Grandson goes missing, grandmother cycles searching for him for 9 years.

Every time she thinks of her grandson, Chau Thang Dung, born on June 17, 1994, who went missing nine years ago, 82-year-old Chau Ngoc Nu cycles around the alleys searching for him. When she finds no news of him, she returns home and sits there in a daze.

"I don't know where the boy is now, whether he's hungry or cold. He's so gentle and well-behaved, I don't know who lured him away, leaving the whole family to search for him," Mrs. Nu said with a sigh.

Nine years ago, Dung, then 16, lived with his grandmother, mother, and older brother in a rented room of just over 10 square meters.²In Thanh Loc ward, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City, Mrs. Nu and her daughter went scavenging for scrap metal every day to make a living. Dung had been working as a car radiator cleaner for over two years at that time.

The only photo of Dung was taken when he was in middle school.

Dung also told her, "I'm going to work now, Grandma, I'll take care of you at home. You've suffered so much with my mother and me. Now that you're old, you should rest and take care of yourself." Mrs. Nu was happy, not because she would be taken care of by her grandson, but because, having lived her life sleeping under bridges, eating leftovers, and being homeless, her grandson's life was much better.

Feeling sorry for her grandson who ate instant noodles every day before going to work, on the evening of March 16, 2010, Mrs. Nu gave Dung 100,000 dong, telling him to buy something to eat the next morning to give him strength to work. Dung absolutely refused to accept the money. He said, "Grandma, leave it there. In the afternoon, Mom will come back from collecting scrap metal and buy some ingredients to cook, and then we'll all eat together. I can eat instant noodles in the morning."

That afternoon, Mrs. Nu's family had extra meat and some fruit for dessert to celebrate Dung's new job. "The boy ate everything in the pot. He praised me as the best cook," Mrs. Nu recalled, her eyes welling up with tears, remembering her memories of Dung.

That evening, Mrs. Nu's family turned off the lights and went to bed earlier than usual. Their rented room had no attic, so the four of them slept on mats on the floor. Before going to sleep, Mrs. Nu told Dung, "Tomorrow is your first day at your new job, try to sleep early so you'll be healthy." Then she fell asleep without realizing it.

Currently, Ms. Nu is collecting scrap metal to earn money to continue her search for her grandchild.

Mrs. Nu's family tried calling Dung, but his phone was switched off. They waited until the next morning, but he still hadn't returned. Mrs. Nu inquired with neighbors, his friends, and even at the company where he was supposed to start working, but no one had any news about Dung.

After waiting for over nine years without her grandchild returning, she searched every alley, bus station, hospital, park, and sensitive spot in the city, but to no avail. She also sought help from the police, local authorities, and the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs of District 12, but to no avail.

"There's a gentleman at the District Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs who's very kind to me. Every time I go there, he turns on the camera and shows me videos and pictures of criminals to see if anyone resembles my nephew. I watch for a while and then go home empty-handed," Mrs. Nu recounted.

Mrs. Nu and her daughter only hope that wherever Dung is, he is still healthy, and that no matter what his condition is, the family will accept him.

"I think the boy might have been lured away somewhere, because he's a good boy and very hardworking," Mrs. Nu said. Because she hopes Dung is still healthy, Mrs. Nu will continue searching, no matter how difficult it is.