Chinese Man Files Lawsuit After DNA Tests Reveal Two Children Not His, Exposing a 22‑Year “Fraudulent Upbringing”】

For 22 years Jiang was married to his wife, whose name has not been released, and together they raised two boys, born in 2001 and 2004, as their own. The children lived not only with Jiang but also with his elderly parents, who doted on the boys as grandchildren for more than two decades. “We spent our whole lives caring for them, celebrating birthdays, teaching them to read,” Jiang’s father said in an interview with local outlet Baixing Guanzhu. “Now we feel like all those years were a lie.”

The paternity tests, ordered after Jiang grew suspicious of the elder son’s frequent requests for money and occasional physical confrontations, revealed a double shock: neither boy was biologically Jiang’s, and each had a different father. Investigators traced the elder child’s biological parent to a village party secretary from a neighboring township, while the younger child’s DNA matched a man identified as Jiang’s own paternal cousin.

The revelation has sent ripples through Jiang’s family and the courtroom. On 20 August, the Zhangdian District People’s Court in Zibo will hear Jiang’s “divorce and post‑divorce damage liability dispute,” a case he filed after the marriage formally ended in 2022. In the suit, Jiang seeks a redistribution of marital assets, reimbursement of child‑support payments he made over the years, and compensation for the emotional damage inflicted by what he terms a two‑decade “fraudulent upbringing.”

Jiang, who has been described by friends as a diligent and responsible husband, told reporters he wants nothing more than to sever all ties with his former wife and the two men now identified as the children’s biological fathers. “The truth of their paternity no longer matters to me,” he said. “I have already lost twenty‑two years of my life, and the pain is enough.”

His parents, both in their late seventies, have expressed a heartbreak that resonates with many Chinese netizens. “We built a home, prepared meals, celebrated every festival with them,” Jiang’s mother lamented. “Now they have disappeared, and we are left with an emptiness we cannot fill.”

Public reaction on Weibo has been swift and largely sympathetic toward Jiang. Users have likened the saga to a plot twist that would be “too dramatic for television,” and many have condemned the ex‑wife’s alleged infidelity, especially the betrayal involving Jiang’s own cousin. “It’s not just cheating; it’s a betrayal of family blood,” one commenter wrote. The elder son’s reported behavior—regularly demanding money and allegedly assaulting Jiang—has amplified the outrage, with some speculating the boy may have already learned of his true parentage.

Legal experts consulted by Baixing Guanzhu note that while the ex‑wife’s actions do not constitute a criminal offense under current Chinese law, Jiang may have grounds to claim the return of property he contributed to the marriage, reimbursement for child‑support he paid under false pretenses, and damages for emotional distress. The case, they say, highlights a gap in the legal system’s ability to address “fraudulent upbringing” (欺诈性抚养), a term that has begun to surface more frequently in public discourse.

The broader conversation sparked by Jiang’s story touches on deep‑seated concerns about trust, family ethics, and the legal safeguards—or lack thereof—available to spouses who discover long‑term deception. As the court date approaches, the public awaits not only a verdict on financial reparations but also a potential legal precedent that could protect future victims of similar betrayals.

For Jiang, the outcome of the hearing may provide a measure of closure, but the emotional scars run deep. “I spent twenty‑two years building a life that was never really mine,” he reflected. “Now I have to learn how to move forward without the family I thought I had.” The case stands as a stark reminder that behind the statistics of divorce and infidelity lie profoundly personal stories of loss, betrayal, and the quest for justice.