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

Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe happened to be returning from their fish baskets when they saw the bamboo shoots. Chen Xiaohe's eyes lit up: "Mom, we dug these bamboo shoots at the perfect time! Tonight we'll stir-fry them with cured pork; they'll be so delicious!"

With a smile, Chen's mother instructed, "Xiaoyin, pick the shepherd's purse; we'll make dumplings tonight. Wash the dandelions and wild garlic; we'll eat them with dipping sauce at noon. Peel two bamboo shoots, slice them thinly, blanch them in boiling water, and make a cold salad tonight. The rest, we'll dry tomorrow."

The family immediately sprang into action. Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing sat by the well, picking and washing wild vegetables. Chen Dashan took some bamboo shoots and sat on the doorstep, peeling off the brown outer skin to reveal the jade-like flesh inside. Chen Xiaohe went to the backyard to feed the chickens and ducks, and then brought out the plowshares, hoes, and other farm tools needed for tomorrow's spring plowing, checking and cleaning them one by one.

In the early morning, before the mist had completely dissipated, the Chen family's breakfast table was already filled with the unique, slightly damp scent of grass and trees and the warm aroma of hot porridge that comes with the start of spring.

Chen's mother peeled a boiled egg and handed it to her eldest grandson, Shitou, who was looking at her expectantly. She then said to the whole family, "Yesterday I passed by the bamboo grove and saw that many bamboo shoots have already sprouted. We need to hurry up and dig them up twice in the next couple of days, and then we'll have to focus all our attention on spring plowing."

Father Chen swallowed the porridge in his mouth and nodded, saying, "We should hurry. Bamboo shoots don't wait for anyone; once they're old, they're worthless. Spring came early this year, so we need to get the work in the fields done sooner."

"I'll go with you to dig for bamboo shoots!" Mother Chen ladled herself a bowl of porridge. "In previous years, bamboo shoots and the first harvest of wild vegetables would bring in a sum of money for the family, helping to supplement the cost of seeds and fertilizer."

Su Xiaoqing was feeding her youngest daughter Qingqing rice cereal when she heard this and looked up to ask, "Mom, are the toon leaves on the mountain ready yet? The pickled toon leaves from last year are especially good with tofu."

Mother Chen thought for a moment, then shook her head and said, "I went to check on them the day before yesterday. The toon sprouts are still too small, like fingernails. It's a pity to pick them, and we won't get much to eat anyway. We'll have to wait another seven or eight days. But the dandelions and shepherd's purse are at their tenderest, bursting with juice when you pick them. As for the toon and water celery, once they grow a bit longer, we'll go to the county market to see if any restaurants are buying them this year."

Chen Xiaohe's eyes lit up, and he interjected, "Mom, if there are any small Chinese toon saplings on the mountain, let's remember their location. After the spring planting is finished, we'll dig up a few and plant them on the barren hillside we just bought! Then we can have Chinese toon to eat every spring, and we can even sell any we can't finish!"

"That's a great idea!" Chen's mother smiled. "Okay, let's keep an eye out when we're picking toon leaves and see if there are any suitable saplings."

After a quick breakfast, the family members got to work. Mr. and Mrs. Chen, along with Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe, took their large and small baskets, specially made bamboo shoot hoes, and hemp ropes and headed straight for the bamboo forest behind the house. Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing stayed behind to clean up the dishes and then prepared to tend to the vegetable garden behind the house.

The spring sunshine was just right, warming everyone's bodies. Su Xiaoyin placed the four toddlers, who could already walk unsteadily, on an old mat spread out in the yard, loosely surrounding them with long benches, and gave them a few clean, smooth little wooden blocks to play with. The little ones didn't cry or fuss, sitting or crawling, enjoying themselves immensely.

The two sisters rolled up their sleeves, picked up small hoes and vegetable seeds, and went into the garden. The soil in the garden had already been deeply turned by Chen's father and fertilized, making it dark and loose. Following Chen's mother's instructions, they sowed the seeds of fast-growing spinach, scallions, and water radishes, and carefully watered the stubble of chives left over from last year. The garden in spring was full of the breath of new life and anticipation.

As the two were busy working, they heard the creaking of an oxcart and Chen Xiaohe's cheerful shouts from outside the courtyard gate: "Little sister-in-law! We've brought back the bamboo shoots!"

Chen Dashan was driving an oxcart, piled high with bamboo shoots covered in fresh soil. Chen Xiaohe jumped off the cart and helped unload them.

"So many!" Su Xiaoqing exclaimed in surprise.

"The bamboo forest is thriving this year!" Chen Xiaohe wiped his sweat, his face beaming with the joy of a bountiful harvest. "Dad and Mom are still digging in the back. We'll bring a cartload back first. Xiaoqing, you guys pick out the good ones to sell, and the broken ones can be kept for our family."

"Oh, don't worry, leave it to us," Su Xiaoqing quickly replied.

Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe unloaded the bamboo shoots, not even having time to drink water, and hurriedly drove the oxcart back to the bamboo forest. Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing immediately began sorting. They worked quickly, carefully piling the bamboo shoots with intact shells, uniform size, and tightly closed tips into clean baskets, preparing to sell them in the county town the next day. The broken or damaged ones were peeled off to reveal the tender white flesh inside, and then cut into chunks or slices. Some were prepared to be stir-fried for dinner, while the majority were pickled in a large earthenware basin with salt to make pickled bamboo shoots, which could be preserved for a long time and were an excellent appetizer in summer.

As the sun approached its zenith, Su Xiaoyin guessed that her in-laws and husband would be back soon, so she washed her hands and went into the kitchen. Su Xiaoqing continued to look after the children and sort the bamboo shoots.

The fire in the stove was reignited. Su Xiaoyin scooped out a few small, but very fresh, fish from the wooden bucket beside the water vat—the fish Chen Dashan had caught from the river the day before. She scaled, gutted, and cleaned them thoroughly. She added a spoonful of precious lard to the pot, lightly fried the fish, then added soy sauce, scallions, ginger, and hot water, and simmered it slowly over low heat. On the other side, in a large iron pot, she arranged a ring of golden cornbread. She then picked out the tenderest dandelions and shepherd's purse from the wild vegetables Chen's mother had gathered that morning, washed and blanched them, and simply tossed them with salt, vinegar, and a little sesame oil.

The aroma of food had just begun to waft through the air when footsteps and voices came from the courtyard gate. Mr. and Mrs. Chen carried baskets bulging with their backs, while Chen Dashan and his brother brought back a cartload of bamboo shoots. All four of them wore signs of exhaustion from their work, but their eyes shone brightly.

"You're back? Quickly wash your hands, dinner's ready!" Su Xiaoyin came out of the kitchen carrying dishes.

Lunch was simple yet substantial. The braised mixed fish was savory and flavorful, with tender fish meat. The cornbread dipped in the fish soup was exceptionally delicious. The two kinds of mixed wild vegetables were refreshing and helped cut through the richness, carrying the unique bitterness and sweetness of spring.

After eating a few bites, Mr. Chen said, "This afternoon, let's hurry up and dig for bamboo shoots for another day. I think that's about enough; any more and we won't have time to process them. Tomorrow morning, Xiaohe should go to the county town early to sell these bamboo shoots and also check out the market conditions and prices there this year. That way, we'll have a better idea of ​​what's going on."

Mother Chen nodded in agreement: "We should go and take a look. The bamboo shoots will be ready in the next few days. Once we've sold them all and come back tomorrow, we'll really have to start preparing for spring planting. The seedlings in the fields won't wait for anyone."

Chen Dashan swallowed the flatbread in his mouth and said calmly, "Dad, Mom, don't worry. I've checked all the tools for spring plowing, and we've prepared enough seeds. We'll go to the fields as soon as Xiaohe comes back from the county town."