When Lin Wei opens her eyes, she finds her family living in utter poverty. Faced with a hard, stale steamed corn bun that could break her teeth, she quietly rolls up her sleeves. With no yeast, she finds a way to obtain natural starter cultures. With no meat or cooking oil, she sets up a street stall and earns enough to buy her family's first piece of meat. When the first copper coins she earns fall into her palm, a glimmer of hope finally lights up her family's eyes. She knows this is only the beginning. She is determined to lead her family and fellow villagers out of poverty and into prosperity.