The story begins with the beautiful childhood of a poor boy in a small village. Every time school was over, he and his friends would go catching crabs and fish. The result of a muddy, dirty afternoon was a bowl of delicious, flavorful sour soup made by his mother. The sweet and sour taste, blended with the fresh aroma of herbs, seemed to wash away the fatigue of his parents after a long day of hard work.

On harvest days, children had no school on Sundays. We eagerly joined their parents in the fields to help harvest rice. Tiny heads barely higher than the rice plants, little hands holding bundles of rice, and feet running around to stack the bundles by the field’s edge; the sound of laughter echoed across the field. The joyful gaze of the parents and the beads of sweat falling on their cheeks were like golden rays of sunshine, a symbol of endless happiness.

On hot summer afternoons, the sound of an ice cream vendor’s horn was irresistible. It stirred up a craving that was impossible to ignore.

It made carefree children understand the meaning of “entrepreneurship” as they gathered scrap metal and bottles to exchange for cold ice creams. Coconut or banana ice cream… to me, these flavors represent the essence of childhood.

Sweet like a festival fruit tray — dragon fruit and fresh pineapple dancing with a hint of sweet, buttery cooked sweet potato. One sip, and suddenly the full-moon nights of childhood come rushing back.

Rich like a family reunion feast — ripe mango, celery, salted caramel, and mezcal coming together in harmony. Take a sip, and you can almost hear the laughter rising under the bright moonlight.

Thai Nguyen green tea and jasmine bring a refreshing lift, rounded by a whisper of banana and dragon fruit. Like a warm cup of tea after a family meal — adults sharing village tales while children wander the alley with glowing lanterns.