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

Mr. Chen was taken aback: "Next door?"

Su Xiaoqing nodded: "It's that vacant lot to the west of our house. I found someone starting construction this morning. I saw people putting up scaffolding there, it looks like they're building a house."

Mr. Chen put down his chopsticks and frowned. "That vacant lot used to belong to the Li family. Later, their whole family moved to the county town, and the land has been vacant ever since. Have they moved back?"

Chen's mother said, "After we finish eating, I'll go and ask around. The Er Mu family is well-informed; she'll definitely know."

Mr. Chen waved his hand: "I'll go. You guys eat first."

He hurriedly ate a few mouthfuls of rice, put down his bowl, and walked out.

---

Chen's father went to Chen Ermu's house first. Chen Ermu was chopping firewood in the yard. When he saw him arrive, he greeted him warmly, "Brother Chen, have you eaten? Come in and sit down!"

Father Chen waved his hand: "No need to sit down, Er Mu. There's something I want to ask you. That vacant lot on the west side of our village, the one belonging to the Li family, someone started construction today. Do you know whose family it is?"

Chen Ermu scratched his head: "I really didn't know that. I'm wondering the same thing, how did construction suddenly start?"

After chatting for a few more minutes, Mr. Chen said goodbye and left. As he walked out, he ran into the village head and Brother De. The village head saw him and greeted him with a smile, "Old Chen, I was just about to look for you."

Mr. Chen quickly stepped forward: "Village head, Brother De, where are you from?"

The village head said, "I just came from the Li family's place. You know, the Li family moved back."

Mr. Chen was taken aback: "The Li family? Which Li family?"

De Ge explained from the side, "It's the Li family who used to live in our village, but they moved to the county town later. Do you remember Li Hu?"

Mr. Chen slapped his thigh: "Li Hu! I remember him! That kid is a few years younger than me. We used to play together a lot when we were kids. Then they moved away, and I never saw him again."

The village head sighed and explained the situation. It turned out that after Li Hu's family moved to the county town, they opened a small shop and were doing quite well. Li Hu sometimes went on business trips and earned a considerable amount of money. However, last year, he was injured in an accident while traveling, and his legs became weak, so he stayed home and focused on running the shop. But misfortune struck again; his wife suffered a difficult childbirth during their second pregnancy, and both mother and child perished.

Mr. Chen's heart tightened as he listened: "Then what about him now...?"

The village head said, "Only he and his eldest son are left. He brought the child back, saying he wanted to return to his roots. That plot of land originally belonged to their family, so they came back to build a house."

Brother De added from the side, "Construction just started today, it'll probably take a while to finish."

After a moment of silence, Mr. Chen said, "Then I'll go back and get some things to go see him. I haven't seen him for many years, and we're neighbors, so I have to go and visit him."

The village head nodded: "Of course. We'll go first, you can come back in a bit."

---

When Mr. Chen returned home, he told Mrs. Chen what had happened. Mrs. Chen's eyes reddened as she listened: "Li Hu... his life is so miserable. He injured his leg, lost his wife and child, and only has his eldest son left..."

Mr. Chen said, "When we were in the village, Li Hu took good care of our family. Now that he and his son are back, and they're our neighbors again, we have to go and see them."

Chen's mother nodded and began tidying up: "They'll definitely be short of daily necessities like baskets and bamboo baskets since they just got back. Also, take some dried mushrooms, dried vegetables, as well as cabbage and pumpkin, all of which are homegrown and won't cost any money."

Mr. Chen thought for a moment and said, "Let's get another piece of cured pork. They just got back, so it's not convenient for them to cook. Cured pork can be stored for a while, so we can eat it slowly."

Mother Chen responded, went to the storeroom and found a piece of fine cured meat, a basket of dried vegetables, a large pumpkin, and two large cabbages. Father Chen put the things into a large basket on his back, carried it outside.

---

On Li Hu's family's land, several craftsmen were busy at work. Li Hu stood to one side, leaning on a cane, his legs wrapped in thick strips of cloth. Beside him stood a seven or eight-year-old boy, thin and small, timidly watching the people coming and going.

Chen's father walked over and called out, "Li Hu!"

Li Hu turned his head, paused for a moment, and then his eyes reddened: "Brother Chen... Brother Chen?"

Mr. Chen stepped forward and grasped his hand: "It's been so many years. I heard you were back, so I came to see you."

Li Hu's lips trembled, and he couldn't speak. The boy beside him timidly called out, "Hello, Uncle Chen."

Mr. Chen bent down and looked at the child: "Good boy, what's your name?"

The boy whispered, "My name is Li An."

Father Chen patted his head: "Li An, a good name. From now on, we're neighbors. If you need anything, just come to Uncle Chen."

He put down the basket and took things out one by one: "These are vegetables we grow ourselves, these are dried mushrooms and vegetables, and this is cured meat. You've just come back, so you must be lacking these things. Don't mind them, take them and eat them."

Looking at the basket full of things, Li Hu finally burst into tears: "Brother Chen, I..."

Mr. Chen patted his shoulder: "Don't say anymore. You helped our family a lot when you were in the village. Now that you're back, we're neighbors, so it's only right that we help each other out."

Li Hu wiped away his tears and nodded: "Brother Chen, thank you."

Mr. Chen said, "The house will take a while to build, right? Where will you stay during this time?"

Li Hu said, "I'll stay in the village for a few days first, and move in once the house is finished."

Mr. Chen said, "If you have any difficulties, come to me. The people in our village are all kind and honest."

He gave a few more instructions before taking his leave.

---

When Chen's father returned home, his mother was busy preparing dinner in the kitchen. Seeing him, she immediately asked, "Did you see him? How did it go?"

Mr. Chen sat down and sighed, "I saw him. Li Hu's leg is badly injured; he has to use crutches to walk. The boy is so thin and small; it breaks my heart to see him like that."

Chen's mother also sighed, "Alas, in this world, why is it so difficult to be a good person?"

Mr. Chen said, "Let's look after each other more from now on. After all, we're neighbors and old friends."

Chen's mother nodded: "Of course."

Just then, Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe came in from outside. Chen Dashan asked, "Dad, is the house next door really Uncle Li Hu's?"

Mr. Chen nodded and explained the situation. After listening, Chen Dashan was silent for a while, then said, "Dad, let's help him more in the future. His legs are bad, and he has no wife at home, raising a child alone. It's not easy for him."

Chen Xiaohe also said, "Yes, if there's any heavy work, I'll go help."

Looking at his two sons, Mr. Chen's eyes were full of satisfaction: "Good, it's good that you have this intention."

During dinner that evening, the family talked about Li Hu again. Su Xiaoyin said, "Dad, do we have any extra bedding? They just got back, they must be short of these."

Chen's mother said, "Yes, I'll find it tomorrow."

Su Xiaoqing said, "I'll make a few more little clothes for that child. I have enough scraps of cloth."

Looking at this family, Mr. Chen felt a warm glow in his heart.