The Note Left by Birth Parents: The Couple Yang Xuemei Searching for Adoptive Daughter's Real Parents
In the Jing'an County of Yichun City, a couple wishes to find the birth parents of their filial adoptive daughter.
Twenty-nine years ago, Yang Xuemei from the Zudou Town of Jing'an County in Yichun City adopted a daughter. Now, the daughter has grown up, become a mother herself, and her family lives happily together. However, Yang Xuemei suddenly had an idea — to help her daughter find her birth mother. The reason is simple: her daughter is incredibly filial, and Yang hopes that such a devoted daughter can reunite with her biological mother to share their happiness. On the 13th day, our reporter met Yang Xuemei and her husband at Nanchang Railway Station, where we learned this touching true story.
**Bonding:** The abandoned baby girl had a note with her.
This story begins in 1981. That year, 27-year-old Yang Xuemei was undergoing training at the old Zhong Hospital in Jing'an County. On October 19th in the afternoon, after arriving at the hospital for work, Yang heard from her colleagues that a child had been abandoned. At the time, Yang had been married for many years, having once given birth to a child who unfortunately passed away, and she also suffered a miscarriage afterward, leaving her childless. After hearing her colleague’s account, she was moved. Her colleague mentioned that the hospital accountant, Mr. Gu, had sent the child to the county Civil Affairs Bureau. Consequently, Yang Xuemei went to the bureau to see the child. When she reached the entrance of the bureau, she happened to meet Mr. Gu. After seeing the child, Yang immediately decided to adopt this baby girl. Mr. Gu informed Yang that they found a note in the baby's swaddling clothes. The content of the note roughly read: "Little Swallow (Xiaoyanzi), with three older sisters. Please keep this note forever." After reading the note, Yang Xuemei guessed that the child’s parents might come looking for her one day, so she kept the note safe until today.
**Gratitude:** Filial daughter often makes villagers envious.
After bringing the baby home, Yang Xuemei's entire family was delighted. They named the child Lin Haiying. Back then, rural areas were very poor. Yang worked at the village health center, while her husband farmed at home, earning only 30 cents per day. The family lived frugally, saving money to buy milk powder for little Haiying.
When Haiying was five years old, Yang sent her to a local kindergarten. A year later, Yang gave birth to a son, but she treated her daughter and son equally. Due to poverty, Lin Haiying dropped out of school after finishing junior high school, giving her younger brother the chance to continue his education. She started working to support her family. Most of the money her brother spent on technical school came from Haiying's earnings. Yang told reporters that her daughter Lin Haiying was extremely filial, often buying her clothes. As Yang suffers from chronic nephritis, her daughter frequently worries about her condition and buys her medicine.
Lin Haiying not only showed filial piety to her mother but also to her grandmother, often helping her wash her feet and clothes. Villagers would often tell Yang, “Your daughter is truly filial! Some people have three or four daughters, yet none compare to your single daughter.”
**Touched:** Adoptive mother seeks biological mother to share daughter's filial piety.
At the age of 23, Lin Haiying met her boyfriend through an introduction. In 2005, they got married and now have their own happy family, lacking nothing. In July this year, Yang Xuemei suddenly had an idea. Given her poor health and increasing age, coupled with her daughter's exceptional filial piety, she wanted to help her daughter find her biological parents so they could know what a wonderful daughter they have and share in her devotion.
When Yang shared this thought with her daughter Lin Haiying, Lin did not oppose it, and her husband Lin Jianfa fully supported her.
During an interview, Lin Haiying said that even though she knew since elementary school that she wasn’t Yang’s biological child, she had long considered Yang as her real mother. She believed her mother didn't need to help her look for her biological parents because she already led a very happy life. However, relatives who learned of Yang’s intentions expressed opposition. Some thought it foolish for Yang to go through all the trouble of raising her daughter just to give her back to someone else. In the village, there were other cases where adoptive parents refused to help their children find their biological parents, even going as far as turning away biological parents who sought them out, fearing that their children would no longer be filial after reconnecting with their birth parents.
However, Yang Xuemei didn't think this way. She told reporters that putting herself in others' shoes, she could understand the pain her daughter's biological parents must have felt when they gave her away. She believed her daughter was reasonable and understanding; even if she found her biological parents, she would still treat her well. Thus, she and her husband Lin Jianfa began their search for their daughter's biological parents.
**Search:** Initial setbacks in Zhejiang
During the search for her daughter's biological parents, Yang Xuemei received information suggesting that her daughter's biological parents might be from Zhejiang Province. This information came from Chen Xianju, who lived in the same village as Yang. Chen Xianju claimed that 29 years ago, upon seeing the baby's clothes, she confirmed that the child belonged to Chen Fulu's cousin's family from Zhejiang. At the time, Chen Fulu had brought his cousin and others from Zhejiang Yiwu to work in the Zudou Town of Jing'an County, helping burn bricks for Chen Xianju's family. Chen Xianju further explained that Chen Fulu's cousin's wife had given birth to a girl, but due to not having a marriage certificate and fearing fines, they gave the child away.
Upon learning this, on the evening of November 10th, Yang Xuemei, her husband Lin Jianfa, and Chen Xianju traveled to Yiwu City in Zhejiang Province. With the assistance of local public security authorities, they located Chen Fulu. Surprisingly, Chen Fulu's cousin avoided meeting them, and later, they met Chen Fulu's cousin's wife. She admitted to abandoning a child in the past but denied that the child had any note attached.
Where are the biological parents of Yang Xuemei's adopted daughter? If any readers recognize the note left by Lin Haiying's biological parents, please call our hotline at 13970051316 or (0791) 6849315, or log onto Jiangnan Metropolis Network (http://www.jnds.com.cn) to share your thoughts on Yang Xuemei's efforts to help her adopted daughter find her biological mother.
Written/Photographed by reporter Wu Xianhua