Reflection on the Zhai Xinxin case: Long tales of manipulating women only contribute to more relationship dilemmas

According to media reports, on September 19, 2025, the Haidian District People’s Court in Beijing sentenced Zhai Xinxin to twelve years in prison for extortion and imposed a fine of ten thousand RMB, to compensate the economic losses of the civil plaintiffs totaling more than 70,000 RMB. There are many topics worth considering in this case, from the conviction logic of extortion to the ‘manipulating women’ narrative in the public opinion arena, to the public’s reflection on the essence of marriage, which has long surpassed the individual case.