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

The oxcart swayed along the dirt road back to the village. Chen Xiaohe sat on the shaft, his legs swinging back and forth, a smile he couldn't hide on his face. Beside him lay a half-basket of fish and shrimp, glistening with water and shimmering silver in the setting sun.

"Brother, what a great catch today!" Chen Xiaohe reached out and poked at the fish in the basket. A palm-sized crucian carp jumped, splashing water all over his face. "Look at this one, isn't it big? And those little river shrimp, they're all lively and jumping around. Fry them up when we get back, they'll smell delicious!"

Chen Dashan drove the cart, a smile on his face: "No one has been fishing all winter, so there must be plenty of fish and shrimp in the river. These fish baskets were placed in the right place today."

"That's right!" Chen Xiaohe shook his head proudly. "I chose a spot with slow currents and lots of aquatic plants. Dad taught me that those are the places with the most fish."

Chen Dashan glanced at his younger brother, a smile in his eyes: "Well, all those skills you learned from your father since you were little have finally paid off."

"Hehe." Chen Xiaohe scratched his head and pointed to the road ahead. "Big brother, let's hurry up and go. I'm getting a little hungry."

"Alright." Chen Dashan cracked his whip, and the old ox quickened its pace.

---

As soon as the oxcart entered the yard, Chen's mother poked her head out from the kitchen.

"You're finally back! Why are you so late today?" She greeted him, wiping her hands. Her eyes lit up when she saw the half-basket of fish and shrimp Chen Xiaohe was carrying. "Wow, so many fish and shrimp? You've already put them in the basket?"

Chen Dashan tied up the ox and said as he unloaded the cart, "Mother, after delivering the furniture today, I got another job from Master Zhou."

Chen's mother perked up at the question: "What kind of work?"

Chen Xiaohe had already placed the basket by the well and eagerly said, "Mother, Master Zhou is opening a school and has ordered twenty sets of desks and chairs! Seven and a half taels of silver, three months to build! He also said that if the school does well, he'll order from us again!"

Chen's mother's eyes lit up immediately: "Seven and a half ounces?! That much?"

Chen Dashan nodded, his voice steady: "I inquired about the market rates for carpenters in town and county beforehand, so I had a good idea of ​​what to expect. My price was one tael of silver cheaper than theirs, and Master Zhou was satisfied with my craftsmanship. He placed the order on the spot and gave me a four-tael deposit."

Chen Xiaohe gave a thumbs up from the side: "Big brother is amazing! I thought he'd only ask for five taels at most, but it turned out to be two and a half taels more than I expected! That price difference is enough for our family to eat for several months!"

Mother Chen beamed with joy and said repeatedly, "Good, good! Come inside and rest. Dinner will be ready soon! You three must be exhausted today."

When Chen Dashan saw his father leading his four children out of the main room, he hurried to greet them: "Dad, tomorrow Xiaohe and I will go up the mountain with you first to prepare the land and plant the melon seedlings as soon as possible. Then we'll get busy with these twenty sets of tables and chairs."

Mr. Chen nodded, a look of satisfaction on his face: "Alright, let's plant the melon seedlings first. The seedlings are growing well this year, so we can't delay. Once they're planted, you won't have to worry about the work in the fields. In a few days, when the seedlings have grown, your mother and I will apply some light fertilizer. Then you can work at home, and your mother and I can go to the county town to set up a stall together."

"Mom and Dad! Mountains and rivers! Dinner's ready!"

Su Xiaoyin poked half her body out of the kitchen, still holding a spatula in her hand, and called out to the yard.

---

The food was steaming hot on the table.

A large pot of braised fish sits in the center, its rich, dark red broth complementing the tender fish with its enticing aroma. Beside it are a plate of stir-fried wild vegetables, a dish of pickled vegetables, and a large bowl of mixed grain rice.

As Su Xiaoyin served rice to the children, she said, "Xiaohe and the others brought back quite a lot of fish and shrimp. Tonight, we stewed some with soy sauce, and we've cleaned up the rest, pickled them, and will dry them in the sun tomorrow. Dried fish can last a long time."

Chen's mother nodded: "Okay, I checked, there is indeed a lot. Once dried, it can be used for stews and soups, saving us from having to buy meat all the time."

Chen Xiaohe chewed on his chopsticks, his eyes shining: "Mom, I'll set a few more fish baskets tomorrow! When I was lifting the baskets today, I noticed there seemed to be some big fish! The basket was shaking violently, and when I pulled it up, I saw there was a hole in it, and the fish had escaped."

"Really?" Upon hearing this, Shi Tou forgot about his meal, his eyes widening in surprise. "Uncle, how big is the fish?"

Chen Xiaohe spread his arms and gestured: "This is huge! Longer than your arm!"

"Wow—" the four children exclaimed in unison.

Qingqing tugged at Chen Xiaohe's sleeve: "Uncle, Uncle, if you catch a big fish tomorrow, will you let us eat it?"

"Here, here, here, it's all for you!" Chen Xiaohe pinched her little cheeks. "But you have to be good and eat well so you can grow up strong like a big fish."

"I don't want to be like a fish!" Aji pouted. "Fish don't have legs!"

Everyone at the table burst into laughter.

Afu, the youngest, sat in Su Xiaoqing's lap, eating his meal in small bites. Hearing everyone laugh, he laughed along, revealing a few tiny teeth.

Su Xiaoqing looked down at him, her heart softening. The child still ate slowly, chewing each tiny bite like a little hamster. But compared to last year, he was indeed much better; his complexion was rosier, and he had more energy.

Chen Dashan picked up a piece of fish, carefully removed the bones, and placed it in the small bowl in front of Afu: "Afu, eat fish. Fish is nutritious, and it will help you grow strong."

Afu raised his head and said in a childish voice, "Thank you, Uncle."

Su Xiaoyin glanced at Chen Dashan, her eyes filled with a smile.

---

After we finished eating, it wasn't completely dark yet.

Chen Xiaohe brought out his fish basket weaving tools and sat down in the yard to get to work. This time he was going to weave a few with larger openings, specifically for catching big fish.

Four children gathered around to watch. Shi Tou squatted closest, his eyes fixed on Chen Xiaohe's hands. The rough bamboo strips moved nimbly in his hands, like magic, and soon took the shape of a fish basket.

"Uncle, how are you so amazing?" Stone asked, his eyes filled with admiration.

Chen Xiaohe shook his head smugly: "What's so special about that? Your uncle knows a lot more! When you grow up, your uncle will teach you."

"Really?"

"real!"

Qingqing raised her hand from the side: "I want to learn too!"

"Okay, okay, I'll teach you everything," Chen Xiaohe replied with a smile.

Aji and Afu clapped along.