My Stormy Half-Life, Tongtong

In 1975, deep in the mountains of Aba Prefecture, I was the youngest child, doted on by my parents in a remote mountain village.

I had parents who loved me, older brothers and sisters who protected me, a courtyard full of golden corn drying in the sun, and crystal-clear rivers. I also knew the poverty and hardship unique to life in the mountains.

This is not a made-up story. It is the true story of the life I have lived.

I write about the daily struggles of life in the mountains, my parents' love and hardships, the deep bonds between siblings, and the grit and stubbornness of that generation.

Every word is a piece of the youth I can never reclaim; every story is a memory etched into my heart.

If fate has brought you here, come and listen to a mountain girl tell the story of her turbulent life. If you enjoy it, your support will motivate me to write. I will do my best to tell every story well!