They say actions speak louder than words, and men certainly do have a knack for elaborate, grand gestures when professing their love to women.
In this case, when a man surnamed Zhang forgot about May 20 (one of China’s numerous Valentine’s Days) in 2019, he compensated by gifting his girlfriend with almost USD100,000 worth of ocean real estate.
In WeChat screenshots posted by Qilu Evening News, the girlfriend complained about not receiving gifts after the unofficial holiday. She joked, “next holiday I want the stars in the sky and the Earth’s great sea."
Image via Qilu Evening News
To her surprise, Zhang successfully bid on 210 hectares of ocean near Cheniushan Island for the small fee of RMB682,662. To give you an idea, one hectare is roughly the size of an international rugby field.
So, what’s the benefit of owning this slice of ocean off the coast of Shandong province? As detailed in the sea area evaluation, the patch of water is reportedly home to a large production of scallops, abalone and sea cucumber.
Image via Qilu Evening News
Some wondered if buying a part of the ocean is legal as Chinese law states: “Sea areas are owned by the State… no entity or individual may seize, buy or sell the sea areas or illegally transfer them in other ways.” However, on Sina Finance, lawyers weighed in on the argument, stating that: “the State protects the right to use sea areas when obtained in accordance with the law,” making this auction legal.
One Weibo user poked fun, asking if the girlfriend will now become a fisherman. Another questioned the practicality of the gift as it cannot be ‘used’ like a house, as the plot of sea is intended for fishing.
This grand gesture certainly isn’t the first, and probably won’t be the last case of a lovelorn fella going to great lengths to try to impress a special lady. In the past, a Guangzhou student arranged 999 pomelos, each with a handwritten note, to try to woo a fellow classmate. How sweet!
READ MORE: Woman Rejects Lamborghini Proposal in China
This article was originally published in 2019 and has been updated and republished in 2021.
[Cover image via Pexels]
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