Ji, in his 30s, who works at a car factory in Chengdu, Sichuan province, met a woman named Li Hua on a dating app in 2018.
Hua claimed to be a "military officer" serving in the armed police force in Dujiangyan city, also in Sichuan province.
In late 2018, Hua introduced Ji to her parents in Guizhou province, where they formally met both families and got engaged. In 2020, the couple had their wedding photos taken.
Throughout their relationship, Hua forbade Ji from posting any photos of them online, citing the need for secrecy due to her military status. She also refused to show Ji her identification for the same reason.
"She kept saying everything had to be confidential. Every time I asked about her personal information, she just said it was a secret," Ji said.
Hua also repeatedly postponed Ji's requests to visit her hometown or discuss wedding plans, offering various excuses.
During their 8-year relationship, the couple met only four or five times, always at Ji's insistence. The meetings were brief lunches in Dujiangyan, after which Hua always claimed she had to rush back to her unit.
Meanwhile, Hua frequently asked Ji and his parents for money, citing reasons like wedding expenses, raising pigs, medical bills for her parents, and credit card debt. She also claimed to have purchased a four-bedroom apartment and persuaded Ji to pay for renovations.
In total, Ji's family transferred over 650,000 CNY (approximately 90,000 USD) to Hua. This money was mostly saved by Ji's parents, farmers, for his marriage.
"I trusted her completely," Ji said.
The elaborate deception finally unraveled when Ji and his father visited the apartment Hua claimed to have bought, only to find it locked. Building management confirmed that no one named Li Hua was registered as an owner in the complex.
In January, Ji reported the incident to the police, saying, "I just want Hua to return the money." In February, the police opened an investigation.
Investigators recently confirmed that Li Hua has disappeared and cannot be contacted. She has been placed on an online wanted list.
Tue Anh (*Red Star News*)
