Two separately married parents in China who met in their children’s class chat group have abandoned their families, and eloped. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock
BEIJING (SCMP): Two married individuals in China developed a romantic relationship after meeting in their children’s class chat group, abandoned their families, and eloped.
The pair, surnamed Zhang and Wen, both living in Henan province in central China, each had families of their own, the mainland media Xiaoxiang Morning News reported.
Zhang was married through a matchmaking arrangement and had four children with her husband, while Wen and his wife were parents to two children.
The two connected through their children’s class chat group, set up by the teacher to help parents stay updated on homework and track their children’s progress.
Zhang and Wen swapped contact details and gradually developed feelings for each other through frequent chats.
The eloping pair developed feelings for each other in a chat group for their children. Photo: Shutterstock
Online reports indicate that Wen often expressed care for Zhang, making her feel a warmth she had never experienced before.
Zhang said she frequently suffered from domestic violence, leaving her mentally and physically exhausted.
In June 2019, after being beaten and verbally abused by her husband once again, she suggested to Wen that they elope to Tianjin, a northern Chinese city 680km away, to start a new life.
Without divorcing his wife, Wen left his children behind and moved to Tianjin with Zhang. The pair lived together for nearly five years.
When Zhang became pregnant, Wen returned to Henan to finalise his divorce. After giving birth, Zhang also divorced her husband.
It remains unclear if they kept in touch with their families during their cohabitation.
On May 24, the pair returned to Henan and told their cohabitation to the police, though the reason they did this has not been disclosed.
An online observer speculated that they may have turned themselves in after realising that they could not obtain a marriage certificate and were unable to register the newborn’s household.
Happy families? The adulterous couple have been sentenced to jail terms. Photo: Shutterstock
In China, cohabiting with someone other than a spouse is legally and morally unacceptable, with bigamy punishable by up to two years in prison.
“Maybe they surrendered for their child’s future,” a netizen wrote, adding: “Ironically, they ended up neglecting the kids in their own families.”
The verdict from their first trial was recently made public, with the court finding Zhang and Wen guilty of bigamy and sentencing them to four months in prison.
Zhang’s sentence was suspended for six months, considering her need to care for her child.
The sentencing ignited discussions on mainland social media.
One online observer said: “Marriage is not a game but a responsibility. In tough times, calm communication and protecting family should come first.”
Another person shared their insights from a woman’s perspective: “Women facing domestic violence are extremely vulnerable. Getting professional legal help is key to keeping yourself and your kids safe. Do not rely on others. Only you can save yourself.” - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
