A Happy Family
A man named Bành Thuận got married at 24 after a matchmaking date. Although they didn’t have time to date or get to know each other well, their marriage was very good. After many years together, the couple still didn’t have kids, but Bành Thuận loved his wife deeply and never thought about divorce. Still, his wife often lamented that she couldn’t give him a healthy baby boy, which was a big regret.
Six years later, Bành Thuận’s elderly mother suddenly brought home a one-month-old baby girl. She said she found the abandoned baby on the street and asked the couple to take good care of her. From the moment the baby arrived, Bành Thuận was overjoyed and spent two days thinking before finally naming her Bành Anh.
Bành Anh’s arrival filled the family with laughter. Especially when she started talking and calling her dad, Bành Thuận felt even happier and more motivated to work hard. Though the family wasn’t wealthy, the couple always loved each other and tried their best to give their daughter a good life.
But when their daughter hit rebellious teenage years, she stopped being obedient and often argued with her parents.
Her school performance declined. When Bành Anh was 14, her mother suddenly passed away from cancer. Feeling sorry for his motherless daughter, Bành Thuận spoiled her and lacked strictness. This only made Bành Anh more rebellious. At one point, she skipped school, which made her dad furious. They argued so loudly neighbors had to step in. Feeling everyone sided with her dad, Bành Anh ran out in anger.
That night, when Bành Anh still hadn’t come home, a neighbor came over to comfort and encourage Bành Thuận. They talked for a long time, and the neighbor suddenly mentioned adopting Bành Anh. Unexpectedly, Bành Anh’s voice came from behind: “Dad, am I really not your biological daughter?” Seeing her crying with red eyes, Bành Thuận was heartbroken and said, “Why do you care about that? You are still my daughter, and that will never change!”
From that day, Bành Anh suddenly became much more obedient and understanding, but also very sensitive. After finishing middle school, she decided to quit and work to ease her dad’s financial burden. She moved to the city to work with relatives. But soon after, the family lost contact with her. Unable to find her, Bành Thuận reported her missing to the police.
After 3 years searching, Bành Thuận finally got good news from the police.
He learned that his daughter had been kidnapped and taken to the mountains of Sichuan. When father and daughter reunited, Bành Thuận was shocked to hear Bành Anh defend her kidnapper. She cried and told the police, “Please don’t arrest my husband and mother-in-law. I’m here by choice. They haven’t done anything wrong.” Everyone was stunned.
Worried she was too scared to tell the truth, Bành Thuận comforted her: “Sweetheart, don’t be afraid. Dad and the police are here. They won’t hurt you.” But Bành Anh kept sobbing, “Dad, I really want to stay here…”
Under police questioning, Bành Anh explained what happened. A relative took her to work as a waitress at a hotpot restaurant. Business was slow, so staff shifts were cut. One coworker asked if she wanted to visit her hometown in Sichuan, and Bành Anh agreed.
After dinner, that coworker suddenly sold Bành Anh to the Liu family for 30,000 yuan (about 105 million VND). Bành Anh was terrified and cried, wanting to go home. Liu’s mother said she could leave but only if they paid back the 30,000 yuan. Bành Anh thought about calling her dad but knew her family’s farming income was too low to save that much in a year.
Liu Zhi was dark-skinned, small-eyed but tall and good-looking, just in his early 20s. He gently said, “If you agree to stay, I promise to treat you well and won’t force you to do anything. If you want to leave later, I’ll let you go once your family pays the ransom.” Bành Anh didn’t hate him, so she agreed to stay.
Liu and his mother treated Bành Anh well, so she stayed and had children with him. Now her child is over one year old, and she lives happily, not wanting to leave.
The coworker who tricked and sold Bành Anh was sentenced to 8 years in prison and fined 90,000 yuan. Liu’s family should have faced nearly 3 years in prison, but Bành Anh repeatedly begged, assuring that they never abused or forced her and that she willingly stayed. In the end, the police only required Liu’s family to undergo local education.
