Xiaosuo finally returned home.
■ Follow-up report on "The Lock Opening Story"
Written and photographed by Wang Xiaoyun, reporter of the Yangcheng Evening News
"Having wandered for over a decade, I have dreamed of returning home every night. Now I have finally come back! I thank all the good people I met in Guangzhou; without you, I wouldn't be where I am today." On January 29th, shortly after returning to his hometown of Guoyang County, Anhui Province, Xiaosuo conveyed this joyful news to the reporter from the Yangcheng Evening News.
Returning Home
At 9 PM on the evening of the 26th, at Guangzhou Railway Station, Xiaosuo boarded the train home.
This was made possible through the assistance of Mr. Xu Fuxian, director of the Guangzhou Shelter Station, who, upon seeing the report in the Yangcheng Evening News on the 18th, used policies for aiding homeless individuals to secure him a ticket home (details reported in our newspaper on the 20th). Not only did he purchase the ticket, but he also dispatched a staff member to escort Xiaosuo home.
"To intervene or not? This reflects the shelter's commitment to serving vulnerable groups," said Mr. Xu Fuxian.
Ever since Xiaosuo reconnected with his mother and second uncle and other family members, he had been sleepless for many nights: "I want to know why my mother left when I was very young. Did she abandon me? I've wandered for more than a decade, earning little from working. Will my family look down on me?"
Xiaosuo told the reporter from the Yangcheng Evening News that finding one's family should be a joyous event, but instead, he was worried, unsure how to face his family. Too many unknown mysteries were about to be uncovered, and he was afraid—so afraid that he would cry alone in the toilet at night.
"Every year in Guangzhou during the New Year, watching others reunite with their families, I couldn't help but feel lonely. Although I had friends with me, no one can replace one's parents. I dreamt of going home."
Old House
The bridge in town still looked the same as it always has.
Standing at the bridgehead, childhood memories slowly flooded Xiaosuo's mind: "When I was a child, my uncle often took me across this bridge to go to the town for tea and mahjong."
Five meters away stood four people—his second uncle, second aunt, aunt, and cousin.
"Are you NanNan? You've grown so much." "How have you managed all these years, and why didn't you return?" "We even went to Guangzhou looking for you, but couldn't find you!"
On the afternoon of the 28th, in Yimen Town, Guoyang County, Anhui Province, Xiaosuo saw his relatives for the first time after being lost for 15 years. Back in the village, all the relatives and neighbors came over.
"I was so excited yet nervous. Everyone introduced themselves, but I didn't remember them."
His second uncle led him to the old house. The dilapidated room was empty, half the wall collapsed, the beams cracked with large gaps, and light shone through the roof. But Xiaosuo was happy: "My home! I'm finally back."
He rode a motorcycle around the village.
"My family took me to the village committee for certification, then to the police station to apply for a household registration and ID card. Now I also know my own birthday—it’s January 6, 1990, and my name is Suonannan..."
Meeting Mom
On the afternoon of the 28th, at the Anhui Bozhou Bus Station,
As soon as Xiaosuo got off the bus, a long-haired woman in her forties stood nearby, sobbing uncontrollably with her hand covering her mouth.
Mom!
Looking at each other speechlessly, tears streamed down both their faces.
Also present were Grandma and Auntie, their voices hoarse from crying. Auntie grabbed him, hugging him tightly, while Mom hesitated to approach.
"She might be afraid that I blame her, but I don't blame her at all. Everyone has their own difficulties," Xiaosuo understood.
After calming down, Mom explained that his father passed away when he was three, and Grandpa loved him dearly, taking him out to beg, making it impossible for the family to locate them.
In 1998, Mom heard that Xiaosuo had been sent to Hefei, so she searched for over a year, carrying photos and asking people on the streets if they had seen her child.
"I thought Mom had abandoned me." Xiaosuo's heart knot was untied.
According to local customs, Xiaosuo spent the New Year's Eve at his second uncle's home, and on the second day of the new year, he would visit Grandma's house with Mom.
Thanking Benefactors
"After the Spring Festival, my second uncle plans to help me build a house first," Xiaosuo happily informed the reporter on the 29th.
He asked the reporter to express his gratitude to all the kind-hearted people in Guangzhou who helped him:
"Brother Tian treated me like a real brother, taking me in. He has kidney stones, though reluctant to spend money, he insisted on seeking medical treatment. I hope he gets well soon."
"Captain Zhang has been concerned about my job ever since I left the juvenile correctional facility. Even when I worked in Wuhan and Hangzhou, he still cared about me."
"Brother Feng helped me find my family, gave me clothes when it got cold, and bought New Year goods for me."
"Sister An made me an album of pictures taken five years ago. I almost forgot what I looked like back then."
"Aunt Liao and Aunt Guan..."
"I will definitely change because of all of you. If I don't change, I'd rather die."
What are his future plans? Xiaosuo firmly stated that he would work hard, earn money, and certainly not do anything wrong, believing that life will get better.
Wishes
Just like in "Spirited Away," Xiaosuo found "himself" and returned home.
There are more people who haven't been as fortunate as him, and some we may never hear from.
For lost and wandering youths like Xiaosuo, caring individuals such as Liao Ling'er, Guan Xiaolei, Zhang Qingyou, An Haibo, and Liao Yizhu have invested deep emotions. They hope to inspire more responsible actions by listening to the voices of society's weaker members, helping these children find legal identities, reintegrate into society, and lead good lives.
Love and being loved are both blessings. We wish these children and those who help them a bright future.