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

Aunt Wang's house wasn't far from the Chen family's. She led Chen Xiaohe, who was pushing a cart, and along the way, they received many curious and envious glances from the villagers. When they arrived home, her eldest daughter—a round-faced girl—came out of the house to greet them.

"Mother, you're back? This is..." The girl's eyes lit up as she looked at the two brand-new, sturdy wooden crates on the cart.

"Old girl, come and see! This is the dowry chest your mother picked out for you!" Aunt Wang's face lit up with a smile. She stepped forward and touched the smooth surface of the chest. "Look at this wood, this workmanship! It's pine, and it's so sturdy! When you fill it with your clothes and bedding and carry it to your husband's house, it'll be a real show of face! I guarantee your in-laws will think highly of you!"

The girl stepped forward to examine the box closely, growing more and more fond of it. Touching the perfectly fitting mortise and tenon joints at the corners, she whispered, "Mother, this box is really nice...it must have been expensive, right?"

Just then, Aunt Wang's eldest daughter-in-law peeked out from the kitchen, a spatula in her hand. She spotted the chest and exclaimed, "Oh!" as she came over to examine it closely. "Mother, where was this big wooden chest made? It's so well-made! The wood is sturdy too. The craftsmanship is even better than that of the old carpenter in my mother's village! The chest my mother gave me as part of her dowry wasn't even this good!"

Aunt Wang felt even more proud after receiving praise from her daughter-in-law. She puffed out her chest and said, "I bought them from your Aunt Chen Danian's house! They were made by her eldest son, Chen Dashan! They were originally meant for their own use, and the wood was all top-quality; they were made with great care! I snatched them away! Two boxes for only 380 coins! Isn't that a great deal?"

"Three hundred and eighty? That's really not expensive!" The eldest daughter-in-law nodded repeatedly, then asked curiously, "What was Aunt Chen's family busy with when you went there?"

"Hey, when I went over, I saw her two newlywed daughters-in-law peeling bamboo shoots in the yard!" Aunt Wang said, her voice brimming with conversation. "You didn't see them, those two girls, they look so thin and small, but they're incredibly quick and efficient! Peeling the bamboo shoots, slicing them, they're so methodical, you can tell they're hardworking! And their eyes are bright and clear, they're not the kind to try to cheat. Your Aunt Chen even insisted on giving me two tender bamboo shoots, they looked so fresh and juicy, I'll stir-fry them for you to try tonight!"

The eldest daughter-in-law listened and smiled too: "That's because Aunt Chen is so lucky to have two such diligent daughters-in-law. This box was a worthwhile purchase; my sister is blessed!"

Listening to her mother and sister-in-law's conversation and looking at the brand-new, sturdy wooden box in front of her, Wang San's eldest daughter felt a surge of confidence and anticipation for her future married life.

---

Meanwhile, the work in the Chen family's courtyard was almost finished. The final touches on the new house were complete; the doors and windows were in place, the white walls were smooth, the kang (heated brick bed) was warm, and the path in the courtyard had been roughly paved with gravel, just waiting to be tamped down. Even in the shady spot of the backyard, the bamboo fungus, after days of meticulous air drying, had lost its moisture, becoming light and intact, and was carefully wrapped in oil paper and stored away by Chen's mother.

After dinner, the family gathered in the main room of the old house. The glow of the oil lamp illuminated their tired yet hopeful faces. Chen's mother looked at her husband, Chen's father nodded, and she cleared her throat before speaking.

"Dashan, Xiaohe, Xiaoyin, Xiaoqing," her gaze slowly swept over her two sons and two daughters-in-law, her tone solemn, "The new house is all set up inside and out. Tomorrow is an auspicious day, so you can move in. From now on, it will be your own little family."

The room fell silent for a moment after these words were spoken. Although they had been prepared, the moment of separating into different kitchens and living separately still stirred up complex emotions in everyone's hearts.

Mother Chen continued, "In our farming family, we value establishing a family and a career. Once you've established a career, you have to support yourselves. In the future, during the winter off-season, you can cook for yourselves. When spring comes and it's time for the autumn harvest, when the work in the fields is busy and we need everyone to work together, we'll eat together and work as one."

She paused, then stated the most crucial economic arrangement: "From today onward, whatever money you earn, whether it's from farming, selling mountain products, or carpentry like Da Shan, 40% will be handed over to the public fund. The remaining 60% is for your own families to use as they see fit. The bulk of your expenses—daily necessities, social obligations, land taxes, and corvée labor—will still come from the public fund. Your father and I are still able to move around; you don't need to worry about our retirement. Just focus on making yourselves prosperous; that's true filial piety."

As she spoke, Chen's mother took out an old money bag, which contained the 380 coins that Aunt Wang had used to buy the box that day. She carefully counted out 152 coins and put them aside: "This is what Dashan earned today. According to the rules, 40% is kept in the coffers, so it's 152 coins."

Then, she divided the remaining 228 coins, plus four taels of loose silver from an even older purse, into two portions. One portion, consisting of 228 coins and two taels of silver, was pushed in front of Chen Dashan and Su Xiaoyin; the other portion, also consisting of two taels of silver, was pushed in front of Chen Xiaohe and Su Xiaoqing.

"This four taels of silver comes from the family coffers. It's a little extra money for your two newly established families, two taels for each of you. Plus what Dashan earned today, Dashan's side is a bit better off. As for Xiaohe's side, the same rule applies when you earn money in the future. I hope you take this money and plan it well, whether it's to buy household items, keep it for emergencies, or find some small business to make a living and improve your lives."

After speaking, Chen's mother pushed the silver to her two sons respectively.

Chen Dashan looked at the money in front of him, paused for a moment, and instead of taking it himself, looked at Su Xiaoyin beside him and said in a low but clear voice, "You keep it."

Chen Xiaohe was even more decisive, grabbing the two taels of silver and shoving it into the hand of Su Xiaoqing, who was still somewhat dazed, grinning, "Xiaoqing, here you go! You manage the money! I'll take care of earning it!"

Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing were both stunned. They hadn't expected their husband to hand over the first "huge sum" given to them by the family so readily. This was not just money, but a heavy trust, entrusting the financial control of their small family to these two "outsiders" as daughters-in-law.

Su Xiaoyin's heart pounded. She looked at Chen Dashan; his gaze was calm, yet it revealed an undeniable determination. She then looked at her in-laws; Chen's mother's eyes held encouragement, while Chen's father nodded slightly.

"This...I..." Su Xiaoyin was at a loss.

"Take it, children," Chen's mother said gently. "From now on, you will be the mistresses of your own home. You need to be mindful of the daily necessities and expenses. Dashan and Xiaohe are busy outside, so you need to take care of things at home."

Su Xiaoqing clutched the silver coin, still warm from Chen Xiaohe's body, her eyes slightly moist, and nodded emphatically, "Yes! Mother, we understand!"

Su Xiaoyin took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in her heart. With her slightly trembling hand, she carefully put away the money in front of her. Then, she took her younger sister's hand and together they solemnly bowed to their parents, saying, "Thank you, Father! Thank you, Mother! We will definitely live a good life and not let you worry about us."

Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe said in unison, "Thank you, Dad and Mom."

Mr. Chen waved his hand, his face showing a complex expression of relief and expectation: "Alright, we're family, no need for formalities. We're moving tomorrow, so get some rest. From now on, you'll have to walk your own path."

The oil lamp flickered, casting the shadows of the family gathered around. Separating the family property wasn't a break, but rather a sapling being moved from beside a large tree to face the wind and sun alone, so it could grow stronger in the future. For the Su sisters, from tomorrow onward, they would truly have a home of their own, one they could build and protect themselves. The money they held in their hands, and the trust their husbands placed in them, were the initial foundations for starting a new chapter in their lives on this land. Night deepened, but the direction of their new home seemed to already be glowing with the warm light of dawn.