Well, 'Fish Cheeks' isn't a novel. It could be a piece of creative non-fiction or a memoir perhaps. But it doesn't have the length and structure of a novel.
I'm not sure who Sandy specifically is without more context. She could be an ordinary person with an interesting life story, or perhaps a character in a fictional work that has been made into an audio story.
One success story could be a young man who initially had a patchy beard on his cheeks. He started using beard growth oils regularly. After a few months, the patches filled in nicely. He also made sure to maintain a healthy diet rich in vitamins like biotin which is known to promote hair growth.
Yes, it is. 'Fish Cheeks' has the characteristics of a short story, such as a narrow scope, a single main conflict, and a relatively short narrative length to deliver its core idea effectively.
Well, the main theme is cultural pride. In 'fish cheeks story', the protagonist struggles with her feelings of shame regarding her Chinese traditions, like the fish cheeks served at dinner. As the story progresses, she comes to understand that these traditions are an important part of who she is, thus highlighting the theme of cultural pride.