"We know almost all the regular customers. People's relationships here are close. I treat them with sincerity, and they treat me the same. I feel busy, but I enjoy every day," says Zhou.

The freshness and warmth melting in each bowl of mutton soup also draws visitors from outside the town. At the Hougang country fair held on Jan 24 and 25, visitors from across the city queued at Zhou's stall at dawn's first light. Many of them saw the fair's notice on social media platforms a week before, and drove dozens of kilometers, especially for this healing sip.

Among them is Wang Yehong, 50, who excitedly brought her husband and dog to immerse themselves in the fair's lively vibe. At the fair, they bought fresh, earthy local specialties, such as meat, vegetables, snacks, strawberries and more, for the Chinese New Year holiday..

"With the country fair, we hope to revive the unique local flavors and festive atmosphere of our small town, painting a lively picture of rural vitalization in the Shanghai suburbs," says Li Shujian, deputy head of Tinglin town.