or as a Chinese saying puts it: “A married daughter is like water splashed away.”

Oh, thanks NYT, that translation really clarifies a lot. \s

A recent survey by China Youth Daily, a state-run newspaper, found that nearly 94 percent of respondents approved of single women buying property, with two-thirds saying it signaled a desire for gender equality.

They're defying gender norms by doing things which are overwhelmingly supported by the vast majority of the population. They aren't even trying on this one, probably because the author doesn't own a home.