Summary

In Chapter One, 60-year-old Vera Wong Zhuzhu wakes up at 4:30 a.m., texts her son, and gets ready for the day. The narrator says Vera's horoscope is the pig who are diligent and often asked for advice. She looks over the messages she sent to her son, Tilbert (Tilly), lecturing him about life. However, he wants to be called Bert, and she accuses him of talking back. He ignored her after that. Now, Vera goes on her morning walk of exactly 3,112 steps as she greets all the shop owners and curses the millennial-owned Café. She recalls her deceased husband, Jinlong, before arriving at her store, Vera Wang's World-Famous Teahouse. Tilly once mocked the name as it was neither famous nor owned by a “Wang.” Vera wishes Jinlong was there to help her and her son’s relationship as she opens the...