From Caregiver to Homeowner: A Controversial Inheritance in China

A Beijing villager inherits five apartments after caring for an elderly neighbor under a legal agreement

Today, we have Jorrit from Kaohongshu sharing a fascinating story from China that not only captivates but also introduces some cool vocabulary and idioms.

A villager in Shunyi, Beijing, went viral after inheriting five apartments from an elderly neighbor he cared for over 12 years. In 2011, the childless Mr. Ruan sought help, and Liu Moujun signed a caregiving agreement, promising lifelong support in exchange for Ruan’s home. Liu’s family treated Ruan as one of their own, and after an unexpected redevelopment, Ruan ensured Liu received all five apartments and a cash payout.

When Ruan passed away, distant relatives contested the will, but the court upheld the legally binding agreement. While some see Liu as opportunistic, others view him as compassionate. In the end, his loyalty was rewarded.

From Caregiver to Homeowner: Villager Inherits 5 Apartments After 12 Years of Loyalty!

家人们！谁懂啊？这年头天上真能掉馅饼，还是北京五环内的“钢筋水泥馅儿”！🤯 最近顺义一村民刘某军(Liú Mǒujūn) 火了，只因他照顾同村孤寡老人12年，最后竟继承了老人留下的5套安置房！有人酸他“心机深”，有人夸他“活该暴富”，但看完这故事……我咋觉得这大爷才是“人间清醒”？

• 天上掉馅饼 (tiān shàng diào xiàn bǐng) – A windfall / Something too good to be true (literally: pies falling from the sky)

• 北京五环 (Běi jīng wǔ huán) – Beijing’s Fifth Ring Road (a prime location in Beijing)

• 钢筋水泥 (gāng jīn shuǐ ní) – Reinforced concrete (used humorously to refer to real estate)

• 顺义 (Shùn yì) – Shunyi (a district in Beijing)

• 孤寡老人 (gū guǎ lǎo rén) – Elderly person without family (lonely and widowed)

• 继承 (jì chéng) – To inherit

• 安置房 (ān zhì fáng) – Resettlement housing (homes given as compensation for land relocation)

• 心机深 (xīn jī shēn) – Very calculating / Manipulative (implying scheming nature)

• 活该暴富 (huó gāi bào fù) – Deserves to get rich

• 人间清醒 (rén jiān qīng xǐng) – The wisest person in the world (someone who sees things clearly and acts smartly)

Everyone, who can believe this? These days, does fortune really just fall from the sky—especially in the form of prime real estate inside Beijing’s Fifth Ring Road? 🤯 Recently, a villager from Shunyi, Liu Moujun, has gone viral. The reason? After caring for a lonely elderly man in his village for 12 years, he ended up inheriting five apartments from him! Some call him calculating, while others say he deserves his newfound wealth. But after hearing the full story... why do I feel like this grandpa was the real mastermind here?

"You take care of me in my old age, and I’ll leave you my home."

1930年出生的阮 (Ruǎn) 大爷，年轻时穷得响叮当，终身未婚无子女，靠祖传宅基地勉强过活。2011年，81岁的他颤巍巍去村委会求助：“我老了，谁给我养老送终？”同村口碑极好的刘某军挺身而出，签下《遗赠扶养协议》——约定“你养我老，我送你房”

• 穷得响叮当 (qióng de xiǎng dīng dāng) – Extremely poor (literally: so poor it makes a clanging sound)

• 终身 (zhōng shēn) – Lifelong / For life

• 未婚 (wèi hūn) – Unmarried

• 无子女 (wú zǐ nǚ) – Childless

• 祖传 (zǔ chuán) – Inherited / Ancestral

• 宅基地 (zhái jī dì) – Homestead land (residential land in rural areas)

• 勉强 (miǎn qiǎng) – Barely / Struggling to

• 过活 (guò huó) – To get by / Make a living

• 颤巍巍 (chàn wēi wēi) – Shaky and unsteady (describes the movement of an elderly or weak person)

• 村委会 (cūn wěi huì) – Village committee

• 养老送终 (yǎng lǎo sòng zhōng) – To care for someone in their old age until their passing

• 口碑 (kǒu bēi) – Reputation / Word of mouth

• 挺身而出 (tǐng shēn ér chū) – To step forward bravely

• 遗赠扶养协议 (yí zèng fú yǎng xié yì) – Bequest and Care Agreement

Born in 1930, Grandpa Ruan lived in extreme poverty for most of his life. He never married or had children, relying on his ancestral homestead just to get by. By 2011, at 81 years old, he trembled his way to the village committee, seeking help: "I’m old now. Who will take care of me in my final years?" Enter Liu Moujun, a well-respected villager. He stepped up and signed a "Bequest and Care Agreement", which basically stated: "You take care of me in my old age, and I’ll leave you my home."

12 Years of ‘Family Bonds’: Foot Baths, Chess, and Family portraits

刘某军一家直接搬进大爷家，开启“花式宠老”模式： 早餐煮鸡蛋、热牛奶，十几年不重样；孙女给大爷洗脚，孙子陪下象棋；全家给大爷过生日，四代同堂拍全家福! 村民爆料：“亲闺女都没他伺候得细！大爷肺不好，他装了5台增氧机!”

• 洗脚 (xǐ jiǎo) – To wash feet

• 下象棋 (xià xiàng qí) – To play Chinese chess

• 全家福 (quán jiā fú) – Family portrait

• 花式 (huā shì) – Fancy / Stylish (used here to imply creative or elaborate methods)

• 宠老 (chǒng lǎo) – Spoiling and taking care of the elderly (wordplay on 宠爱, meaning to pamper)

• 不重样 (bù chóng yàng) – Never repeating / Different every time

• 孙女 (sūn nǚ) – Granddaughter

• 孙子 (sūn zi) – Grandson

• 四代同堂 (sì dài tóng táng) – Four generations under one roof

• 爆料 (bào liào) – To reveal / To disclose (used informally, like a scoop or inside story)

• 亲闺女 (qīn guī nǚ) – Biological daughter

• 伺候 (cì hòu) – To serve / To take care of (especially elderly or superior)

• 肺 (fèi) – Lungs

• 增氧机 (zēng yǎng jī) – Oxygen concentrator / Oxygen machine

Liu’s entire family moved in with Grandpa Ruan and treated him like a king:

• Every morning: Fresh eggs and hot milk—never repeated the same breakfast for over a decade!

• His granddaughter washed his feet, his grandson played chess with him.

• They celebrated his birthdays together, taking full four-generation family photos.

Local villagers even said: "His own daughter couldn’t have taken better care of him! Grandpa had bad lungs, so Liu installed five oxygen machines for him!"

From Shack to Wealth: The Elderly Man’s 12-Year Bet That Paid Off Big

2017年，大爷宅基地拆迁喜提5套房+380万现金！眼看“破瓦房变金饽饽”，大爷主动找律师续签协议：“甭管拆迁多少房，全归老刘！”网友辣评：“大爷：我虽然老，但我不傻！”

• 拆迁 (chāi qiān) - Demolition or relocation (typically due to urban development)

• 喜提 (xǐ tí) - To joyfully receive (informal term, often used for unexpected good fortune)

• 5套房 (wǔ tào fáng) - 5 apartments

• 380万现金 (sān bā líng wàn xiàn jīn) - 3.8 million yuan in cash

• 破瓦房 (pò wǎ fáng) - Dilapidated house

• 金饽饽 (jīn bō bō) - A precious or valuable item (literally "golden bread," used metaphorically)

• 主动 (zhǔ dòng) - Proactive, taking initiative

• 律师 (lǜ shī) - Lawyer

• 续签协议 (xù qiān xié yì) - Renewing or signing an agreement

• 甭管 (bèng guǎn) - No matter (informal, equivalent to "no matter how")

• 全归 (quán guī) - All belong to (used to signify something is fully granted)

• 辣评 (là píng) - Sharp or spicy comment (meaning a strong opinion, often critical)

In 2017, Grandpa Ruan’s homestead was demolished, and he received five new apartments and 3.8 million yuan in cash! Seeing his run-down home turn into prime real estate, the elderly man acted fast—he went to a lawyer and updated his agreement: "No matter how many houses I get from this, they all go to Liu!" Online reaction? "Grandpa: I may be old, but I’m not stupid!"

Family Feud vs. Legal Agreement: Court Rules in Favor of Caregiver's 12-Year Commitment

亲戚跳脚VS法院判决：亲情不如一纸协议？大爷去世后，妹妹和侄女突然蹦出来争遗产。法院一查：亲戚十几年不登门，连葬礼都没露面；刘某军一家连墓地都买好了，丧事办得风风光光。法官拍板：“协议有效！5套房归老刘！

• 跳脚 (tiào jiǎo) - To jump up in anger or protest (an expression of strong reaction)

• 法院判决 (fǎ yuàn pàn jué) - Court judgment or ruling

• 亲情 (qīn qíng) - Family affection or love

• 一纸协议 (yī zhǐ xié yì) - A piece of paper agreement (referring to a legal document or contract)

• 蹦出 (bèng chū) - To suddenly appear or jump out (used to describe someone suddenly emerging or making an unexpected appearance, especially in a situation like this)

• 争遗产 (zhēng yí chǎn) - To争inheritance or fight over an inheritance

• 十几年 (shí jǐ nián) - Over ten years

• 登门 (dēng mén) - To visit someone’s home (often used to describe showing up for family matters)

• 葬礼 (zàng lǐ) - Funeral

• 露面 (lòu miàn) - To appear or show up

• 墓地 (mù dì) - Cemetery, burial ground

• 丧事 (sāng shì) - Funeral affairs

• 风风光光 (fēng fēng guāng guāng) - Lavishly, splendidly (used to describe something done with great dignity and ceremony)

• 法官 (fǎ guān) - Judge

• 拍板 (pāi bǎn) - To make a decision, to finalize

• 协议有效 (xié yì yǒu xiào) - The agreement is valid

• 归 (guī) - To belong to (in this context, "to be granted to")

After Grandpa Ruan passed away, his long-lost sister and niece suddenly appeared, demanding a share of the inheritance. But the court found that:

• For over a decade, they never visited him—not even for his funeral.

• Liu Moujun’s family had already bought a burial plot and organized a grand send-off.

The judge ruled: “The agreement is valid! The five apartments belong to Liu!”

Want to hear more stories like this while improving your Chinese listening skills? Check out Jorrit’s Vocabulary Notes!

Antoine & Dorota