A friend recently returned from abroad. No sooner had he crossed the border than he sprang into action, waving a bright banner and proclaiming to all: Couples should adopt a strict split-the-bill system.
His advocacy boils down to this: Two people—a man and a woman—fall in love and marry. They live together happily, but their finances remain separate—everything is split evenly.Buying a house? Each pays half. Buying a car? Each pays half. Children's education? Each pays half. Dining out? Each pays half... In short, a clear accounting between spouses ensures neither owes nor is owed.In our stable lives, such strict splitting of expenses is absolutely unacceptable.
Marriage is not merely the natural destination of love; it is an institution formed out of necessity to clean up the mess left by our great love. Thus, marriage is both humanity's wisest and most helpless choice.
While the majority abide by the rules, many deliberately wage guerrilla warfare against the institution of marriage. Divorce, elopement, and infidelity persist around us, defying all prohibitions. Finally, a visionary has rallied support, integrating property division into the marital framework. A new ethical concept is born: Want a divorce? Be prepared to part with your money.
Talking about money seems rather vulgar, especially when juxtaposed with something as lofty and pure as love. But even if it is vulgar, think about it: marriage itself is fundamentally mundane. After all, we can't escape the necessities of daily life—the rice, oil, salt, and firewood. We are bound to live among the common people.
When a woman suggests splitting bills with her husband, we'd rather believe she's strong-willed, independent, and assertive—or at least delightfully naive. But when a man proposes going Dutch with his wife, beautiful and kind women should be wary. He might have ulterior motives, or at least be leaving himself an escape route.Truth be told, when we stop sugarcoating the world and open our eyes to see the shifting winds and changing tides, it becomes clear that relying solely on one's own strength is insufficient. The temptations we face are overwhelming, especially for men: a boss might encounter a young secretary, who might actively seek his attention; a director might feel entitled to meet privately with certain actresses, while many more actresses yearn to get close to him...The list goes on. When we acknowledge that no one is absolutely invincible, we must employ rules to safeguard our hard-earned gains.

Property regimes serve as vital tools for protecting marriages. Divorce means splitting assets equally—the wealthier one is, the less likely they are to divorce, even though theoretically, greater wealth may increase infidelity risks. This reluctance to divorce compels better self-discipline, fostering foresight and prevention.
A happily married woman once told me her happiness stemmed from two things: selfless devotion during courtship and strict management after marriage.
Some will surely oppose my view, calling me pessimistic or saying I don't believe in love. Believe in love when you should, and believe in marriage when you should—it's that simple.When two people have come together, when two hearts have merged as one, why can't their wealth be combined as well? Some might call me old-fashioned or traditional. But truthfully, marriage is inherently old-fashioned and traditional. You can choose not to marry. But once you do, why complicate things with newfangled ideas? Why dance with shackles on?
I'm married. My wife manages our household finances, and we're happy—perhaps even a bit conventionally so. Our happiness mirrors that of any other contented family, but I feel grounded. Because I know we still have a long journey ahead, from chasing each other to supporting each other.
Women, never insist on splitting bills with your husband—it's not a fun game. Men, just hand over the money to your wife. She'll arrange your future beautifully. Of course, this assumes your wife isn't anything like Mr. Chung Chun-Tao's wife.