The Lei family in Xinyie district, Nanyang city, Henan province, received news on 9/6 that they would soon reunite with their son, Lei Zeqing, who went missing in 1991. The family, which includes two deaf twin sons, had been searching for Zeqing, who disappeared at the age of 14, for 35 years. His sister, Lei Fengzhi, confirmed that Zeqing (whose documented name is Qing Jinglei) was found through a WeChat group for people searching for missing relatives.

The breakthrough occurred a few days prior when Lei Zehu, one of the twin sons, interacted on WeChat with Qing Jinglei, a deaf man living in Shenzhen. Zehu noticed a strong resemblance to himself in Jinglei's photos and alerted his family. Fengzhi then connected with Jinglei to verify his identity. Two video clips, one showing a scar on his finger and another a dog bite mark on his ankle, confirmed it was Zeqing. Fellow villagers working in Shenzhen also met him, corroborating his identical appearance to Lei Zehu.

Lei Zehu with his parents, who are in their 70s, in Nanyang city, Henan province, call his twin brother Lei Zeqing in Shenzhen on 9/6. *Photo: Dahe Daily*

According to data from the missing persons archive, Zeqing became lost at a train station in 1991. He traveled by train to Guangzhou and then to Shenzhen. In 2012, the *Shenzhen Evening News* reported on a deaf boy found lost at a train station, unable to recall his family, hometown, or even his name. A railway employee adopted him, teaching him to write and use sign language. However, a few years later, when the woman emigrated to Hong Kong, Zeqing found himself homeless again.

In 1996, Mr. Hong, a restaurant owner, took Zeqing in, offering him work as an assistant and providing him with food and shelter. For many years, Zeqing carried two backpacks filled with personal photos and train tickets. He searched for his parents across numerous provinces, from Tibet and Xinjiang to Yunnan and Gansu. Ultimately, Zeqing found his family through social media.

Sister Lei Fengzhi with her brother Lei Zehu and their parents, who are in their 70s, in Nanyang city, Henan province. *Photo: Dahe Daily*

Fengzhi explained the documented name "Qing Jinglei" by recalling that the brothers used to write their names in comic books for distinction. Lei Zehu wrote his name correctly, but Lei Zeqing often wrote it backward as "Qing Zelei". As he had not attended school, when Shenzhen police assisted him in obtaining an identity card, Zeqing vaguely remembered this writing style and declared his name as "Qing Jinglei".

During a video call with his brother Zehu, Zeqing used hand gestures and wrote on paper to communicate, expressing his happiness. Nanyang and Shenzhen police have collected blood samples from both brothers for DNA testing. The family plans an official reunion in Shenzhen in the coming days.

*Minh Phuong (According to Jimu News, China.com)*