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

As night fell, the atmosphere at the Chen family's dinner table was lively. The steam from the food mingled with the warm light of the oil lamp, making everyone's faces rosy. Chen's mother put down her chopsticks, cleared her throat, and glanced at the whole family, finally settling on her two daughters-in-law.

"Tomorrow, our family will officially begin spring plowing." Mother Chen's voice carried a solemn tone. "The year's plan starts in spring, and we can't delay. This morning, your father and I, along with Dashan and Xiaohe, went to the fields. We need to hurry up with the dozen or so acres of cultivated land, plus the newly cleared wasteland. Xiaoyin, Xiaoqing," she looked at the two sisters, "tomorrow, you two will have to stay home and take care of the four children. I'll cook lunch when I get back from the fields, so don't worry about it."

Su Xiaoyin immediately put down her chopsticks and said gently, "Mother, Xiaoqing and I have been resting for several months and have recovered well. Spring plowing is so busy, how can we let you come back from the fields and then have to cook? Starting tomorrow, Xiaoqing and I will cook lunch and dinner at home. We already feel bad that you have to get up early to prepare breakfast."

Su Xiaoqing nodded quickly, "Yes, Mother, we'll divide the work. In the morning, my eldest brother and Xiaohe get up early to milk the goats, and we can heat it up and feed the babies. During the day, one of us will watch the children, and the other will cook, so it won't interfere with anything. You, Father, eldest brother, and Xiaohe can go to the fields without worry; we'll take care of things at home!"

Looking into the sincere and determined eyes of her two daughters-in-law, Chen's mother felt a warmth in her heart, knowing they genuinely wanted to share the burden of the family. She thought for a moment and then decided not to insist further, only gently instructing them, "Alright, we'll do as you say. Tomorrow morning I'll take the food we're going to cook from the cellar, and I'll bring the firewood to the kitchen door for you. Try not to go outside; it's still chilly in spring, and the wind is quite strong, so be careful not to catch a cold. Also, keep a close eye on the children and make sure they don't get chilled."

"Yes, Mother, we understand," the two sisters replied in unison.

The next day, while it was still dark, Mr. and Mrs. Chen and their two sons got up. The yard was filled with the soft sounds of footsteps, the clanging of farm tools, the low mooing of the cows in the barn, and the gentle gurgling of the ewes as they were milked. By the time Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing were awakened by the children's babbling, the house had already returned to the quiet of the morning, with only the lingering warmth of breakfast in the stove and the faint scent of livestock drifting from the yard.

The two sisters gently changed the babies' diapers, placed the four still drowsy little ones into cradles lined with thick, soft padding, and carried them to the warm, cozy room in the center. Su Xiaoqing stayed inside to look after them, while Su Xiaoyin went to the kitchen to bring back breakfast that was still warm in the pot—two bowls of thick millet porridge, two boiled eggs, and a small dish of crisp radish strips that Chen's mother had pickled herself.

"Sister, look at these eggs," Su Xiaoqing said softly, peeling an egg. "Ever since we got pregnant, we've had eggs all the time. It's been so long since I finished my confinement period, and Mom still cooks them for us every day. I feel so embarrassed... I have to talk to Mom tonight and suggest we save the eggs to exchange for salt and needles and thread."

Su Xiaoyin blew on the scalding hot porridge and said softly, "Mother is just worried about us. She'd rather use the money meant for tonics to buy eggs for us than have our health deteriorate and we end up spending money at the clinic if we get sick. We appreciate her kindness, and taking good care of our health is the best way to be filial."

As the two women were talking, the babies in the cradle woke up one after another. First, the second baby (Su Xiaoyin's daughter) let out a kitten-like whimper, then the third baby (Su Xiaoqing's eldest son) started to wriggle, and the eldest and fourth babies quickly joined in the "chorus." The two sisters quickly put down their bowls and deftly changed each baby's diaper. Su Xiaoyin brought in the warmed goat milk and patiently fed them little by little with a small spoon. After the four little ones had eaten and drunk their fill, they quickly became quiet again, lying in the cradle, looking at each other, or waving their little fists, babbling "conversations," and surprisingly not making much noise.

"These kids are so easy to manage," Su Xiaoqing said with a smile. "They stop making a fuss once they're full and just play by themselves."

Su Xiaoyin looked at the children with gentle eyes: "Yes. But it's only because we're well-off now that we have someone at home to look after them. If it were another family, during the busy spring planting and autumn harvest season, wouldn't the mother have to carry the child to the fields, or work while comforting the child? We don't have to go to the fields because our parents and the mountains and rivers care about us."

Upon hearing this, Su Xiaoqing's smile faded, and she nodded earnestly, "Sister, you're right. Ever since we got married, our parents haven't let us work in the fields, and they've always made us rest and recuperate. This time, after giving birth, I even had to stay in confinement for two months... Thankfully, we both had boys this time, so I feel a little more at ease. If we had given birth to four girls..." Her voice lowered, still somewhat frightened as she recalled the dangers of childbirth.

Su Xiaoyin held her younger sister's hand, the warmth conveying strength: "It's all over, Xiaoqing. After hardship comes happiness, and the days ahead will be sweet. Now we have children, and we have a skill to make a living, so let's live our lives well." She paused, her voice softening, "Actually, with a son, we feel more at ease, and in the future... we don't have to have any more children. I'm really... a little scared."

The two sisters held hands tightly, silently conveying understanding and comfort. The hardships of the past and the peace they now enjoy make them cherish the warmth of their home all the more.

After feeding the children, Su Xiaoyin took a small basket of potatoes, two cabbages, and a piece of cured meat that Chen's mother had brought out beforehand into the main room. The two sisters sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), keeping an eye on the movements in the cradle while slowly picking vegetables, peeling, and cutting meat. The four children seemed to know that the adults were busy, so they didn't make a fuss and played by themselves. Occasionally, they would make a sound, which would make Su Xiaoqing peek out, make a face, and then quiet down again.

"Sis, look at them, they can play by themselves for ages," Su Xiaoqing said with a smile in a low voice. "They're even more well-behaved than we were when we were kids."

"Weren't we like that when we were little? We were just playmates and didn't really run around outside much." Su Xiaoyin's hands kept moving. "Back then, Mom would always be doing embroidery while watching us."

Speaking of embroidery, Su Xiaoqing's eyes lit up: "Sister, it's still early, and we'll need some time to make lunch. Let's take out all the scraps of fabric the cloth shop owner gave us, shall we? The hair ties we made before sold well, and there aren't many left. Let's pick out some with good colors and suitable materials and make some more. Also," she remembered something, her tone becoming even more excited, "I see those particularly bright and festive scraps of fabric, why don't we make tiger shoes, tiger hats, or little tiger dolls? Didn't we make some for our own baby when it was born? They're cute and auspicious, and they might sell even better at the market than hair ties!"

Upon hearing this, Su Xiaoyin also thought it was a good idea: "Yes! This is a great idea! Anyway, scraps of cloth are cheap, and it only takes a little effort. Let's make as much as we can during the spring planting season and save it up. After Mom and Dad finish their work in the fields, we can set up a stall at Dashan and Xiaohe and try our luck there."

Without further ado, after the vegetables were prepared, and with some time to spare before lunch, Su Xiaoqing went to the side room and dragged the two large baskets of fabric scraps into the main room. Sunlight streamed through the bright window paper, scattering across the colorful pile of fabric scraps, making it look exceptionally beautiful. The two sisters moved the child to a safe spot on the kang (heated brick bed), wrapped him in pillows to prevent him from rolling around, and then sat down at the kang table to begin sorting.

Red with gold flowers, emerald green trim, royal blue with cloud patterns, pale yellow embroidered with small flowers... scraps of cloth, some the size of a palm or a foot long, seem to be given new life in their hands. Thin strips suitable for making hair ties are gathered to one side; those with particularly vibrant colors and auspicious meanings (such as red and yellow) are selected to be used to make tiger-themed items.

"This piece of red cloth is thick and perfect for making the upper of tiger shoes."

"Although the edge of this piece of yellow satin is small, it's enough to cut two tiger ears."

"This floral blue fabric is used as the lining of the hat, and then a red cloth is placed over it..."

They whispered amongst themselves, their hands moving tirelessly, their eyes bright and focused. In the cradle, the four little ones had all fallen asleep, their breathing even and soft. The room was quiet, save for the snip of scissors cutting fabric and the occasional soft rustling of needle and thread through thick cloth. The wind outside seemed gentler, carrying the scent of thawing earth. In this busy spring planting season, within the warm interior of the Chen family home, another harvest of ingenuity and hope was quietly being nurtured.