On a dimly lit street in New York’s Chinatown, the glow of a small Fuzhou restaurant spills onto the sidewalk piled high with black garbage bags. Through the narrow doorway of Zheng Xing Fu Zhou Cuisine Inc., a worker in a red apron is seen bent over, quietly preparing food inside the cramped kitchen. The storefront, framed by boxes and handwritten notices, tells the story of a neighborhood balancing survival and tradition, even as the detritus of the day lines the curb outside. The contrast between the bustling work inside and the refuse outside captures a candid snapshot of city life — grit and perseverance side by side.

Worker in a chinatown store in New York City

On a dimly lit street in New York’s Chinatown, the…

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