‘Too clingy’: wife in China files for divorce over needy mother-in-law’s ‘abnormal’ relationship with husband
- Wife rages over daily video calls from mother-in-law
- Story attracts 7.53 million views on Weibo with many saying mother-son relationship harmful to the marriage
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The story of a woman who wanted to divorce her husband because she could not stand her “clingy” mother-in-law has trended on mainland social media.
Using the assumed name, Wang Fang, the woman from Zhejiang province in eastern China, made the move in a bid to escape an abnormal relationship between her husband, Li Gang, and her over-protective mother-in-law.
Her attempt was stymied after the local civil affairs bureau smoothed things out between her and her husband, Guan Tianxia News reported.
It is not clear when Wang proposed the divorce, but Li agreed to it and it was only last month when the papers were filed that the truth behind the move was revealed.
The problem arose when Li’s mother moved in with the couple to look after their child.
Wang soon discovered that the mother-in-law often turned to her husband for comfort and care, making Wang feel uncomfortable and confused.
Wang thought that the inappropriate intimacy between them would come to an end once the mother-in-law moved away and she was relieved when the old woman moved out to live in another city.
However, her relief was misplaced.
Wang said her mother-in-law could not go a single day without making online video calls with Li, whatever the time and place.
“She is too clingy. Sometimes she calls when we are dining out, or just going to bed,” Wang said.
The intimacy sent Wang into a jealous rage, and when she tried to talk to her husband about the situation, he simply disagreed that there was a problem.
Li said that his father died when he was young and he was brought up by his mother, so he felt a responsibility to look after her.
“She calls us when she misses us, so there is not a serious issue,” Li told his wife.
The arguments escalated and the couple agreed to part.
But following the intervention of the local civil affairs bureau, the couple decided to give things another chance.
At the time of writing, the story had attracted 7.53 million views and 4,986 comments on Weibo, with many people saying that the mother-son relationship was harmful to the marriage.
One person asked: “Why doesn’t the mother-in-law change and set Wang free.”
“It’s really suffocating to live in such a family. The wife is more like a lover,” said another.
Stories about family disputes often make headlines in China.
Two months ago, a mother-in-law in southwestern China who felt her efforts were not being adequately rewarded sued her son-in-law and daughter for payment in return for looking after their child for five years.
