‘Waiting for love’: Chinese man owes US$27,000 in back rent, hoards items in ‘filthy’ flat
Elderly man who went viral online thanks to his so-called romantic persona is revealed to be deadbeat with no sense of financial responsibility
An old man in Shanghai who became an online celebrity by “waiting for love” every evening at a landmark has turned out to be a deadbeat who refused to fulfil a court order that he pay a large amount of outstanding rent to his landlord.
The true identity of the man, known as Xu, was revealed by Shanghai TV in mid-November.
This attracted much attention on social media thanks to his previous “romantic” persona.
He went viral online last year when many people saw him dressed neatly, carrying a plastic bag containing bottled water and snacks and standing by the side of a bustling road under the city’s Nanpu Bridge.
As a result, Xu, who is nearly 70 and single, earned the nickname “Nanpu Bridge Uncle”.
“I am waiting for love,” he told passers-by.
Xu has not appeared on the road in recent months.