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

Dinner was served: steaming dumplings and milky white bone broth, the aroma filling the air. The family sat together, and Chen's mother first put a few dumplings on Chen Xiaohe's plate: "Eat more, you're so thin."

Chen Xiaohe took a bite and nodded repeatedly, "Delicious! This is exactly the taste!"

Chen's mother smiled: "Eat as much as you like. I'll go to the county town to buy meat tomorrow and make you steamed buns for dinner."

Chen Xiaohe's eyes lit up: "Really? Mom, I've been craving the steamed buns at home for so long!"

Chen Dashan said from the side, "I'll go set the fish trap tomorrow morning and catch a lot of fish to nourish you."

Chen Xiaohe said, "Brother, I'll go with you!"

Mr. Chen waved his hand: "You should rest at home for a few days. Studying is tiring, so take care of yourself. We'll be busy again in a while."

Chen Xiaohe asked, "What are you busy with?"

Father Chen explained his plan to build a shop. Upon hearing this, Chen Xiaohe slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "That's a great idea! We can sell all our family's goods in the shop!"

Chen Dashan said, "No rush, take your time preparing. Let's get all the materials ready first, and then we can work together when you have time."

Chen Xiaohe nodded and then asked about the fruit trees. While eating, he recounted what he had learned in the neighboring county—how to fertilize the fruit trees, how to prune the branches, and how to control pests—he explained it all very clearly.

After listening, Mr. Chen nodded in satisfaction: "This teacher is good. He teaches practical things without holding anything back. When you go to learn again in the summer, you should prepare even more generous gifts."

Chen Xiaohe said, "Yes, that's what De Ge and I think too. Our master is a good person, we can't treat him unfairly."

Chen's mother said from the side, "Okay, I'll prepare it then."

---

After finishing his meal, Chen Xiaohe stood up and said, "I'm going to take a walk in the mountains."

Su Xiaoqing was taken aback: "Why are you going up the mountain so late?"

Chen Xiaohe said, "I'll set a few traps and catch some wild game to eat. I can't stay at home, it'll be good for me to get around."

After thinking for a moment, Mr. Chen said, "Go ahead, but don't go too far. Come back when it gets dark."

Chen Xiaohe responded, picked up a few condoms, and went out.

---

Su Xiaoqing stood in the courtyard, watching his figure disappear into the twilight, and suddenly felt a pang of emotion.

He'd been gone for almost a month, and even after coming back, he wouldn't rest. People just can't stay still.

She remembered the hand cream he had given her, and a smile curved her lips.

Turning around and going inside, Su Xiaoyin was tidying up the dishes in the kitchen. Su Xiaoqing went over and helped her wash them.

"Sister," she suddenly said.

"Um?"

"The river is fine."

Su Xiaoyin glanced at her and smiled, "It's really good. You are too."

The two sisters smiled at each other and continued with their work.

---

When it was completely dark, Chen Xiaohe returned. He was carrying two wild rabbits and a pheasant. He chuckled and handed the food to his mother: "Mom, extra food for tomorrow!"

Chen's mother took the food, laughing and scolding, "All you ever do is eat!"

The family burst into laughter again.

Inside, the room was brightly lit and warm. Chen Xiaohe sat on the kang (a heated brick bed), surrounded by four children, telling them stories about a neighboring county. The children listened intently, their eyes sparkling.

Mr. Chen smoked his pipe, looking at everyone in the room, feeling quite at ease.

----

"Dad, these are sesame seeds I bought in the neighboring county. They say they have a high yield."

Early in the morning, Chen Xiaohe took a small cloth bag from the house and handed it to his father, who was tidying up farm tools in the yard. The bag was bulging and filled with plump sesame seeds.

Mr. Chen took the bag, opened it, and examined the sesame seeds. He then picked up a few and held them in his palm, scrutinizing them carefully. The sesame seeds were small, but each one was plump and glossy, looking better than the ordinary ones.

"Are you planning to try planting some this year?" Mr. Chen asked.

Chen Xiaohe nodded: "Yes, Dad, De-ge and I each bought some. I'm thinking of clearing out another piece of land on our barren mountain to try planting some. If the yield is high, we'll plant more next year. If the yield is low, we'll keep it all for ourselves. We can grind some sesame oil or make some sesame candy for the kids."

Mr. Chen thought for a moment and nodded: "Okay. Then I'll go up the mountain and clear out another piece of land. I looked at a spot a couple of days ago; it's sunny and the soil is good, perfect for growing sesame."

Chen Xiaohe said, "Dad, I'll go with you!"

Chen Dashan poked his head out of the carpentry workshop and said, "I'm going to check the bamboo grove to see if there are any tender bamboo shoots left, and I'll dig some up. Isn't Mother going to steam buns today? I'll dig up more so I can prepare extra filling."

Mr. Chen waved his hand: "Alright, go ahead. Come back early, don't miss lunch."

---

Chen Dashan carried a basket on his back and held a hoe as he walked towards the bamboo forest.

Spring was in full bloom, and most of the bamboo shoots in the bamboo grove had grown tall and turned into tender bamboo shoots. He wandered around the bamboo grove and finally found a few tender bamboo shoots that had not yet grown, which he carefully dug out.

"That's about it," he muttered to himself, putting the bamboo shoots into his basket.

Just as he was about to turn back, he suddenly remembered something and changed direction, heading up the mountain. Along the way, whenever he saw medicinal herbs, he would bend down, dig them up, and put them in his basket. Bletilla striata, Sophora flavescens, Bupleurum chinense—no matter how much, digging them up would always be useful.

Halfway up the mountain, he suddenly spotted a small patch of tender green. Walking over, he discovered it was shepherd's purse and wild garlic, still very tender and perfect for eating.

"This is good." Chen Dashan squatted down, dug up the shepherd's purse and wild garlic, and put them into his basket.

Only after seeing his basket was full of things did he walk down the mountain with satisfaction.

---

Back home, Su Xiaoyin was busy in the yard. Seeing Chen Dashan return, she went to greet him, glanced at the contents of his basket, and her eyes lit up: "There are still such tender shepherd's purse leaves? That's wonderful!"

Chen Dashan put down his basket and said, "There are still some in the shady spots on the mountain. How do you plan to eat them?"

Su Xiaoyin thought for a moment and said, "Let's steam some buns tonight. We can make two fillings: one with shepherd's purse and pork, and the other with bamboo shoots and pork. We'll make a cold salad with half of the wild garlic for lunch, and stir-fry the other half with eggs. That'll be perfect with rice."

Chen Dashan nodded: "You can arrange it. I'll go water the garden."

He picked up the bucket and walked towards the vegetable garden.

---

In the vegetable garden, the newly planted seedlings were growing vigorously. Chen Dashan carried buckets of water, watering each row. As he watered, he suddenly frowned.

In previous years, the ground would have been moist at this time. With spring rains coming one after another, there would have been no need to water it at all. But this year, even after watering for a while, the soil was still terribly dry, and the water seeped away as soon as it was poured in.

He straightened up and looked at the sky. The sky was a deep, clear blue, without a single cloud.

"It looks like there will be a drought this year," he muttered to himself.

---

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