SINGAPORE, Nov 11 — A Singapore coffee-shop worker who safeguarded a bag stuffed with S$20,000 (RM64,000) in cash has been rewarded with a hongbao (red packet), a Labubu doll and the heartfelt gratitude of its relieved owner.

Lau Guat Poh, 56, was working the Saturday dinner rush at Lau Ka Kopitiam in Bedok North on November 7 when she noticed a black bag abandoned on a chair.

Little did she know it contained thousands of dollars meant to pay factory workers' salaries.

According to The Straits Times, Lau, affectionately known to regulars as Ling Jie or Irene, initially assumed the bag belonged to a customer queueing for food.

But when nobody returned after 10 minutes, she moved it to the drinks counter, where it could be monitored by CCTV.

She and two colleagues later opened the bag under the camera to look for identification — and were astonished by what they discovered.

“It was filled with cash,” Lau recalled. “There were S$1,000, S$100 and S$50 notes in stacks.”

Too nervous to handle the money, the trio promptly zipped up the bag and alerted their boss, Low Boon Chuan, 40.

The bag belonged to businessman Tan Yeok Sin, 70, and his wife Low Hong Geok, 63, who had stopped for fish soup before rushing to a friend's wake.

The couple, who run a noodle manufacturing business employing about 25 people, did not realise the money was missing until 10.30pm.

Tan returned to the coffee shop at about 11pm, hoping against hope that someone had found it.

“I was just trying my luck to see if my bag was still there,” he said.

To his immense relief, the cash was returned intact after staff verified his belongings.

“I was very happy. They are so honest,” he said.

Three days later, Tan returned bearing a S$200 hongbao, snacks, sweets and a Labubu doll from his son's collection.

Lau received the hongbao and doll, while the treats were shared among her colleagues.

In a particularly touching gesture, she decided to keep the hongbao as a souvenir rather than spend the money.

But the kindness did not end there.

After discovering that coffee-shop owner Low regularly sponsors meals for elderly residents, Tan offered to contribute to his charitable efforts.

“This boss is very kind,” he said.