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A lonely 78-year-old man in China who lived in a supermarket staff entrance has sparked a fierce online debate after bequeathing his flat to a helpful nanny
The elderly man, Qiangming, spent nearly a decade sleeping on a mat inside a store in Shanghai to escape isolation.
Qiangming said he feared living and dying alone in the flat following his divorce in 2000.
According to South China Morning Post, he constantly carried 50,000 yuan (RM29,250) in cash and a digital video recorder.
Despite his nomadic lifestyle, Qiangming owned a 215 sq ft flat nearby valued at 1 million yuan (RM585,000). In 2021, he met a migrant nanny, Huang, at the store.
Huang began looking after Qiangming by washing his hair, bringing him hot meals, and cleaning his space. Grateful for the care, Qiangming recognised her as his 'daughter' and promised her his property.
However, the arrangement hit a legal wall when Qiangming attempted to sign a voluntary guardianship agreement.
His estranged son strongly opposed the move, holding the ownership certificate and accusing Huang of fraud.
The son took his father to court, won the lawsuit, and became the legal owner of the flat. He subsequently redecorated the property and rented it out to tenants.
Following the court loss, Huang took Qiangming into her own rented flat to sleep safely. When asked to pay Huang a carer fee, the son refused, saying his father could use his pension.
The case went viral after being featured in a local television report, leaving netizens deeply divided over the exchange.
Some questioned Huang's intentions, while others argued that her dedicated care deserved compensation.
An online observer commented, "She looked after him well. This already deserves the pay. You certainly cannot expect strangers to look after you for free."
