On 23/3, at a police station in Jiangxi province, 44-year-old Li Lin embraced her younger brother Li Xin, weeping. After 33 years apart, the sister carried large bags of bread to their reunion, confronting her past pain and regret.
The family tragedy unfolded in 1993. Their mother died of cancer, and their devastated father subsequently left home and disappeared. Li Lin, then 11, and Li Xin, seven, became homeless, surviving by scavenging for food.
While sheltering from rain in a truck bed, the children fell asleep and were unknowingly transported to an unfamiliar city. Hungry and afraid, Li Lin agreed when a stranger offered to buy her younger brother bread. From that moment, the seven-year-old boy vanished without a trace.
"My younger brother was kidnapped while under my care. I lived with that guilt for 33 years," Li Lin said, her voice choked with emotion.
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Li Lin lies next to the only photo she has of her younger brother. Photo: mp.weixin.qq.com |
Li Lin lies next to the only photo she has of her younger brother. Photo: mp.weixin.qq.com
To fund her nationwide search for her brother, Li Lin took on arduous jobs, including carrying bricks, washing dishes, and factory work. She spent nearly one million yuan (approximately 145,000 USD) and distributed tens of thousands of flyers. Her only clue was a childhood photo of her brother.
After his abduction, Li Xin attempted to escape to his sister but faced beatings and confinement in a dark room. He later escaped, surviving by begging on buses before a family in Guangdong adopted him and changed his surname to Han.
"Deep down, I always knew I had a sister and never gave up searching," Li Xin stated. Recalling childhood memories of catching crayfish with his sister, he repeatedly traveled to Hubei and Hunan provinces in search of family, but without success.
The reunion came early this year, facilitated by facial recognition technology. Police in Jiangxi province noticed Li Xin's resemblance to the old photo Li Lin had provided. Subsequent DNA tests confirmed they were biological siblings.
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The sister brings bread to her brother on their reunion day. Photo: mp.weixin.qq.com |
The sister brings bread to her brother on their reunion day. Photo: mp.weixin.qq.com
Upon receiving the bread from his sister, Li Xin comforted her, assuring her he harbored no resentment. The following day, Li Lin brought her brother back to their hometown in Xiantao city, Hubei province. She laid out a red carpet, lit firecrackers, and prepared traditional sticky rice cakes to welcome him. At their mother's grave, Li Lin wept, announcing her brother's return.
Li Lin's final wish is to find their lost father, aiming for a complete family reunion.
Nhat Minh (According to World Journal, SCMP, QQ)
