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

In the evening, Chen Xiaohe returned with his oxcart. He had sold most of the goods; there was almost nothing left of the braised food, and all the vegetables were gone. He jumped off the cart, beaming, "Sales were good today! The braised eggs and potatoes sold out early this morning. One old lady even asked if they'd have any for tomorrow, saying she wanted to buy some for her grandson."

Chen's mother smiled and said, "That's because Xiaoyin is good at cooking. Make more tomorrow, so we don't run out."

Su Xiaoyin poked her head out from the kitchen: "Dinner's ready, come in and eat!"

The family sat around the table in the main room, a steaming meal laid out on it. Father Chen took a sip of soup and slowly said, "Today I discussed it with Dashan; we'll hire two people to help with the autumn harvest. What do you think?"

Chen Xiaohe raised both hands in agreement: "Great! It's good to have employees! Every autumn harvest is exhausting, this year will be a bit easier."

Su Xiaoqing also said, "Dad is right. Our family has the means now, so don't overwork yourself."

Mr. Chen nodded: "Then it's settled. I'll ask those families tomorrow if they're available."

----

The next morning, Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing rode in Chen Xiaohe's oxcart to the county town.

The oxcart creaked along the road, the morning breeze carrying the scent of crops and grass, cool and refreshing. Su Xiaoqing, clutching the wrapped painting of a unicorn bringing a child, sat on the cart, her heart filled with both nervousness and anticipation.

"Sister, do you think Mrs. Qian will like it?" she asked softly.

Su Xiaoyin patted her hand: "We embroidered it with our hearts, she'll definitely like it."

Upon arriving in the county town, the three went to the general store first. Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing helped Chen Xiaohe unload the goods: braised meats in one row, vegetables in another, eggs and duck eggs in a prominent place, and hair ties and silk flowers hanging on the shelves. Although the store was small, it was clean and tidy, and the items were arranged neatly.

It was still early, and customers came in as soon as the shop opened.

The woman who came in was in her thirties, dressed neatly and cleanly, clearly a resident of the neighborhood. As soon as she entered, she went to the vegetable stall, picked out a bunch of bok choy, and also picked up a few eggs.

"Shopkeeper, when will your fruit be ready?" the woman asked as she paid.

Chen Xiaohe smiled and said, "It'll be a while, sister-in-law. When they're fully ripe, I'll bring them to the shop as soon as possible and save a few good ones for you."

The woman nodded in satisfaction, bought a few more braised eggs, and then left.

Then an old man came in and asked, "Young man, are you sure you're out of melons?"

Chen Xiaohe patiently explained, "Grandpa, there really aren't any left. The melon season is over; you'll have to wait until next year to eat them. But we still have fruit trees on the mountain; when the apples come in the fall, would you like to try some?"

The old man was a little disappointed, but he still bought a piece of braised pig's head and a few braised potatoes before leaving.

Su Xiaoyin watched from the side and noticed that the leafy greens were selling the fastest. Almost all the customers were women from the neighborhood; one would buy a bunch of bok choy, another a bunch of spinach, and still others would buy scallions and chives, all wanting something fresh.

She said to Chen Xiaohe, "Xiaohe, look how fast the vegetables are selling. When we get back tonight, let's talk to Dad about opening up another plot of land on the mountain next year, specifically to grow some fast-maturing small vegetables. I see that the women around here love to come and buy vegetables in the morning. If we specifically grow bok choy, spinach, chives, scallions, and garlic, they'll definitely sell well."

Chen Xiaohe nodded: "Okay, I'll go back and discuss it with Dad and my older brother."

After a while, the shop gradually emptied out. Chen Xiaohe glanced at the sky and said to Su Xiaoyin, "Sister-in-law, it's getting late. You and Xiaoqing should go to Madam Qian's place early. I'll stay here at the shop."

Su Xiaoyin responded, and after quickly tidying up with Su Xiaoqing, they took the embroidery pattern and went out.

---

Madam Qian's house was located on the east side of the county town; it was a rather large mansion. With its blue bricks and gray tiles, and two osmanthus trees planted in front of the door, it looked quite impressive.

Su Xiaoyin stepped forward, knocked on the door, and announced her name. The old woman at the gate, upon hearing that she had come to deliver the embroidery, quickly invited her in, told them to wait in the gatehouse, and went in to inform the gatekeeper.

A moment later, a maid came out and led them inside. They passed through a moon gate and then through a covered corridor before finally arriving at the main hall.

Madam Qian was already waiting. Today she was wearing a light purple silk blouse and a gold hairpin in her hair, looking even more elegant than when she was last seen at the market.

"Please sit down," Madam Qian said, gesturing to the chair beside her, and then instructed a maid to serve tea.

Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing thanked her and sat down on the chairs. Su Xiaoyin took the painting of a qilin delivering a child from her bundle and carefully unfolded it.

When the entire embroidery was displayed before her eyes, Mrs. Qian's eyes lit up immediately.

At the center of the image stands a majestic Qilin, its four hooves treading on clouds, head held high and striding confidently. A plump, fair-skinned child sits atop the Qilin's back, holding a lotus flower, his smile innocent and adorable. The child wears a bright red bib embroidered with the five poisonous creatures and tiger-head shoes, his appearance endearingly clumsy. Auspicious clouds surround the scene, peonies bloom, and bats flutter about, symbolizing wealth, good fortune, and many children.

The entire embroidery uses more than ten colors of silk thread. The scales of the qilin alone use five different shades of blue, layered upon each other, shimmering with a soft sheen under the light. The child's skin is embroidered with extremely fine flesh-pink silk thread, the stitches so fine they are almost invisible, making it incredibly lifelike. The gradation of the peony petals is also handled perfectly, transitioning naturally from deep red to light pink.

Mrs. Qian stood up and walked closer to examine it. She reached out her hand, wanting to touch it but not daring to, afraid of getting it dirty. After looking at it for a long time, she finally let out a long breath.

"Great, wonderful." She turned her head, her face full of smiles. "You sisters' skills have improved again since last time. This painting of a Qilin delivering a child is even better than I expected."