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

"Dad, didn't you go to the big tree at the village entrance?"

Chen Dashan, carrying a full basket of freshly cut, semi-dried timber intended for furniture making, circled back to his yard via the back mountain path. He saw his father squatting under the eaves, carefully sorting through handfuls of herbs he had just dug up, using the last rays of daylight. Hearing his son's question, Chen's father looked up, patting the mud off his hands. "I didn't go. I just came down from the barren mountain near our house. I saw some honeysuckle and bupleurum growing well, so I dug them up, dried them, and saved them. They'll come in handy someday. What happened?"

Chen Dashan put down the heavy basket on his back, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and looked slightly solemn: "When I came down from the back mountain, I ran into Uncle Wufu. He said the village head was calling everyone to the old locust tree at the village entrance, apparently to talk about this year's corvée labor. I just had to hurry and bring the timber back so I could go and take a look." Corvée labor was a major event that hung over every household every year between summer and autumn, concerning labor, health, and even life.

Upon hearing this, Mr. Chen's expression turned serious. He immediately put the herbs in his hand into the bamboo sieve beside him and stood up: "Come on, I'll go with you to listen."

The father and son hurried towards the village entrance. On the way, Chen Dashan whispered, "Dad, I'm thinking, if they still allow us to pay money to offset corvée labor this year, our family... won't send anyone out. Money can be earned again, but people who have suffered can't be healed in just a few days."

Mr. Chen didn't stop walking, only letting out a deep "hmm" in agreement: "My old bones are getting worse every year. If I really had to do that kind of hard labor, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to handle it. Your mother often says that now that things are just starting to look up at home, if we can solve it with money, we shouldn't let anyone suffer. Let's see what the village head has to say."

Under the old locust tree at the village entrance, a few dozen people had already gathered, mostly the heads of households or able-bodied men. The village headman stood on a slightly higher rock, holding a copy of an official notice, and raised his voice, saying, "...Listen carefully! This year's corvée labor is the same old thing: widening and deepening the western official road, with a deadline of forty days! But this year, the higher-ups have said we'll be paid! Fifteen copper coins a day, plus two meals of coarse rice! Of course, the work is heavy, and the location is remote. If you don't want to go, you can pay in silver! Two taels of silver per family! Come register and pay here tonight, and I have to submit the list to the yamen first thing tomorrow morning! No exceptions!"

A buzz of discussion immediately arose below. Fifteen coins a day, six hundred coins in forty days—it was somewhat attractive to poor families, but the thought of the inhuman labor and risks made them hesitate. Two taels of silver was a huge sum for many families, but whether it was worth it for the safety of a strong laborer and forty days of freedom was something each family quickly calculated in their minds.

Chen's father and Chen Dashan exchanged a glance, and both made their decision.

The father and son returned home and told Chen's mother, who was busy in the kitchen, and the Su sisters, who were doing needlework in the main room, everything the village head had said. After listening, Chen's mother wiped her hands and went into the inner room without a word. A moment later, she came out with a small blue cloth bag containing two taels of silver. "Old man, hurry," she said, "before it gets completely dark, take this to the village head, put our family's name on it, and make it clear that we're paying to pay off corvée labor." Her tone was decisive and without hesitation. "Things aren't what they used to be. We can afford these two taels of silver. Peace and safety are more important than anything else."

Mr. Chen took the silver, put it in his pocket, and hurriedly left.

As evening fell, Chen Xiaohe returned with his oxcart, which was almost empty. Clearly, the last batch of watermelons that could be sold in the valley, along with the tea eggs his family had boiled, were all gone. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he shouted, "Mother! Brother! Have you heard about the forced labor? What's the arrangement for our family?"

As Chen's mother took the empty basket from his hand, she said, "It's settled. Pay the money, no one will come. Your father has already sent the money to the village head."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiaohe's face immediately lit up with a relieved smile, and he patted his chest: "That's good! That's good! I heard people in town today saying that this year's construction project is really bad, and several people have collapsed from exhaustion. Since our family can afford it now, we won't go through that ordeal." He then went on to report on the business, "All the ripe watermelons in the valley are sold out, with only seven or eight left. I checked, and we'll have to wait a few more days. There aren't any tea eggs left either. The porters at the town's docks love buying these; they're filling and have some flavor."

Chen Dashan nodded, not surprised by the result, and began to arrange the next tasks: "If the watermelons sell well, planting more next year is a good idea. Xiaohe, since we don't need to go watermelon scouting for now, you can stay home starting tomorrow and help me make some more furniture. It's all delicate work, and your carving skills have improved recently, so it'll come in handy. Next market day, we'll go to set up a stall together and bring all the bamboo and wood trinkets, hair ties, and other things we've collected at home."

"Okay, big brother!" Chen Xiaohe readily agreed.

Chen's mother also thought to herself, "This year we've had a good harvest of watermelons, selling them for four or five taels of silver. Next spring, we'll plant watermelons on all our sandy land! They're still quite rare around here, so they'll fetch a good price."

Mr. Chen returned at this time, confirming that the name had been registered and the money had been paid, and the whole family breathed a sigh of relief. He sat down, took a sip of water, and brought up another matter: "I've checked all the fruit saplings we planted on the barren mountain. They've all survived and are growing quite well. But if they're going to bear fruit, we'll have to wait at least two more years. If we work hard these two years, fertilize them more, and take good care of them, then there will be a steady stream of income."

Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing listened attentively, their needlework never ceasing. Su Xiaoyin then spoke up, "Father, Mother, Dashan, Xiaohe, Xiaoqing and I haven't been idle these past few days. Besides taking care of the children, we've made a batch of baby clothes and bibs, and sewed many new styles of sachets. We've also added some patterns to the hair ties. We also have some scraps of fine fabric that we've embroidered with simple flowers and plants to make handkerchiefs. Next time you go to your stall, take them with you and try them out."

Su Xiaoqing added, "Although some of the fabric was scraps, we chose the best pieces and the stitching was meticulous. Those embroidered handkerchiefs, while not as elaborate as large embroidered pieces, look more delicate than plain ones, and I think some people will like them."

Chen Xiaohe immediately chimed in, "Sister-in-law, Xiaoqing, your craftsmanship is impeccable! Those little clothes are so fragrant and soft, and the handkerchiefs are so delicate—they're sure to sell well! Just give them to me, and I'll definitely promote them!"