The city of Yaan, in the province of Sichuan, China, was the setting for a tragic domestic saga that became a profound study in obsession, betrayal, and the lethal consequences of unresolved emotional conflict. In October 2013, the sudden, unexplained loss of life of Dan Van Fuong, a quiet wife, inside her own home left the community and police baffled.

The initial investigation pointed suspicion directly at her husband, Ni Jiang Chang, a local taxi driver who was openly involved in an unlawful relationship with his mistress, He Mei Li. Yet, the husband maintained a chilling composure, asserting his innocence and even professing happiness with his complicated life. The truth, however, lay hidden not in the initial forensic evidence, but in the small, telling detail of a barefoot struggle on a glued floor—a clue that ultimately unmasked the killer as the obsessed woman who had long coveted the victim’s life. This detailed analysis examines the toxic dynamics of the love triangle, the masterful deception attempted at the crime scene, and the meticulous investigation that broke the web of lies.

Part I: The Illusory Love Triangle

1. Ni Jiang Chang: The Egotistical Center

Ni Jiang Chang, a man of unremarkable appearance, was the highly coveted center of a destructive love triangle. His ego was profoundly inflated by the fact that two women—his wife and his mistress—were openly vying for his affection. He relished the drama and the feeling of being irresistible, viewing the entire chaotic situation as a fascinating, personal entertainment.

His wife, Dan Van Fuong, was initially unaware of his indiscretions. However, upon discovering the truth, she refused to accept the reality of the betrayal. While the relationship was strained, Dan Van Fuong vehemently rejected any notion of divorce, threatening Ni Jiang Chang that she would never grant him freedom as long as she lived. Her refusal, fueled by both love and pride, further entrenched the toxic stasis of the marriage.

2. He Mei Li: The Obsessive Pursuit

The third point of the triangle was He Mei Li (also referred to as Himile), the mistress. Mei Li and Ni Jiang Chang had been childhood sweethearts, and their passion was reignited during a class reunion years after they had both married others. Though they initially agreed to keep their rekindled romance a secret to protect their respective families, their relationship deepened quickly.

Mei Li became obsessed with fully possessing Ni Jiang Chang. She desperately sought to replace Dan Van Fuong, urging the taxi driver to finalize his divorce so they could formalize their union. Her desperation grew exponentially after Dan Van Fuong refused the divorce and, in a fit of rage, began publicly exposing Mei Li’s unlawful relationship. Mei Li’s deep-seated resentment and jealousy towards Dan Van Fuong transformed into a palpable hatred, paving the path to violence.

3. The Unstable Marital Climate

The atmosphere in the marital home was constantly charged with conflict. Ni Jiang Chang, while attempting to appease his wife with promises to end the affair, continued to meet Mei Li in secret. In a perverse twist of emotional manipulation, he often derived pleasure from watching the two women argue and compete over him, seeing it as confirmation of his own desirability.

He convinced himself that his wife’s refusal to divorce was confirmation of her enduring love, believing he could indefinitely maintain control over both women. This willful blindness to the escalating emotional violence would prove fatal for Dan Van Fuong and disastrous for all involved.

Part II: The Scene of Deception and the Initial Suspect

1. The Shocking Discovery

The tragedy unfolded on October 9, 2013. Ni Jiang Chang returned home from his night shift driving his taxi, anticipating a quiet meal. Instead, he was confronted by a devastating sight: his wife, Dan Van Fuong, lay motionless on the staircase. He approached, touched her cold body, and immediately realized she was long de@d.

Police arrived promptly, but the initial examination of the apartment presented a significant challenge. There were no signs of forced entry—no broken windows, no damaged locks, suggesting the perpetrator was either known to the victim or had accessed the apartment without force.

2. Misleading Evidence and Staged Motive

The crime scene itself was deliberately chaotic. Investigators observed scuff marks, signs of a struggle, and most importantly, numerous barefoot prints coated in Catholic glue (katol) scattered across the floor. This suggested a violent confrontation.

Forensic analysis confirmed Dan Van Fuong had lost her life due to asphyxiation/compression (strangulation), with the time of passing estimated around 10:00 PM the previous night.

Compounding the confusion, valuable jewelry and several thousand dollars in cash were missing. This immediately led police to suspect a robbery or a homicide committed by an acquaintance seeking quick financial gain. However, investigators found the arrangement of certain items highly suspicious—it appeared the scene had been intentionally manipulated after the fatal act to simulate a robbery, complicating the true motive.

3. DNA and the Finger of Suspicion

A critical piece of evidence emerged from the forensic examination of the victim’s body: a male DNA sample was recovered from the victim’s nose and mouth area. Subsequent testing confirmed the DNA belonged to the victim’s husband, Ni Jiang Chang.

Combined with the already established motive (the love triangle, his desire for divorce), the DNA evidence, coupled with a faint male footprint found near the body, solidified the police’s initial suspicion. They believed the husband had argued with his wife, caused her loss of life in a fit of rage, and then staged the scene to look like a robbery to cover his tracks. The investigating team immediately summoned Ni Jiang Chang for intensive questioning.

Part III: The Alibi Breakthrough

1. Ni Jiang Chang’s Composure and Defense

Confronted with the overwhelming evidence—the motive, the signs of struggle, and his own DNA—Ni Jiang Chang maintained a startling level of composure. He calmly explained the DNA evidence. He stated that upon discovering his wife’s body, he instinctively checked her for breath, placing his hand over her mouth and attempting mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

His explanation was logical, though chillingly detached. To verify his alibi, police contacted his taxi company and obtained the records of his movements for the entire night of October 8th. The records were conclusive: Ni Jiang Chang was driving his taxi throughout the city during the entire time window of the fatal assault. He was physically absent from the marital home.

2. The Shift in Focus: From Husband to Acquaintance

The husband’s perfect alibi fundamentally overturned the initial direction of the investigation. The DNA and the suspected male footprint were now deemed inconclusive as evidence of criminal guilt, though his actions in attempting resuscitation explained the DNA sample.

The police were forced to return to the core mystery: who knocked on Dan Van Fuong’s door that night? The victim had a simple, quiet social life, making it highly improbable that a stranger would visit her late at night. The perpetrator had to be an acquaintance, a person the victim trusted enough to open the door without caution.

The focus shifted intensely to the husband’s social circle, especially those who would benefit most from the wife’s loss of life: He Mei Li.

Part IV: Unmasking the Mistress

1. The Barefoot Footprint Revelation

The police revisited the forensic evidence, paying particular attention to the numerous barefoot prints coated in glue. Initially dismissed as belonging to the victim, meticulous analysis by forensic experts revealed a crucial, game-changing detail: the size of the barefoot prints matched shoe size 36 (European), the same small foot size worn by He Mei Li. The prints were not the victim’s alone; they belonged to an external female.

This evidence instantly placed the mistress at the crime scene. The police also noted that Mei Li had the physical motive (desire to marry Ni Jiang Chang) and the emotional motive (vengeance for public exposure).

2. The Web of Lies and the Polygraph

The investigating team summoned He Mei Li for questioning. She remained guarded, initially denying any close relationship with Ni Jiang Chang and fabricating an elaborate alibi for the night of October 8th. She claimed she left her factory dormitory twice: once at 9:00 PM to buy noodles, and a second time at 9:30 PM, returning after midnight. She claimed she was waiting for Ni Jiang Chang at a secluded, non-surveilled spot for a surprise rendezvous.

Police verification of her movements at the factory gates proved her deception regarding the time, and they quickly poked holes in her improbable alibi—why would she wait for hours at a location where Ni Jiang Chang rarely went, especially knowing there were no cameras to prove her presence?

The investigation escalated, and a polygraph expert was brought in. Faced with the mounting inconsistencies and the psychological stress of the polygraph, Mei Li’s psychological defenses collapsed. She finally confessed to the crime.

3. The Confession: Rage and Glue

Mei Li revealed the full sequence of events:

She went to Dan Van Fuong’s home that night to demand a final resolution regarding the divorce. A fierce argument immediately broke out. In the ensuing struggle, their shoes came off, and they both stepped onto an open box of glue/cathol, which was inadvertently knocked over, leaving the sticky footprints.

In the heat of the moment, Mei Li overpowered the victim, pushed her onto the sofa, and then suffocated/strangled her until she died. She confessed that after realizing the gravity of her action, her first instinct was to stage the scene as a robbery by scattering some items, before fleeing the premises.

The case of Dan Van Fuong was officially closed, with He Mei Li convicted for the unlawful taking of life.

Part VI: Psychological and Judicial Conclusion

1. The Warning Against Lack of Control

The tragedy of Dan Van Fuong serves as a stark warning against the destructive nature of unchecked emotion and the moral decay fueled by infidelity.

Ni Jiang Chang, the husband, was equally morally culpable. His egocentric behavior and emotional manipulation—relishing the conflict between the two women and refusing to make a definitive choice—were the primary catalysts that allowed the situation to escalate into violence.

The case underscores the principle that emotional control is paramount. Mei Li’s intense jealousy and hatred led her to a desperate, irreversible act. Had the emotional conflict been resolved legally and responsibly, the wife’s life would have been spared.

2. Judicial Reckoning

While the husband’s actions were not criminal, the legal system delivered its judgment against the perpetrator. Mei Li was convicted for the unlawful taking of life. Her confession, combined with the unique forensic evidence (the barefoot prints and the glue), solidified the prosecution’s case.

The tragedy of Yaan stands as a profound reminder: when relationships are built on deceit and emotional manipulation, they create an unstable environment where the final, desperate act is often the one that shatters the fragile façade, leaving behind only devastation and guilt.