Fired and Dumped, I Gained 100,000 Followers with a Bowl of Noodles

At 25, Lin Zhixia had become the “sensible girl” everyone expected her to be. At work, she was the scapegoat who was always on call. She earned a 6,000-yuan monthly salary while doing the work of her entire department, and her boss had been manipulating her for two whole years. At home, she was her parents' “walking ATM.” Her mother never stopped saying, “Your brother needs money.” After three years of working, Lin Zhixia hadn't saved a single yuan. She couldn't even bring herself to buy clothes that cost more than 200 yuan. In love, she gave everything she had. She'd been dating Chen Hao for three years, scrimping and saving to buy him the latest phone, while hesitating for ages over a cup of milk tea that cost 20 yuan. Then one day, a scheming coworker pinned the blame on her and cost her a million-yuan project. Her boss announced her dismissal in front of everyone. On her way out, she caught her boyfriend kissing that same coworker outside the office. In a single day, her career, love life, and family ties all fell apart. On a whim, she posted a 15-second video online. To her surprise, she gained 100,000 followers overnight. From then on, Lin Zhixia found her own way forward. When people tried to manipulate her, she walked away without a second thought. When her cheating ex came crawling back, she tossed his things out the door and posted proof of his infidelity. When her parasitic parents pressured her for money, she stood her ground and drew a clear line. In her tiny rented apartment, with a pot and a spatula, she cooked one comforting dish after another and built a brilliant life of her own. And the gentle veterinarian who always left comments on her videos showed up at her door with a bowl of hot soup. It turned out the best life was never something other people could give you. It was something you cooked up for yourself, one bowl at a time.