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

Winter is just around the corner, and the weather is getting colder every day.

When I woke up in the morning, there was already a thin layer of frost in the yard, which crunched underfoot. Before leaving the house, Chen's mother wrapped her coat tighter and said to her two daughters-in-law, "It's getting cold so quickly. Wear more clothes at home so you don't catch a cold."

Su Xiaoyin nodded: "Mother, please wear another layer of clothing. It's windy in the county town, don't catch a cold."

Mother Chen waved with a smile and drove the mule away. Father Chen also carried a basket on his back and went up the mountain to chop firewood with Chen Xiaohe. These past few days they had been going up the mountain every day, and the firewood at home was piled up like a small mountain, but it still wasn't enough, and they needed to prepare more.

Chen Dashan continued working in the carpentry workshop. The set of furniture for Master He was in its final stages of finishing; it would be completely completed in another two or three days. He sat there, slowly and meticulously sanding the edges and corners.

Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing were busy embroidering in the east wing. The "Guanyin Sending a Child" painting had been sent to Madam Yu a few days ago. Madam Yu liked it very much and paid the remaining twenty taels of silver on the spot, and even gave an extra tael of silver as a tip.

"Sister, Madam Yu is so generous," Su Xiaoqing said while arranging the thread. "That extra tael of silver is enough for us to buy a lot of fabric."

Su Xiaoyin nodded: "They genuinely like our craftsmanship. We'll work harder next time and not let our customers down."

The two sisters went to the fabric shop again and bought new silk fabric and embroidery thread, as well as cotton and fabric suitable for making dolls and cushions. Seeing that they were regular customers, the shopkeeper gave them two large bundles of fabric scraps as a gift, enough to last them for quite some time.

---

Back home, the two sisters didn't rush to start embroidery.

Su Xiaoyin first checked the family's winter clothes. The cotton-padded coats of Mr. and Mrs. Chen were a bit old, and the cotton filling was thinner; they needed to be thickened. Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe's coats were in better condition, but she still needed to check for any tears. The four children had enough clothes; the few made last winter could be washed, had some cotton added, and they'd be able to get through the winter.

She then took out several rabbit pelts she had saved at home—these were from rabbits Chen Xiaohe had caught in the mountains in the autumn, and the pelts she had collected. The rabbit fur was thick and soft, perfect for making gloves and hats.

"Xiaoqing, let's make gloves and hats for Mom and Dad first," Su Xiaoyin said. "They go to the county town to set up a stall every day, exposed to the wind and sun in winter. Their hands and ears are the coldest."

Su Xiaoqing nodded: "Okay. I told Xiaohe to make a few more bamboo tubes so we can fill them with hot water and keep our hands warm."

The two sisters got to work. Su Xiaoyin measured the fur, and Su Xiaoqing cut it. Rabbit fur was difficult to sew, so they had to use fine needles and work slowly, stitch by stitch. But the two were skilled, and the things they made were both warm and beautiful.

First, I made two pairs of gloves and two hats for Mr. and Mrs. Chen. The gloves were designed with separate fingers for easy work; the hats covered their ears and had two ties so they could be tied up in the wind. I also made a pair for Mr. Chen Dashan and Mr. Chen Xiaohe.

With the remaining leather, Su Xiaoyin thought for a moment and decided to make a few pairs of cotton shoes.

"Make cotton shoes normally, but half a size larger than usual," she told her sister. "Then sew rabbit fur inside the shoes to make them warmer. Make them a little higher, like boots, to protect your ankles."

Su Xiaoqing's eyes lit up: "Sister, that's a great idea! In winter, feet are most vulnerable to the cold when setting up a stall. This way, you'll stay warm and look good."

The two women worked for several more days to finish making winter shoes for the whole family. By the time it was their turn, they had run out of rabbit fur. Su Xiaoyin took apart the two sisters' cotton-padded coats and added another layer of cotton, making them thick, warm, and cozy.

"Alright, we don't go out much in winter, this is enough." Su Xiaoyin clapped her hands. "Now, we can make these into cushions."

---

When it was time for dinner, Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing took out the food they had prepared.

"Dad, Mom, try on these gloves and hat." Su Xiaoyin handed them over, "See if they fit."

Chen's mother took it and put on gloves first. The rabbit fur was soft, light, and warm against her hands. She then put on the hat, which covered her ears perfectly, and tied the straps so that no wind could get in.

"It's so warm!" Chen's mother said with delight. "You two are so skillful; it's even better than what you can buy."

Mr. Chen tried it on and nodded in satisfaction: "It fits perfectly. Now I'm not afraid to set up my stall in winter."

Chen Dashan took his portion, looked at it, and asked Su Xiaoyin, "Didn't you make any for yourselves?"

Su Xiaoyin shook her head: "We don't go out much in winter, so we just wore thicker cotton-padded clothes. That's enough."

Chen Dashan didn't say anything, but there was a hint of heartache in his eyes as he looked at his wife.

Chen Xiaohe, who was also trying on the gloves, said with a grin, "Sister-in-law, Xiaoqing, you guys are amazing! These gloves are much warmer than the ones we bought!"

Su Xiaoqing rolled her eyes at him: "Of course, these are made of rabbit fur. The more rabbits you catch, the more suits we'll have."

The whole family laughed.

---

Back in the room that evening, Chen Dashan lay on the kang (a heated brick bed) and suddenly asked, "Xiaoyin, how much silver do we have now?"

Su Xiaoyin paused for a moment, then thought for a moment and said, "About eighty taels. After deducting the amount given to the public treasury, the rest is being saved."

Chen Dashan nodded: "So many?"

Su Xiaoyin said, "The embroidery sold well this year, and you also made a lot of money from your furniture business. Add to that the share from Mom's stall, and we've slowly saved up."

Chen Dashan was silent for a while, then said, "If the shops in town are cheap and everything is suitable in the spring, let's buy one."

Su Xiaoyin's heart skipped a beat: "Have you thought it through?"

Chen Dashan nodded, "What we have, plus what Xiaohe and the others have, should be enough. Even if we don't use the shop for the time being, we can still earn income by renting it out. It's a steady stream of income, and the children will have something to rely on in the future."

Su Xiaoyin listened, her eyes welling up with tears. She knew Chen Dashan still remembered Afu's story and was thinking about how the children could do some small business in town when they grew up. He remembered what she had said that night. This man, though he didn't say it, kept everything to himself.

She turned to the side, rested her head on his shoulder, and whispered, "Okay, whatever you say."

Outside the window, the wind howled, but inside the house was warm and cozy. The four children on the kang (a heated brick bed) were fast asleep, and the puppy curled up on the straw mat, purring softly. The cat had somehow slipped in and nestled next to the dog, the two little animals huddling together for warmth.

As the days went by and winter drew closer, the Chen family felt increasingly at ease.