After fleeing the famine, my older sister and I married the brother next door.

Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing both nodded with smiles. Su Xiaoyin, remembering something, asked, "Dad, Mom, we've had this sheep for over a month now, and it's been producing plenty of milk. But how long will it keep producing milk? What about the children's food supply...?"

Su Xiaoqing also looked over with concern.

Father Chen swallowed the biscuit in his mouth and replied, "I asked Geng the cowherd about this. He said that ordinary local sheep have a short milk production period, only two or three months. But ours is a cross between a dairy goat and a strong local ram. It has a large frame, produces a lot of milk, and is docile. If we feed it well, it can produce milk for at least six or seven months. When the milk supply decreases, the children will be older and can be given rice cereal, egg yolk, and vegetable puree. It will gradually catch up, so it's not a problem."

Mother Chen picked up the conversation, looking lovingly at the four chubby babies on the kang (a heated brick bed): "That's right! They can drink it for several more months! Look how strong my three grandsons and one granddaughter are from being fed this goat milk! In a few days, when the spring grass sprouts in the fields and on the mountains, I'll go and cut the freshest and tenderest grass for our great contributor! It's been too hard on it to eat only dry hay all winter."

When it came to feeding, Mr. Chen pondered and said, "Now that we have a cow, we need to plan for next year's fodder early. Relying solely on hay cut from the wild fields won't be enough. Our fourteen acres of wasteland, once cultivated, won't yield a good harvest in the first year or two. I think we can set aside a few acres specifically to plant alfalfa or other high-yield forage grasses. The cattle, sheep, and pigs will all need that in the winter."

Chen's mother nodded and then brought up the bigger plan: "Your father and I have discussed it. In the spring, besides the cows, we will continue to raise pigs. The old rule will apply: each of your two families will raise one, and keep the money from the sale. The public pig will also raise one, sell half, and keep the other half for our own consumption and to make cured meat. This is how we will build up our wealth little by little."

Su Xiaoyin added softly, "Mom, we need to raise more chickens, ducks, and geese in the spring. There are fewer laying hens this year, and not many ducks and geese either. If we raise more next year, we can exchange the eggs for oil and salt, and the children can eat them when they grow up."

Su Xiaoqing also said, "That's right, Mom. Chicks and ducklings hatch a lot in the spring. Our house is spacious now, so we fenced off a section in the backyard so they have a place to forage for food. They grow faster and lay eggs more frequently."

Mother Chen already had a plan in mind, and said with a smile, "Alright! We'll raise more this year. Counting the hens that are still laying eggs, we'll add twenty more chicks. We'll add ten ducks and five geese. We took good care of them last year, and the survival rate was high, so it won't be much worse this year."

Listening to the list of purchases, Chen Dashan silently did some mental calculations and asked, "Mother, with the spring coming, we'll be buying piglets, catching chicks, ducklings, and goslings, plus other miscellaneous expenses. Will the public funds be enough? If not, I'll..."

Chen's mother interrupted him with a smile, her tone reassuring yet confident: "Dashan, don't worry. I know the situation. If it weren't for the ten taels of silver from selling the ginseng and buying the ox, the family's finances would indeed be tight. But with that unexpected windfall, we've filled the hole and even have some left over. It'll be enough for the spring expenses. After the spring planting is finished, you and Xiaohe can drive the oxcart to the market and earn some cash. Plus, gathering medicinal herbs and your handicrafts will also bring in income. Life is like a snowball; once you get off to a good start, it'll grow bigger and bigger, and your path will become wider and wider."

Chen Xiaohe patted his chest: "Mom! Don't worry, Dad! My brother and I will definitely work hard! If the public funds really run into financial difficulties, please don't try to shoulder the burden yourself, be sure to tell us! Xiaoqing and I, as well as my older brother and sister-in-law, have saved some money!"

Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing quickly nodded in agreement.

Looking at her sensible and filial children, Chen's mother felt as sweet as if she had drunk honey, but she still insisted, "I know your intentions. But the money in your little family is earned by you working hard from dawn till dusk, stitch by stitch. Save it well. The children are growing up day by day. In the future, their education, marriage, and other expenses will all be huge. If you are financially secure, you won't be worried in the future. If your parents really have difficulties, they won't be polite to you."

Chen Dashan got up before dawn. In the kitchen, his mother had already heated up his dry rations and filled his water bag. He ate quickly, then tucked the measured dimensions and deposit into his pocket and headed towards town in the dim morning light.

The early spring morning was crisp and clear, carrying the unique dampness of thawing earth. The fields along the roadside were still a brownish-yellow, but upon closer inspection, faint hints of green could be seen peeking through the roots of the withered grass. The distant mountain outlines gradually became clearer in the morning light; there might still be remnants of snow on the shady slopes, but the sunny slopes already showed signs of the earth awakening. Chen Dashan walked quickly, his heart filled with energy. With the iron tools ordered, the oxcart and new plow were ready, giving spring plowing wings.