When Shanghai resident Yu Hong (not her real name) filed for divorce from her husband of 20 years, she was shocked to discover he had 100 million yuan-worth (about R273 million) of assets he had hidden from her.
According to the South China Morning Post, during the couple’s marriage, Hong worked as a full-time housewife while her husband ran a successful business, including owning 18 commercial properties.
Initially, the court rejected her divorce request based on the grounds that their marriage had failed.
And that’s when she discovered her ex-husband’s hidden assets.
As part of the divorce application, the court investigated the couple’s assets and finances.
Hong found out her ex had concealed his assets from her for two decades. And not just that … Her ex had “gifted” the 18 properties he owned to his daughter from a previous marriage, the publication reported.
In his defence, he argued that his ex-wife had nothing to do with his wealth, stating “I built my wealth. She is just a housewife who didn’t work.”
Their story made headlines in China, prompting many to take to social media platforms and comment.
“The woman was just a free nanny, not a full-time housewife,” said an online user, while another wrote: “Truth proves to be stranger than fiction.”
Thankfully, the court ruled in Hong’s favour and found that she had a legal right to her share of the assets.
The court also demanded her ex-husband’s daughter to return the properties gifted to her.
According to Statistica, China’s divorce rates soared from around 0.96 divorces per 1 000 people in the year 2000, to 3.36 divorces in 2019.
To stem the tide on the increased rate, the ruling Communist Party introduced a rule by forcing couples to undergo a 30-day “cooling off” period before finalising a divorce, the New York Times reported.
But it appeared to have backfired. The country is now struggling with low marriage and birth rates.
The number of marriage registrations plunged to a 36-year low in 2021, the New York Times added.