A court in China has granted the divorce application of a woman who survived after being pushed off a cliff in Thailand by her husband six years ago, sparking massive cheers on social media.
Wang Nan, 38, better known online as Wang Nuannuan, suffered severe injuries after Yu Xiaodong pushed her off a 34-metre-high cliff while they were on holiday in a national park in Thailand in June 2019.
She was pregnant for three months at the time and thus lost her unborn child in the autumn.
Yu, who attempted to kill Wang so he could inherit her substantial assets to settle his gambling debts, was sentenced to 33 years and four months in prison by a Thai court last year after a third hearing of the case.
In September 2023, Wang submitted a divorce application to the Qinhuai District People’s Court in Nanjing, in eastern China’s Jiangsu province.
She stated that she endured numerous difficulties in this case, primarily because Yu is incarcerated in Thailand.
The case was heard at the end of September, with Yu attending the hearing through a social media app.
The court made a verdict on October 10 to grant Wang’s divorce application, according to the Beijing News.
Additionally, Yu was ordered to pay Wang half a million yuan (US$70,000) as compensation, the court stated.
“What a perfect day! My appeal is supported by the court,” Wang said on social media.
“I was so excited that I did not sleep well last night. The hardships I endured in the past years are still vivid in my mind,” she posted the next day.
The verdict triggered an outpouring of congratulations for Wang on mainland social media after being viewed nearly 60 million times.
“What good news! Congratulations! You have been waiting for this for a long time,” one online observer said.
“It is not easy to achieve this. All girls are happy for you,” commented another person.
Wang and Yu met in May 2017 and got married two months later.
Wang said she had been trapped in a legal battle with Yu over the past few years as their then valid marriage relationship caused her much trouble.
For example, Yu’s mother often visited her homes in Thailand and Jiangsu province, taking away valuable items. However, Wang could not accuse her of theft because she was still her mother-in-law.
Last year, Yu demanded 30 million yuan (US$4 million) for divorce compensation for his “emotional and youth loss”.
The Nanjing court is yet to release arrangements for their common assets.
“How to split the income Wang has earned from social media since she was pushed off the cliff will be a significant challenge,” Zhang Jing, a lawyer from Beijing Lianggao Law Firm, told the media.
Wang has 5.45 million followers on a leading mainland social media app.
During a live-streaming session on October 12, Wang stated that she plans to sue Yu for stealing her money during their marriage.
Wang gave birth to a son in September last year. She revealed that she conceived her baby through in vitro fertilisation (IVF) at an overseas clinic. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
