A florist arranges rose bouquets at a flower shop in Lianyungang, East China’s Jiangsu Province, on February 13, 2023. Flower shops are seeing a big surge in sales as Valentine's Day is just around the corner – and rose prices are nearly double those of previous years. Photo: IC

On Valentine's Day which fell on Tuesday, when many Chinese lovers hung out to enjoy a candlelight dinner and exchange gifts, some others found a new "code of wealth" - waiting besides rubbish bins for dumped flowers and gifts.

A classic Valentine's Day sad story, be it a failed confession of love or a broken-up relationship, could mean unexpected fortune for others. 

This Valentine's Day, several screenshots, although their authenticity cannot be verified, went viral on social media platforms. Netizens claimed to have found gold bracelets, cash in red envelop, or even iPhones hidden in flowers dumped in rubbish bins on commercial streets. 

But a netizen in North China's Hebei Province announced to have received a message from the provincial disease control and prevention center (CDC) which reminded people not to thumb through rubbish as they may contain bacteria and virus. 

Those precious gifts could be true, but "rubbish collectors" have higher chance to find small objects such as lipsticks and chocolate. 

"That's good enough, and even there is nothing, you get the flower," a net user wrote on Xiaohongshu, a popular lifestyle-sharing app. 

Some others found those dumped flowers were good in quality and carefully wrapped, so they either brought them home or cleaned them and sold in second hand market at a lower price. 

According to people with such experience, the best time for treasure hunt is after 8 pm but make sure not to arrive too late as other hunters could get ahead in the search. Where to wait is also important, and Sanlitun in Beijing, IFS in Chengdu and Shanghai IFC are the hotspots, as high-end restaurants and stores can be found in those areas. 

Whether one joins the treasure hunt or not, Valentine's Day has become a time of joy for rather than only for lovers to spend happy time together. 

As one Weibo user wrote, "Don't be shy of collect those 'rubbish.' The unaccepted romance would reach the right person."  

Bouquets of flowers, long lines for a fine dinner and crowds in stores of luxury brands suggested a large number of lovers chose a traditional way to celebrate the special day, while a spike in gold jewel consumption among those in their 20s and 30s ahead of the Valentine's Day indicated a change in consumption concept.