Chinese delivery driver divorces American teacher he married 4 months after love confession

A food delivery driver from northeastern China, whose whirlwind marriage to an American teacher captivated social media, has announced their divorce.

Liu Hao, 28, from Liaoning province, met Hannah Harris, 31, an English teacher from Alabama, in November 2024 after delivering food to her flat.

Charmed by Liu, who greeted her in the lift with the simple English phrase “Hello, I love you,” Harris soon bonded with him over their shared love of food, sport and pets.

The relationship progressed rapidly. Liu proposed at an underground station in January last year, and the couple married two months later.

Their union drew widespread praise on Chinese social media, particularly because Harris set aside traditional marriage customs and asked for neither a flat, a car nor a bride price.

At the time, Liu said publicly: “Even though we don’t speak each other’s language, our hearts are closer than ever.”

However, cracks began to emerge soon after the couple moved to Hangzhou, an eastern technology hub, in September last year. They had relocated in the hope of escaping the freezing northern winters.

In their new surroundings, the language barrier proved difficult to overcome. Despite relying heavily on translation apps, the pair struggled to express deeper feelings and resolve everyday misunderstandings.

Lifestyle differences added to the strain. Liu favoured northeastern Chinese dishes, while Harris preferred pizza and sweets.

Harris, who had lived in China for two years, also grew increasingly isolated. Exhausted by eight- to nine-hour workdays, unable to easily access familiar American social media platforms and without a local circle of friends, she experienced severe homesickness.

On October 23, Liu posted a video confirming that the couple had mutually agreed to separate and planned to complete their divorce paperwork in Liaoning.

Liu said the split was due to “irreconcilable cultural differences,” adding that there had been no infidelity or financial disputes and that the couple had no children.

He also rejected claims that he had married for online fame or a US green card. With only a primary school education, he said, he had not even known what a green card was when they married.

“I used to believe that having love was enough,” Liu added. “I never expected that, in the end, it still could not withstand reality.”

Harris remains in Hangzhou and plans to return to the US next summer. She declined to comment further, according to Jimu News.

Liu has since returned to Liaoning to pursue live-streaming and promote local agricultural products.

One online user commented: “It turns out fairy tales are just illusions. Love can’t rely solely on impulse. Cross-cultural relationships are far less simple than people imagine.”

“Saying ‘I love you’ on day one was frivolous,” another wrote. “Harris cared about emotional connection, not money, and Liu might never truly understand her.”

A third said: “Love is an experience; the outcome does not matter.”