A college girl is deceived by her parents into being confined in a "Internet Addiction Treatment Center," and her boyfriend dons armor to rescue her from afar.

Are you applying online just to read these kinds of horror stories about China! A 21-year-old female college student majoring in music at a Normal University in Beijing was tricked by her parents onto a van and imprisoned for 11 days at an unlicensed internet addiction treatment center called "Lixuan Education" in Sanmenxia, Henan. During her detention, she was forcibly tested for pregnancy, forbidden to shower, and told that her boyfriend was an "organ trafficker." Her boyfriend, De Zhi, later dressed in a "Roman full armor" and tracked her from Beijing to Yuncheng, Shanxi, to rescue her successfully.
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Table of Contents

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• "Your cousin committed a crime, you need to cooperate with the investigation"
• Only four meat meals in 11 days, no shower allowed
• She has never called me "Baby"
• The man in armor
• "Cheaper than KTV girls"
• Over 800 "internet addiction centers" have opened across China
• Known death cases
• "Adults also have guardians"
• The bus that escaped at dawn

Key Highlights

• A 21-year-old female student was deceived by her parents with false reasons onto a vehicle and imprisoned for 11 days at an unlicensed center called "Lixuan Education" in Sanmenxia, Henan
• Her boyfriend dressed in armor and tracked her for thousands of miles to rescue her; a video on Bilibili received 843k views and 48k likes
• China's internet addiction industry chain has an annual output value exceeding 700 billion RMB, with over 800 institutions operating; from 2008-2014, at least 7 students died

In Yuncheng, Shanxi, China, on the afternoon of March 25, 2026. A man dressed in Roman armor shouted into his phone.

"Are you under control?"

In the bathroom on the 20th floor, a girl who had been trapped for 11 days replied: "Yes, I want freedom."

Then she rushed out, and her mother grabbed her by the neck.

This is not a movie; it is a recent real event that has been exposed and is ongoing. The story involves a 21-year-old Beijing music student being tricked into a "rehab school" by her parents, and her boyfriend in armor tracking her across thousands of miles to rescue her. After the story was fully revealed by "Southern People Weekly," the involved parties responded with a video on Bilibili that surpassed 840k views in three days.

Nearly three months later, on June 2, the local government finally ordered the rehab center to "immediately cease all illegal operations."

It's 2026, so why do we still hear about these "private prisons"?

"Your cousin committed a crime, you need to cooperate with the investigation"

The heroine's name is Su Ling, 21, a third-year student majoring in piano at a Normal University in Beijing. She also teaches piano part-time, earning a decent income for a college student.

Her boyfriend is called "Void," about three years older, a graduate from a Canadian university, running a martial arts equipment business in Beijing. They met at a martial arts club (a sport involving wearing protective gear and hand-to-hand combat) at the end of December 2025, and their relationship quickly deepened, leading to cohabitation.

Su Ling's parents were furious when they found out. Her mother’s criteria for a partner were: Beijing hukou, own house, matching social status, the other parent not divorced, and no premarital sex. Void had been married before, crossing that bottom line, so Su Ling never told her family she was dating him.

On January 16, 2026, Su Ling’s parents suddenly visited Beijing. At the police station, her father physically assaulted her, kicking and pulling her hair. She was beaten to incontinence. Her mother then called Void, suddenly speaking softly, asking him to "bring the daughter back."

Su Ling refused to go home. Her mother lied to the police, claiming she had suicidal tendencies, and later arranged for a fortune-teller to meet her. The fortune-teller predicted she would die if she went abroad.

By Sunday, March 15, around 10 a.m., Su Ling left to teach piano.

On the staircase, her second aunt and father stopped her, claiming that her cousin "had an incident" and needed her to return to Yuncheng, Shanxi, to cooperate with the police investigation.

This was false, from start to finish.

Waiting outside was a white seven-seater van, with two staff members from Lixuan Education disguised as plainclothes. Su Ling was pushed into the vehicle, her phone confiscated. During the 12-hour ride, she was not allowed to go to the bathroom, only given a plastic basin.

Around 9 p.m., the vehicle arrived at a three-story building in Sanmenxia, Henan Province. The door was secured with a dual control system: a password lock and a QR code.

From the moment she entered, she could never leave again.

Only four meat meals in 11 days, no shower allowed

Lixuan Education, officially Sanmenxia Lixuan Education Information Consulting Co., Ltd., was established in 2022, registered for education consulting and psychological counseling. In reality, it was behavior correction. The person in charge, Meng Sude, is a member of the local Shanxian District Political Consultative Conference. The school motto reads: "Light up the bright light of the heart, sow the seeds of love."

Su Ling’s 11 days inside were like this:

On the second day, other students forcibly took her to the bathroom for pregnancy tests. Wake-up at 6:30 a.m., 30 minutes of calisthenics, dancing the "Chinese filial piety" dance, practicing military-style boxing, watching anti-gambling propaganda videos. Meals were served in large shared bowls with mixed vegetables, salty and spicy. In 10 days, she ate meat only 4 or 5 times, and one egg.

Showering? Zero times. Some students hadn’t showered for 20 days.

The instructor told her that her boyfriend was an organ trafficker, and handed her a secret agreement stamped with a red seal. The only condition for leaving was: "Forget this man, and that’s the day you leave."

The punishment system was terrifying—beatings with a ruler in front of everyone, a girl was hit 14 times while kneeling on the table, her pants pulled up to her knees, in front of the entire class.

Students attempting to escape were taken to a billiard room for handling; instructors could kick people directly. There was also a punishment where students squatted, tiptoed, and stayed in front of a photo with their parents for two hours each time.

The principal claimed to prohibit physical punishment publicly, but in practice, it relied on an "upgrade system": students were promoted to class monitors or squad leaders through assessments, and higher-level students "delegated" punishments downward.

The principal’s hands were always clean.

The fee was 26,800 RMB for half a year, 36,800 RMB for a full year. Minimum stay was half a year. Family visits were forbidden for the first three months.

This is a private prison.

She has never called me "Baby"

After Su Ling was taken away, Void received a message from her phone.

It used the word "Baby," a term they had never used before in their relationship, and the call was unreachable.

At 4:28 p.m. on March 15, Void reported to the police and flew to Yuncheng.

He tracked her via the connection between Su Ling’s iPad and headphones to her second aunt’s house. Su Ling’s maternal grandfather showed abnormal behavior, blurted out "sent her to XX school." Void reported the case again in Yuncheng. The local police replied they couldn’t access Beijing’s traffic surveillance.

On March 22, Void reported that his computer was stolen, aiming to legally obtain surveillance footage of Su Ling’s residence. The footage showed everything: her relatives and two Lixuan staff taking her away in the stairwell.

On March 23, Void and lawyer Liu Zexin officially filed a lawsuit for illegal detention.

On March 24, he handed all personal data to the other party’s lawyer: university transcripts from Canada, property certificates from Beijing, Shanghai, Hainan, company financial records, divorce certificate. The lawyer reviewed and said, "No unexplained issues."

Then, the lawyer accidentally said two words: "Sanmenxia."

From these two words, Void deduced the location was Sanmenxia. After contacting volunteers online, he identified two institutions. One of them was Lixuan Education.

The man in armor

March 25. The 11th day of Su Ling’s captivity.

At 10 a.m., she was released from the first institution. But her family’s plan was not to let her go home, but to transfer her to the second. Her mother intercepted her at a fire station en route and took her to her uncle’s apartment in Yuncheng.

On the same afternoon, Void put on his "Roman full armor" for martial arts, and drove from Beijing to Yuncheng.

Why wear leather armor? Not because he’s overly dramatic or wants to be a hero. It’s because he had filed four days of reports without any effective response, and Su Ling’s father was taller and more physically imposing than him. Last time at the police station, she kicked Su Ling to incontinence.

The armor was self-defense gear, not a romantic prop.

He arrived at the apartment building and called her with her uncle’s phone.

"Do you want freedom? Are you under control?"

"Yes, I want freedom!"

Su Ling reported her location from the bathroom window. Void located the building within 10 minutes. Su Ling rushed out. Her mother grabbed her by the neck from behind. There was a struggle at the door. Her mother scratched Void’s forehead and neck. Both were taken to the police station.

Void recorded the entire process, proving he did not strike first.

They were released.

"Cheaper than KTV girls"

After being rescued, Su Ling’s father continued to send messages insulting her, using words like: fool, sex addict, "cheaper than KTV girls."

Her mother sent an apology letter, later discovered to be AI-generated. She admitted: "Almost dead, can I just have AI generate some words with my own?"

Su Ling once said in a video on Bilibili: "Making parents satisfied and maintaining family harmony is more important than anything else."

That was her mindset before being sent inside.

Over 800 "internet addiction centers" have opened across China

This is not an isolated case.

China’s "internet addiction" industry chain has an annual output value exceeding 700 billion RMB. Over 800 similar institutions operate nationwide. Compliance rate is less than 60%. Among 12-18-year-olds, 28.7% show significant internet dependency tendencies, with a detection rate of 12.4% in 10-18-year-olds.

What does the supply side of this market look like? Most staff lack educational or mental health backgrounds. Retired soldiers, middle school dropouts, people with criminal records are more common than licensed psychologists. Typical charges range from 30,000 to 50k RMB for six months, with some institutions’ net profit margins exceeding 50%.

In 2006, Yang Yongxin from Linyi Psychiatric Hospital in Shandong began using DX-IIA electric shock devices to "treat" internet addiction. Electrodes were attached to the temples, and he asked: "Do you know you’re wrong?" If the patient didn’t admit, he continued shocking. Victims described the feeling as "high-frequency vibrating hammers hitting the temples," like "a knife stirring muscles."

Reasons for electrocuting students included locking bathroom doors, eating chocolate, sitting in Yang Yongxin’s electric chair, and any behavior deemed "disobedient."

In 2009, China’s Ministry of Health ordered a ban on electric shock treatments for internet addiction. Yang Yongxin was not criminally prosecuted, and the center was only shut down in 2017.

Known death cases

On August 2, 2009, 16-year-old Deng Sen-shan from Guilin, Guangxi, was sent to Nanning "Qihang Rescue Training Camp" by his parents for 7,000 RMB.

After 12 hours, he died, with multiple injuries. Four instructors were prosecuted.

In 2017, Yuzhang Academy in Nanchang, Jiangxi, was exposed for systemic abuse, locking students in "small black rooms" for 3 to 10 days, whipping with "dragon whips," and suspected sexual assault. Over 240 detention records. In 2023, the founder Wu Junbao was sentenced to 2 years and 10 months; co-defendant Ren Weiqiang received 2 years and 7 months, both barred from educational work for 3 to 5 years.

That same year, Hefei "Zhengneng Youth Special Training School" in Anhui restrained 18-year-old Li Ao by handcuffing him to window bars for 44 hours, limiting water, food, and sleep. Cause of death was heatstroke, positional restraint, dehydration, and trauma leading to electrolyte imbalance. Five people were sentenced.

Between 2008 and 2014: at least 12 major incidents were exposed, over 90% involved corporal punishment, and 7 students confirmed dead. Of the 12 institutions involved, 5 operated without licenses.

Countless tragedies without public exposure likely occurred.

"Adults also have guardians"

Back to the story: on April 5, Su Ling officially reported illegal detention to a Beijing police station.

The final reply from Beijing Tongzhou Public Security Bureau was: "No criminal facts." No case filed.

Chinese lawyers analyze that forcibly sending anyone to an institution at any age violates personal freedom. Parents at least commit aiding and abetting. If the institution acts on their behalf, it may constitute an indirect principal. Article 238 of China’s Criminal Law states that illegal detention carries a penalty of up to three years’ imprisonment; assault and insult can lead to heavier punishment, and causing serious injury results in 3-10 years.

However, when Void reported, a police officer told him: "Adults also have guardians, adults also have parents."

This statement is legally incorrect—adults do not need guardians. An adult’s personal freedom cannot be deprived by any individual or organization, including parents, unless through judicial procedures.

But culturally in China, this is true: parents are considered above all, and if a child is unfortunate, they can be emotionally blackmailed for a lifetime.

That is the core problem.

The bus that escaped at dawn

On the early morning of May 31, 2026, after widespread media coverage across China, the "Lixuan Education" organization involved in the incident took action.

They attempted to transfer students to Hubei Province by bus before a joint inspection arrived.

The police intercepted the bus, which carried 20 to 30 minors. Parents were notified to pick up their children.

On June 2, Sanmenxia City’s joint investigation team issued an official notice, ordering Lixuan Education to cease all illegal operations immediately. The Education Bureau confirmed that the institution had never obtained legal school qualifications.

In the same month, Sichuan Province issued the strictest nationwide regulations, banning any organization or individual from conducting correctional education activities for minors in any form, including summer camps, training camps, and off-campus tutoring. It explicitly prohibited corporal punishment, arbitrary confinement, substandard food and accommodation, and forced labor.

The regulation is valid for five years.

One institution was shut down.

What about the other 799?

These institutions are registered as "consulting companies" or "service organizations," outside the scope of the Ministry of Education’s regulation. China’s cross-provincial law enforcement is weak; when one illegal institution is investigated, students are transferred overnight to the next province.

Not everyone has a knight in armor coming to save them.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an internet addiction center? How many are there in China?

Internet addiction centers are private organizations claiming to "correct internet addiction behaviors." There are over 800 nationwide, with an annual output exceeding 700 billion RMB. Less than 60% are compliant. Most are registered as "consulting companies" and are outside the Ministry of Education’s supervision.

What is the follow-up to the Lixuan Education incident?

On June 2, 2026, Sanmenxia’s joint investigation ordered Lixuan Education to cease illegal operations. The Education Bureau confirmed it had never issued a valid license. The girl involved reported illegal detention, but Beijing police refused to file a case, citing "no criminal facts." Su Ling plans to appeal.