A stroke of luck has turned two chicken leg vendor cousins from business partners into adversaries after winning a lottery jackpot of 9.46 million yuan (approximately $1.34 million).
The cousins, who shared everything from profits to a cramped 10-square-meter rental room, are now embroiled in a bitter dispute over the prize money. Their tale is a cautionary one about how sudden wealth can disrupt even the closest relationships.
The Winning Ticket
According to Upstream News, on the evening of December 3, 2023, a winning ticket for the 2023139 issue of the Double Color Ball lottery was sold at a store in Yiwu City, Zhejiang Province. The prize: a staggering 9.46 million yuan. The following day, the cousins went together to Hangzhou to claim the prize. The elder cousin, Ah Cai (a pseudonym), handled the formalities while Ah Yun (a pseudonym) stood by. After taxes, over 7.5 million yuan was deposited into Ah Cai's bank account.
Ah Yun insists that they had an agreement to split any lottery winnings since the ticket was purchased with their business earnings. He claims that Ah Cai repeatedly assured him the winnings would be split evenly. "He later reneged on his promise, refused to share the winnings, and even sued me to get back the 250,000 yuan he had given me," said Ah Yun.
Ah Cai, on the other hand, denies these claims. He asserts that the ticket was bought with his own money and that he had never agreed to share the winnings. "The money is mine alone. The 250,000 yuan was a loan. When he threatened me, I had to take legal action to get it back," Ah Cai said. He further claimed Ah Yun has no evidence to support his involvement with the winning ticket.
From Partnership to Feud
Before the lottery win, the cousins were as close as brothers, sharing everything and supporting each other through thick and thin. They came from the same village in Henan and moved to Yiwu in May 2023 to open a restaurant. When that plan fell through, they rented a spot in a barbecue shop and began selling grilled chicken legs. They split profits evenly, each taking home around 10,000 yuan monthly.
The working conditions were tough. They would start in the afternoon and finish late at night, often working until the early hours of the morning. Their shared rental room was small and basic, barely enough to fit two single beds and a freezer full of chicken legs.
The Dispute Over the Lottery Winnings
Ah Yun claims they had agreed to buy lottery tickets with their business earnings and split any winnings. He insists the winning ticket was bought with 10 yuan from their business funds. To back his claim, Ah Yun says he and Ah Cai traveled together to Hangzhou to claim the prize. Ah Yun also alleges that Ah Cai promised to split the winnings after deducting the 250,000 yuan given to each of them and Ah Cai's younger brother.
However, Ah Cai disputes this account. He maintains that he alone purchased the winning ticket with his personal funds and never promised to share the winnings. The 250,000 yuan given to Ah Yun, he insists, was a loan to help pay off debts, not a share of the prize.
The conflict escalated when Ah Yun demanded his share, and Ah Cai refused. Ah Yun claimed Ah Cai threatened him and spread his photo around the village, asking for his whereabouts. In response, Ah Cai filed a lawsuit demanding the return of the 250,000 yuan.
A Village Divided
The dispute has divided the village and strained relationships between the two families. Neighbors and villagers are abuzz with opinions and speculation. "What's the point of having money if family ties are broken?" said a village official on May 23.
A Sad Turn of Events
The once inseparable cousins are now embroiled in a legal battle. Ah Yun believes he is entitled to half of the winnings, while Ah Cai sees his cousin's claims as greedy and unfounded. Both are adamant about their version of events, and the legal outcome remains uncertain.
The story of these cousins serves as a stark reminder of how money can test the bonds of family and friendship. As the legal proceedings unfold, one thing is clear: the lottery win that could have been a blessing has turned into a source of discord and division.
