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

"Xiaoyin, Xiaoqing, I've kept the food warm in the pot. Eat it after you finish feeding the babies, don't let it get cold." Mother Chen tiptoed out of the east wing and whispered to the two sisters who were breastfeeding their babies, "The weather is nice today, and there's not much wind. Your father and I went to the mountain to dig bamboo shoots this morning, so you two take the babies out to get some sun. The children are so big, and they've never really spent time in the sun before. Getting some sunlight will help them grow strong."

Su Xiaoyin looked up. The little one in her arms was drinking milk with his eyes closed, his tiny fists unconsciously clenched. "I know, Mom. You and Dad, please be careful going up the mountain and come back soon."

After the four little ones had eaten and drunk their fill and were happily burping, the two sisters hurriedly went to the kitchen for a quick breakfast. Simple multigrain porridge with pickled vegetables, plus a boiled egg, made them feel exceptionally at ease.

After clearing away the dishes, the warm sunshine filled the courtyard. Su Xiaoyin glanced at the sky and said to her younger sister, "Xiaoqing, the weather is really nice today. Shall we take the kids to the village tofu shop and buy a couple of blocks of tofu? We can stew some tofu for lunch and make a cold dish. We can also save that little bunch of toon leaves and water celery from yesterday for tonight."

"Sure," Su Xiaoqing nodded. "It's good to let the child get some fresh air; it gets stuffy staying indoors all the time."

The two went back inside and dressed the four little ones, who were already over four months old, in thicker cotton-padded coats and put on small hats sewn together from scraps of cloth by Chen's mother, wrapping them up so that only their rosy, chubby little faces were showing. Then, they carefully placed them into the two strollers placed side by side in the yard.

This little stroller was made by Chen Dashan in his spare time during the winter. It was made of sturdy wood, with four small wooden wheels that could turn easily. The stroller was spacious, covered with soft old cotton padding, and had a simple sunshade (made of thin bamboo and old cloth) on top. It could comfortably fit two children, and was easy and stable to push. Without this stroller, it would be virtually impossible for the two sisters to take all four children out together.

Sure enough, once placed in the strollers and exposed to the fresh air and bright light, the four little ones immediately became restless. The two boys in the left stroller (Chen Xiaohe and Su Xiaoqing's sons, nicknamed Aji and Afu) opened their big, bright eyes, curiously looking around, occasionally kicking their little arms and legs. The girl and boy in the right stroller (Chen Dashan and Su Xiaoyin's children, the boy nicknamed Shitou and the girl nicknamed Qingqing) were more quiet, but they were also babbling and blowing bubbles, their little hands reaching out in the air as if trying to catch the flowing sunlight and breeze.

The two sisters smiled at each other and pushed the cart out of the courtyard gate. The spring sun shone brightly, and the trees along the village road sprouted tender green buds. In the distant fields, scattered figures could already be seen bending over, working. The air was filled with the scents of earth, grass, and cooking smoke, peaceful yet brimming with life.

As they slowly pushed the stroller to the old locust tree in the center of the village, several elderly women in their fifties and sixties had already gathered there, sitting on stone benches, basking in the sun and chatting idly. Upon seeing the Su sisters pushing four conspicuous strollers, several pairs of eyes immediately turned towards them.

One of the elderly women, with gray hair and a kind face, was Grandma Zhao from the east end of the village. She greeted them with a smile, "Oh, Mrs. Mountain, Mrs. River, are you taking your children out to bask in the sun? Look at those little ones, they're so adorable!"

Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing quickly stopped and replied with smiles, "Hello, Grandma Zhao. Yes, the weather is nice today, so we brought them out to see the sunshine."

Another elderly woman, wearing a dark blue jacket and with slightly high cheekbones, was Granny Sun from the west side of the village. She squinted at the four children, then looked at the two sleek little carts, clicked her tongue, and said in a voice that wasn't too loud, but not too soft, to Granny Qian beside her, "Look at that, Chen Danian's family has really prospered! Ever since those two daughters-in-law came in, wow, their lives have been visibly improving. Not only did they suddenly add four more people to the family last winter (referring to the four children), but I heard they've bought several acres of wasteland and even brought back an ox! It's really making everyone envious."

Granny Qian's wrinkles deepened, and she chided her with a hint of bitterness, "Who says otherwise! Luck is a fickle thing. My daughter-in-law has been married for three years and hasn't laid a single egg for me. What bad luck!" As she spoke, she glared fiercely at the back of a young woman hanging clothes in front of her yard.

Another woman, Granny Li, with an even more mean-spirited face, immediately chimed in, her voice shrill: "Sister Qian, you should be content! Didn't your eldest daughter-in-law give you a big, healthy grandson? My family is the unlucky one! We've had two daughters-in-law for years, and I haven't even seen a glimpse of a grandson! Tell me, should I save up some money and take them to the county clinic? Maybe they have some kind of illness that's hindering our family's important task of continuing the family line!" She became increasingly convinced of her point, "I think they probably have some health problems! Once we're done with the spring planting, I absolutely have to take them to see a doctor!"

The elderly women chatted amongst themselves, their conversation gradually shifting from admiration for the Chen family to complaints and suspicions about their own daughters-in-law, their voices becoming increasingly undisguised.

Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing stood not far away. The child in the stroller seemed startled by the slightly loud voice; Qingqing pouted and whimpered softly. The two sisters exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of helplessness in each other's eyes. This wasn't the first time they'd heard such gossip, and they knew the best course of action was to ignore it.

Su Xiaoyin gently rocked the stroller, softly coaxing Qingqing, "Oh, Qingqing, be good, don't be afraid." Then she smiled politely at the elderly ladies, "Grandma Zhao, Aunt Sun, Aunt Qian, Aunt Li, you chat, we'll go buy tofu first."

"Alright, alright, go ahead!" Grandma Zhao quickly waved her hand with a smile.

The two sisters pushed the cart and quickly left the center of the controversy. Even after they had gone quite a distance, they could still faintly hear the discussions behind them about "taking their daughter-in-law to see a doctor."

"Sigh." Su Xiaoqing sighed softly, "Sister, what do you think of them...?"

"People can say whatever they want, we can't control them." Su Xiaoyin gently interrupted her sister, looking tenderly at the two children in the stroller who had calmed down again. "Living our own lives well and raising our children well is more important than anything else."

Arriving at the tofu shop at the end of the village, they bought two pieces of tender tofu, wrapped them in lotus leaves, and placed them in their basket. On the way back, the two sisters deliberately took a slightly longer but quieter route, walking slowly home. The spring sunshine was perfect, bathing the mother and her six children in tranquility and peace.

Back home, it was still early. The two sisters put the tofu away and carried the dead child back to the kang (a heated brick bed). Chen Dashan had already raised the edge of the kang with wood to ensure the child wouldn't fall off. The four little ones, having eaten their fill and basked in the sun, were now drowsy. They lay side by side on the kang, nudging and kicking each other, playing a game only they understood, without crying or fussing.

Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing moved small stools to sit by the kang (a heated brick bed), took out the basket filled with various scraps of cloth, and began making hair ties. This was a task they had mastered in winter, which supplemented their household income without interfering with taking care of the children.

Su Xiaoqing, with her skillful hands, noticed several small, brightly colored scraps of fabric in the basket and suddenly had a brilliant idea. She picked up a long strip of peach-pink and a strip of pale yellow fabric, along with a small piece of royal blue, and after some practice, began to weave the three colors together. She cleverly tied a small knot at the end, leaving a few tassels. The resulting hair tie was no longer a single color but had a gradient and color-blocking effect, making it look much more unique.

"Sister, look at this!" Su Xiaoqing proudly handed the first color-blocked hair tie she had finished to Su Xiaoyin. "Doesn't it look even better this way? I think we could sell these for a higher price, five coins each, two for eight coins each. I'm sure someone would buy them!"

Su Xiaoyin took it and examined it carefully, feeling the tightness of the weave and the finishing touches. Her eyes lit up: "This is a great idea! The design is novel, and the colors are vibrant. It looks much better than a single color! Five coins each, I think it's a good deal! Let's try using several different colors together."

Encouraged by her sister's approval, Su Xiaoqing became even more enthusiastic, her fingers flying as she experimented with combinations of strips of fabric of different widths and patterns. Su Xiaoyin was also inspired, wondering if she could add more complex knots to the simple weaving technique.

On the kang (a heated brick bed), the four children had fallen asleep nestled together, their little chests rising and falling gently with their breath. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting warm dappled patterns on the mat and illuminating the increasingly numerous, colorful creations in the sisters' hands. Outside, the occasional crowing of a rooster or barking of a dog added to the tranquility and hopeful atmosphere of the small house.