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

"Xiaoyin, Xiaoqing, we're back!"

Chen Dashan's steady shout rang out in the courtyard, accompanied by the soft creak of the oxcart coming to a stop. Inside the house, Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing were each holding a child, carefully feeding them warm, palatable goat milk with small wooden spoons. Hearing the voice, Su Xiaoyin called out, "We're feeding the children goat milk inside, please come in!"

Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe first unloaded several half-empty baskets from the oxcart, then led the ox to the livestock shed in the backyard, added some freshly cut grass, and fed the chickens and ducks as well. The two brothers dusted themselves off, washed themselves with water from the well, and then entered the main room with a refreshing spring feeling.

As soon as he entered the house, Chen Dashan's gaze fell on the child in Su Xiaoyin's arms. He naturally reached out and took his eldest son, who was already full and looking at him with his big, bright eyes. He skillfully let him lie on his broad shoulder, gently patted him to help him burp, and showed a gentle smile that was rarely seen on his face: "Oh, Shitou, are you full? Daddy will hold you. Did you miss Daddy?" Shitou was amused by his father and made a muffled "ah-oh" sound, grabbing a strand of Chen Dashan's hair with his little hand.

Chen Xiaohe then moved closer to Su Xiaoqing, first carefully glancing at her youngest son, Afu, who had just finished nursing and was dozing off in her arms, before picking up her third son, Aji, who had been burped and was playing with his fingers on the kang (heated brick bed) next to her. He lifted him high, making Aji giggle: "Aji, Daddy's back! Did you listen to your mother today?"

Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing then freed their hands to gently pat Qingqing and Afu, who were in their arms, until they burped, and placed them on the softly padded kang (heated brick bed). Su Xiaoyin tidied her slightly disheveled hair and looked at her husband, asking, "Why are you back so early today? I thought you wouldn't be home until later. Perfect timing, you two watch the children while Xiaoqing and I quickly make lunch. Mom and Dad should be back soon too."

As Chen Dashan gently stroked his son's chubby face with his rough yet tender fingers, he replied, "There aren't many fresh vegetables in the county town all winter. Manager Wang bought all the bamboo shoots and first-harvest wild vegetables we delivered, and the price was as generous as last year. He also said that we should deliver a batch of fresh wild vegetables every day for the next few days, and bamboo shoots every two days. While these bamboo shoots are still tender, we should make more deliveries and earn some money." His tone was calm, but his eyes showed satisfaction with the increase in the family's income.

Chen Xiaohe, holding Aji and swaying him, chimed in, "That's right! Spring plowing in the county town is almost over, and the market is starting to get crowded again. Brother, I was thinking that in the future, whenever there's a big market day, we can take turns setting up a stall and selling the hair ties, small wooden items, and bamboo baskets we made at home. It'll be some income, a steady stream of money, you know."

Chen Dashan nodded: "I think it's a good idea. We'll make arrangements once we're done with the spring bamboo shoot season." He then remembered something else: "Oh, right, after lunch, let's go to the river and set the fish traps. We'll see how we do tonight."

"Fish basket?" Chen Xiaohe's eyes lit up. "Big brother, you've fixed it all?"

"Yeah, I did it a couple of nights ago when I had some free time. I've mended a few old baskets," Chen Dashan replied. The fish in the mountain streams may not be big, but they're fresh, which is good for adding some meat to the family's dinner table.

As the two brothers were talking, the voices of Mr. and Mrs. Chen came from the courtyard, mixed with the dull thud of heavy objects being put down.

"Father and Mother are back!" Su Xiaoqing quickly got off the kang (a heated brick bed).

Several people carrying the child went out to greet them. They saw Mr. and Mrs. Chen standing in the courtyard, both dressed in shorts and trousers still covered in mud and grass from the mountains. Each carried a large, overflowing basket on their back, and their bamboo baskets were also full. Most striking was the plump, grayish-brown wild rabbit that Mr. Chen was carrying, its ears twitching slightly.

"Father, Mother! How many good things have you brought back?" Chen Xiaohe exclaimed in amazement.

Mother Chen put down her basket, wiped the sweat from her brow, her face beaming with the joy of a successful harvest: "Today, with your father by my side, we went deeper into the woods. We picked quite a few toon sprouts—look how tender they are! Your father's basket is full of newly sprouted hazel and pine mushrooms, and the wild mountain vegetables in his basket are so fresh and juicy. We'll sort them out in a bit and dry what needs to be dried. We've almost finished the dried mountain vegetables we stored from last year. These first harvests of spring taste best when dried!"

Father Chen put down his basket, held up the rabbit in his hand, and said with a hint of pride, "I was lucky. I caught it with a small trap I set in the woods. It's plump! I'll stew it tonight and give everyone a treat."

Mother Chen smiled and said, "Just stew half of it, and eat the other half tomorrow. Good things should be enjoyed slowly."

The family was gathered around the day's harvest, discussing what to dry and what to eat immediately, when Su Xiaoyin's clear voice called from the kitchen doorway: "Dad, Mom, Dashan, Xiaohe, dinner's ready!"

Lunch was simple yet heartwarming. Freshly dug bamboo shoots were stir-fried with cured pork, a savory and delicious dish that went perfectly with rice; a plate of crisp, green wild celery salad was served; and the main course was mixed grain rice. As everyone ate, they discussed the afternoon's tasks.

Father Chen made a decision: "Your mother and I will still go into the mountains this afternoon to pick more wild vegetables and mushrooms. This season waits for no one; once it's over, they won't be this tender anymore." He looked at his two sons, "Da Shan and Xiao He, you two hurry up and dig for bamboo shoots this afternoon. We need to deliver them every other day; we can't miss a day. Remember to set the fish baskets too."

Chen's mother added, "Xiaoyin and Xiaoqing are at home. Besides looking after the children, they should quickly prepare the mountain produce we brought back today. The toon sprouts are tender, so don't let them spoil. Tonight we'll have rabbit stew with bamboo shoots and scrambled eggs with toon sprouts!"

There is a clear division of labor, and everyone knows what they are supposed to do.