In 1980, when grain and fabric coupons were still in circulation, Lin Wanqiu opened her eyes to find herself a worthless girl whose greedy relatives had squeezed every last bit of value from her. She also had a little brother as thin as a bean sprout by her side.
This lively, down-to-earth decade of the 1980s became the stage for her rise.
Drawing on her modern memories, she pickled radishes until they were savory and spicy, fried scallion pancakes until they were crisp outside and tender inside, and braised pork until it glistened with oil.
The siblings who had once been beaten, scolded, and bullied gradually became the whole village’s darlings.
From a dilapidated shack to a thriving restaurant, from being everyone’s punching bags to having all eyes on them, Lin Wanqiu not only used food to heal life’s hardships, but also helped her little brother live life to the fullest in this golden age.
