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

As she was embroidering, Su Xiaoqing returned. She sat down again, picked up the embroidery hoop, and suddenly said, "Sister, haven't we been embroidering for too long lately? My eyes are a little sore."

Su Xiaoyin paused for a moment, then looked at the sky outside the window. The sun was already high in the sky; they had been embroidering since morning and hadn't rested for several hours.

"It has been a while." Su Xiaoyin put down the embroidery frame, rubbed her eyes, and said, "I'll rest for a bit and go check on the children."

---

At noon, Chen's mother returned after finishing sewing the wedding quilt.

When she entered the house, Su Xiaoqing was busy in the kitchen, while Su Xiaoyin was watching the four children play in the yard. Shitou and his younger siblings were squatting on the ground, looking at some kind of insect, their heads huddled together.

Chen's mother watched with a smile for a while before going inside.

During the meal, Su Xiaoqing asked curiously, "Mom, why did Aunt Li's family ask you to go over to her house to sew the wedding quilt? Shouldn't they ask relatives for this kind of thing?"

Mother Chen smiled and explained, "There are rules for sewing wedding quilts. You have to find someone who has all five blessings—both parents are alive, the couple is harmonious, both children are born, the family is well-off, and the family is thriving. I barely qualify, actually I'm a little short in age, but I meet all the other conditions. Our family is doing well, we have four grandsons and granddaughters, including Shi Tou, and the family is thriving, so they thought I was suitable."

Su Xiaoqing nodded, seemingly lost in thought.

Mr. Chen came in from outside, carrying a wild rabbit and a pheasant. He put the things in the yard, went inside to wash his hands, and sat down at the table.

"I went hunting today and caught a wild rabbit and a pheasant." Mr. Chen picked up his bowl, took a sip of porridge, and said, "I'll clean them up this afternoon. Old woman, I'll stew one for dinner tonight."

Chen's mother thought for a moment and said, "Let's stew half of it. We can eat the other half tomorrow. We can't eat the whole thing in one meal. I'll add more potatoes; potatoes that have soaked up the broth will taste good too."

Mr. Chen nodded, then looked at his two daughters-in-law: "Xiaoyin and Xiaoqing, you can't embroider for too long. You've been embroidering for too long lately, and your eyes can't take it. Starting tomorrow, embroider for a shorter time."

Su Xiaoyin felt a warmth in her heart and nodded, "Okay, Dad. I was a little impatient at the beginning and kept thinking about finishing quickly. We'll be more careful in the future."

Chen's mother chimed in, "That's right, take it slow, no rush. Three months is plenty of time."

Su Xiaoqing also said, "Dad, we know. I was just talking to my sister about it today. My eyes are a little sore, I need to rest."

Mr. Chen nodded in satisfaction and continued eating.

---

In the afternoon, Mr. Chen went to prepare wild rabbits and pheasants. Mrs. Chen chopped half a rabbit into pieces, soaked it in cold water, and prepared to stew it that evening. Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing did not continue embroidering the Five Relationships diagram, but instead sat in the yard basking in the sun, watching the children play.

The sun was warm and inviting, making everyone feel lazy. Shi Tou, along with his younger siblings, chased the little dog all over the yard. The dog barked and dodged, making the children giggle.

Su Xiaoqing leaned back in her chair, squinted her eyes, and said, "Sister, it feels so good to sunbathe like this. We're usually cooped up indoors embroidering, we never knew it was so warm outside."

Su Xiaoyin laughed: "Yes, we'll come out in the sun for a while every day from now on. Dad's right, our eyes can't take it."

As the two were talking, Chen's father came out from the backyard, carrying a cleaned pheasant and half a rabbit. He hung the pheasant under the porch to dry, and then handed the rabbit meat to Chen's mother.

"Old woman, make this stew for tonight."

Chen's mother took it, looked at it, and said, "Okay, I'll soak some more vermicelli and add more potatoes. That should be enough."

In the evening, a steaming pot of stewed rabbit and potatoes was served. The rabbit meat was stewed until tender, and the potatoes had absorbed all the broth, becoming soft and glutinous. The family sat around the table, eating with great enthusiasm, their brows furrowed with sweat.

Ah Fu, holding his small bowl, ate with gusto, his mouth greasy, muttering, "Delicious! So delicious!"

Su Xiaoqing wiped his mouth and said with a smile, "Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you."

Mr. Chen took a sip of soup and said to his two sons, "I'm going to make tofu pudding tomorrow. If you two want some, come back early."

Chen Xiaohe's eyes lit up: "Dad, you can make tofu pudding?"

Chen's father rolled his eyes at him: "Nonsense. I learned from your grandfather when I was young. I haven't done it for years, so I'm a bit rusty, but I should still be able to make something decent."

Chen Xiaohe chuckled: "Then I'll come back early tomorrow!"

Su Xiaoqing said from the side, "My sister and I soaked soybeans and red beans. Tomorrow we're not only making tofu pudding, but also steamed buns with bean curd."

Chen's mother smiled and said, "Okay, we'll have a bean product feast at home tomorrow."

The family chatted and laughed, enjoying a lively dinner together.

---

Back in her room that evening, Su Xiaoyin lay on the kang (a heated brick bed), thinking about what her father had said during the day. Indeed, she had been too anxious lately, always wanting to finish the Five Relationships diagram as quickly as possible. She had been cooped up in her room embroidering every day, and her eyes were suffering. She needed to be more careful in the future and balance work and rest.

She glanced at Chen Dashan beside her; his eyes were closed, his breathing even, he was asleep. At the other end of the kang (heated brick bed), the four children huddled together, sleeping soundly. The little dog curled up on the straw mat, purring softly. They were huddled together for warmth.

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

----

A few days later, the Chen family disposed of the two pigs—selling one and killing the other to keep for themselves to eat later.

The day the pig was slaughtered, the courtyard was bustling with activity. Father Chen was in charge of the slaughter, with Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe assisting. Mother Chen and her two daughters-in-law were busy in the kitchen, preparing to make blood sausage and render lard. The four children gathered around, watching with curiosity. Shitou, being the bravest, leaned closer to get a look, but Chen Xiaohe shooed him away: "Go away, don't get in the way, or you'll get splattered with blood!"

The pork was divided into several large pieces. Some were hung under the porch to air dry, while others were salted and cured. The remaining scraps and offal were stewed into a pot that same day, filling the entire yard with a delicious aroma.

Chen Dashan specially selected several pieces of fine pork belly and grabbed a plump rooster, tied them up with straw rope, and put them into his basket.

"I'm going to the county town," he told Chen's father. "I'll take it to Manager Liu. He's introduced me to several jobs; I have to show my appreciation."

Mr. Chen nodded: "Of course. Drive carefully, and come back as soon as possible."

Chen Dashan drove his mule to the county town. When he returned, his basket was empty, and he had a smile on his face—Manager Liu declined a few times, but finally accepted the money and even offered him a bowl of hot tea.