Summary

“Extra” begins with Lin Mei, or “Granny Lin,” receiving a retirement notice from the Beijing Red Star Garment Factory, which has gone bankrupt. Granny Lin makes a plan to live as frugally as she can, but her friend, Auntie Wang, insists Granny Lin marry, instead. Auntie Wang argues that, because Granny Lin is 51 and has never married, she is the ideal candidate to be the wife and caretaker of an elderly man. Auntie Wang soon finds a suitable man named Old Tang, and after an interview with Old Tang’s sons, Granny Lin marries Old Tang a week after meeting him.

As Granny Lin adjusts to living with Old Tang, she notices the advancing of his Alzheimer’s: he believes his first wife is still alive, and his sons had “instructed” Granny Lin to support this delusion (6). Granny Lin is unsure how to respond...