Readers agree. One, nicknamed Riesling, wrote on Douban: "I was truly surprised by the author's candor in this book. When I read her words, 'I am determined to fully trust myself and embrace my feelings. So when I'm tired, no matter the time, I lie down immediately without any guilt. When I'm hungry, I eat right away. When thunder frightens me, I cry out loud,' I felt an overwhelming connection. It made me want to release the grievances I've carried silently."

"She faces poverty, intergenerational trauma, identity struggles and social pressures with remarkable bravery," the reader added. "Through honesty, she embraces all of herself. Writing with such openness is incredibly challenging."

Asked why she chooses such candor, she says simply, "If I lie, I just cannot sleep."

A friend told Zha that she is just like a seed that will fall and root wherever the wind carries it, she said on the podcast. Now Zha is studying English in New Jersey, the United States, preparing to pursue large animal veterinary medicine.

"Since accepting myself, I feel more relaxed," she says. "Now I can receive praise and affection without doubting the giver. That brings me real happiness."