A woman in Henan, China has gone viral after being ordered by a court to publicly apologise online for 15 consecutive days to her husband, whom she previously accused of having a long-term affair.
The woman, surnamed Niu, began posting daily apology videos on Douyin following the court ruling, which found that she had defamed her husband by sharing his name, workplace, and other personal details online.
According to reports, Niu accused her husband, surnamed Gao, of maintaining a five-year extramarital relationship with a married colleague. Beginning in September 2025, she posted details of the couple’s finances and workplaces online, claiming it was a “last resort” to expose the affair and warn others.
Gao subsequently filed a defamation lawsuit. The court ruled that, while extramarital affairs fall within moral concerns, Niu had overstepped her legal rights by publicly sharing unverified personal information, infringing upon her husband’s right to reputation. She was ordered to remove the posts and issue a public apology approved by the court, to remain online for at least 15 days.
Since mid-January, Niu has posted daily videos on her Douyin account “Najiechongsheng.” Her first video, posted on Jan. 12, was titled “I admit my mistake and obey the judgment,” and quickly drew hundreds of thousands of likes.
Subsequent videos have combined detailed explanations, excerpts from the court ruling, and at times sarcastic commentary regarding her husband’s alleged affair. Many viewers interpreted her content as a clever way to comply with the court while exposing further alleged wrongdoing.
Her videos have received more than 300,000 likes each, her follower count has surpassed 500,000, and she has begun incorporating e-commerce promotions. Online, many netizens have voiced support for Niu, praising her for creatively adhering to the court’s order while defending her rights.
Meanwhile, Gao’s employer, Gengcun Mine (a subsidiary of Henan Dayou Energy), confirmed that he was suspended from duty and placed under investigation in December 2025. The company said a special task force has been formed to investigate the matter further.
The case has sparked widespread debate on Chinese social media, with some praising the court’s nuanced ruling and others questioning whether Niu’s sarcastic apologies constitute further defamation.
