A 38-year-old woman, cast aside by marriage, returns to her mountain village with her craft and turns a crock of aged fermented bean paste into a livelihood for the whole village.
Background: She married into a neighboring town and spent 16 years dutifully serving her in-laws and raising two children. Her husband was a chronic drunk and gambler who beat her. Her mother-in-law favored boys over girls.
Turning point: After gambling away the family fortune, her husband throws her and their two children out. Her parents are ashamed and refuse to take them in, so she returns with the children to the old house her grandfather left behind.
Special skill (golden finger): A traditional family recipe for aged fermented bean paste, passed down through generations. Her grandfather was famous throughout the region as a master maker. She also secretly learned how to sell products through livestreams while working in town.
Personality: Gentle on the outside but resilient within, quiet and stubborn. She does not hold grudges against those who bully her, but she keeps accounts and settles them all come harvest time.
Character arc: Looked down on → finds her footing → leads the whole village to prosperity → makes peace with her past self.
Reminder. The novel is well written.