Jealous Husband Stabs Wife Over Pork 'Discount', Assumes Affair With Butcher: Here's What Happened Next

China domestic violence news: In a bizarre and stunning case of domestic violence, a man in northeast China stabbed his wife over an alleged affair sparked by a butcher's discount, the South China Morning Post reported.

As per the Songyuan Ningjiang District People's Court ruling, the suspect, last name Zou, attacked his wife, Zhao, in March at home. Zou is said to have suspected that his wife was having an affair with the butcher in their neighborhood after she was given discounted meat, leading to a violent outburst.

Jealousy Over Discounted Meat

Zou allegedly hid a wooden-handled knife in a bedside drawer and, while fighting with Zhao at home, stabbed him several times. The woman suffered severe internal wounds and later confessed she did not remember how many times she stabbed Zhao. Despite the severity of the attack, Zhao survived.

The pair had been married for more than 30 years, and Zhao later said in court that their long marriage had been mostly peaceful. She declined to seek an official assessment of bodily injury and relinquished her entitlement to disability benefits. Zhao said her son and grandson were reasons she wanted to put the incident behind her.

Court Considers Domestic Context 

The court termed Zou's action as attempted premeditated homicide. Citing reasons of mitigation like his confession, the domesticity of the quarrel, and forgiveness by the victim, the court sentenced Zou for 10 years and 6 months of imprisonment.

"Zou and I have been on good terms and never had any major conflicts. He was always good at making money and supporting the family. I don't want to pursue this further," Zhao said to the court, emphasizing her choice to forgive her husband even after the brutal attack.

Social Media Responds to Rare Catalyst

The attack, as reported by South China Morning Post, has set off massive buzz on Chinese social media. Netizens were shocked and in disbelief of the peculiar reason for the attack, with many wondering how a mere discount escalated to such brutality.

One customer observed sarcastically, "If they were having an affair, the meat would surely be on the house. Why a discount?" Another posted: "Thirty years of matrimony almost destroyed over a pork discount?"

ALSO READ: China–Seoul Flight Fire Panic: Power Bank Burst Into Flames On Airbus A321 | Video

The incident has highlighted how jealousy and misconceptions, even about something inconsequential, have the potential to snowball into life-taking domestic violence. 

ALSO READ: China’s Viral Wedding Drama: Woman Calls Off Marriage, Asks Groom To Pay 3.5 Lakh 'Hugging Fee' After Breakup

Whereas Zhao opted for forgiveness, the court's verdict is an indicator of the gravity of the offense. Zou's case acts as a warning against the pitfalls of spontaneous actions that are born out of suspicion and jealousy, even in long marriages.