In a disturbing incident from Songyuan in Jilin province, northeastern China, a man attempted to murder his wife of three decades because she received a discount from a local butcher.
According to a report by South China Morning Post (SCMP), the accused, surnamed Zou, attacked his wife Zhao in March, suspecting her of having an affair with the butcher.
Investigations revealed that Zou’s violent outburst stemmed from baseless jealousy. He had hidden a wooden-handled, single-edged knife in a bedside drawer in advance, before launching a brutal assault on Zhao in their living room. The attack left her with multiple stab wounds and severe internal injuries.
Forgiveness despite brutality
Despite her critical condition, Zhao chose to forgive her husband and refused a formal injury assessment. Speaking later, she said, “Zou and I have been married for more than 30 years. We have always had a good relationship and never had any serious conflicts. I do not want to pursue an injury evaluation.”
She further added, “He has always been good at earning money and hands it all over to the family. Plus, I still have my son and grandson. I do not want to take this any further. I will not apply for disability compensation either.”
{{/usCountry}}She further added, “He has always been good at earning money and hands it all over to the family. Plus, I still have my son and grandson. I do not want to take this any further. I will not apply for disability compensation either.”
{{/usCountry}}According to the SCMP report, Zhao also mentioned that she had no recollection of how many times she had been stabbed, underscoring the severity of the assault and her remarkable decision to forgive her husband.
Court verdict and sentencing
The case was heard at the Songyuan Ningjiang District People’s Court, which determined that Zou’s actions constituted intentional killing. However, the court also noted that the attack arose from a domestic dispute and that Zou had confessed after his arrest.
Taking these factors into account, the court decided to show leniency in its judgement. Zou was ultimately sentenced to ten years and six months in prison.