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

Su Xiaoyin spoke up: "Dad, I think we should buy the one with the yard."

Everyone looked at her.

Su Xiaoyin said, "Think about it, that courtyard can be used for living or converted into a shop. We can add a few rooms to the open space behind it, so the children will have room when they grow up. And although it's not on the main street, it's not remote either. The alleyway is right next to the main street, and it's not far to walk there."

Mr. Chen listened and nodded: "Go on."

Su Xiaoyin continued, "Now, our family has land and mountains, all we're missing is a shop. Buying this courtyard allows us to develop gradually. We can start with a small shop selling our family's goods. Once we've established ourselves, we can consider moving to a better location. Besides..." She paused, "In the future, our four children will need to go to school, and the county town will definitely be more convenient than the village."

After a moment of silence, Chen's father looked at Chen Dashan and asked, "What do you think?"

Chen Dashan looked at Su Xiaoyin, then at his father, and nodded: "I think Xiaoyin is right. I've also taken a liking to that courtyard."

Chen Xiaohe also said, "I think that courtyard is great too! Now our family will have a place in the county town!"

After thinking for a moment, Chen's mother asked Liu Yilong, "Manager Liu, how much does that courtyard cost?"

Liu Yilong said, "The government has set a floor price of 126 taels. If you want it, I can help you negotiate down to around 100 taels."

Father Chen calculated that he could come up with sixty taels from the family coffers, plus the savings of Chen Dashan and his two small families, totaling one hundred taels. He nodded: "Alright, this courtyard it is."

Liu Yilong laughed: "Alright! I'll go talk to them for you now. You wait here, I'll be right back!"

---

Less than an hour later, Liu Yilong returned. He was all smiles and carrying a stack of documents.

"Done! One hundred taels!" He handed the document to Chen Dashan. "This is the property deed, officially stamped by the government, a legitimate red deed, no one can take it away. Keep it safe!"

Chen Dashan took it, his hands trembling slightly. He looked at it carefully; it was clearly written down the address of a certain street and alley in the county town, the area, the boundaries, and was stamped with the county government's large red seal.

He handed the property deed to his father, who looked at it, nodded, and his eyes welled up with tears.

Chen's mother muttered beside her, "One hundred taels...this is all the money our family has saved up over the years..."

Su Xiaoyin held her hand and whispered, "Mom, it's worth it. This is our family's business, and it will only get better and better in the future."

Chen's mother nodded and wiped her eyes.

Liu Yilong said from the side, "Uncle Chen, Aunt Chen, congratulations! You now have property in the county town! If you need anything, just come to me!"

Mr. Chen stood up and bowed solemnly to Liu Yilong: "Manager Liu, we are very grateful to you. We will remember this favor."

Liu Yilong quickly helped him up: "Uncle Chen, please don't be like this! We've known each other for so long, we're practically family. I'll keep you informed if there's any news!"

The family chatted for a while longer before saying goodbye and going home.

---

On the way back, Chen Xiaohe was so excited he couldn't sit still, constantly looking at the property deed and asking questions. Su Xiaoqing was annoyed by him, but she still had a smile on her face.

Chen Dashan drove the mule cart steadily. Su Xiaoyin leaned on his shoulder and whispered, "We have our own shop now."

Chen Dashan nodded, a feeling he couldn't quite describe welling up inside him. From being a disabled veteran who was disliked by others, to now having land, mountains, a shop, a virtuous wife, and two adorable children... it all felt like a dream.

"Xiaoyin," he suddenly said.

"Um?"

"Thank you."

Su Xiaoyin smiled and moved even closer.

The setting sun cast long shadows of them. The mule cart creaked and groaned along, carrying the family's hopes and future towards that warm little courtyard.

Back home, the four children were already impatiently waiting, rushing around asking all sorts of questions. Chen Dashan took out the property deed to show them. Although they couldn't read, they knew it was a valuable document and kept looking at it intently.

That evening, Chen's mother prepared a sumptuous dinner. The family sat together, eating and drinking, and discussing their future plans.

Father Chen said, "When spring comes, we'll send Xiaohe to learn about fruit trees. Dashan and I will continue with our stall. Xiaoyin and Xiaoqing will make embroidery. If we work together, life will definitely get better and better!"

Chen Dashan nodded and looked at Su Xiaoyin beside him. She was wiping Qingqing's mouth, a gentle smile on her lips.

----

"Don't tell any outsiders about our family buying a house in the county town."

Mr. Chen put down his pipe and looked at his family with a solemn expression. His gaze swept over Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe, then fell on his two daughters-in-law, and finally looked at Mrs. Chen.

"Don't flaunt your wealth, you must remember this principle." Father Chen's voice was not loud, but every word seemed to be nailed into wood. "In this world, not many people hope that other families will get better and better. Our family used to live a not-so-good life in the village, but now that we're doing well and have even bought a house in the county town, who knows, some people might feel uncomfortable and want to harm us."

Chen Dashan nodded: "Dad, I understand."

Chen Xiaohe also said, "Dad, don't worry, I'll keep my mouth shut."

Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing also expressed their opinions. Chen's mother said from the side, "The old man is right. We have to keep a low profile and make a fortune quietly."

Mr. Chen nodded in satisfaction and then got down to business: "Let's get the house in the county town ready before the New Year. Even if no one lives there, we still need to put up couplets and the character '福' (good fortune) for the New Year. We also need to think about that empty lot in the back, whether we should build a few shops. Even if we don't live there for the time being, renting them out would be good, providing a stable source of income."

Chen Dashan said, "Dad is right. Today, Xiaohe and I will set up our stall, and you guys go and tidy up the new house. We'll discuss the rent later."

Mr. Chen nodded, about to speak, when the four children ran out from the inner room. Shi Tou was the first to rush over: "Grandpa! I want to go to the new house too!"

Qingqing followed behind, shouting, "I want to go too!"

Aji and Afu joined in, chattering away. Their noise gave Chen's mother a headache, so she waved her hand, "Go away, all of you, go away!"

Su Xiaoyin smiled and said, "Dad, let them all come along. If we go as a family, no one else will notice anything."

Mr. Chen thought for a moment and nodded: "Okay. Let's bring some food, and I'll bundle up some firewood. We'll cook lunch there. We'll tidy up for a day and come back in the evening."

Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing went back and packed a basket of dry food, as well as water bags, bowls, and chopsticks. Father Chen hitched up the oxcart, loaded it with firewood and tools, and the family set off for the county town in a lively atmosphere.