A paralysed woman in China who fell in love and married a “doctor” she met during rehabilitation has been left distraught after he disappeared with a loan of more than three million yuan (US$420,000).
Li Shangxuan, 31, from Hebei province in northern China, shares her life as a single mother with 220,000 followers on a popular short video platform.
Li’s family was once well-off, with her parents working in business.
Paralysed from the waist down in a 2013 car accident, she has used a wheelchair ever since.
During her rehabilitation, Li met a man, surnamed Ding, on social media who claimed to be a surgeon.
Ding said he had studied medicine and once interned at a hospital.
He pursued her intensely, and they quickly fell in love.
Li became pregnant, and Ding promised her access to better medical care, saying he had left the hospital to start a business.
Li and her parents believed he was dependable and caring.
“When he proposed, he made me feel special. I thought my life was finally turning around,” said Li.
Two months into their marriage, Ding was detained by the police over an alleged rape but secured his release after borrowing money from Li.
During her late pregnancy, he kept asking her for money, claiming it was for his business. When she refused, he would kick her out of the house.
Li said he pressured her into taking out a three-million-yuan loan and often pushed and insulted her while she was pregnant.
They divorced the day after the baby was born, and Ding gave up custody.
“I realised my child and I were just pawns to him,” said Li.
Soon after, Ding left and cut off all contact.
Li has raised their son alone, saying the boy has never met his father or felt any fatherly love.
Later, she discovered Ding had been dismissed from his hospital internship for sexual harassment and settled the matter with money.
“He never had a medical licence and did not even graduate from university,” added Li.
She also revealed his business was fake and that he was more than three million yuan in debt.
On May 22, Li went public with her story on social media, hoping to pressure her ex-husband to come forward.
She also urged other women with similar experiences to speak out.
“There is no such thing as a perfect person. Be cautious of pretence in relationships,” she said.
“If you have been through something like this, do not be afraid. Stand up for yourself and your child.”
Li can stand now but is unable to walk and still relies on a wheelchair.
She supports her son by live-streaming and selling food and household items.
In a recent video, she said that her lawsuit against Ding over the loan is set for trial in June.
Fu Jian, a lawyer from Henan Zejin Law Firm, told the Xiaoxiang Morning Post that if Ding lied about the purpose of the loan, Li could file fraud charges and demand full repayment with interest.
Fu suggested that Li also pursue legal action against Ding for domestic violence and abandonment.
Li’s story has gone viral on mainland social media, with related posts achieving more than 35 million views. - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
