here for you. This is turning into a love triangle,” Auntie Wang remarked.However, the situation took a dramatic turn when a woman from the audience appeared, claiming to be his wife.The wife, foreground right, slaps her husband before calling the police. Photo: WeiboThe man responded: “I do not want her. I am not married to her.”Further ReadingThis prompted Auntie Wang to angrily declare: “I have said only single people can come on stage. Your wife just went to the bathroom and you rushed up here. You really cannot sit still for even a moment.”On April 2, a witness told Guizhou Radio TV Station that when the wife returned from the bathroom and saw her husband on stage, a physical altercation broke out and she called the police.“This man is unbelievable. When his wife came back and saw what was happening, she called the police and said, ‘He has a wife, and I am his wife.’ In the end, she even scratched his face,” the witness said.It has been reported that people who take part in such events are typically required to sign a single status declaration before going on stage.Public matchmaking events like the one above are very popular in China. Photo: Shutterstock“In fact, we require everyone to sign a personal declaration of single status, including their identification number and name. Participants must be over 18 and unmarried. Only then can they go on stage to interact,” Auntie Wang said previously.Netizens reacted with disbelief on mainland social media.One person said: “Even scriptwriters would not dare write a plot like this.”Another said: “I thought I was watching some absurd short drama, but it turns out reality is even more dramatic.”While a third said: “The most unfortunate person is probably the woman on stage. She was just looking for a reliable partner and almost became an accidental third party in someone else’s marriage.”