Mai Foster was abandoned by her biological parents. She stole leftover noodles, found by Helen Hale and her husband, who adopted her. Mai fended off exploitation from her biological family, and found mutual healing with adopted brother Luke Hale, with a leg disability. With support, she studied relentlessly through hardships, became the provincial Top Exam Scorer. She turned down a high-paying job to work as a Rural Volunteer Teacher, passing on the kindness represented by that bowl of noodles.
