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

On the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, a group of people rode a creaking oxcart back to Nanshan Village. After unloading the few remaining goods and New Year's supplies, they washed away the dust and chill from their clothes. The family gathered in the warm, heated main room of the old house, taking stock of their harvest and looking forward to the coming year by the warm glow of the oil lamp.

Young Chen Xiaohe couldn't keep anything to himself and was always the most excited. Before his mother had even finished serving the hot ginger soup, he blurted out, "Dad, Mom! There's some great news in town today!" His eyes sparkled. "An old man who came from town for the market saw the baby stroller he bought from our stall yesterday and thought you were a skilled and dedicated craftsman. He specifically came here to have you make furniture! He said his second son is getting married, and after looking at several other places without finding anything he liked, he finally decided on ours!"

Mr. Chen, who was warming his hands with a rough earthenware bowl, perked up upon hearing this and looked at his eldest son: "Oh? From town? That's good news. What did they say?"

Chen Dashan took the ginger soup his wife handed him, took a sip to clear the dryness in his throat, and calmly replied, "Hmm, the old man is quite straightforward. He said he'd first order a large camphor wood chest, including both materials and labor, as a test of his skills. He gave a deposit of five hundred cash and agreed to come and see it in half a month. If the chest is made to his liking and meets his requirements, he'll leave the rest of the furniture, including the wardrobe, tables, and chairs, to us." He recounted the details of his discussion with the old man that day, including the chest's dimensions, the quality of the materials, and the delivery deadline.

After listening, Mr. Chen's face showed a look of relief and solemnity. He took a puff of his pipe and said slowly, "This shows that they trust our skills, and it's also giving us an opportunity. Dashan, this first job must be done with utmost care. Choose solid, thoroughly dried camphor wood, the mortise and tenon joints must be flawless, and the polishing must be meticulous. Xiaohe, these days you should assist your brother and learn carefully." This is not just about making money, but a crucial step in establishing a reputation and building a good word in town.

Chen Xiaohe immediately straightened his back and replied loudly, "Dad, don't worry! I promise I'll keep my eyes wide open, and if Big Brother points east, I'll never go west!"

Listening to this, Chen's mother smiled. Then, remembering something, she said, "What a coincidence! This afternoon, before you came back, Old Li's family from the west end of the village also came. They said their eldest son is almost of marriageable age and they're planning to build a new house after spring. With a new house, finding a spouse will be easier. They want Dashan to make the doors and windows, as well as some essential furniture. They'll provide the wood themselves, and Dashan just needs to provide the craftsmanship. I thought it was a good thing, and since they're from the same village and we know each other well, I agreed on your behalf. I reckon they'll come to talk to you about it after the Lantern Festival."

Chen Dashan nodded: "It's better not to produce any timber. We don't have much good timber left in our warehouse, and we need to make the most of it for that old man in town's chests. Xiaohe's skills have improved a lot recently. Let him practice on simple doors, windows, tables, and chairs. I'll watch over him, and he should be able to handle it."

Hearing his elder brother's affirmation, Chen Xiaohe became even more motivated, rubbing his hands together and saying, "Don't worry, brother, I'll definitely do my best and won't let you down!"

After sharing these two pieces of good news about "business," the conversation naturally turned to the important family matter that had been planned for a long time. Mrs. Chen looked at Mr. Chen, then at her son and daughter-in-law, her tone carrying the decisiveness characteristic of a head of the household: "Old man, tomorrow is the last market day, and the New Year's goods are almost ready. I think after the New Year, you should hurry and go to the village head to finalize the deal for that small valley we've chosen, along with the wasteland at its foot. The longer we wait, the more things might change. If someone else gets there first after spring, it will be too late for us to regret it."

Father Chen agreed wholeheartedly, put down his pipe, and said seriously, "It's time to settle things. I've been thinking about it for a while now. As soon as the New Year is over, the first thing I'll do is go to the village head, go through all the formalities, pay the dues, and get the deed done at the yamen as soon as possible. Only then will I feel at ease. After we buy it, once the spring planting is finished, our whole family will get to work together to prepare the land at the foot of the mountain. I've checked the soil; it's quite fertile. We'll clear it out first and plant soybeans. Soybeans aren't picky about the soil and can even help nourish it. The work on the mountain isn't urgent; we'll take our time and prepare it little by little."

Listening to her in-laws' plans, Su Xiaoyin felt a surge of excitement. She softly interjected, "Dad, once we buy the barren mountain, besides farming, can we also do some planning? I see that the valley is sunny and sheltered from the wind, so could we transplant some jujube and persimmon trees? Jujubes can be sold fresh or dried, and persimmons can be made into dried persimmons—both are things that can be stored and exchanged for money. If we find out about other suitable fruit tree seedlings, or some easy-to-care-for medicinal herbs, we can try planting some of those too. We can also cultivate a few vegetable plots or herb gardens in the flatter areas of the valley."

Her words struck a chord with Mr. Chen. He glanced approvingly at his eldest daughter-in-law and nodded, saying, "Xiaoyin's idea is excellent! We can't just rely on clearing land for grain. That valley is a treasure trove; we need to plan it carefully. Jujube and persimmon trees are definitely necessary. I'll also inquire later to see if there are any peach or plum saplings, or even some wild grapevines from our mountains, to transplant back. Medicinal herbs are another option, but we need to be more cautious. We need to figure out what to plant, how to plant it, and who to sell it to. The area in the valley next to the stream can be leveled out for planting vegetables and herbs; watering will be convenient too."