After playfully sneaking onto a train and being transported away unexpectedly, a deaf and non-speaking man from central China was finally reunited with his biological family recently – following 35 years away from home.
On June 11, Lei Zeqing joyfully reunited with his father, older brother, and sister, who made the journey from their hometown in Henan province to Shenzhen, in southern China’s Guangdong province.
Lei was overwhelmed with excitement to finally see his long-lost family, for whom he had searched tirelessly over the past 35 years.
In 1991, Lei and his friends playfully sneaked onto a train. He fell asleep beneath a seat, only to wake up in a “strange place.”
Unable to communicate effectively, Lei began living as a homeless individual near the Shenzhen railway station.
Fortunately, Lei encountered a woman he considered his first “mother” in Shenzhen, who taught him how to write.
Five years later, this woman moved to Hong Kong. However, Lei did not return to homelessness; he found a restaurant owner near the railway station who generously offered him food, a place to sleep, and even helped him secure a job.
Hong Qingxian, the owner, expressed a desire to give Lei a home after seeing him in the area multiple times.
Hong allowed Lei to stay in the restaurant’s staff dormitory and provided him meals at no cost.
Although Hong’s restaurant only operated for two years, he later found Lei a job as a security guard nearby. Local restaurants continued to provide Lei free meals.
Despite not being well off, Hong and his wife, who had two children younger than Lei, took care of him for three decades.
As a retired soldier, Hong often told his wife that they should educate Lei well; otherwise, the deaf and non-speaking Lei might struggle in life.
In the second year they opened their home to him, Hong advised Lei to save all the money he earned to search for and eventually reunite with his biological family. Lei affectionately wrote “Shenzhen dad” and “Shenzhen mum” on a piece of paper, expressing his gratitude for Hong and his wife’s kindness.
Lei never gave up on locating his biological family. He shared family search messages online and, a few years ago, embarked on a train journey across several provinces, revisiting places that resonated with his childhood memories.
Hong remained supportive throughout the years, accompanying Lei to the police station and even placing advertisements in local newspapers.
Lei finally located his biological family because they had never lost hope for him either.
Lei’s older brother, Lei Zehu, who is also deaf and non-speaking, had joined several chat groups on an app. By chance, he saw a message from his younger brother.
Interestingly, Lei used his real name written backward as an identity – a habit he kept since childhood. Seeing this familiar quirk was exactly how his older brother knew, without a doubt, that his long-lost younger brother had finally been found.
They met online several times to discuss and align their memories. Hong accompanied Lei for DNA testing as well.
Even before the test results were available, the family travelled to Shenzhen. Two hours after their emotional reunion, the results confirmed their biological relationship.
They offered heartfelt thanks to Hong and his wife. “Thank you for treating my brother like your son, despite his condition,” Lei’s sister expressed gratefully.
Lei vowed to repay his biological parents, as well as his “parents” in Shenzhen.
Hong, though saddened by parting from Lei, affirmed his respect for Lei’s wishes and pledged to support him in reconnecting with his birth family.
“Lei is very fortunate to have found his ‘parents’ in Shenzhen,” remarked one online observer.
“Hong is a person of deep sentiment and righteousness,” commented another. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
