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

Liu the bricklayer waved his hand: "I don't mind at all. Some families just cook haphazardly, with plain soup and water, and they don't get full. Other families have plenty of meat, but they don't feel comfortable eating it and always feel awkward."

Liu, the bricklayer's youngest son, chimed in. He was a 17 or 18-year-old lad, tanned dark from learning the trade from his father. He took a bite of his flatbread and muttered, "It's like they're giving us charity. I don't like the way they look at us."

Liu the bricklayer glared at him: "What are you saying, kid! That's how it is when you go out to work, always having to watch the master's face. Do you think everyone is as honest as Brother Chen? When your father went out to work for you, wasn't it common to get looked down upon?"

Father Chen waved his hand and sighed, "Yes, it's inevitable when you're away from home. We farmers value honesty and hard work. Master Liu, you've worked so hard, we can't treat you unfairly. You need to be well-fed to have the energy to work."

Liu the bricklayer picked up the bowl of herbal tea and said, "Brother Chen, just because of what you said, I'll definitely do this job perfectly for you!"

The group clinked their bowls together and drank the rest of their beverages in one gulp.

---

Su Xiaoyin carried a basket and walked quickly towards the market.

The market was bustling with activity. Vendors selling vegetables, meat, and cloth called out their wares in a lively atmosphere. Su Xiaoyin weaved through the crowd and headed towards Chen's mother's stall.

From afar, one could see Chen's mother sitting behind her stall, with a young woman standing in front of her, picking out hair ties. Chen's mother held several ties in her hand, muttering something, a smile on her face.

Su Xiaoyin didn't rush over; she stood at the stall next to her for a while. Only after the young woman had chosen her items, paid, and left did she go over.

"Mom." Su Xiaoyin put the basket on the stool behind her and stood behind the stall to help organize the goods.

Chen's mother was taken aback: "Xiaoyin? What brings you here?"

As Su Xiaoyin neatly arranged the hair ties on the stall, she said, "I've brought you your lunch. I told you this morning that I would bring you lunch, but I was afraid you might have eaten it beforehand. So, I rushed over as soon as it was ready."

Then Chen's mother remembered that she had left in a hurry that morning and hadn't heard what she said clearly. Her heart warmed, but she said, "It's just a matter of eating a pancake, why did you come all this way?"

Su Xiaoyin didn't reply. She took the food out of the basket and placed it on the stool behind her. "Mom, you eat. I'll watch the stall for you."

Before Chen's mother could say anything more, Su Xiaoyin had already turned around to greet the customers. A little girl of about ten years old walked over and timidly asked, "Auntie, how much is this hair tie?"

Su Xiaoyin smiled and said, "Three coins for one, five coins for two. Little girl, which color do you like?"

The little girl picked out a pink one and a bright red one, paid five coins, and ran off happily. Su Xiaoyin put the money away and continued tidying up her stall.

Chen's mother sat on the stool behind, holding her bowl and eating slowly. There was stewed pork bones with potatoes, a cold salad, and a steaming hot flatbread. The food was still warm, carrying the taste of home. She ate slowly, her heart filled with warmth.

After finishing her meal, she cleared away the dishes and stood up, saying, "Xiaoyin, you can go home now. The children are waiting for you."

Su Xiaoyin looked at the stall, then at her mother-in-law, and asked, "Mom, can you manage all this by yourself?"

Chen's mother smiled: "I can manage. It's not like it's the first day I've set up a stall. You should go home now, don't let the child make a fuss."

Su Xiaoyin nodded, tidied up the dishes, gave a few more instructions, and then picked up the basket and walked back.

---

Back at the house, the children had already finished eating. Su Xiaoqing was leading them to play in the yard. Shitou was leading his younger siblings to chase the puppy, running all over the yard, their giggles carrying far.

Su Xiaoyin put down the basket, washed her hands, and went into the kitchen. Su Xiaoqing followed her in and asked, "Sister, has Mother eaten?"

Su Xiaoyin nodded: "I ate. I watched the stall for a while, and there were quite a few people there."

Su Xiaoqing smiled: "That's good. Mother always mistreats herself."

Su Xiaoyin smiled too, and the two sisters cleaned up the kitchen together.

The clanging and hammering continued in the courtyard. Liu the bricklayer, along with his son and helpers, were busily building a wall. Chen Dashan was making doors and windows nearby, wood shavings curling up and falling to the ground, forming a thin layer. Chen's father walked around the construction site, occasionally exchanging a few words with Liu the bricklayer.

As the sun gradually sets in the west, another day's work is coming to an end.

----

"Brother Chen, what do you think?"

Liu, the bricklayer, stood at the entrance of his newly built shop, a hint of pride on his face. Behind him was a brand-new house with blue bricks and gray tiles. Although it was not large, it looked sturdy and neat, with a straight door frame, smooth walls, and tiles laid densely.

Mr. Chen entered the shop and looked around. The floor was paved smoothly, the walls were plastered clean, and the small two-square-meter cubicle in the corner was just right for storing goods. He reached out and touched the wall, then looked up at the beams and nodded in satisfaction.

"Master Liu's skills are truly excellent; you did a beautiful job!"

Liu the bricklayer smiled and said, "If you like it, then I'll start grinding the lime and laying the tiles. You can measure the inside dimensions and make the shelves. Once the shelves are in place and the walls are dry, we can open for business."

Chen Dashan walked in with a ruler and began taking measurements. As he measured, he wrote down the measurements in his notebook, mentally calculating how tall and wide the shelves should be, and how many rows would be suitable.

Three or four days later, the shop was finally completed.

After laying the last tile, Liu the bricklayer climbed down the ladder, dusted his hands, and said to Mr. Chen, "Brother Chen, take another look. Is there anything else that needs to be changed? I'll help you fix it."

Mr. Chen walked around the shop, touching the walls and looking at the doors and windows. The windows opened straight and closed tightly; the doors were sturdy and pushed smoothly; the partitions were the right size, more than enough to hold several baskets of goods.

"That's good, very good. Mr. Liu, I'll pay you the final payment here."

Liu the bricklayer waved his hand: "No rush. By the way, Brother Chen, I haven't used all the bricks I bought; there are still some left. Would you like to keep them at home, or should I return them for you?"

After thinking for a moment, Mr. Chen said, "Keep it. We might need it at home. We can use it to build a chicken coop or a doghouse."

Liu the bricklayer nodded and stacked the remaining bricks in the corner of the yard.

Mr. Chen took out the remaining wages from his pocket and handed them to Liu the bricklayer: "Master Liu, thank you for your hard work these past few days. You did a good job. I'll come back to you if I need anything in the future."

The bricklayer, Liu, took the silver, counted it, and laughed, "Brother Chen is generous. If you ever need any work, just come to me."

After seeing off Liu the bricklayer, Chen's father stood in the shop, looking at the shelves that had already been set up, and making plans in his mind.