From child trafficking survivor to tech millionaire: Chinese woman’s journey home

Zeng is the founder of a Shenzhen-based electronics company, which now generates more than 70 million yuan (US$10 million) annually, the South China Morning Post reported.

However, her path to success was far from easy.

At the age of three, she was abducted from her biological mother at a market in Hunan province, according to Sohu. Zeng was then adopted by a couple, but she never felt truly connected to them. She even tried to run away, but was caught. Throughout her childhood, her classmates bullied her, calling her "the picked-up child," a nickname that deeply scarred her self-esteem.

Zeng Youdi on the live TV show that helps her reunite with her biological family. Photo from Instagram

Determined to prove herself beyond the name her peers branded her with, Zeng worked tirelessly on the family farm after school, seeking approval from her adoptive parents, who occasionally praised her as a "good daughter." At 15, she was sent to live with her adoptive relatives and worked as a nanny.

A turning point in her life came at 18, when she landed a job at an electronics company in Shenzhen, despite lacking a university degree. There, she worked relentlessly, making hundreds of calls each day and traveling extensively to meet clients, hoping to change her life. Her efforts earned her recognition and a promotion to vice president of sales.

Step by step, Zeng bought her own car and house before founding her own electronics company, which fueled her rise to financial success.

Though her achievements were significant, Zeng never stopped searching for answers about her true origin.

In 2019, she joined a popular Chinese TV show that reunites missing family members. With the show’s help, Zeng discovered that she had been abducted after her mentally ill mother fainted at the busy Hunan market.

Her father, who had dedicated years to searching for her, passed away from lung disease, never having found her. On the live TV show, tearfully, Zeng embraced her biological siblings and declared, "I wasn’t abandoned. I finally have a home!"

Today, Zeng continues to care for her mother alongside her siblings, while running her business. Each year, she visits her father's grave, reflecting on the journey that shaped her into the woman she is today.

One online observer commented: "Zeng survived being trafficked and redeemed herself through intelligence and hard work. Fate was both her enemy and greatest teacher, shaping her into the strong woman she is today."