Dying Hainan businessman,61, leaves US$43M to 33-year-old wife, sparking inheritance dispute with ex-wife's family after terminal cancer diagnosis in late 2025.
Tags:
A dying businessman in China has sparked a major inheritance dispute after reportedly deciding to leave his entire fortune, valued at about 300 million yuan, or roughly US$43 million, to his much younger wife.
The story quickly drew public attention because of the huge age gap between the couple, the size of the fortune, and the anger it caused within his former family.
The man, identified by the surname Hou, was 61 years old and from Hainan in southern China.
His wife, Liyuan, is 33, making her 28 years younger than him. She said they had been together since she was 21, married around 10 years ago, and have a young son together.
Their relationship had already attracted attention because of the age difference, but things became even more controversial after Hou was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.
According to reports, Hou and Liyuan shared details of his illness online in late 2025.
As his condition worsened, Liyuan said her life changed completely.
She described herself as going from someone who had always been looked after to becoming the main caregiver for a seriously ill husband.
She said she stayed by his side through treatment and difficult days, and that their relationship became even stronger during that time.
Before meeting Hou, Liyuan reportedly came from a modest background and worked at his logistics company. She said she was unsure at first because of the large age gap, even though he pursued her seriously. Over time, however, the relationship developed, and she said he opened the door to a very different life from the one she had known before.
When the couple married, Hou had children from a previous marriage, and there were concerns about how his wealth would eventually be divided. Reports said he had originally asked Liyuan to sign a prenuptial agreement.
But after becoming seriously ill, he allegedly changed his decision and chose to transfer his assets to her instead. It was said that he wanted to make sure Liyuan and their young son would be financially protected after his death.
That decision reportedly enraged members of his ex-wife’s family, who felt they had been cut out of the inheritance.
The dispute soon became a talking point online, where people were split. Some accused the young wife of benefiting from a relationship built on money and power.
Others defended Hou’s decision, saying a man has the right to leave his wealth to the person who cared for him in his final days.
Liyuan denied that the marriage was ever about money.
She insisted that Hou made the choice himself and said their relationship was based on real love.
She also spoke about the emotional and physical pressure of caring for him during his illness, saying outsiders were too quick to judge without knowing what they had gone through as a family.
The case has stirred strong debate in China because it touches on several sensitive issues at once, including age-gap relationships, second marriages, inheritance rights, and family loyalty. For some, it is a story about love and devotion during the final stage of life. For others, it is a reminder that when a huge fortune is involved, even family relationships can collapse into bitterness and public conflict.
Source:https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3348767/dying-chinese-man-61-leaves-us43-million-fortune-young-wife-enrages-ex-wifes-family
No comments:
Post a Comment