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

He picked up the plane and continued working. The yard was quiet, with only the swishing sound of the plane cutting through the wood and the occasional chirping of birds. Sunlight streamed through the windows of the woodworking shop, warming him.

As Chen Dashan worked, he thought to himself, "Although we suffered a disaster this year, our family is all together, and we've harvested all the grain. We're not rich, but we're not poor either. Things will get better as we go along. From now on, things will get better."

He had to go to a meeting at the village entrance that evening, so he needed to finish his work beforehand. He quickened his pace, and the wood shavings curled up and fell to the ground, piling up in a thin layer.

----

After dinner, as dusk settled, a cool autumn breeze swept into the courtyard. As usual, the Chen family didn't rush back inside, but instead moved stools to the porch to chat. The four children ran around in the yard, chasing after the stray puppy they had found, their giggles echoing through the air.

Chen's father, puffing on his pipe, suddenly asked, "Has the tax burden decreased this year?"

Chen Dashan shook his head: "No, it's still the same as before. The village head said that because many places were severely affected by the disaster, it's good enough that our county can maintain the status quo. If it weren't for the county magistrate's efforts, the taxes might have even increased."

Father Chen sighed and tapped his pipe: "That's fine too. It's good that prices don't go up. Although we suffered from a disaster this year, at least we harvested the grain. After paying the taxes, we have enough left to eat."

Chen's mother chimed in from the side, "I heard from the grain sellers in the county town that some counties had no harvest at all, and the people were all leaving. Our county is considered to be doing well."

Father Chen nodded and said to his two sons, "Dashan, you continue making furniture for Master He. Xiaohe and I will start chopping firewood on the mountain tomorrow. The village head notified everyone today to chop more firewood in case this winter is particularly cold and there is heavy snow again."

Chen Dashan's expression turned serious: "Dad is right, we need to prepare more. Our four children can't get cold. And the livestock need to get through the winter too." He thought for a moment, "After I finish making this furniture, I'll work with Xiaohe to repair the livestock shed. The cowshed and mule shed need to be properly covered up so that no draft can get in."

Mr. Chen said, "I'm thinking of building a larger shed next to the pigsty. The earthen walls around it will be made into fire walls, so we can burn firewood if it gets too cold. By then, the pigs will probably be sold, and the pigsty will be empty, so we can put chickens, ducks, and geese in it. The cows and mules need to be taken good care of; they can't freeze to death."

Chen Dashan nodded: "Okay, I'll hurry up and finish this so we can build the shed with Xiaohe."

Mr. Chen said, "There's still time. Take your time and make sure it's sturdy."

---

Remembering what happened during the day, Chen's mother turned to her two daughters-in-law: "Xiaoyin, Xiaoqing, a woman came to our stall today, saying she wanted to marry off her daughter and wanted some embroidery. Her embroidery skills are so-so, she couldn't make anything good, so she wanted to ask if we could do it. I didn't dare to agree, and said I'd give her an answer tomorrow."

Su Xiaoyin's eyes lit up: "Mom, we made quite a few things with the leftover fabric scraps, all ready-made. Pillowcases with mandarin ducks playing in the water, bright red quilt covers, and handkerchiefs and such. You can take them to her to see tomorrow. If she likes something, just sell it to her."

Su Xiaoqing added, "Yes, those are all festive styles, perfect for a daughter's wedding. And although the fabric scraps we used are small pieces, the colors are nice, and the stitching is fine; they're no worse than new fabric."

Chen's mother smiled: "Okay, I'll bring it tomorrow. If she can still come to the stall, let her choose."

Su Xiaoqing asked again, "Mother, are there many people at the market in the county town lately?"

Chen's mother thought for a moment and said, "It's slowly recovering. There were far fewer people when the disaster struck a few days ago. But these past few days, the number of people has gradually increased, and there are more people buying things."

Su Xiaoyin said, "That's perfect. Our 'Guanyin Sending a Child' painting will be finished in about half a month. When we send it to Madam Yu, we can get another sum of money."

Mother Chen nodded: "After this is finished, you can decide what to embroider. Don't overwork yourself, take your time."

Su Xiaoyin said, "Mother, we've finished making all the scraps of cloth we had before. Do you think we have enough to sell until the New Year?" She got up and went back into the house, bringing out a large basket full of embroidered items—handkerchiefs, pillowcases, bibs, hair ties, and all sorts of little trinkets.

Mrs. Chen flipped through the list and nodded in satisfaction: "That's enough. This much is enough to sell for a month or two."

Su Xiaoqing said, "Next, my sister and I want to make a batch of hugging dolls. I've drawn several designs, they're so cute, we're sure they'll sell."

Su Xiaoyin pulled out several sheets of paper from her bosom. On them were drawings of little rabbits, tigers, and foxes, all adorable and lifelike. She handed them to Chen's mother: "Mom, look at these. They're made from scraps of cloth and stuffed with cotton. They're so soft and fluffy, kids will definitely love them."

Mother Chen took it and examined it closely, growing more and more fond of it: "This rabbit is so cute, and this fox looks just like it too. Alright, you can make this. The ladies and young women in the county town love these kinds of exquisite things."

Chen Xiaohe, who was standing nearby, came over to take a look and praised, "Xiaoqing, you drew it so well. This little tiger looks just like the real thing."

Su Xiaoqing laughed: "I was just drawing for fun."

---

Chen Xiaohe suddenly remembered something and said to Chen Dashan, "Brother, I've made a lot more fish baskets. I'll take them to the river tomorrow. Remember to retrieve them this afternoon. I'm going to chop firewood with Dad, and I'm afraid we'll be back too late."

Chen Dashan nodded: "Okay, leave it to me. You can catch a lot more fish and shrimp; if you have too much, you can dry it and eat it in the winter."

Su Xiaoqing chimed in, "Yes, catch more fish. Who knows what winter will bring? It's always good to stock up on food."

Chen's mother said, "That makes sense. This year's harvest is not good, so we need to prepare more for everything. We need to have enough food, clothes, and fuel."

Mr. Chen tapped his pipe and stood up: "Alright, it's getting late, everyone should rest. Tomorrow morning, get back to your work."

The family members went back to their rooms. Su Xiaoyin lay on the kang (a heated brick bed), listening to the wind outside, thinking about tomorrow. Embroidery, dolls, livestock sheds, fish baskets... each item and every one of them represented the trivialities of daily life, but also the solid foundation of it all.

She glanced at Chen Dashan sleeping beside her; his eyes were closed, and his breathing was even. His leg pain had subsided considerably in the past few days, and his face had regained some color.

At the other end of the kang (a heated brick bed), the four children huddled together, fast asleep. Shi Tou held Qing Qing's arm, and A Ji put his feet on A Fu's body. The little dog curled up on the straw mat beside the kang, purring softly.

A smile appeared on Su Xiaoyin's lips as she gently closed her eyes.

Life may be tough, but as long as the family is together, even the hardest days can be overcome. Tomorrow, the sun will rise as usual, and the chores still need to be done. But these days are peaceful and reassuring.