A businesswoman from central China who once enjoyed a life of privilege is now rebuilding her future through hard physical labour in rural lotus ponds. A Chinese businesswoman who lost her fortune is repaying a $700,000 debt by digging and selling lotus roots.(Representational image/Gemini AI generated) (Also read: High-profile marriage to unite China’s new ultra-rich generation: All about solar heiress marrying tea mogul) According to Changjiang Daily, as cited by South China Morning Post, 44-year-old Hu Qin from Hunan province accumulated significant wealth after launching a fruit business with her husband in 2012. At its height, the venture expanded to more than thirty shops across the country and Hu’s assets reportedly exceeded ten million yuan, around 1.4 million US dollars. The couple lived in a villa by the Xiang River, employed a driver and multiple housekeepers and travelled extensively. Their lifestyle, however, changed abruptly in 2019 when poor management decisions caused a severe cash flow crisis. The business collapsed, leaving them five million yuan (US$700,000) in debt. Starting again in Wuhan Forced to sell their …