To address the housing shortage among low-income residents, the neighborhood office introduced a new rule: couples married for three years could apply for affordable housing. My marriage to Su Miaomiao was about to reach its third anniversary. When I got a call from the housing bureau, I was full of anticipation. But the person on the other end told me, "The System shows that you're still single." I argued my case, but they replied in a cold, certain tone, "We've checked your household registration repeatedly. There's no mistake." It felt like a bolt from the blue. I dug out the marriage certificate I'd carefully kept and rushed to the service office. The woman at the counter only glanced at it before shaking her head. "It's fake. It doesn't even have a counterfeit-proof seal." I stood frozen as my world fell apart.
