Ning Jiu Jia, the merchant's illegitimate daughter, ran away while her stepmother was taking her to be a dead man's bride. She thought the world was wide open before her, but a kidnapper set his sights on her and sold her to a border garrison thousands of miles away.
Luckily, an old woman rescued her, saving her from being forced into a brothel.
To gain her freedom, she must first pay back the money.
With not a penny to her name, Ning Jiu Jia is grateful she has a knack for cooking.
But cooking alone won't do if she has no money.
She first finds ways to earn a little in the wilderness, without any upfront costs. Once she has saved enough, she sets up a stall at the market.
All kinds of flatbreads, pastries, and other treats... Her little stall is bustling with business.
Freedom is within reach.
**
Gu Shi returns home from a patrol outside the city. With every person he passes on the way from one end of the alley to the other, his expression grows darker.
When he gets home, sure enough, there's someone new in the courtyard: a dirty, scrawny, scruffy-haired girl.
And it turns out half a year's wages have gone with her.
Gu Shi is so annoyed he drinks two extra bowls of congee that night.
**
A little scene:
The kindhearted old granny in the alley loves to pull Ning Jiu Jia aside and teach her the secret tricks she used to win over her old man.
Ning Jiu Jia: "Granny, I'm only staying at the Gu house for a while."
Granny won't listen. "Listen, you can't just give him sweet treats. Every now and then, you need to give him a slap..."
Ning Jiu Jia, tired of explaining, forces a stiff smile.
Gu Shi, listening in from around the corner: "Don't even think about it."
Ning Jiu Jia: "I only want to make money."
Later, Ning Jiu Jia's stall grows into a shop.
Gu Shi volunteers himself: "Shopkeeper Ning, need a helper to run errands?"
Ning Jiu Jia props her chin on her hand and studies him. He's handsome, and he's built well too. Should she hire him or not?
*The blurb has been revised, but the main story is unchanged: a simple tale of everyday life in a border town.
Thesis: Be self-reliant and strong, and find a way to survive even when all seems lost.
