A Record of Making a Living

俞志宏May 2025

3.0

Word count: 12K words
Chapters: 6

Summary

In Silicon Valley, a programmer named Tom Wang, by a stroke of fate, takes in Lao Zhang, a chef who entered the United States illegally. Tom Wang is at a low point in life, having suffered setbacks in both family and career. The two, who seem to have nothing in common, part ways and then reunite, planning to open a restaurant together and embarking on a partnership whose prospects look highly uncertain.

Editor's review

Wok of Life (Yun Shi Ji) places two people with almost no intersection under the same roof: Tom Wang, a Silicon Valley programmer at a low point in both family and career, takes in Lao Zhang, a chef who entered the US illegally; after parting ways, they reunite over the idea of opening a restaurant. Yu Zhihong uses "wen shi"—a term with Cantonese roots—as the title, underscoring the weight of making a living. The novel's appeal lies not in an entrepreneurial legend but in how two down-and-out men test each other, adjust to each other, draw on each other's strengths, and guard against each other, with the partnership's prospects always uncertain—suspense grows naturally from this. The contrast between programmer and chef brings technical rationality into collision with hands-on experience, and also lets readers see how immigrant circumstances, class differences, and the cost of trust seep into everyday collaboration. The narrative is restrained and the details are solid, making it suitable for readers interested in the lives of overseas Chinese, small people helping each other succeed, and mismatched collaborations. As you read, pay attention to the subtle shifts in each man's state of mind between each "parting and reunion."

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in how overseas Chinese make a living and in immigrant circumstances
Readers of fiction about small people starting a business together and testing each other
Those interested in cross-industry partnerships and narratives built on identity contrasts
Readers who want a realistic story with a steady pace and solid details

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting fast-paced, high-stakes plots or business-war wish-fulfillment fiction
Practical-minded readers hoping for a complete template for a successful startup
Readers who prefer pure romance or light urban comedy

Reading tips

Read in chronological order, and note how Tom Wang's and Lao Zhang's circumstances change between their two reunions.
When you reach a point of disagreement over the partnership, write one sentence from each man's perspective stating what he is really afraid of.
Don't rush to judge whether the restaurant succeeds; focus instead on how the two build or consume trust.
After reading, you might look into the common barriers to starting a small food business overseas to deepen your understanding of the story's background.

版权信息
正文一
正文二
正文三
正文四
正文五

FAQ

What does the title "Wok of Life" (Yun Shi Ji) mean?

"Wen shi" in Cantonese commonly means making a living or finding food to eat. The title points to the story's core: two down-and-out men come together to make a living and try to open a restaurant. It signals to readers that this novel cares not about grand entrepreneurial myths but about how ordinary people struggle, cooperate, and move forward one meal at a time.

Why do Tom Wang and Lao Zhang go into business together to open a restaurant?

According to the source material, Tom Wang takes in Lao Zhang, a chef who entered the US illegally, at a time when both his family and career are at a low point. After parting ways, the two reunite and plan to open a restaurant together, embarking on a partnership with uncertain prospects. One is a Silicon Valley programmer, the other a chef; their identities and experience differ greatly, and whether the partnership can work is precisely the story's suspense.

Is this book suitable for people who want to learn about starting a business in the US?

It can serve as literary, indirect reference, but it is not a startup guide. The novel focuses on the circumstances, adjustment, and trust issues of two small people; it does not systematically explain registration, financing, or operating procedures. If you want to understand the real barriers to starting a small food business overseas, it is best to read it alongside documentary material for a fuller picture.

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About the author

俞志宏 Author

Yu Zhihong is an author about whom limited public information is currently available. The library holds one work by this author, the social novel Wenshiji (roughly, A Record of Making a Living). Based on the available information, his writing falls under the category of social fiction and deals with the everyday lives and struggles of ordinary people trying to earn a living. The title contains a distinctly dialectal term meaning to hustle for a living or scrape by, suggesting that the book focuses on the survival conditions and real-life pressures of people at the lower end of society. Because the author's nationality, dates of birth and death, educational background, and writing career are not clearly recorded, little more can be said about his life, and it cannot be confirmed whether he has published other works. Wenshiji may be read as a Chinese novel grounded in social reality and centered on the stories of making a living, presenting through specific characters and everyday details the struggles and choices of ordinary people. A fuller understanding of the author and his work will depend on further materials becoming available.