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

Back at their new home, the four unloaded the heavy baskets and sacks. Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe first sorted the purchased grains—brown rice, wheat flour, and sweet potatoes—putting what needed to be stored in the cellar and what needed to be placed in a dry spot in the kitchen. They then took the ceramic bowls, plates, and jars to the well and carefully washed away any loose soil and ash left from the firing process.

Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing plunged into the newly built kitchen, which still smelled of earth. Their first task was to render ten catties of lard. This was the first "big thing" after cooking in the new house, concerning the oil and rare aroma of meat for cooking for the next six months.

The large iron wok was scrubbed clean, and a roaring fire was lit in the stove. The lard was cut into even pieces and placed in cold water, then slowly heated. As the water temperature rose, the white fat chunks began to shrink, and the clear, transparent pork fat was gradually rendered and collected in the wok. Soon, a rich and pure aroma of meat and fat filled the kitchen; for a stomach long deprived of meat, this smell possessed an almost irresistible power.

After helping to move the things, Chen Xiaohe was drawn to the kitchen door by the aroma, sniffing and asking, "Sister-in-law, can we use this pork crackling to make dumplings tonight? It smells amazing!"

Su Xiaoyin was carefully stirring the cracklings in the pot with long wooden chopsticks to prevent them from sticking and burning. Hearing this, she looked up, her face flushed from the firelight, and smiled, "Okay, let's take out some cracklings tonight and make dumplings with some cabbage or shredded radish. Let the rest cool and store them away. It's cold now, so they'll keep well. We can save them for winter. A little bit will make stir-fries and stews taste better."

She paused, then looked at her younger sister who was helping peel garlic, and suggested, "Xiaoqing, how about we invite Mom and Dad over for dinner tonight? It'll be a nice way to warm our new house and add some festive cheer?"

"Great!" Su Xiaoqing nodded immediately, her eyes crinkling with joy. "Mom even gave us chickens and ducks today!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiaohe wholeheartedly agreed: "Yes, yes, yes! Call our parents over! Let them taste our sister-in-law and Xiaoqing's cooking!"

In the evening, Mr. and Mrs. Chen were invited to their new home by their son and daughter-in-law. An oil lamp was lit in the main room. Although the furniture was simple, everything was clean and tidy, the windows were bright and the tables were spotless. The air still held the warm, lingering aroma of rendered oil, mixed with the steam from freshly cooked dumplings, making everyone feel cozy and warm.

The dumplings were filled with cabbage and pork cracklings. The cracklings were finely chopped and mixed with the sweet cabbage, seasoned with a little lard and salt. There were no unnecessary seasonings, yet the flavor was rich and satisfying. The wrappers were made from a mixture of whole grains and wheat flour; they weren't thin, but they were very chewy. A large plate of dumplings was served with a dish of homemade pickled radish shreds that Chen's mother had brought, and a large bowl of milky-white radish soup made from the pork bones bought that day.

Chen's mother picked up a dumpling and took a bite. The aroma of crispy pork cracklings, the sweetness of cabbage, and the wheat fragrance of the dough blended together in her mouth. She chewed slowly, a contented smile spreading across her face. She looked at her two sons and then at her two daughters-in-law, nodding and saying, "Hmm, the filling of these dumplings is quite good, the saltiness is just right, and the pork cracklings are fragrant too. You've moved out, and this is the first decent meal you've had, and you even thought to invite us old folks over. That's great, really great." The satisfaction in her words was even more comforting than the taste of the dumplings.

Mr. Chen ate several pieces in silence before finally picking up the bone broth and taking a large gulp. He exclaimed, "This broth is delicious! The bones were definitely worth buying!"

The atmosphere at the dinner table was warm and cozy. Remembering what had happened that afternoon, Chen's mother put down her chopsticks and said, "Oh, by the way, this afternoon I found two laying hens and two ducks for each of your families in the village. They're all quite healthy. Take them home later and pen them up in a corner of the backyard, feed them well. If you're diligent this winter, they might lay an egg every few days, adding some meat to your meals. When spring comes and the weather warms up, we can raise a few more chicks and ducklings."

This was a wonderful surprise! With live poultry, they could now look forward to a steady supply of eggs and meat. The Su sisters quickly expressed their gratitude.

Chen's mother then asked about their purchases from the market that day. Chen Xiaohe, quick to speak, listed everything they had bought: lard, aged brown rice, wheat flour, earthenware bowls and plates, pickled vegetable jars, large jars, cheap sweet potatoes, and salt, vinegar, and other seasonings.

After listening, Chen's father instructed Chen Xiaohe: "There's no work in the fields during winter, and your older brother makes furniture at home, so don't be idle. Split the bamboo you cut down properly and weave as many useful things as possible. Winnowing baskets, small baskets for carrying vegetables, bamboo mats for drying things, baskets of all sizes, hampers... you need to have all these odds and ends that you might need around the house. Once you're skilled, it will be easier for you to use them yourself. If you weave a lot, and make sure they're sturdy and nice, you might be able to earn some extra money."

"Yes, Dad, I understand!" Chen Xiaohe readily agreed, as he had always enjoyed tinkering with these kinds of handicrafts.

Mother Chen thought even more carefully: "The seasonings you bought are still missing some to enhance the flavor of stewed meat. When I get back later, I'll share some of the cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, and dried chilies we have at home with you. These things can be found in the mountains, but it takes some effort to find them. Remember to go and collect some next spring and summer, dry them, and store them. Also, I've prepared two large vats for pickling vegetables, which I've already cleaned and are drying in the corner of the backyard. In addition, there's a small hand-cranked stone mill, which is convenient for grinding beans, rice flour, and the like."

She paused, looking at her two daughters-in-law with a hint of pride and anticipation on her face: "There's one more important thing—a loom, which I've also prepared for you. Our area is remote, so fine cloth is expensive, but we grow a lot of flax. The flax cloth we weave ourselves, though coarser and stiffer, is durable and absorbent, perfect for working in the fields. Almost every woman in our village knows how to weave a little. Winters are long, so when you have free time, you two can try weaving some to save for summer clothes next year, or perhaps to exchange for something else."

Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing's eyes lit up when they heard this. Weaving! They were very good at this! In their hometown in Jiangnan, women used to do weaving and embroidery all the time, but it was abandoned after a disaster.

"Mother, we can weave!" Su Xiaoyin said quickly. "You've prepared everything. We'll definitely weave more for the winter so we can keep some for the family."

Su Xiaoqing nodded vigorously.

Seeing her two daughters-in-law agree without hesitation, and with genuine understanding in their eyes—not just polite formalities—Chen's mother was even happier. She was about to say, "That's good," when Su Xiaoqing seemed to have mustered her courage, raised her head, and asked in a soft but clear voice, "Mother, in the county town... are there any embroidery shops or cloth stores that buy embroidery?"

"Embroidery?" Chen's mother was taken aback for a moment, then realized what she meant, and her face showed obvious surprise. "You...you know how to embroider?"

Most of the women in their village could sew and mend, at most embroidering a few simple flowers and leaves on the corners of handkerchiefs or the tops of shoes. Their skills were very rough, good enough for their own use, but no one ever thought of selling them for money. Chen's mother's own needlework was only so-so, let alone embroidery, so she never even considered it.

Seeing that her younger sister had asked the question, Su Xiaoyin softly replied, "Mother, our mother... used to be an embroiderer in an embroidery workshop. My sister and I learned a little bit from her when we were young, but our skills were crude. We could only... embroider handkerchiefs, pillowcases, or small embroidery patterns. When we were at home, we would occasionally embroider something and exchange it for some pocket money to supplement the family income." She spoke modestly, but the words "embroiderer" and "supplement the family income" were enough to shake Chen's mother to her core.

Looking at her two daughters-in-law, who, though thin, had clear eyes and were quick-witted, and recalling their meticulousness and dexterity these past few days, Chen's mother's initial surprise quickly turned into delight. She slapped her thigh and decisively said, "Yes! There are embroidery workshops in the county town, as well as large cloth shops that also accept embroidery work! People in our village find it too troublesome, and their skills are just average, so not many go there. But I heard that the 'Jinxiu Cloth Shop' in the county town has reasonable prices, and some people from even neighboring counties send their work there! Since you have this skill, what are you waiting for? Next time there's a market day, I'll take you to the county town to get acquainted with the business!"

Upon hearing this, Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing felt a huge weight lifted from their hearts, and at the same time, an indescribable excitement and hope welled up within them. Embroidery was their deepest connection to their past lives, the most precious legacy their mother had left them, and also the unique place and value they might find in this new home and on this new land.

The warm glow of the oil lamp enveloped the dining table, the aroma of dumplings still lingering. Outside, the newly arrived hen clucked in its makeshift enclosure. This brand-new home, now equipped with grain, cooking pots, and livestock, seemed poised to embrace something even more sophisticated and potentially transformative. The winter nights were still long, but in everyone's heart, a fervent anticipation for tomorrow had already ignited.