"I want to find my way home and reunite with my biological parents," said Fu Ximei, a 23-year-old woman from China living in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

These heartfelt words were shared in an online video while she was searching for her birth family.

In 2004, the Dutch couple took Fu Ximei back to the neighborhood where she had been found as a child. (Source: Fu Ximei)

Born in Haikou in August 2002, Fu was adopted by a Dutch couple at age 2 and raised in Europe. She is now pursuing a degree in Creative Business at Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences.

Despite her adoptive parents giving her a caring home and joyful childhood, her wish to reconnect with her cultural heritage became more intense as she aged.

In 2024, Fu Ximei and her boyfriend posed for a photo at the Haikou Social Welfare Institute. (Source: Fu Ximei)

While visiting her Vietnamese boyfriend's family and immersing herself in traditional Vietnamese culture, she started questioning her own background: What are my biological parents like? Does my mother cook traditional Chinese dishes? Would we celebrate Chinese New Year together?

Fu's wish to search for her roots got her adoptive mother's full understanding and support.

"This will not change the bondage between us," her mother told her, giving her the confidence to begin the journey.

In 2024, Fu Ximei returned to Haikou in search of her biological family and reunited with Dr. Chen, who had cared for her as a child. (Source: Fu Ximei)

Carrying that hope, Fu returned to Hainan for her first visit in 2024. While the dramatic changes in Haikou over the past 20 years made it difficult for her to recognize the exact place where she had been found as a child, she was able to reunite with Dr. Chen, who had cared for her at the Haikou Social Welfare Institute.

A photo of Fu Ximei and Dr. Chen taken during her stay at the Haikou Social Welfare Institute. (Source: Fu Ximei)

A photograph from over 20 years ago, capturing Dr. Chen tenderly holding her, serves as a poignant reminder of a lasting bond.

This reunion truly touched Fu, helping her see that even though she doesn't remember her early years before age 2, someone must have loved and cared for her deeply during those precious moments of her life.

With volunteers' assistance, Fu's DNA sample has been uploaded to relevant databases to aid in the search.

The welfare institute stated that the documents provided by Fu, such as a newspaper notice and adoption records, verify that she was legally registered through the Haikou Social Welfare Institute in 2004 and later approved for international adoption by the China Center for Children's Welfare and Adoption.

After learning her story, the Haikou Social Welfare Institute extended a warm invitation, welcoming her to return whenever she wishes and to explore the beauty of her homeland.

Fu Ximei

Asked how she would like to make first contact if her biological parents are found, Fu said: "I think we would first have a video call with an interpreter, and then I would plan a trip to meet them in person."

"I feel happy, grateful, and hopeful, and I deeply long to find my way home."

For Fu Ximei, that simple wish remains the most genuine expression of her feelings today.