**Interview with Ouyang Guoqi: A Father’s Heartfelt Journey to Reunite with His Son After 19 Years of Separation**

In the ongoing developments of the “Mei Yi case,” all nine abducted children have been found, yet the infamous “Mei Yi” remains at large. Ouyang Jiahao, who was taken by traffickers at the age of three, met his biological parents when he was 22.

On October 25, Ouyang Guoqi, Jiahao’s father, shared his emotional reunion with Tencent News, recalling how he traveled from Hunan to Zengcheng, Guangzhou on September 20 to see his son, who he hadn’t seen for 19 long years. “Jiahao is a bit taller than me, and his eyes resemble his mother’s,” he remarked. He wasn’t the only parent experiencing this bittersweet moment; another abducted child, Zhong Bin, reunited with his family the same day.

Jiahao was the last of the nine children involved in the “Mei Yi case” to be located. This case has gained nationwide attention, and it was the police from Zengcheng who took charge of the investigation. Officer Wang Ting from the Nanchang Railway Public Security Bureau played a pivotal role, utilizing facial recognition technology to identify Jiahao and Zhong Bin.

“The families of these two children live just about 2 kilometers apart,” Wang said. Zhong Bin was abducted to Zijin County, while Jiahao’s trafficker had connections in nearby Meizhou City.

The mastermind behind the abduction of Jiahao and the other eight children, Zhang Weiping, was executed in April 2023. During his confession, he revealed that he used “Mei Yi” to find buyers for each of the nine boys he trafficked—hence the case’s moniker.

In a prior attempt to gather leads, the Zengcheng police released a composite sketch of “Mei Yi” in 2017. However, her identity remains elusive.

**Assistance from a Young Railway Officer: Rapid Identification of Suspects**

During a phone interview on October 26, Ouyang Guoqi recounted how he and his wife received a call from Zengcheng police in mid-September and made their way to meet their son. After finally breaking bread together, they returned home to Hunan, leaving Jiahao to continue his work in Guangzhou.

“He hasn’t called us ‘Mom and Dad’ yet,” Ouyang Guoqi said, understanding the emotional complexity of their situation. “It’s important to give him time to adjust; there’s no rush.”

Originally from Ningyuan County, Hunan Province, Ouyang Guoqi and his family moved to Zengcheng in 2005 for work. They rented a home in Xian Village, where he worked at a construction site while his wife, Ouyang Chunyu, cared for three-year-old Jiahao.

The month before the disappearance, a man in his thirties moved in next door, introducing himself as being from Sichuan. On May 26, Ouyang Chunyu was tidying up when she noticed Jiahao wasn’t playing outside anymore. After inquiring with neighbors, she learned that he had been taken by the man next door.

That man was Zhang Weiping, who had a history of child trafficking. “He often visited our home and would even bring treats for my son,” Ouyang Chunyu recalled after the incident.

According to Zhang’s confession, he took Jiahao outside the village, boarded a bus to Zengcheng, and met with “Mei Yi” beside the bus depot. They then traveled to a hotel in Zijin County, where he later sold Jiahao to a couple for 13,000 yuan, keeping 1,000 yuan as a referral fee for “Mei Yi.”

After reporting their son’s disappearance, the Ouyang family pressed the police to reveal the findings. Zhang was apprehended in 2016, but it wasn’t until May 2024 that seven of the nine kidnapped children were found, leaving only Jiahao and Zhong Bin still unaccounted for at that time.

In November 2017, Guoqi and others gathered at a hotel in Guangzhou to discuss the search for their missing children. Zhong Bin’s father, Zhong Dingyou, has been searching for his son since the day he was taken by Zhang Weiping in December 2004 when Zhong Bin was just one year old.

**Youthful Determination Combines with Technology to Unite Families**

In his quest to locate his son, Zhong Dingyou reached out to Officer Wang Ting at the Nanchang Railway Police. Wang, who is part of the millennial generation, has honed his skills in big data and facial recognition to find missing persons. He detailed the meticulous process he followed in locating Zhong Bin and Jiahao on October 25.

“Zhong Bin’s father contacted me around September 3 and sent over photos of his son. By the 9th, we had a breakthrough,” Wang explained. As he collaborated with Zengcheng police, he discovered that Jiahao was still missing and ultimately used facial recognition technology to find both boys.

After comparing DNA from suspects, it confirmed that they were indeed Zhong Bin and Ouyang Jiahao.

“Words can’t express my gratitude to Officer Wang and all those who helped us,” Zhong Dingyou said. On September 22, he joyously met his son after 20 years. On the same day, Guoqi also met Jiahao, marking the conclusion of a long chapter of despair.

**The Quest Continues: The People Behind the Crimes**

With all nine abducted children now found and Zhang Weiping executed, the focus shifts to “Mei Yi.” The case sparked public interest, largely due to the relentless search efforts of parents like Shen Junliang, the father of another victim, Shen Cong.

Shen Junliang, who lived in Zengcheng, dedicated himself entirely to finding his son after he was stolen at just one year old. For over a decade, he crisscrossed various cities, distributing thousands of flyers, yet his son remained missing.

In July 2017, he found artist Lin Yuhui, known for creating a composite of a suspect in a high-profile missing person case in the U.S., who helped to draw a likeness of Shen Cong as a teenager. After Lin’s involvement drew media attention, the police identified several suspects involved in the case, including Zhang and others from the same village in Guizhou Province.

In December 2021, Zhang and his accomplices were sentenced to death for their roles in multiple kidnappings. The attention to detail and persistence of families, coupled with advancements in policing techniques, have led to many successful recoveries of abducted children.

To date, not only have Jiahao and Zhong Bin reunited with their families, but the resolution of this ongoing and tragic case raises questions about the still-mysterious “Mei Yi.” Despite the convictions, the identity of “Mei Yi” remains unsolved, adding to the haunting complexities of the case that has resonated deeply within the community.

As the investigation continues, families await justice for their lost loved ones and hope that “Mei Yi” will be brought to light.