Chinese woman goes viral for exposing husband’s affair online, court orders her to apologise

Chinese woman ordered to apologise after exposing husband’s affair. (AI-generated image)

A social media post has landed a Chinese woman in court after exposing her husband’s long-term affair. Her story quickly went viral, making her an internet sensation.

As reported by the South China Morning Post, Niu Na, from China’s Henan province, said online that she had been married to Gao Fei for more than ten years and that they have a daughter. She claimed she later found out that Gao, a team leader at a local coal mining company, had been having an affair for five years with a married colleague identified as Han.

According to Niu, during the affair, Gao used their shared household money to buy the other woman gold, cosmetics and clothes. Feeling betrayed, she posted about the affair on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok. She named the workplaces of both Gao and Han and used harsh words to describe her husband. She also shared a sarcastic short story mocking his affair.

Soon after her posts gained attention, Gao filed a defamation lawsuit against her. The court ruled in his favour, stating that personal moral failings could not justify infringing on another person’s lawful rights. Reportedly, under Chinese civil law, defamation carries civil responsibility, which may include a public apology, cessation of harmful behaviour, and financial compensation.

As part of the ruling, Niu was ordered to post a public apology on Douyin for 15 consecutive days, with each video approved by the court before posting. Since January 12, she has been uploading daily apology videos.

In one video, she said, “I was overwhelmed by anger and made the wrong decision to insult you. I am sorry.” She added, “You and your mistress are clearly in true love. Even with your serious moral flaws, your personal rights and reputation deserve respect.”

Despite the court’s order, Niu’s apology videos have been marked by irony. She continues to share further details of the affair, including chat records, money transfers, and photos of injuries Gao allegedly received after being beaten by his mistress’s husband.

In another video, she said, “I shouldn’t have mocked you and called you ‘pig’. You were beaten to protect her. You are a good leader and lover.”

The videos quickly went viral, gaining millions of likes and helping Niu attract more than 350,000 followers within days. Following her viral success, Niu began selling some of the items featured in her videos, such as clothes, hair clips, and cosmetics. She has also hosted live streams promoting her hometown.

It remains unclear whether Niu and Gao are officially divorced, although reports indicate they are living separately. Niu has said that the betrayal took a serious toll on her health. Thanking her supporters, she said, “Your support and love give me the strength to keep moving forward.”