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

Hearing this, Chen Xiaohe felt a warmth in his heart: "Brother, you're so thoughtful. I'll come every day to lower the fish basket and dry more small fish and shrimp. When the autumn harvest comes, the dried small fish stir-fried with chili peppers will make a delicious dish."

"Okay." Chen Dashan patted his younger brother on the shoulder. "Let's go down the mountain."

---

As the sun began to set, the two brothers returned home carrying baskets full of food. Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing were still embroidering in the east wing, while the four children played in the yard, their faces covered in sweat. Father Chen returned from the fields and was drawing water from the well to wash his face. Mother Chen poked her head out of the kitchen and called out, "You're all back? Dinner's almost ready, wash your hands and get ready to eat!"

The evening breeze swept through the courtyard, carrying the aroma of food and the laughter of children.

Chen Dashan emptied the pig feed from his basket and spread it out to dry, while Chen Xiaohe poured the crucian carp from his fish basket into a basin of water, planning to clean them up and dry them the next day.

In this family, everyone is busy preparing for the upcoming autumn harvest. Although life is hard, it is fulfilling and peaceful. And the unfinished Guanyin praying for a child painting lies quietly on the embroidery frame in the east wing, every stitch telling the story of this small farming family's hopes and future.

----

Early that morning, Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe hitched up the oxcart, carefully packed the meticulously crafted camphor wood furniture, and wrapped it tightly in old cotton quilts, for fear that it would be bumped or damaged on the road.

Chen Dashan spent nearly three months making this set of furniture for Master Li's house. From selecting materials, mortise and tenon joints, and assembly, to the final sanding and painting, he personally handled every step of the process, not daring to be careless in the slightest. This was not only because Manager Liu had made the connection, but also because this job was related to the reputation of the brothers in the county.

"Brother, make sure they're all tied securely." Chen Xiaohe checked the ropes over and jumped onto the carriage shaft.

Chen Dashan nodded, turned around and called out into the courtyard, "Dad, Mom, we're leaving!"

Mr. Chen came out of the house and waved his hand, saying, "Go on, drive carefully."

Chen's mother also poked her head out: "Come back early, don't delay."

The oxcart creaked and groaned as it drove out of the courtyard gate, heading towards the county town.

---

The people of the Li family recognized them, and when they saw the oxcart arrive, they hurried inside to announce its arrival. A short while later, Master Li himself came out to greet them.

"Carpenter Chen is here? Quickly, bring the cart in," Master Li greeted with a smile.

Chen Dashan drove the oxcart into the yard, and together with Chen Xiaohe, they unloaded the furniture piece by piece and carefully carried it into the house. Old Master Li followed beside them, his eyes never leaving the furniture.

After all the furniture was in place, Mr. Li stepped forward and carefully examined each piece. He opened the lid of the camphor wood chest and smelled the faint camphor wood fragrance inside; he opened the wardrobe door and checked if the hinges were smooth; then he sat down in front of the dressing table and tested the angle of the mirror and the sliding of the drawers.

Chen Dashan stood to the side, feeling somewhat nervous. Although he was confident in his skills, every customer had different requirements, and he was worried that something might not be to their liking…

"Excellent!" Master Li suddenly slapped his thigh. "Carpenter Chen, your craftsmanship is even better than I imagined!"

Chen Dashan felt relieved and smiled, "I'm glad Mr. Li is satisfied."

Master Li readily instructed the accountant to settle the remaining silver, then pulled Chen Dashan aside and said, "Carpenter Chen, don't rush off. Let me introduce you to someone."

He waved towards the door, and a stern-faced old man with a goatee walked in. The old man was dressed in dark gray fine cloth clothes, and his back was ramrod straight; he looked like someone who always had a stern face.

"This is Old Master He," Master Li introduced. "He's an old hand in the county jail, and his family has served in the government for generations. He heard that my furniture arrived today, so he came to take a look."

Grandpa He stepped forward, circled the furniture, touched the edges of the cabinet doors, and then squatted down to examine the bottom of the chests. He stood up and nodded to Chen Dashan: "The craftsmanship is indeed excellent. It's sturdy, durable, and the edges are all smoothed out. It's suitable for families with children."

He paused for a moment, then got straight to the point: "My eldest daughter-in-law is pregnant and will give birth next spring. I'm thinking of getting two sets of furniture made for my unborn grandson—a stroller, a cradle, a small chair, a small table, and so on. Would you like to take on the job?"

Chen Dashan was overjoyed and quickly said, "Yes, of course we'll accept! Old Master He thinks highly of us, so we'll definitely do our best."

Grandpa He nodded: "Alright, come back with me and let's take your measurements."

Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe bid farewell to Master Li and followed Master He to his house. On the way, Chen Xiaohe whispered to his brother, "Brother, does this mean we've opened up a sales channel in the county town?"

Chen Dashan's lips curved into a smile: "Don't get cocky, doing your job well is what really matters."

---

Old Master He's house wasn't far from the Li residence; it was a small but very tidy courtyard. He led Chen Dashan into the east wing—the wedding room prepared for his eldest son, which now showed signs of a new life.

"Look, the children's things are kept in this room." Grandpa He pointed to an empty space by the window. "You measure the dimensions and be careful when you make them. The children's things can't have any splinters, and the wood has to be of good quality."

Chen Dashan took out a ruler, carefully measured the dimensions, and then asked Old Master He about the style and materials he wanted. Finally, he calculated and said, "Old Master He, these pieces of furniture, if made with solid materials, would cost three taels of silver. However, the autumn harvest is approaching, and we're busy at home and in the fields. We can only start work after the harvest. It will take at least two months to complete. Do you think that's enough time?"

Old Master He thought for a moment and said, "There's still time. The baby won't be born until next spring. Do a good job and be careful." He paid a deposit of two taels of silver on the spot and left his address.

Chen Dashan put away the silver, gave Old Master He a receipt, and then took his leave.

---

Stepping out of the He family's house, Chen Xiaohe couldn't help but laugh: "Brother, three taels of silver! This is another source of income!"

Chen Dashan smiled and said, "Yes, but you have to put your heart into it. Children's things need to be done more carefully than adults' things."

As the two were talking, someone suddenly tapped them on the shoulder. Chen Dashan turned around and saw Liu Yilong standing behind him with a big smile on his face.

"Manager Liu?" Chen Dashan was somewhat surprised.

Liu Yilong patted him on the shoulder, his eyes crinkling into slits with a smile: "Dashan, I was just about to come find you! My wife is pregnant!"

Chen Dashan was taken aback, then overjoyed: "Really? Congratulations, Manager Liu!"

Liu Yilong nodded repeatedly, his face beaming with barely suppressed joy: "Thanks to you all! I took those diapers from your family's children and put them under my pillow, and before long, we had them!" As he spoke, his eyes reddened slightly. "You have no idea how anxious my mother was, burning incense and praying to Buddha every day. This time, it's finally..."