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

The children cheered and ran off to chase the dog again.

Mr. Chen came over and asked, "Was the embroidery delivered? How did it go?"

Su Xiaoyin recounted what had happened that day. After listening, Mr. Chen nodded in satisfaction: "Good. You two sisters have excellent skills, and your reputation has spread. You won't have to worry about finding work in the future."

In the evening, Chen's mother stewed a large pot of bone broth and also made braised pork. The family sat together and ate happily.

While eating, Chen Dashan said, "Dad, go to Uncle Li Hu's house tomorrow. Mom said she wants to buy a mule. Go and tell him about Hu Niuguan's place."

Mr. Chen nodded: "Okay. I'll also ask them if there's anything else they need help with. We're neighbors, so let's look out for each other."

Su Xiaoyin chimed in, "By the way, Li An wants to be a doctor. Dad, you know a lot of people, could you help me find out if there are any good doctors in the county who are willing to take on apprentices?"

After thinking for a moment, Mr. Chen said, "We'll have to find out about this gradually. I'll ask the village head later; he knows a lot of people."

Su Xiaoqing said, "That child is quite sensible. Studying medicine is good too, as he can save lives."

Chen's mother said, "Yes, he even said he wanted to see a doctor for me in the car today."

The whole family laughed.

---

After dinner, Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing cleaned up the dishes. Chen Dashan sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), mentally reviewing the day's events. Manager Sun's order had been submitted, the final payment for the embroidery had been settled, and the next embroidery piece had been ordered; life was getting better and better.

He looked up at the people in the room. Father Chen was smoking a pipe, Mother Chen was sewing shoe soles, the four children were playing on the kang (a heated brick bed), and Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing were busy in the kitchen. The room was warm and cozy, the aroma of food had not yet dissipated, and the children's laughter filled the room.

He suddenly realized that this kind of life was really good.

----

"Dashan, Xiaoyin and the others have grown enough melon seedlings. Tomorrow you'll come with me to the valley to plant them."

Early in the morning, Chen's father stood in the yard and called out towards the carpentry workshop. He was holding a hoe and carefully inspecting the blade.

Chen Dashan poked his head out of the carpentry workshop, put down his work, and replied, "Yes, Father. The pen holder and pen rest that Manager Sun ordered are finished. We can send them to him in a couple of days, no delay."

Mr. Chen nodded, then went to the backyard to take another look, thinking about the chores he needed to do that day.

Su Xiaoyin came out of the kitchen, took off her apron, walked up to Chen's mother, and asked, "Mother, do you have enough small items for the stall in the county town? If not, Xiaoqing and I will make another batch. We finished the embroidery patterns these past few days, so we have some free time."

Chen's mother was sorting through the things she had brought back from the county town. Hearing this, she thought for a moment and said, "We don't have many hair ties, tiger-head shoes, tiger-head dolls, and cushions left. You two should get some more. Oh, and embroider some more mandarin duck pillowcases and handkerchiefs. These little things have been selling really well lately; we never have enough to go around selling."

Su Xiaoyin nodded, keeping it in mind. Chen's mother then took a bundle from her basket and handed it to Su Xiaoyin: "This was sent by Madam Yu. She said she's pregnant and believes it's the blessing from your embroidered Guanyin giving a child, so she specially sent you two bolts of fine fabric, along with two taels of silver."

Su Xiaoyin took the bundle, opened it, and saw two bolts of fine, elegantly colored silk. They felt smooth to the touch and were clearly top-quality. Her heart warmed, and she said, "Madam Yu, you're too kind. Mother, this fabric is wonderful. We'll think about what to embroider."

Mother Chen said, "You can decide what to do. Madam Yu is only trying to be helpful."

Su Xiaoqing came out of the house and her eyes lit up when she saw the two bolts of fabric: "Sister, this fabric is so beautiful! What would be suitable to embroider?"

Su Xiaoyin thought for a moment and said, "The Qilin Bringing a Child design we've been embroidering lately doesn't quite match the color of this fabric. Let's put it aside for now and figure it out later."

Chen Dashan walked over, looked at the two bolts of fabric, and asked, "How's the embroidery of the Qilin delivering a child coming along?"

Su Xiaoyin said, "It's only just begun, it's still early. Large embroidery takes a long time, about half a year."

Chen Dashan nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

---

Suddenly remembering something, Chen's mother lowered her voice and said, "Oh, right, I heard that we'll have to do corvée labor after the Dragon Boat Festival this year. I wonder if it's true or not."

Chen Dashan frowned: "It might be true. Ever since the new magistrate arrived, there have been two periods of corvée labor a year, one after the Dragon Boat Festival and one around the beginning of winter. This year, because of the heavy snow last winter, there was an extra one in the spring. I'm afraid we can't avoid the remaining two."

Father Chen sighed and tapped his pipe: "This corvée labor is a lifesaver every year. Those who go out to do it all come back exhausted."

Su Xiaoyin said, "Dad, as long as we have to pay money, we'll keep paying. We won't go ourselves, but we'll pay with money. Our family has the means now; we can't let you and Dashan and Xiaohe suffer like that."

Mr. Chen nodded: "That makes sense. Money can be earned back, but if you ruin your life, you'll lose everything."

Chen's mother chimed in, "That's right, our family has income now, so we don't need a few taels of silver."

---

The family chatted for a while longer before Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing went to the east wing to prepare for their embroidery. Mother Chen continued packing the things she had brought back from the county town.

Suddenly remembering something, Chen's father asked Chen Dashan, "By the way, do you have any thoughts about that courtyard house in the county town?"

Chen Dashan said, "Dad, I was just about to discuss this with you. After we finish planting the melon seedlings, we'll start preparing the materials and then set up a bed in the open space behind the yard."

Mr. Chen nodded: "You want to open a shop?"

Chen Dashan said, "Yes. If the mountain produces a lot of fruit in the next two years, we can open a shop to sell our family's products. We can sell mountain vegetables, mushrooms, wood ear fungus, fruit, dried fruit, as well as the wood carvings and bamboo weaving that Xiaohe and I make, and the embroidered hair ties that Xiaoyin and Xiaoqing make."

After thinking for a moment, Mr. Chen said, "That's a good idea. We'll keep that courtyard ourselves and not rent it out. I'm afraid that if we rent it out, people won't take good care of it and will ruin it. Shi Tou and the others will still need to live there when they go to school in the county town."

Chen Dashan said, "That's what I think too. The yard is well-maintained, so I feel at ease living there."

Hearing this from the side, Chen's mother interjected, "You can sell my persimmon cakes in the shop then. The ones I made last year sold very well at the market, and many people asked if we had any left."

Su Xiaoyin poked her head out of the house and said with a smile, "Mom, we can try making some candied fruit and dried fruit this year. I heard that if you pickle them with sugar and then dry them, they can be stored for a long time, and city people love them."

Mr. Chen's eyes lit up: "That's a great idea. When the wild fruits come down from the mountain in a while, let's pick a lot and try making it. It'll just use up some sugar at most, and if it works, it'll be a source of income."

Chen's mother said, "Okay, when I set up my stall in the county town, I'll keep an eye out. If I see anyone selling dried fruit, I'll buy some to try and see how they make it."

---