'Bro Orange' invites original phone user to Lantern Festival

Matt Stopera (L) and "Brother Orange". (Combo photo from sina Weibo)

(ECNS) -- A Chinese iPhone user known online as "Brother Orange" has invited the original owner of his mobile Matt Stopera, from US online outlet BuzzFeed, to visit China during Lantern Festival on March 5.

Li, in his 30s, earned the nickname after images of him before an orange tree showed up in the photo stream of Stopera, who lost his phone in New York during February 2014.

The images also included firework displays, menus, and a woman riding a motorcycle.

A digital hunt later identified Li in Meizhou, South China's Guangdong province, as the new owner of the phone. The sudden online sensation has since brought the restaurant manager much attention.

Although worried that it might affect his business, Li has invited Stopera to "have a taste of authentic Hakka cuisine," including stuffed bean curd and raw fish, Meizhou Daily reported.

His account on microblogging site Weibo has attracted a growing number of fans who marvel at the story between both men.