Today, while scrolling through TikTok, I came across a conversation between a lesbian couple. One of the women referred to her boyfriend as her “sugar daddy” and asked him to support her financially. Her partner turned to netizens for advice, asking what to do about this situation—even though her family is better off than her partner’s, she still found it a bit hard to accept. After reading it, I fell silent. Whenever a woman I know treats a relationship as a tradable commodity—whether in thought or action—I feel a physical revulsion. I care deeply about whether relationships are commodified. If a relationship is a commodity, then it’s a free-market transaction open to anyone—why should it be me? You’re just treating our relationship as a negotiable commodity. Once I have more to offer, I’ll naturally have reason to trade her in for a higher-quality product with better “quality control.” What surprised me is that I’d originally assumed people would place greater value on the emotions themselves—at least in certain unconventional relationships. But seeing this, I realized that regardless of social status or group, there are people who choose to measure emotions by worldly standards. Many people do this, though few are willing to admit it. This involves difficult choices: 1. Everyone has the right to seek a partner with better material circumstances. Women often choose to pursue relationships with those who offer better conditions from the very beginning; 2. Choosing one’s ideal partner while setting aside strict material requirements, so that the two can build their careers together. No matter which path is chosen, one must face a fundamental question: Is this person someone with whom you can spend the rest of your life in genuine, sincere, and stable companionship, or are you simply settling for now while searching for something better? This puts human nature to the test, which is why it’s essential to seek out a partner with a stronger sense of commitment from the very beginning.