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

"Father! Mother! We're back!"

As soon as the oxcart came to a stop outside the courtyard gate, Chen Xiaohe's cheerful voice rang out impatiently, piercing the tranquility of the spring afternoon.

"You little rascal! Keep your voice down!" The curtain to the main room was immediately lifted, and Chen's mother leaned out, scolding in a low voice, "The four little devils just fell asleep, having sweet dreams. Don't let your yelling wake them up!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiaohe quickly covered his mouth, blinked, made a face, and whispered, "I was just happy... I didn't know they were asleep."

Chen's mother shook her head, but smiled as she came out to help unload the truck. "Alright, it's good that you're all back. Go wash your hands, the food is keeping warm in the pot, have a bite." Seeing that her two daughters-in-law looked tired but had bright eyes, she felt at ease, knowing that the trip to the county town should have gone smoothly.

Worried about the children, Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing quickly washed their hands and faces, ate a few bites of food to fill their stomachs, and hurriedly and quietly entered the main room. The room was softly lit, and the four little ones lay side by side on the kang (heated brick bed), covered with thin blankets, fast asleep. The eldest, Shitou, was sprawled out on his back; the third, Aji, was sucking his fingers; and the second, Qingqing, and the youngest, Afu, were head to head, breathing evenly. Looking at the children's peaceful sleeping faces, the sisters' fatigue and worry from the journey instantly transformed into tenderness. They couldn't help but bend down and gently kiss each child's soft cheek, only then feeling completely at ease.

"Mom, you and Dad have been working hard all morning, go and rest for a while. We can look after the child." Su Xiaoyin straightened up and whispered to Chen's mother who followed her in.

Chen's mother waved her hand, a satisfied smile on her face: "Not tired at all. Your father and I took turns holding and playing with them this morning. How could two old people like us be tired by a few babies? Now that you're back, your father and I need to hurry up and bring the piglets, chickens, ducks, and goslings back. It was something we arranged a long time ago."

Without further ado, she called over Mr. Chen, who was tidying up farm tools in the yard, and the old couple hurried out the door again.

Silence returned to the room. Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing exchanged a smile, and quietly took the large bundle they had brought back from the county town to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) and opened it. Inside were one of their biggest hauls of the day—the two large bundles of fabric scraps they had bought at the cloth shop.

The two sisters sat cross-legged on the footstool beside the kang (a heated brick bed), and by the bright sunlight streaming through the window, they began to carefully sort through the cloth. The bundle of coarse linen was mostly gray, brown, and indigo in color; although rough, it was thick and durable. They picked out the larger pieces, intending to use them for shoe soles, durable vests, or patches; the smaller pieces, but with relatively brighter colors, were set aside separately—good material for hair ties.

The other bundle of fine cotton cloth and scraps of silk, bought for seven coins, required even more careful handling. Their eyes gleamed as they searched for treasure, meticulously picking out even the smallest pieces of soft cotton cloth, in elegant or vibrant colors, along with the occasional shimmering fragments of silk. They carefully wrapped each piece in a clean cloth. "These will be kept for Shi Tou and the others to make summer undergarments, or pieced together to make delicate purses and sachets—they'll definitely look beautiful," Su Xiaoqing said, holding a piece of water-red silk, clearly delighted.

The remaining scraps of fabric were roughly separated by size and pattern. The larger pieces with intact patterns were prepared to be used to make tiger-head shoes and hats; as for the smaller, more uniquely colored and patterned pieces, Su Xiaoyin already had a plan: "The Dragon Boat Festival is almost here, so let's use these scraps to make more small sachets, stuff them with mugwort and herbs, they'll definitely sell well. The colorful ones are what kids love most."

Inside the main room, only the sisters' low conversation, the rustling of fabric, and the even breathing of the children on the kang (heated brick bed) intertwined to create a tranquil and warm scene.

---

In the courtyard, Chen Dashan, having finished his meal and rested briefly, had changed into his old carpentry clothes and began to continue crafting the furniture that Aunt Li had ordered. The sounds of sawing and planing were rhythmic and steady, carrying a reassuring power.

Chen Xiaohe slung a large basket over his shoulder and carried a sickle and rope in his hands. "Brother, I'm going up the mountain to gather some tender grass, and while I'm at it, I'll check if any new mushrooms have sprouted along the edge of the woods. It hasn't rained these past few days, so maybe there are some dried ones we can pick."

Chen Dashan stopped using his plane, looked up and instructed, "Take those two fish baskets and a few rabbit snares from the corner, and go down to the usual spot. Be careful, and come back as soon as possible."

"Don't worry, brother!" Chen Xiaohe replied, quickly packed his things, and his figure soon disappeared in the direction of the mountain path behind the house.

Only Chen Dashan remained in the courtyard, along with the sounds of wood clattering against tools. The sun shone warmly, and the newly planted watermelon seedlings in the corner had already straightened their backs, stretching out their tender green leaves.

About half an hour later, footsteps and voices came from outside the courtyard gate. Chen Dashan looked up and saw that his parents had returned. His father was carrying a large basket tightly bound with hemp rope, inside which something was moving and making "humming" sounds. His mother was carrying two large bamboo baskets, filled with fluffy things that were chirping softly.