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

"Mom, we're leaving! We'll bring you and Dad some sweet dumplings when we come back!"

On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, before dawn, the courtyard of the Chen family's new house was already bustling with activity, their quiet busyness tinged with barely concealed excitement. Chen's mother, wearing a cotton-padded coat, stood at the entrance to the main room, watching her son and daughter-in-law, all dressed and ready to depart, nodding repeatedly: "Yes, good! Be careful on the road, keep an eye on your money! Go early and come back early. If you're coming back late at night, make sure you travel together and carry a lantern!"

"Okay, Mother! You should go back inside, it's cold outside!" Su Xiaoqing replied with a smile, carrying a basket filled with colorful hair ties, silk flowers, embroidered handkerchiefs, and several pairs of exquisite little tiger-head shoes. Su Xiaoyin helped load the bamboo and wooden toys, small lanterns, wooden hairpins, and combs that Chen Dashan and his brother wanted to take onto the oxcart. In the soft morning light, all four of them wore expressions of anticipation for the annual Lantern Festival.

The oxcart creaked and groaned as it made its way to the county town. The closer it got to the town, the more people and vehicles appeared on the road, all coming from the surrounding villages to see the lanterns, do business, and join in the festivities. The air seemed to be filled with a sweet and warm festive atmosphere in advance.

Upon arriving in the county town, it was indeed several times more bustling than the usual market day. The main street was already packed with people, and the shops on both sides were decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations. There were also many temporary stalls selling sugar figurines, dough figurines, paper cuttings, windmills, lanterns, and all kinds of snacks... The shouts, laughter, and children's screams and laughter blended into a sea of ​​joy.

The Chen family quickly found a gap near the street corner, in a bustling area, parked the oxcart a little further away, and the four of them worked together to quickly set up their stall. This time, they were much better prepared: a thick, bleached coarse cloth was laid out on the ground, on which were neatly arranged items such as the exquisite wooden horse, duckling, rattle drum, and smooth wooden comb and hairpin made by Chen Dashan; small bamboo baskets with lids, sewing baskets, and delicate lantern frames woven by Chen Xiaohe; and most eye-catching were the colorful hair ties, silk flowers, and elegantly embroidered handkerchiefs made by the Su sisters from scraps of cloth, silk thread, and gauze, as well as several pairs of lifelike tiger-head shoes and hats. The bright colors and exquisite workmanship made them like a cluster of early spring flowers in the somewhat monotonous market at the end of winter and the beginning of spring.

As soon as his stall was set up, Chen Xiaohe took a deep breath and began to shout at the top of his lungs: "Come and see! Beautiful and affordable hair ties and silk flower hairpins! Sturdy and fun rocking horses and rattles for kids! And pretty tiger-head shoes and hats, to bless your little ones with healthy heads and a strong, healthy spirit as they grow up! Don't miss out!"

He was young, with a clear voice and a lively energy rarely seen in farmers. His shout immediately attracted the attention of many young women, wives, and women with children. The crowd gradually gathered around.

"Wow, this hair tie has a really unique design! How much are these silk flowers?"

"This little rocking horse is so smoothly polished, there's not a single burr. It's safe for kids to play with!"

"These tiger-head shoes are really well made! The stitches are tight, and the fabric is soft."

Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing quickly stepped forward, speaking softly and gently as they introduced the products. Their hands were also busy, helping customers try on hair ties and silk flowers, and holding up small clothes to the dolls. Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe were mainly responsible for explaining the wooden and bamboo ware, and demonstrating how to play with the small toys. The four of them had clear divisions of labor, working efficiently and without chaos.

Business was even better than expected. Perhaps it was the festive atmosphere that made people more willing to spend money, or perhaps their products were indeed exquisite and affordable; customers flocked to the stall. The hair ties and silk flowers they brought sold the fastest, and tiger-head shoes and hats also became hot items, with even the small bamboo and wooden trinkets seeing a surge in sales.

Just as the group was busy, sweating and happy, two elderly men came to the stall. One was Old Man Han from town. Chen Dashan had made wedding furniture for his son; the materials were solid and the workmanship exquisite, and Old Man Han was very satisfied, becoming a living advertisement for Chen Dashan, who often spoke highly of him. The other elderly man was unfamiliar, about the same age as Old Man Han, wearing a respectable dark blue cotton robe, with sharp eyes.

Old Han chuckled and patted Chen Dashan on the shoulder, then said to the old man beside him, "Old Qin, look, this is the carpenter Chen I told you about. His craftsmanship is amazing!" He gave a thumbs-up. "That big camphor wood chest in my house that you praised so highly was made by this young man! What do you think? He's got spirit, and his craftsmanship is even more impressive!"

The old man, known as Old Man Qin, sized up Chen Dashan. Although young, he stood behind his stall with a steady and reliable demeanor, his eyes clear and honest. The small wooden items on his stall were also quite well-made, with smooth edges and tight mortise and tenon joints. He immediately felt a sense of goodwill towards Chen. He said, "Young man, my surname is Qin. I run a small restaurant in town. My son is engaged, and the wedding will be after the autumn harvest. I heard Old Han praise your craftsmanship, so I came here specifically to see what you've got. If your work is as sturdy and beautiful as Old Han's camphor wood chest, I'd like to order a set of furniture."