Edward’s Quest and Mei’s Resolve: Love, Betrayal, and the Tale of the Unreturned Jewel

In the ancient city of Nanjing, where history whispers in the winds and modernity pulses through its veins, there dwelt a young man named Edward. An astute software developer, Edward crafted digital realms with the same care and precision that once raised the city’s storied walls.

Amidst the binary beats of his day-to-day, Edward’s path collided with Mei, a dancer whose performances were as mesmerizing as the city’s famed cherry blossoms. She twirled into his life, each step a pirouette that entwined her deeper into his heart.

Their connection flourished, as rapid and wondrous as the Yangtze River that coursed through Nanjing. Under the spell of love’s young dream, Edward presented Mei with a diamond ring, an emblem of his deepest commitments, as clear and hopeful as the morning light atop Purple Mountain.

Yet as the seasons cycled from bloom to bare, Edward came to learn of Mei’s infidelity. This truth wrapped around his heart like the city’s ancient dragon, squeezing until he could bear no more. The future they had envisioned, once so vivid and promising, now lay in ruins, a silent testament to trust broken.

Resolute in his heartache, Edward sought Mei to reclaim the ring he had offered in a moment of pure devotion. “Mei,” he said, the weight of his words heavy with sorrow, “the ring was a symbol of a promise—a future that we can no longer fulfill. It was a gift, yes, but one conditional upon our shared path. Now that our paths have diverged, I ask you to return it, so we may both move forward unburdened.”

Mei, with the fire of defiance in her eyes, refused. “Edward, the ring passed from your hands to mine, a gift given freely and without condition. To give is to release all claims upon a thing. It is mine to keep, a remembrance of what once was,” she declared, the ring a sparkling clash of convictions upon her finger.

The standoff between them was as the great walls of Nanjing—immovable and stoic. Edward left, his plea unheeded, the ring still in the possession of his once beloved. He walked the streets of Nanjing, each step echoing with the memories of what could have been.

Law In A Minute

In the case of Edward and Mei, the engagement ring was a conditional gift predicated on their marriage. Given that the marriage will not occur due to Mei’s infidelity, Edward may argue that the condition for the gift has not been met. Legally, if the donee fails to fulfill the obligations of the gift contract—implied here as the promise to marry—the donor has the right to revoke the gift.

Edward can contend that Mei’s retention of the ring constitutes unjust enrichment, as the engagement has been broken and the purpose of the gift has become void. Should Mei refuse to return the ring, Edward is within his rights to file a lawsuit to reclaim it, asserting the ring’s conditional nature and the failure to meet said condition.

He must act within one year of learning of the cause for revocation, as stipulated by the legal text provided, to prevent Mei’s unjust retention of the ring.

Legal Basis

Civil Code

Article 663

Where the donee is in any of the following circumstances, the donor may revoke the gift:

• seriously harming the donor or any immediate family member thereof;
• failing to perform support obligations owed to the donor;

(3) failing to perform the obligations under the gift contract.

Article 985

If a beneficiary receives an undue benefit without a legal basis, the aggrieved party may demand that the beneficiary return the acquired benefit, except under any of the following circumstances:

(1) The payment was made to fulfill a moral obligation;

(2) The payment was made before the debt was due;

(3) The debt was settled knowingly without a duty to pay.