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

The family members chatted amongst themselves, making perfect arrangements for the year-end.

After finishing his meal, Mr. Chen put on his cotton-padded coat and said he wanted to go for a walk. Mrs. Chen asked, "Where to?"

Mr. Chen said, "Let's go check on the pig farmer. His sow just had a litter, and I want to see how he's taking care of her."

Chen's mother smiled: "You really care."

Mr. Chen waved his hand and went out the door.

After cleaning up the dishes, Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing returned to the east wing and picked up their embroidery frames. The Five Relationships diagram was almost finished; the phoenix's tail feathers weren't complete yet, so they had to hurry.

Outside the window, the north wind howled, but inside the house it was warm and cozy. This was how the Chen family lived, day after day. Though busy, their lives were fulfilling and filled with hope.

----

"Dad! Something's happened!"

Chen Xiaohe and Chen Dashan returned from the county town. As soon as they entered the yard, Chen Xiaohe started shouting at the top of his lungs. His voice was filled with panic, which startled the chickens that were pecking at their food in the yard, causing them to fly away in a flurry.

Chen's father came out of the storeroom, still clutching a hemp rope in his hand, his face calm: "What happened? Be calm, the sky isn't falling." He placed the rope on a shelf beside him, dusted off his hands, and asked, "What exactly happened?"

Chen Xiaohe gasped for breath, his face pale. "Dad, we're going to the county town. We heard something happened to the people who were supposed to be doing corvée labor!"

Mr. Chen frowned: "Explain yourself."

Chen Xiaohe swallowed hard and recounted the whole story. The temperature had suddenly dropped recently, and it had snowed lightly last night. Many of the laborers were freezing outside and fell ill. Some were already injured and weak, and the cold took their toll.

Chen Dashan added from the side, "I heard that quite a few people have fallen ill, and some are seriously injured. The person who relayed the message didn't say exactly how many have died, but it's definitely not a small matter."

Mr. Chen fell silent, his face darkening. He stood for a moment, then said in a low voice, "I wonder how the people in our village are doing."

Chen Xiaohe also became worried: "Yes, Brother De said before that some families were reluctant to spend money but insisted on sending people..."

Mr. Chen waved his hand and sighed, "It's too late to say anything now. I just hope everyone can come back safely. Even if they're sick, it's better than them not coming back at all. As long as they're alive, that's enough."

Chen Dashan nodded: "Let's see if any news comes back. If there's no news, that's the best news, it means everyone's alright."

Mr. Chen hummed in response and said nothing more. The courtyard was quiet for a while, with only the sound of the wind whistling through the eaves.

Su Xiaoyin poked her head out of the kitchen and called out, "Dinner's ready! Stop chatting, it'll get cold."

The family entered the main room, where a large pot of steaming bone broth sat on the table. The broth was milky white, with a few sprigs of cilantro floating on top, and the aroma filled their nostrils. Since the autumn harvest, there hadn't been much heavy work, and the family's meals had actually improved. Bone broth was stewed every few days, and the complexions of Chen's father, Chen Dashan, and Chen Xiaohe had gradually become rosy.

Chen Xiaohe took a sip of soup, recovered, and said, "Dad, we're slaughtering a pig tomorrow. As we agreed, we'll take some to the shop to sell. We also need to prepare the pork for Manager Liu."

Mr. Chen nodded: "Yes, we can't forget that. Manager Liu has always helped us a lot, so we have to send him the best pork belly."

Su Xiaoyin put down her bowl and said, "Then how about this, Xiaoqing and I will go to the county town tomorrow. Dashan and Xiaohe can stay at home to help slaughter the pig."

Chen's mother was a little worried: "Are you two sure you can manage? You have to run the shop, set up the stall, and look after four children..."

Su Xiaoyin smiled: "Mom, it's alright. Xiaoqing and I will each watch one side, and the children can play in the courtyard behind the shop. It's fine."

Chen's mother then asked Chen Dashan, "Dashan, how's your stall business lately?"

Chen Dashan thought for a moment and said, "Business is so-so. It's cold, so there are fewer people at the market. But on average, we can still sell over a hundred coins a day, which adds up to quite a bit over a month. I'll take Xiaoyin and Xiaoqing tomorrow, and let Xiaohe stay home and help Dad slaughter the pig."

That's settled.

The next morning, before dawn, the Chen family's courtyard was already bustling with activity.

Chen Dashan drove the mule cart, carrying Su Xiaoyin, Su Xiaoqing, and four children. The children were bundled up tightly, only their eyes showing, looking like four little cotton balls. Shitou, sitting at the back of the cart, turned back and called out to the yard, "Grandpa! We're leaving!"

Mr. Chen waved his hand in the yard: "Go on, drive carefully!"

The mule cart creaked and groaned as it left the village and headed towards the county town.

Upon arriving at the shop, Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing quickly set up the goods. Bean sprouts, tofu, braised meats, and preserved fruits were all neatly arranged. The four children were settled in the courtyard behind the shop, where Shitou led his younger siblings in playing quietly and peacefully.

Before I could even finish cleaning up, some neighbors came to buy groceries.

"Mrs. Chen, bring me a piece of tofu!" The aunt from next door came in carrying a basket.

Su Xiaoyin smiled and cut her a piece, then casually stuffed a few scallions into it: "Auntie, take this, it's homegrown."

The woman smiled and thanked her, then asked, "Do you have braised eggs today? My little grandson loves yours."

Su Xiaoyin said, "Yes, yes, yes, it's freshly braised today." She then filled her bowl with four more braised eggs.

Then a few more regular customers came in, some buying bean sprouts, some buying braised pork, and some buying Chinese cabbage. Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing kept busy, but their faces were always smiling.

Taking advantage of a quieter time, Su Xiaoyin told a few regular customers, "Just letting everyone know, we're slaughtering a pig today, and we'll have fresh pork and blood sausage to sell at the shop tomorrow. It's from our own pig, so the meat is really fragrant. If you want some, come early tomorrow!"

Upon hearing this, an old man quickly asked, "Do you have pork belly? The fatty kind?"

Su Xiaoyin smiled and said, "Yes, we have it, with thick layers of fat. How much do you want, sir? I'll save you a piece."

The old man was delighted: "Save me two jin! I'll use them to make dumplings for the New Year."

Several more people made reservations, and Su Xiaoyin noted them down one by one.

Watching from the side, Su Xiaoqing was delighted and whispered, "Sister, we definitely won't have to worry about selling pork tomorrow."

Su Xiaoyin nodded, and while greeting the customers, she said, "Yes, let's sell well and have a prosperous New Year."

In the afternoon, when there were fewer people at the shop, Su Xiaoyin told Su Xiaoqing to take the children back to the house first, while she stayed to watch the shop. Su Xiaoqing was worried: "Sister, are you sure you can manage alone?"

Su Xiaoyin smiled: "Okay, it's alright. You should go back now, it's cold, don't let the child get cold."

Su Xiaoqing left with the children. Su Xiaoyin stayed behind to tend the shop, tidying up the remaining dishes and braised goods, waiting for the last few customers to arrive.

As the sun began to set, Chen Dashan arrived in a mule cart to pick her up.