A couple was in a desperate panic to recover 1 million yuan (US$163,000) after they mistakenly sold it to a wastepaper recycler in Jiading District on Sunday, Xinmin Evening News reported yesterday.
A woman surnamed Lin sold the cash, which was wrapped in newspaper and placed in bags, along with other wastepaper, for 7 yuan to Zhong Jinfeng, a recycling station worker, the report said.
Lin told the newspaper her husband had placed the money at home for "emergency use" and she didn't know it was in the bags.
When she realized her mistake, she and her husband rushed to find Zhong and they recovered their money.
"It would have been horrible if the package had fallen onto the street or been taken by others," Zhong said.
The couple yesterday didn't reveal their occupations or why they needed 1 million yuan for "emergency use."
Zhong told the newspaper she was collecting wastepaper in Lin's apartment building in Anting Town when Lin called her over. Zhong said she was handed a pile of waste newspaper and two paper bags, according to the report. She said the newspapers and two bags weighed more than 10 kilograms and she gave Lin 7 yuan, added the report.
About 90 minutes later, when Zhong, 47, was at the gate of another neighborhood nearby, Lin and her husband rushed over in a panic, the report said.
After explaining their mistake, Lin and her husband jumped on Zhong's three-wheeler and started searching for the money. Much to their relief, the bags containing 10 stacks of 100-yuan bank notes were still there. Each stack contained 100,000 yuan.
Zhong told Xinmin she was shocked to see that much money but was happy for the couple.
Chinese have traditionally stored large sums of cash at home although the practice is less common these days. Similar stories crop up from time to time in the city, according to Xinmin Evening News.
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