After their reunion, the twins quickly started a business together, despite barely knowing each other. - Photo: SCMP composite/Weibo/Douyin Zoey Zhang
BEIJING (SCMP): Twin sisters in China were reunited after 30 years, only to become estranged following unsuccessful business ventures, with one sister disappearing with the start-up funds.
The twins, originally from central China’s Henan province, were separated at birth and adopted by different families living 50km apart, reported mainland media outlet Zhengguan News.
In rural China, some impoverished parents send their newborns to strangers in hopes of a better life. Such informal adoptions are illegal without official documentation.
In March 2021, Zhang Li, 30, discovered a video on a social media platform featuring a woman who looked identical to her, named Cheng Keke.
After chatting, they realised they shared not only the same birthday but also the same blood type, interests, and even similar fashion tastes.
The two visited a hospital for a DNA test, which confirmed they were twin sisters. At that time, both were living in different locations in Henan province.
Their emotional reunion quickly garnered headlines across China.
Zhang, the older sister, reminisced about the trips she took Cheng on.
“We went to Beijing for Peking duck, and we also visited the Bund and the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai. We were so happy back then,” Zhang recalled.
Cheng expressed her long-held desire for an older sister.
The twins were initially thrilled about the reunion and spent nearly every day together to catch up. Photo: Weibo
“After we met, I stayed with her almost every day. I just wanted to spend every moment with my sister. There was so much I wanted to share,” Cheng said.
The sisters then joined forces to sell food and lifestyle products on Douyin. During this time, they travelled to different cities in Henan and southern China to conduct their online sales.
Despite their growing fan base, the business faced challenges and operated at a loss.
Cheng eventually grew frustrated, accusing Zhang of neglecting the business while frequently returning to her Dengfeng hometown in Henan. Cheng was left to cover all travel, rent, and meal expenses.
Zhang, however, attributed their conflict to personality differences: “I speak directly, but my sister tends to bottle things up.”
She also pointed to Cheng as a key factor in their failed venture, claiming she lost over 500,000 yuan (US$70,000) while working together.
Zhang stated: “In the end, I told her I could not continue the live-streaming business with her any more.”
In early February, they opened a restaurant in Henan, hoping for a fresh start, but disagreements over management and investments led to a complete fallout.
Cheng subsequently took over 20,000 yuan from their business funds and blocked Zhang’s contact.
The pair attempted to leverage their online fame for joint live-streaming sales, but it failed miserably. Photo: Weibo
She denied the allegations of theft, asserting that she took her share and returned the remaining money to investors after paying wages and rent.
Cheng stated that this chapter of their twin lives has ended and mentioned that she is preparing to open a new store in her Gongyi hometown in Henan.
Zhang now manages the Henan restaurant alone.
She remarked: “I won’t attempt to contact Cheng again. This experience taught me that money can outweigh family bonds.”
“If I could go back, I’d choose not to meet her. The joy of reuniting was genuine, but the heartbreak was equally real.”
Their tumultuous journey has captivated mainland social media.
“After the reunion, they barely knew each other and hastily embarked on a business together. That was their first mistake,” reflected one observer. - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
