Featured Image Credit: Weibo
Topics: World News, Crime
Dominic Smithers
A man who was abducted as a child has left his billionaire adoptive parents to return to his real mom and dad.
Mei Zhiqiang was just two years old when he was snatched from outside his home in Yunnan province by people traffickers and sold to a family back in 1997.
However, he was later abandoned by them later on for apparently being 'too thin and small'.
Eventually, however, Mei was taken in by an incredibly wealthy family in the southeastern province of Fujian.
Advert
According to reports, his new parents believed that 'study was useless', and Mei began working for their hospital after graduating from high school.
The 27-year-old told Chinese outlet Jiupai News that he always had a feeling that he wasn't their biological son.
Ever since he disappeared, Mei's birth parents, Mei Xianhua and Pan Chang’e, have been desperately searching for him.
Speaking previously about their ordeal, Mei's dad described them as 'two mad people' looking for their child.
They told local media that they were never able to celebrate Spring Festival, which marks the start of a new life, properly while he was still missing.
Mei's elder sister and younger brothers would celebrate his birthday every year.
But never losing hope, his biological mom and dad bought a house for Mei, believing that one day he would return to them.
And after over two decades of hoping and waiting, Mei was finally reunited with his parents in June last year.
A friend of Mei's mom and dad, Du Xiaohua, helped them match the DNA of their son.
Since leaving his adoptive parents and going home, Mei has started working in the family's hotel supplies business.
His dad hopes that one day he will take it over fully.
He said: “No matter how rich they are, their love is different from ours – the love of birth parents."
Mei added: "I can see my parents’ love for me.”
Since learning of Mei's incredible story, people have taken to social media to offer words of support to him and his family.
While some may question why he left such a wealthy family, one person said: "The adoptive family is billionaire, so what? He didn’t have a happy childhood.
"I am glad to see him find happiness now."