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

As dawn broke and the sky began to lighten with a faint pale blue, activity began to stir in the Chen family's courtyard. Chen Dashan carefully stacked the last bundle of saplings, still smelling of fresh earth, onto the cart, securing them securely with straw rope. He then turned to his father, who was emerging from the main room, and said, "Dad, let's go. Let's plant the saplings as soon as possible. It's cool in the morning, and the ground is still damp; the saplings will thrive."

Holding two sturdy shovels and a pickaxe, Mr. Chen nodded upon hearing this: "Yes, let's go early. We didn't buy many saplings, and we've already chosen the location. The planting pits were roughly dug a few days ago. Today, we mainly need to widen and deepen the pits, plant the saplings upright, bury them firmly, and water them thoroughly. If all goes well, we should be finished before noon." He paused, then added, "After planting ours, we'll go help out at the village head's house this afternoon. We were able to buy these good-quality saplings at a fair price yesterday thanks to the village head's help; we must remember his kindness."

Chen Dashan replied, "Okay, Dad. Let's get this done quickly today, and tomorrow the three of us will go to Uncle Village Head's house early in the morning to help out. Let's call Xiaohe too."

Just then, Chen's mother came out of the kitchen carrying two bowls of steaming mixed grain porridge and a few cornbread buns, and called to the father and his two sons: "Don't rush off yet, have something to eat, you won't have the energy to work on an empty stomach." She placed the breakfast on the small wooden table in the yard, and then took out two water bags and filled them with cooled boiled water, "Bring enough water, it's hot, don't get thirsty."

After a quick breakfast, the father and his two sons, Chen Dashan, went to the backyard to fetch the ox and harness it to the cart. Chen's father placed the tools on the edge of the cart and then got on himself. Chen's mother accompanied them to the gate, watching the oxcart creak and groan as it drove onto the village road and disappeared into the brightening morning light before turning back to the yard.

She didn't rest; she went back into the house to get a sharp sickle and a large basket, preparing to go to the riverbank and the field ridges to cut some fresh grass. The cattle, sheep, and the two increasingly plump pigs at home couldn't go a day without fodder, especially after spring arrived when the livestock had a good appetite and ate even more.

In the east room, Su Xiaoyin had actually woken up when Chen Dashan got up, but hearing the commotion outside, she knew her in-laws and husband were busy, so she didn't rush to get up and stayed up for a while, holding the children. It wasn't until it was bright daylight and the little ones started to wriggle and babble in bed that Su Xiaoyin got up with a smile.

Dressing the child, washing up, and feeding them breakfast was another busy but orderly and heartwarming "battle." By the time everything was settled, the sunlight was already shining brightly across most of the yard.

"Sister, let's put the child on the kang to play. We can put pillows around him so he won't fall off." Su Xiaoqing fed the last mouthful of rice cereal to her youngest son, Afu, and wiped his mouth.

"Okay, let them play with those little wooden blocks and cloth tigers." Su Xiaoyin said, spreading a clean old mat in the center of the kang (a heated brick bed), placing the four chubby babies on it, and surrounding them with rolled-up quilts and pillows to form a safe "wall." The children were indeed attracted by the brightly colored toys, scratching and "exchanging" their own baby talk, giggling and laughing peacefully.

The two sisters finally breathed a sigh of relief, washed their hands, and sat down at their embroidery frame by the window. The "Eight Immortals Celebrating Longevity" painting was nearly a third complete, its colors vibrant, the figures beginning to take shape. The fine stitches shimmered in the morning light, requiring immense patience and focus. They whispered a discussion about the next color scheme and stitches, then each picked up their needles and immersed themselves in the auspicious picture constructed of silk thread. The room was quiet, save for the soft rustling of needles through the fabric, the occasional babbling of the children, and the gentle clatter of toys, all weaving together a peaceful and serene scene.

Time slipped silently through her fingers and the needle's tip. After an unknown amount of time, Su Xiaoqing hissed softly, put down the needle, and rubbed her stiff neck and sore eyes. "Sister, let's rest for a bit. My eyes are blurry, and my neck is stiff."

Su Xiaoyin stopped what she was doing, blinked, and indeed felt a little tired. "Okay, let's get up and move around. By the way... shall we go to the tofu shop at the village entrance and buy a couple of blocks of tofu? The crucian carp we caught in the river yesterday are still in the basin, lively and jumping around. We can make crucian carp and tofu soup for lunch, it'll be both fresh and nourishing. We can also stir-fry some fresh mountain vegetables that Mom picked this morning, and mix some dandelion greens, it'll be refreshing."

"That's great!" Su Xiaoqing's eyes lit up. "How about steaming a bowl of minced meat and egg custard for the four little gluttons too? It's been a while since I made it, and they love it."

The two sisters discussed lunch, quickly tidied up their embroidery frames, and then picked up the children, who were getting sleepy from playing, and carefully dressed them. Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing took out the stroller, laid out a small mat, put the children inside, and then, with baskets slung over their shoulders, the two sisters, "fully armed," locked the courtyard gate and slowly walked towards the tofu shop at the east end of the village with their four little ones.

On a fine spring day, the willows lining the village's dirt roads had sprouted tender green buds, swaying gently in the breeze. The warm sunlight shone down, and the air was filled with the scent of awakened earth and the subtle fragrance of grass and trees. I encountered many villagers along the way; some had just returned from the fields, while others were on their way to their work.

"Mountain Lady, River Lady, are you taking the children out for a stroll?" Aunt Wangcai, who lives at the entrance of the village, was sitting on her doorstep picking beans in the sun. She greeted them with a smile, her eyes lingering on the four chubby little children with envy.

"Yes, Auntie, go buy two pieces of tofu. The kids can't stay at home, let them get out in the sunshine." Su Xiaoyin replied with a smile.

"Oh my, look at these four darlings, they're so well-fed and plump, they're such a delight to look at!" Another woman washing clothes by the well straightened up, wiping the water off her hands, and said with a smile, "You two sisters are getting prettier and prettier too. It's really different not having to work in the fields in the wind and sun."

The two sisters, a little embarrassed by the praise, smiled modestly, exchanged a few pleasantries, and continued walking. Faintly, they could hear whispers behind them, filled with undisguised envy: "...Look at the Chen family, how well they live... They married well, and they had four children in one go, three of them sons! And the two sisters are so skilled; I heard their embroidery can make a lot of money, they don't have to work in the fields at all... It's really frustrating to compare yourself to others, my daughter-in-law..."