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

She raised her eyes to look at Chen Dashan, her gaze clear, carrying a hint of vulnerability and even more honesty.

Chen Dashan listened quietly, his usual calm expression slowly softening into a deep gentleness. He shook his head, his voice lower and gentler than usual: "Not stupid. Not stupid at all."

He recalled how thin and frightened she looked when she first arrived, and how her wary eyes couldn't be hidden even with soot smeared on her face. Looking at the woman in front of him, who was still thin but had a rosy complexion and bright eyes, and who would show a satisfied smile when she saw a basket full of mountain goods, a complex emotion welled up in his heart. There was pity, understanding, and a faint bitterness.

"This mountain is right here, it can't be moved." He looked at her and said very seriously, "Whenever you want to come, I'll come with you. We'll slowly collect the scavengers, fill the baskets, and fill the cellar. So that you'll always feel at ease."

There were no fancy words, just the simplest promise. Su Xiaoyin felt her eyes well up with tears. She nodded firmly, a smile playing on her lips, "Mmm!"

After resting, the two got up and continued their search in the forest. This time, Chen Dashan was no longer just clearing the way and guarding the area; he also observed the ground more carefully, occasionally pointing out a mushroom hiding place that Su Xiaoyin had missed. The atmosphere between the two was more relaxed and harmonious than before.

As the sun set, it bathed the mountains and forests in a warm golden-orange hue. Chen Dashan and Su Xiaoyin's baskets were already heavy. Besides mushrooms, they also found some late-blooming tender ferns, a few bunches of wild onions, and Su Xiaoyin even found a small patch of mint by a crevice in the rocks. She happily picked some, saying that she could boil it into a drink to cool off and relieve the summer heat.

On the way back laden with their bounty, Su Xiaoyin walked with light steps. Looking at Chen Dashan walking ahead, his back as steady as a mountain, and then weighing the substantial weight on her shoulders, she felt that the tiny crack in her heart, which had existed since she fled the famine, was being gently filled little by little by the gifts of the mountains and the silent protection of the person beside her.

The mountains and forests were silent, yet they provided her with the security she craved most. And that taciturn man was protecting her peace of mind in his own unique way.

Several days of fine weather had filled the Chen family's courtyard with all sorts of mountain produce. From the depths of the dense forest behind the mountain to their own newly renovated barren hillside, mats, bamboo sieves, and newly made wooden racks were piled high with goods drying in the sun: plump pine mushrooms and hazel mushrooms had turned a deep brown, emitting a rich mushroom aroma; washed dandelions, shepherd's purse, and wild celery had lost their vibrant green, curling into small, dark green bunches; and carefully identified and picked herbs, such as honeysuckle, plantain, and bupleurum, were also sorted and dried in well-ventilated areas. The air was filled with the dry scent of grass and trees and a faint medicinal fragrance—a bountiful gift from the mountains.

Chen Xiaohe even worked through the night to make two larger, multi-tiered drying racks from freshly cut bamboo, just enough to accommodate the harvest of the past few days. Looking at the "results" filling the yard, the family was tired, but their faces were filled with contented smiles.

That evening, after a simple yet delicious meal of mushroom and tofu stew with cornbread, the family sat around the doorway of the main room to cool off. Father Chen, fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan, looked at his two sons and said, "These past few days, you've been busy both inside and outside the house. You haven't stopped your carpentry work, and you've gathered quite a bit of mountain produce, which has delayed your plans to go to the market. Tomorrow is the fifteenth of the lunar month, the big market day. You two should go. Take the bamboo and wood trinkets and hair ties you've collected, and also check out the market prices this year. The Dragon Boat Festival is almost here, and our watermelons are getting bigger every day. We need to have a plan in mind beforehand when selling watermelons and other seasonal goods."

Chen Dashan nodded steadily, "Father is right. Xiaohe and I have also discussed it, we'll go first thing tomorrow morning. Everything is ready, we just need to check it. We can also visit the embroidery workshop and the cloth shop to ask about the prices of embroidery around the Dragon Boat Festival." As he spoke, he looked at Su Xiaoyin, who was sitting to the side mending clothes by the light of an oil lamp, "Xiaoyin, how's the progress of your 'Eight Immortals Celebrating Longevity' painting? If it can be finished before the Dragon Boat Festival, the price might be better."

Su Xiaoyin looked up, her hands still sewing, and replied gently, "There are still some finishing touches left. I went mushroom picking in the mountains a few days ago, which delayed me for a few days. If we hurry up, it should be finished before the Dragon Boat Festival. Xiaoqing and I have checked, and we have enough time."

Hearing this, Chen's mother quickly said, "No rush, take your time. Embroidery is hard on the eyes, it's very delicate. Don't ruin your health by rushing to finish it. Money can be earned anytime, but your health is the most important thing."

Su Xiaoqing was sorting through the hair ties she would bring tomorrow when she heard this and smiled, "Don't worry, Mother, we know what we're doing. We were just thinking that since it's around the Dragon Boat Festival, which is a festive time, and wealthy families are celebrating birthdays and exchanging gifts, these auspicious patterns might be more popular."