A Crown witness in the trial of Nai Yin Xue has told a court his wife ran toward her covered in blood saying the accused was trying to kill her.
Nai Yin Xue, 55, is on trial for the murder of Ms Liu, 28, in New Zealand in September 2007, before abandoning their daughter in Melbourne.
The couple's daughter Qian Xun Xue, then aged 3, was found alone at Melbourne Railway Station a few days before her mother's body was discovered in the boot of a car in Auckland.
Mr Xue was later apprehended in the United States. He denies the murder charge and is being tried at the High Court in Auckland.
Neighbour Gwenyth Jonson told the court she was saying goodbye to a friend when Ms Liu ran down the street crying for help. She had a bleeding nose and was very upset.
Ms Jonson says Ms Liu told her Mr Xue was trying to kill her and that he had knives and a gun but she did not think he had any bullets.
Under cross-examination, Ms Jonson said that she could not say for certain that the bleeding nose was the result of an injury.
Constable Christopher Polglase read a statement in court taken from Ms Liu that day, which said she believed Mr Xue could easily kill her because he was bigger, stronger and had weapons.
Another witness, Nai Xie, told the court that Ms Liu had told him she had been beaten by Mr Xue and that she had bled.
Under cross-examination he agreed Ms Liu actually used the word "hit" instead of "beat", but added that because Mr Xue was a martial arts instructor, a hit could be quite serious.
He said Ms Liu had told him that the injuries were not bad and that she had not needed to go to hospital.
Bruise on face
Another witness, Graham McNamara, who learned tai chi from Mr Xue and became a regular visitor to his home, said he asked Ms Liu about a bruise under her eye.
He said Ms Liu was frightened and did not want to talk to him about it.
Mr McNamara said the relationship between Mr Xue and his wife was cold and that Mr Xue frequently dismissed her.
He said Mr Xue became angry with him when he hugged and kissed Ms Liu in greeting her on one occasion.
Under cross-examination, Mr McNamara agreed he did not know the Chinese culture well, that Ms Liu did not confide him, and he was making assumptions about the bruise.
