An 89-year-old man handed over both cash and gold to his former housekeeper in an attempt to gain extra, private services from her. She accepted his gift, but disappeared the following day, leading him to report her to the police, according to a report from the Taizhou Evening News on March 10.
The police later became involved to resolve the dispute.
The man, given the false name Chen Ping, lives alone in Zhejiang Province, China. His wife passed away long ago, and his daughter and son both married and moved away with their families to find work.
Chen had very little money in his old age, and invested what he did have in gold.
Feng worked as Chen’s caregiver for four years while he recovered from an illness. Once Chen became healthy again, his family thanked Feng for her services, and she had to find new work. However, during that time, Chen developed an affinity for Feng.
According to the report, Feng told the police that Chen expressed his affection for her, and that he'd like to have a relationship with her as well.
However, Feng refused him at that time and she returned to her home. Yet after arriving in her hometown, she was unable to find any work. Though she already led a frugal life, her money was soon spent. At this time, she remembered Chen’s offer.
Feng made her way back to Chen’s house, and stayed there for four days. On the evening of Feb. 13, one day before Valentine’s Day, Chen said he wanted to give Feng a precious gift.
The gift was the money he had saved, and the gold he had invested in. The cash total was 200 yuan ($30) and gold worth 7000 yuan ($1000). For Feng to travel to Chen’s house from her own town, the cab fare was 110 yuan ($16).
Chen bought the gold by saving money on food expenses for several years. It was the most valuable thing that he owned.
However, a condition was attached to this gift of cash and gold. Chen asked Feng: Will you be my friend? In this case, those words are tacitly asking Feng to be his lover.
Feng was shocked by this request, but she did not outwardly refuse him. Furthermore, she accepted his gift. Chen believed that this meant she agreed to his request. However, the following morning, Feng left his house with the valuables, without a word.
Chen then called the police on Valentine’s Day, saying he had been robbed. The police arrived, and saw no sign of break-in. They suspected that Chen had become senile in his later years, asking him if he forgot where he placed his gold and money.
That’s when Chen began suggesting that his former caregiver had spent the night, and that she must have taken them.
The police then began their search for Feng, who they found at the end of February, according to the report. At that time, Feng said the money and gold were gifts. Feng and Chen were brought in for interrogation.
According to the report, Feng told the police that other than the significant age gap and Chen already being so old, she had another reason for lacking interest in him.
“When I was his caregiver, I had an income,” Feng said, according to the Taizhou Evening News. “If I marry him, then I have to take care of him for free.” She also said that she couldn’t find work in Chen’s area.
Eventually, Chen was found out. The officers criticized his behavior, and Feng returned both the gold and cash to him.
Feng was very upset, feeling wronged for what happened to her, according to the report. After she calmed down, she went back to her home by taxi.
