In Republican-era Pixian County, Sichuan, the rain-soaked alleys were damp, the teahouses were bustling, and rows of vats held fermenting bean paste. Tan Yanzhi, the young master of a cloth shop, and Dong Lingyi, the daughter of a douban workshop, had known each other since childhood. One was gentle yet sharp beneath the surface; the other was quiet but strong-willed. Their peaceful days were shattered by a sudden upheaval. Rumors cut like knives, and clan ties closed around them like a net, driving their fates in different directions: one was forced to choose amid the torrents of the times, while the other struggled to uphold the family business and her dignity. Douban needs just the right heat and an honest hand to turn a vivid red. People are much the same. Amid the smoke of everyday life and the storms sweeping across the western Sichuan plain, they each held fast to their true selves and waited to meet again.
