In a TikTok video in which he documented his fortuitous find, it appears the amount in the red packet might easily exceed $1,000 - based on an estimate on the number of visible $50 bills.
Many commenters, though, were quick to point out that the man, in finding and keeping the money, might be unwittingly availing himself to a "ghost bride".
This is down to a Chinese superstitious practice of seeking a husband for a ghost bride. The belief entails the family of an unmarried deceased woman leaving red packets filled with money on the street, so that the first man who picks it up is destined and obligated to be the dead woman's husband.
The act of even acknowledging the red packet is enough for the person to be the "chosen one", as not everyone is supposedly able to notice or "see" the red packet.
When commenters asked if the man was keeping the money, he responded "why not. One stone (to) kill two birds - get money along with a bride.
No commenter on the TikTok video has publicly staked a claim on the money.
ALSO READ: 11 Hungry Ghost Festival facts you should know
This article was first published in The New Paper. Permission required for reproduction.