Born in Hunan in a village in Lianyuan, Loudi city, Huang developed a love for literature during her primary school years. In high school, her teachers sometimes selected her essays to be read aloud as exemplary pieces.

Despite her writing successes, Huang did not do well enough in the national college entrance exam in 1990. Her mother borrowed money so that she could continue studying and retake the exam the following year. Instead, she started working so the family would have more money to support her two younger brothers.

She went from city to city, working odd jobs as a printer, construction worker and nanny to make a living.

Looking back, Huang said she regrets the decision as she could have contributed more to the family if she had obtained a college degree.

Tragedy struck in 2011 when her husband lost his life in a construction site accident in Zhejiang province. Devastated by the loss of her beloved partner, Huang returned to his hometown in Shaoyang, Hunan, to arrange his funeral.

Her in-laws urged her to remain and support her sons through farming, but she knew there wasn't enough land to support the family. Instead, she took a factory job in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, and brought her younger son with her.

Before long, she realized that life in a factory dormitory was unsuitable for a three-year-old, so she sent him to live with her parents.

After working in Guangzhou for three years, she reunited with her youngest in Changsha, where she got a small apartment and took on the role of a sanitation worker. To supplement her income, she cooked for a family and did tailoring work at night.

In her free time, she visited the Hunan Provincial Library with her son. He grew to enjoy being there so much that he would go on his own while she worked.

After a few years, her older son graduated from vocational school and found a job in Changsha. The family was reunited at last, and the income he brought in eased the strain.