After three decades of separation, Wang Xiaohong has finally been reunited with her family, a reunion marked by tears and the enduring power of kinship. Despite the passage of time and the trauma she endured, Xiaohong recognized her now elderly father at first sight during a poignant video call with her family.

The emotional reunion was made possible by the "Let Love Return" volunteer team in Dongguan, Guangdong province, who received a request on 4/8 to help Xiaohong find her relatives. Her fragmented memories included her hometown in a village in Chifeng, Inner Mongolia, her father Wang Zhong, uncle Wang Shan, and cousin Wang Xiaoba.

Armed with these crucial clues, volunteers promptly filmed a video appeal to find her family and posted it online. Just ten hours after the video went live, a delivery driver thousands of kilometers away at a postal service point saw it. Recognizing the name "Wang Shan" from a frequent customer whose family had been searching for a missing relative for years, he immediately realized the information in the video matched. He promptly contacted the family.

Upon receiving the call, Wang Xiaoba watched the video and instantly recognized his long-lost cousin. The family then made a video call with the "Let Love Return" volunteers, confirming the identity of their missing relative.

Recalling her past experiences, Wang Xiaohong could not hold back tears. *Southern Daily*

Xiaohong was just over 10 years old when she was abducted. Now middle-aged, she is unsure of her exact age. "Perhaps I am 48 or 49 now. I haven't had an identity card all these years", Hong said.

After her abduction, she was taken to Daliangshan, Sichuan province, and confined to a basement, where she endured abuse. "A much older man forced me to be his wife. The room only had a small, high window, so escape was impossible. At meal times, they passed food through an iron slot", Hong recounted. Even today, scars from cigarette burns remain on Hong's arms, neck, and other parts of her body.

After eight years of captivity, Hong seized an opportunity when the man returned drunk and opened the door. She pushed him inside, locked the door, and fled. She traversed many mountains before a kind person helped her find work in Xi'an, Shaanxi province. Later, she married in Henan province.

Due to psychological trauma, there was a period when Hong could not remember her hometown, only her name. However, after giving birth to a daughter, unable to tolerate domestic violence, she left again. Hong moved to Dongguan, where she worked various odd jobs for over 10 years. Recently, she began to gradually recall her hometown in Inner Mongolia.

Wang Xiaohong and her cousin Wang Xiaoba were emotional on their reunion day. *Southern Daily*

According to the "Let Love Return" charity, Hong lost her mother when she was young. Her father is now elderly and no longer lucid. Her younger sister also lost contact not long after getting married.

On 9/8, after completing the necessary procedures to recognize her family, Hong and Xiaoba embarked on their journey back to Inner Mongolia to reunite with her father. Xiaoba stated that once they return home, he will help his cousin with necessary documents and settling down. "She deserves a good rest. She has endured so much hardship over the years", Xiaoba said.

By Tue Anh (Southern Daily)