Ten year old Jinxi was wiping her name from an advertisement of herself painted on the outside wall of her step father's house. She only wiped out her name, but dare not touch the words 'Good Price for Sale' and the contact phone number.
August 10, 2012, Jinxi was dragged out of bed by her step father Mr. Wu Hainan to the local human trafficking market in Mile County of Yunnan Province. Wu hanged a big sign on Jinxi's neck, which read 'Good Price for Sale' and his phone number. When police was tipped to the scene, Wu was bargaining with a buyer. He insisted such as pretty and obedient girl worth at least 100 thousand Yuan ($1500).
Police escorted Jinxi back to her home, a new government development ironically named 'Harmonic Garden'. Wu refused to let police and the Jinxi in. A local official came to persuade Wu to open the door.
Police and local officials informed Wu it was against the law to sell children for money. The family had been receiving government vouchers for low income people of RMB 453 Yuan ($60) per month. They lives in a government subsidized low rent housing development. The government will help them in case of financial difficulties. In the end, Wu agreed to keep Jinxi, for now.
'Government voucher was not even enough to pay the rent for the 400 square feet apartment,' said Wu. Wu stated he was in his 50s, no longer fit to earn enough money for the family of three.
Reporters visited the family in the afternoon on August 16, guided by local police. Jinxi was scared to see so many people because she was afraid Wu had made a deal with a buyer. Many advertisements of Jinxi could be seen all around the housing development complex.
Soon it was 6 o'clock. Jinxi made dinner, then work on her summer homework and calligraphy exercises.
Her step mother Ms. Bi Sheng was disabled from Poliomyelitis. She told the reporters she found the girl when she was 3 days old on a roadside. She loved the girl. Bi said after the August 10 incident, she slept with Jinxi everyday. If Wu would sell Jinxi again, she would inform the police. She was worried she did not have strength to fight off Wu, and Jinxi would be sold one day.
Wu was not at home that day.
Here are the conversation between reporters and Jinxi:
Reporters: 'What if your step father sold you?'
Jinxi: 'I can't think that far, I don't know about future. Perhaps I do not have a good fortune'.
Reporters: 'Do you hate your biological parents?'
Jinxi: 'Sir, I don't really understand what is hate. Actually I found them, and visited their family once, where I have a big sister and a litter brother. They are very poor. I do not hate them.'
Reporters, 'Then do you hate your step parents?'
Jinxi: 'How boring and exhausted it would be if you have to hate this one and that one everyday? Why hate someone?'
Jinxi told reporters that the only thing she could do was to work hard on her schoolwork, grow up and find a good job so she can give her step parents a good life.
Reporters made several attempts to contact Jinxi's step father, but Wu refused to answer the phone. When they left, they were not sure whether they would be able to see Jinxi again.
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