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

Inside the main room, Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing's "embroidery workshop" reopened. The best spot by the window was occupied by two small, low tables specially made by Chen Dashan. Every morning, while the children were awake and playing or being taken out by their mother to bask in the sun, the sisters would seize the time. One would embroider the "Four Joys at the Door" pattern, while the other would sew various small sachets for the Dragon Boat Festival from brightly colored scraps of fabric—shaped like rice dumplings, tiger heads, hearts, and ingots—filled with dried mugwort and cloves, their fragrant aroma repelling mosquitoes and warding off evil. Although their hands were slightly less nimble than before due to pregnancy and childcare, their focus and dexterity remained undiminished. Through daily practice, their stitches became fine and even again.

The furniture Chen Dashan was making for Aunt Li was progressing smoothly. The camphor wood, after planing, revealed a warm luster and carried its unique fragrance. One of the kang (heated brick bed) cabinets was already finished, square and heavy, with tight mortise and tenon joints; the dressing table frame was also complete, awaiting only fine sanding and the installation of drawers. The dining table in the main room was made of sturdy elm wood, with a wide tabletop and edges carefully sanded into gentle curves to prevent bumps. The prepared benches, after being coated with tung oil, showed clear wood grain and an amber sheen, looking sturdy and durable.

Besides helping his brother with chores, taking care of livestock, and gathering wild produce in the mountains, Chen Xiaohe also kept up his bamboo weaving skills. The new batch of small bamboo baskets, sewing baskets, and covered snack boxes became increasingly exquisite. He even tried weaving a few bamboo lampshades with openwork patterns. Although it was labor-intensive, they had good light transmission and unique designs, which made him very proud.

That afternoon, the sun shone brightly. Mother Chen laid the four well-fed and cleaned little ones side-by-side on an old mat laid out at the entrance to the main room, letting them kick and wave as they basked in the early summer sun. Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing also moved small stools and sat nearby, doing needlework while occasionally glancing up at the children to prevent them from climbing out of the mat's reach.

"Mom, look at Afu, isn't he a little fatter than he was a couple of days ago?" Su Xiaoqing smiled and pointed at her youngest son, who was trying hard to turn over, his little face turning red.

Mother Chen squinted at him, her face full of affection: "He's gotten chubby, his little hands are like lotus root segments. Aji is no less so, look how bright his eyes are, just like yours, so clever."

Just then, the courtyard gate was pushed open, and Mr. Chen returned carrying a hoe, his trouser legs still covered in fresh mud. "I've weeded the field once, and the corn seedlings are growing quite fast." He put down the hoe, washed his hands, and squatted down beside the mat, extending his rough fingers to gently tap the tip of Shi Tou's little nose. "Grandson, were you good today?"

The stone was amused and giggled, its little hands flailing about.

At this moment, Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe also returned from the mountains one after the other. Chen Xiaohe's basket contained half a basket of tender grass and a small handful of wild watercress, while Chen Dashan carried a plump gray wild rabbit and two palm-sized crucian carp strung on straw ropes.

"Wow! You've had quite a haul today!" Mr. Chen's eyes lit up.

Chen Xiaohe exclaimed excitedly, "Dad, look at this rabbit! It ran into my trap, and it's so fat! The fish were caught by my older brother when he dug them up from the riverbank; they're quite lively!"

Chen Dashan handed the rabbit and fish to Su Xiaoyin, who came out after hearing the commotion, and explained, "The rabbit was caught last night, and I didn't expect it to actually work. The fish was caught in a trap earlier, but I haven't had time to take it out. When I looked today, there were only two of them. They're not very big, but they should be good for making soup for the kids and Mom."

Su Xiaoyin took the rabbit, weighed it in her hand, and laughed, "This rabbit is really plump, and its fur is intact. Once it's salted, it can be used to make a hand warmer. We'll make fish soup tonight, with some tofu, to nourish Mother and the children."

Looking at the game her sons brought back, and then at the vibrant life filling the yard, Chen's mother felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. She said to Chen's father, "Old man, isn't our life getting better and better? Look at this yard, pigs and chickens roaming freely, melon seedlings climbing trellises, children laughing constantly inside, our son and daughter-in-law are hardworking and filial, and we even have some extra money..."

Father Chen took a puff of his pipe, and through the swirling smoke, the wrinkles on his face smoothed out: "Yes, a year ago, who would have dared to imagine things would be like this today? It's all thanks to the children's hard work and ambition, and also because this place is good, and the people here are good too."

"Mom, Dad," Su Xiaoqing suddenly remembered something and looked up, "My sister and I have calculated that we can make about fifty sachets before the Dragon Boat Festival. We've also collected quite a few new patterns for hair ties. Next time we go to the market, we want to go with Dashan and Xiaohe to see how well we sell them. And my sister's 'Lotus Brings a Noble Child' embroidery should be finished in another seven or eight days."

Mother Chen nodded: "Go! Of course we'll go! Things will sell well before the holiday. Dashan, will your Aunt Li's furniture arrive in time?"

Chen Dashan quickly estimated in his mind: "There's still time. The kang cabinet just needs polishing and oiling, and the materials for the dressing table and wardrobe are all ready. If we hurry, it will definitely be finished before the Dragon Boat Festival. It won't delay anything."

"That's good." Mother Chen agreed. "We'll all go to the big market before the Dragon Boat Festival! We'll buy sachets, hair ties, and small bamboo and wooden items, give away furniture, and also buy some glutinous rice, red dates, and reed leaves for the festival. We'll have a proper Dragon Boat Festival!"

This plan invigorated everyone. Life had hope, work brought rewards, and festivals held promise – this was the simplest and most tangible happiness for rural families. The setting sun cast a warm golden glow over the Chen family courtyard, where four children babbled on the mats, while the adults talked, laughed, and made plans.