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

After cleaning up the dishes, Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing started preparing lunch. Today was the first day of the autumn harvest, and the work was heavy, so they needed to make a more substantial lunch.

"Sister, I'll take the food to the fields. You stay home, feed the livestock, serve the children, and then go to the threshing ground." Su Xiaoqing closed the basket containing the food and poured a large bamboo tube of herbal tea.

Su Xiaoyin nodded: "Okay, go ahead. Drive carefully."

---

Su Xiaoqing carried a basket and hurried towards the field.

During the autumn harvest season, the fields are bustling with activity. People are cutting rice, husking corn, and digging peanuts, all bent over with sweat dripping onto the soil. Occasionally, someone straightens up to wipe their sweat, and when they see Su Xiaoqing walking by, they all smile and greet her.

"Little River's wife, are you going to deliver the food?"

"The Chen family's daughter-in-law is really diligent; she's already busy this early in the morning."

Su Xiaoqing smiled and agreed, continuing on her way.

Upon reaching their own field, Chen's father and his two brothers were bent over harvesting soybeans. The sun shone on them, and sweat soaked through their clothes. Su Xiaoqing stood on the edge of the field and called out, "Dad, Big Brother, Xiaohe, come and eat!"

Father Chen straightened up, patted his back, and beckoned his two sons to walk to the edge of the field. The three of them sat down on the edge, took the flatbread and porridge that Su Xiaoqing handed them, and began to eat heartily.

While eating, Chen Xiaohe asked, "Xiaoqing, have you eaten?"

Su Xiaoqing shook her head: "I'm not eating here. I'll go to the tofu shop later to buy some tofu, and we'll stew fish for lunch." She placed the bamboo tube of herbal tea beside her. "This is herbal tea prepared for you. Pour it yourself when you're done. Just put the bowls and chopsticks in the basket after you're done eating, and I'll collect them at noon."

Mr. Chen nodded: "Okay, go ahead. Drive carefully."

Su Xiaoqing responded and turned to leave.

---

Su Xiaoyin wasn't idle either.

After feeding the pigs, chickens, ducks, and geese, he lifted the four children off the kang (a heated brick bed). Shi Tou dressed himself and was helping Qing Qing button her clothes. A Ji and A Fu were still drowsy, sitting on the kang rubbing their eyes.

"Come on, come on, wash your face and eat." Su Xiaoyin brought hot water and wiped the children's faces one by one.

After the meal, she led the four children to the yard and gave each of them a small basket: "Come on, follow me to the threshing ground."

Shi Tou was the most enthusiastic, running ahead with his basket. Qing Qing held A Ji's hand, walking slowly. A Fu, the thinnest of the group, was carried by Su Xiao Yin. The group headed towards the threshing ground in a grand procession.

People were already at the threshing ground. Freshly harvested soybeans were spread out on mats and drying in the sun. Su Xiaoyin laid out the mats she had brought and spread out the soybeans from her own field to dry.

The four children were playing in the shade by the threshing ground. Shitou led his younger siblings in picking up stones and catching grasshoppers, and they were quite well-behaved. Su Xiaoyin would glance up every now and then, and seeing that they were all alright, she would continue turning over the soybeans to dry.

---

After buying the tofu and taking it home, Su Xiaoqing slung a basket over her shoulder, took two small baskets, and headed towards the threshing ground.

This year, she and her sister agreed to take turns during the autumn harvest. One would dry the grain, while the other would pick up any fallen grain from the fields. Chen's mother had to go to the county town to set up a stall and didn't have time to go to the fields, but not a single grain could be wasted.

"Sister, I'm going to the field." Su Xiaoqing handed a small basket to Shitou. "Shitou, how about taking your little brother to the field to pick beans?"

Stone's eyes lit up: "Great!"

Aji chimed in, "Me too! Me too!"

Seeing this, Qingqing and Afu wanted to follow. Su Xiaoyin stopped them: "Qingqing, why don't you help out at the threshing ground with your mother? Afu, your aunt is already too busy at the threshing ground."

Qingqing thought for a moment and nodded. Afu pouted, but after Su Xiaoyin picked him up and comforted him for a couple of minutes, he stopped fussing.

Su Xiaoqing led Shitou and Aji into the field. The harvested soybean stubble was a mess, but upon closer inspection, many soybeans were still scattered on the ground. Su Xiaoqing bent down and picked them up one by one, putting them into her small basket.

Stone and Aji followed her example, squatting down to pick them up. The children, with their sharp eyes, picked them up even faster than the adults.

"Auntie, I picked up a handful!" Shi Tou held up his little hand to show Su Xiaoqing.

Su Xiaoqing smiled and praised him, "Shitou is so capable! Your aunt will cook you something delicious when we get back."

Shi Tou became even more motivated and bent down to continue picking up stones.

---

In the county town, Chen's mother absentmindedly tended her stall.

There weren't many customers, just a few here and there. As she greeted the customers, she thought about the autumn harvest at home. The old man was busy in the fields with his two sons, while his two daughters-in-law were at home taking care of the children, cooking, and drying the grain. She wondered if they could manage.

"Auntie, how much is this hair tie?"

Chen's mother snapped out of her daze and quickly greeted them. After selling a few hair ties, she began to daydream again.

As the sun rose higher, the market emptied out. Chen's mother glanced at the sky, then at the few items she hadn't sold, and made her decision. She began packing up, closing her stall early and heading home.

Driving the mules back home, Chen's mother felt a little more at ease. Getting back sooner would allow her to be of some help.

---

On the threshing ground, Su Xiaoyin glanced at the sky; it was time to make lunch. She gathered the drying soybeans together and called to Qingqing and Afu, "Come on, let's go home and cook."

Qingqing held Afu's hand and followed her mother back home. Once home, Su Xiaoyin first settled the children in, then began cooking. She added firewood to the stove, stewed fish in the pot, and then added sliced ​​tofu, which simmered and steamed.

Su Xiaoqing returned from the fields and took over from her sister at the grain drying ground. Su Xiaoyin packed the food and took it to the fields.

The three men, including Chen's father, were still engrossed in their work when Su Xiaoyin arrived, at which point they put down their tasks. After finishing their meal and drinking some herbal tea, they rested for a moment before continuing their work.

Su Xiaoyin returned to the threshing ground, and Su Xiaoqing went back to eat.

---

When Su Xiaoqing got home, she first put the four children to sleep. Shitou and Aji had been picking beans all morning and were exhausted; they fell asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow. Qingqing and Afu also lay down obediently and soon began to snore softly.

Just as Su Xiaoqing was about to sit down and catch her breath, the courtyard gate rang. Chen's mother was returning with the mule.

"Mom? Why are you back so early today?" Su Xiaoqing asked, somewhat surprised.

Chen's mother tied up the mule, unloaded the things from the cart, wiped her sweat, and said, "There aren't many people in the county town. I thought if I came back early, I could be of some help." She looked into the inner room, "Are the children all asleep?"

Su Xiaoqing nodded: "I just fell asleep. Mom, you go eat first, I'll watch over things."

Chen's mother waved her hand: "You go eat first, I'll check on the children." She tiptoed into the inner room, looked at the four sleeping children, and a loving smile appeared on her face.

Su Xiaoqing went to the kitchen and ate a few mouthfuls of rice, then added water for the livestock. After Chen's mother finished eating, she said, "I'm going to the threshing ground to relieve Xiaoyin. You stay home and look after the children."

Su Xiaoyin was switched back, and as soon as she entered the door, she discussed with her younger sister: "I'm going to the field to pick beans this afternoon. You stay home and wait for the child to wake up before you go."

Su Xiaoqing nodded: "Okay, sis, you go ahead."

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