虎嗅

Sun Ge, isn't this just a case of "refunding the money only"?

原文:孙哥这不就是“仅退款”吗?

Summary of the Core Content

This article discusses the romantic dispute between a wealthy man named "Brother Sun" and a female celebrity. Their relationship was initially based on a mutual exchange of benefits—Brother Sun provided financial support, while the celebrity offered companionship. However, the deal fell apart when it came to the topic of having a child together. In an attempt to get back the money he had spent, Brother Sun wrote an essay, portraying himself as a "deeply in love but deceived party" and claiming that the expenses were actually "bridal gifts" (which could potentially be reclaimed legally). The celebrity, on her part, also asserted her belief in love, with both using the notion of love as a cover for the underlying power struggle. The article also reveals Brother Sun's past frugal habits, contrasting them with his current image of a "deeply affectionate man," suggesting that his true intention is to maintain a good public image for future romantic relationships or even to gain access to influential circles.

1. The Core Dispute: The Farce of "Only Getting a Refund" After a Deal Based on Mutual Exchange

The relationship between Brother Sun and the celebrity was essentially a transaction of resources. Brother Sun, as the wealthy party, used his money to exchange for her companionship—such as dining out, traveling to islands, and getting her nails done, while she exchanged her time and attention for money. When it came to the possibility of having a child, either the celebrity demanded more money or Brother Sun failed to meet the agreed-upon financial requirements, leading to the breakdown of the deal. At this point, Brother Sun decided to get back all the money he had spent, presenting it as "bridal gifts" since these could potentially be returned according to legal provisions. This approach was more likely to succeed in court than simply claiming the cost of their relationship, similar to requesting a refund for an unsatisfactory online purchase, where all previous services are disregarded and only the money is sought after, which seems rather ungracious.

2. Brother Sun's "Narrative Magic": The Transformation from a Thrifty Man to a "Deeply Affectionate Deceived Party"

Brother Sun's past frugal behavior had labeled him as stingy—for example, he would always try to get the largest portion of the coconut chicken, fearing to miss out on even a small bite, and he would tell different lies to different girlfriends (claiming to be a vegetarian who only ate salads, yet stealing the chicken). Such behavior made it difficult for him to find a romantic partner, especially one of high quality, as no one wants to be in a relationship with someone who is so eager to save every penny. To change this perception, he wrote an essay that portrayed him as a "deeply in love but deceived man" who had been cheated after spending 30 million yuan on "bridal gifts." This essay served as a form of "image repair" propaganda, using his supposed deep feelings to hide his frugality and to prepare him for future relationships, possibly with influential individuals like Gu Ailing.

3. The Contradiction Between Public Image and True Nature

Brother Sun's frugality was not an isolated incident. In the coconut chicken incident, he tried to take every last bit of the food; in the salad incident, he lied to his girlfriend by claiming to be a vegetarian to save money or to fit a certain image. These details reveal that he is fundamentally a person who is very meticulous with money, which contradicts the image of someone who spends money lavishly as depicted in his essay. His attempt to get back the money this time is just a continuation of his habitual frugality—every penny he spent was carefully recorded, and once the relationship ended, he wanted to get it all back, using the guise of "bridal gifts" as a cover for his true intentions of not wanting to lose out.

4. The "Love Scripts" of Both Parties: A Common Choice After the Failure of Their Interests

After reading Brother Sun's essay, the celebrity also posted on Weibo, saying that she had always believed in love. However, this was not about genuine feelings but about both parties trying to protect their public images:

  • Brother Sun needed the image of a "deeply affectionate man" to cover up his frugality and facilitate future social interactions.
  • The celebrity needed the image of someone who believes in love to avoid being labeled as a gold digger and to preserve her reputation and commercial value.

Both parties were aware that their relationship was based on mutual benefit, but after it ended, they used the notion of love as a cover to satisfy both public expectations and save face.

5. The True Nature of Wealthy People's Romances: "Resource Exchange" Under the Mask of Love

This incident exposes the reality of wealthy people's relationships: there is no pure love, only a exchange of resources. Brother Sun wanted the celebrity's beauty and companionship, as well as the potential to use her connections to gain power or influence (such as through Gu Ailing). The celebrity, for her part, sought Brother Sun's money and resources. Once the balance of this exchange was disrupted (like with the issue of having a child), they fell apart, but neither of them directly admitted to being motivated by profit. Instead, they used terms like "love" and "deception" to hide their true intentions, as discussing money directly would have been seen as unsophisticated.

In summary, this is a public relations battle that arises from a breakdown in a relationship based on mutual interests, with both parties putting on a show for the benefit of the audience, who might be the only one to believe their fabricated stories.