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

Su Xiaoyin sat on the veranda sewing shoe soles, watching this scene with a smile on her lips. Su Xiaoqing brought over a bowl of water and handed her a cup: "Sister, have some water."

"Hmm." Su Xiaoyin took it, her gaze falling on the group of people in the yard—Chen's father sat on the threshold smoking a pipe, occasionally giving Chen Xiaohe a few pointers; Chen Dashan was tidying up tools, preparing for tomorrow's work up the mountain; the four children were chattering around Chen Xiaohe; in the kitchen, Chen's mother was still cleaning up the dishes, making soft noises.

"Sis, what are you looking at?" Su Xiaoqing followed her gaze and smiled. "Don't you feel like our family is growing?"

Su Xiaoyin nodded and said softly, "There are more and more of them. And it's getting more and more lively."

Su Xiaoqing sat down next to her and whispered, "Sister, I heard from Xiaohe today that Big Brother went to the brokerage to inquire about the shop. He said that Master Zhou has placed a new order for seven and a half taels of silver."

"Yes, I heard it from Dashan." Su Xiaoyin looked into the distance, her gaze gentle. "If we save it up slowly, we'll have enough eventually."

"Sis, do you think... we can really buy a shop in town?"

"Yes, we can." Su Xiaoyin's voice was soft but firm. "As long as our family is united, we can do anything."

As night deepened, an oil lamp was lit in the courtyard. Chen Xiaohe was still weaving his large fish basket, while the four children were finally sent back to their rooms to sleep by Chen's mother. The light in the kitchen went out, leaving only one lamp under the eaves, illuminating Su Xiaoyin as she sewed shoe soles and Su Xiaoqing as she talked to her.

----

Standing on the edge of the valley, Chen Xiaohe looked at the land in front of him where melon seedlings had just been planted, and an indescribable joy welled up in his heart.

The freshly turned soil exuded a moist scent, and rows of tender green melon seedlings stood neatly arranged, swaying gently in the spring breeze. The wasteland at the foot of the distant mountain had also been cultivated and planted with melon seedlings. In a few months, the land would be covered with melon vines, bearing plump watermelons and cantaloupes. Just imagining that scene filled him with joy.

"Dad, are we planting melon seedlings all over this valley this year?" Chen Xiaohe asked, turning around.

Mr. Chen was squatting at the edge of the field, carefully examining the growth of a watermelon seedling. Hearing this, he nodded, "Almost there. But I think these seedlings won't fill the plot completely; there's still a small gap to cover." He stood up, patted the dirt off his hands, and said, "Tomorrow, your mother and I will go to the county town to set up a stall and buy some more watermelon seedlings. We'll buy them from the same store as last year and compare them with the seeds we brought back from the neighboring county this year. We'll choose the better ones to plant from now on."

Chen Dashan stood to the side, also surveying the valley. His thoughts were a bit further ahead than his brother's: "Father, how many of those herbal seeds you asked Doctor Li to find have you found?"

Mr. Chen pointed to the other side of the valley: "Dr. Li gave us some, and we planted them all over there. He said he would continue to help us search for them. I'll ask him again next time I go to the clinic to buy herbs."

Chen Dashan shook his head: "Dad, I'm not rushing you. I just wanted to..." He paused, then said his thought, "Could you ask Doctor Li if there are any thorny herbs? Like brambles?"

Mr. Chen was taken aback: "Thorned herbs? What do you need those for?"

"I want to plant them around this valley," Chen Dashan said, pointing to the surrounding area. "You see, this melon field is fine during the day because someone is watching over it. But at night, we can't guard it every day. What if someone gets the idea and sneaks in to pick a few melons in the dark? We wouldn't even know. If we plant a ring of thorny brambles around it, even if it doesn't stop everyone, it can at least keep them out."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Chen's eyes lit up: "That's a great idea! How come I didn't think of that?" He patted his eldest son on the shoulder, "You've thought of everything. Alright, I'll go ask Doctor Li later and see if he has any suitable treatments. I'll also go to the village head's house to learn from their experience; they have more fruit trees than we do, so they must have some preventative measures."

Chen Xiaohe, listening nearby, nodded in agreement: "Big brother is right. Our watermelons sold well last year, so we're planting even more this year. There's no guarantee that someone won't be envious. It's always good to be cautious."

Chen's father glanced at the sky; the sun was already beginning to set. "Alright, let's go down the mountain and go home. The work in the fields is all done; you won't need to weed or fertilize anymore. Dashan, you two brothers should focus on the remaining orders."

Chen Dashan nodded: "Yes, when we get back, Xiaohe and I will start working on those twenty sets of tables and chairs. Master Zhou's project has a three-month deadline, so we need to hurry."

---

Down the mountain, in the Chen family courtyard, Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing were busy tidying up the dried wild vegetables.

Several large bamboo mats were set up in the courtyard, covered with various dried wild vegetables and mushrooms. The two sisters squatted beside the mats, sorting the thoroughly dried wild vegetables into their baskets. The dried bamboo shoots were golden yellow, the dried ferns were dark green and glossy, and the dried mushrooms emitted a rich mushroom aroma; each one was dried to perfection.

"Sister, we've almost finished packing these dried vegetables, but there aren't many empty baskets left." Su Xiaoqing clapped her hands. "When Xiaohe comes back, I'll have him weave a few more big ones. We'll need them to pack dried mushrooms too, and there will definitely be more and more of them in the future."

Su Xiaoyin nodded: "We do need to make more. Last year, my mother sold these dried goods at a stall in the county town and earned more than two taels of silver. If we dry even more this year, we might be able to sell even more."

She gently placed the last handful of dried mushrooms into her basket, then stood up and stretched. Four children were playing in the yard. Shitou, with his younger siblings, squatted on the ground watching ants move their nest; their little heads huddled together, occasionally letting out gasps of surprise.

"Shitou!" Su Xiaoyin called out, "Keep an eye on your younger siblings, don't let them run away!"

Stone looked up, his little face serious: "Don't worry, Mother, I'll take good care of him!"

Su Xiaoyin smiled and said to her younger sister, "Come on, let's go inside and do some embroidery. Our hands aren't completely dry yet, let's work on it a little longer."

The two sisters entered the east wing and first applied a layer of hand oil to their hands—this was something Chen Dashan had specially bought for them, as the hands of embroiderers are precious and need to be well protected. After the oil was applied evenly, their fingers became moisturized and soft before they picked up the embroidery hoop.

The new embroidery, titled "Wealth and Longevity," uses more vibrant and rich colors than before. Large, layered peonies, adorned with intertwined branches, symbolize lasting wealth and prosperity. The two sisters divided the work: Su Xiaoyin embroidered the main flowers, while Su Xiaoqing embroidered the branches, leaves, and accessories. They were engrossed in their work, the only sound in the room the soft rustling of the silk threads moving through the fabric.