In mid-august, on a mound of earth in Guizhou province, Li Songsong repeatedly bowed his head before his biological father after 26 years of separation.
Li's life tragedy, also known as A Diao, began in 1998, when he was one year old. His aunt abducted him and sold him to a family in Putian. His adoptive parents were old and ill, causing A Diao to grow up in hardship. At 13, his cousin lured him out under the pretense of playing, then abandoned him in a shopping mall.
From then on, A Diao scavenged leftover food at night markets, slept under bridges, and collected scrap for five years. At 18, he found work as a cleaner but had to quit due to a lack of identification documents.
When the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, A Diao hid in the deep forest to avoid identity checks. For nearly three years, he lived in an abandoned brick kiln, foraging for wild fruits, trapping rabbits, wrapping himself in plastic film for warmth through winter, and had no contact with anyone.
In late 2022, A Diao left the mountains, returned to Putian, and sought police assistance to obtain his documents. For the first time in his life, he received a national identity card. Subsequently, he traveled to Guangdong, Shanghai, and Beijing, working as a porter and construction laborer.
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Li Songsong reunited with his father in his hometown, Weining county, Guizhou province on 30/7. Photo: QQ |
Despite working 10 hours daily to earn a living and residing in a cramped rented room, A Diao still used his money to buy food and share it with the homeless. A turning point occurred when he visited a hospital to donate money to charity. There, a volunteer heard A Diao's story and connected him with the missing persons organization, "Baby Come Home".
After more than three months of DNA testing, the results confirmed he was the son of Li Huaizhang. Receiving the news while at a construction site, A Diao stated his only wish was to know his birthday and celebrate it with his family.
On 30/7, A Diao traveled by car from Guiyang to Bijie. Upon their reunion, Mr. Li quickly pulled his son to his feet after the repeated bows. A Diao presented his father with a longevity peach and a string of cinnabar beads, wishing him a long life.
A Diao was welcomed home to a room the family had prepared, complete with a new wooden bed, pajamas, and wall-hung balloons. This was the first bed that truly belonged to him.
Bao Nhien (According to Elephant News)
