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

The tofu shop at the village entrance wafted a rich aroma of soybeans. Su Xiaoyin bought two pieces of still-warm tofu, carefully wrapped them in lotus leaves, and placed them in her basket. Su Xiaoqing, on the other hand, was pulled along by the tofu shop owner to see her family's newborn litter of puppies.

"Look how plump it is!" The proprietress grinned from ear to ear. "Why don't you take one home? It'll be perfect for guarding the house."

Su Xiaoqing looked at the chubby, whimpering puppies and felt a fondness for them, but still shook her head: "Auntie, we already have chickens, ducks, and pigs at home, and four children are enough to keep us busy. Adding another mouth to feed might be too much to handle. Let's wait until next year. If there are still puppies next year, I'll definitely come and take one."

Leaving the tofu shop, the two sisters slowly pushed their children home. Along the way, they met several women doing needlework under the shade of trees and exchanged greetings. The children, restless in the stroller, pointed at the wildflowers by the roadside and the butterflies flitting by, chattering incessantly.

Back home, the yard was quiet; Chen's mother hadn't returned yet. Su Xiaoyin put the tofu in the cool shade of the kitchen, while Su Xiaoqing went to pick vegetables from the vegetable patch in the corner of the yard.

Summer is the perfect time for the vegetable garden to flourish. Cucumbers are topped with tender yellow flowers, tomatoes are beginning to turn red, strings of green beans hang down in clusters, and eggplants are a glossy purple. Su Xiaoqing picked a few tender cucumbers with blossoms and thorns still attached, a handful of green beans, and a few perilla leaves—to add a little when stewing fish, to remove the fishy smell and enhance the flavor.

"Sis, let's make a cucumber salad, stir-fry some green beans, and steam an eggplant with minced garlic. Is that enough?" Su Xiaoqing put the picked vegetables into the basket.

"That's enough. It's hot, and we won't eat much anyway." Su Xiaoyin drew water from the well to wash the vegetables. "I'll make fish stew with tofu and stir-fry some cured pork slices for Dad and the kids to eat with their rice. Keep it simple; we still have plenty of work to do this afternoon."

While washing the vegetables, Su Xiaoqing remembered something and lowered her voice, saying, "Sister, I looked at that 'Koi Welcoming Fortune' embroidery pattern I drew a few days ago again last night, and I think the color scheme could be adjusted a bit more. Wouldn't using a mix of gold and red thread to embroider the koi's body make the scales look shinier than using only red thread?"

Su Xiaoyin stopped what she was doing and thought for a moment: "You're right. Gold thread is a bit expensive, but when used in key places, it elevates the entire embroidery. We still have a small sliver of gold thread left, which should be enough. As for the water ripples, I'd like to use different shades of blue and green silk threads to create the feeling of flowing water."

The two sisters, their eyes sparkling, discussed the details of their embroidery amidst the sound of running water. For them, embroidery was not only a skill to supplement their income, but also something they inherited from their mother that brought them peace and a sense of accomplishment.

After washing the vegetables, Su Xiaoyin started a fire to cook, while Su Xiaoqing took the four children, who were playing a bit dirty, to the well and helped them wash their hands and faces.

"Mom, I'm hungry." The third son, Aji, rubbed his little belly and looked longingly at the smoke rising from the kitchen.

"Almost done, just a little longer." Su Xiaoqing gently dried his little hands. "Look at you two, playing like little mud monkeys. You both need to sit still before dinner, understand?"

The four children nodded as if they understood, then ran back to the kang (a heated brick bed) in the main room and started playing with the small wooden horses and bamboo carts that Chen Dashan had made for them. These were their most cherished toys.

---

As the sun rose higher, Chen's mother returned carrying a full basket of green grass on her back. Her forehead was damp with sweat, but she looked relaxed. She spread the grass out to dry in the corner of the yard, then checked on the livestock before going inside.

"Grandma!" The children saw her and surrounded her again.

"Oh, my dear grandchildren." Chen's mother kissed each of them, then noticed that Su Xiaoyin was already setting the table. "Is everything ready? I'll wash my hands and come over."

A simple lunch was laid out on the table: a large bowl of milky white fish head and tofu soup, sprinkled with bright green scallions and perilla leaves; a plate of glistening cured pork stir-fried with green beans; a dish of smashed cucumber with minced garlic; and a bowl of golden cornbread. Though not lavish, everything was hearty and exuded an enticing aroma.

Just as the bowls and chopsticks were set out, Chen's father and his two sons stepped into the courtyard. All three were covered in sweat, their trousers splattered with mud, but their faces bore the satisfaction of hard work.

"You're back just in time, hurry up and wash up and have dinner," Chen's mother called out.

The family sat together, with the children seated on specially made high stools—another of Chen Dashan's crafts. At the table, Chen's father talked about the crops growing in the fields, Chen Dashan mentioned the watermelons, and Chen Xiaohe chattered about the nest of wild rabbits he had seen while weeding.

"By the way," Chen Dashan said to Su Xiaoyin after taking a sip of the delicious fish soup, "Xiaohe and I are going to the valley to check on the watermelons this afternoon. If they're ripe, we'll pick some tomorrow. Didn't you say you finished the embroidery pattern? Start embroidering this afternoon if you're free. Let Mom watch the children."

Su Xiaoyin nodded: "Yes, the design is all set. We'll start this afternoon. The fabric and thread are all ready."

Chen's mother served food to the children and said, "Alright, you can go about your business without worry. I'll take these four little rascals to play in the yard this afternoon, so it won't interfere with your chores."

After lunch and cleaning up the dishes, the family members each went about their own business. Father Chen took a nap at the entrance to the main room, while Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe rested briefly before going out again. Mother Chen indeed took the four children to play in the shade of the trees in the yard, teaching them to recognize flowers and plants and playing hide-and-seek.

In the east wing, Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing gently closed the door, shutting out the sounds of their playful banter. They carefully unrolled the roll of moon-white fine cotton cloth, on which the "Koi Carp Welcoming Fortune" pattern, outlined in charcoal, was clear and elegant. After stretching the embroidery hoop and adjusting the silk thread, the two sisters smiled at each other and sat down in front of their respective embroidery hoops.