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

"Is everything packed up? This is the last time before the New Year, we need to leave early to get a good spot! We brought a lot of stuff today, so we need to set up the stall!" Before it was fully light, Chen's mother had already finished packing and was standing in the yard urging them on. Today she was wearing a crisp, starched dark blue cotton-padded jacket, her hair was neatly combed, and she had a large, tightly covered basket slung over her arm, containing hair ties she had hastily made and some odds and ends.

"Alright, alright, Mother!" Chen Xiaohe responded the loudest. He and Chen Dashan had already moved the two largest baskets onto the cart, which were filled with bamboo and wooden products. Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing also came out quickly, carrying small baskets containing embroidery and cloth bags meant for money. Chen Dashan checked the door lock and finally shouldered the newly made, detachable, lightweight wooden frame.

The family set off in the deepest chill before dawn. Along the way, they encountered many neighbors also heading to the market. They greeted each other and hurried along, all hoping to take advantage of the last big market before the New Year to sell what they needed and buy what they needed for the holiday.

Upon arriving in the county town, the market was indeed more crowded and bustling than usual. The air was thick with the pungent aromas of various foods, spices, livestock, and people, and the cries of vendors rose and fell, almost deafening. Chen Dashan calmly scanned the area and immediately spotted the spot near the street corner where he had previously set up his stall, a location with good foot traffic. Fortunately, they had arrived early; the spot was still empty, and the old man selling pottery next door had just set up his stall.

"Quick, right here!" Chen Dashan whispered, and the group immediately sprang into action. Chen Xiaohe helped his elder brother quickly assemble the makeshift wooden frame, securing several wooden sticks with smooth bamboo strips running across them. Chen's mother neatly laid out a faded old coarse cloth, which served as their stall. Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe arranged the bamboo baskets, wicker baskets, covered bamboo boxes, bamboo cups, and the adorable wooden animal carvings, smooth combs, and hairpins they had brought, categorizing and placing them neatly on the cloth. Chen's mother then took the hair ties brought by the Su sisters and carefully hung the colorful and exquisitely designed hair ties one by one on the crossbars of the wooden frame. As the morning light began to appear, these brightly colored little items became particularly eye-catching.

As soon as the stall was set up, some early-rising women were already attracted by the hair ties and stopped to watch.

Seeing this, Chen's mother said to Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing, "You two hurry up and go to the embroidery shop. Don't delay. Come find us as soon as you've sold everything. We'll take care of things here."

"Okay, Mom, let's go." Su Xiaoyin replied, took her younger sister's hand, slung the small basket over her shoulder, and carefully avoided the crowds as they headed towards the "Jinxiu Cloth Shop".

The embroidery shop was busier than usual, with several women selecting fabrics or inquiring about embroidery prices. The shopkeeper was busy attending to customers when she glanced up and saw the Su sisters, giving them a slight nod. The two sisters then waited quietly to the side.

After waiting patiently until all the previous customers had left, the proprietress approached with a smile: "Madam Chen, you've arrived. Are you here to take a look, or...?"

"Shopkeeper, we're here to sell embroidery." Su Xiaoyin said, placing the small basket on the counter and lifting the cover.

Inside, neatly folded, were five handkerchiefs, two pairs of pillowcases, four brightly colored children's bibs, and two small bibs. The patterns on the handkerchiefs were more lively than before, and the mandarin ducks playing in the water pattern on the pillowcases was fuller in composition and the colors were more harmonious. The most attractive items were the bibs, with plump golden carp, adorable babies holding lotus roots, and bats with outstretched wings (symbolizing good fortune) embroidered on bright red and peach pink fabric. The stitches were fine, and the colors were bold and festive, full of the lively atmosphere of the New Year. The bibs were embroidered with simple cloud patterns or small flowers, clean and lovely.

The shopkeeper's wife picked up a handkerchief and examined the stitches on both sides carefully against the light. She then looked at the pillowcase, bib, and other garments in turn, her face showing obvious admiration: "Wow, it hasn't been long, and your skills have improved so much! Look at the eyes of this carp, so lifelike; the feathers of this mandarin duck are also layered. It seems you've put in a lot of hard work."

She put down the embroidery, already having a plan in mind: "Hmm, the craftsmanship is indeed better than last time. These handkerchiefs, I'll charge you twenty coins per square, five pairs for one hundred coins. These two pairs of pillowcases, the colors are nice, and the patterns are fitting for the season; many weddings are happening at the end of the year, so they're perfect. One pair for one hundred and twenty coins, two pairs for two hundred and forty coins. The bibs are festively embroidered, and the work is exquisite, thirty-five coins each, four for one hundred and forty coins. Bibs are twenty-five coins each, two for fifty coins. In total…" She silently calculated, "five hundred and thirty coins. What do you think?"

Five hundred and thirty coins! That's more than three hundred coins more than last time! Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing were overjoyed, but they tried their best to remain calm. Su Xiaoyin said respectfully, "The shopkeeper's price is fair, we're willing."

"Alright." The shopkeeper readily made the payment, counted out five strings of one hundred copper coins from the money box, and then counted out thirty loose coins, handing them to Su Xiaoyin. "Take the money. Next year, around the New Year and then spring, there will be a high demand for festive pillowcases, bibs, and children's clothing. If you have time, you can make more of these. If you want to make larger embroidery designs, you should choose auspicious themes, such as 'flowers blooming in wealth' or 'abundance year after year,' which will command a higher price."

"Thank you for your guidance, shopkeeper! We'll remember it!" The Su sisters thanked them in unison, carefully putting away the money. The heavy weight of the money in their arms gave them a sense of security.

As they left the embroidery shop, the sun was already high in the sky, and the market was bustling with activity. The two sisters didn't immediately go shopping; instead, they headed towards their own stall. They needed to check on things there, help sell their goods, and then go to the fabric shop to replenish their embroidery supplies before the market closed.

From afar, a crowd could be seen gathered around their family's stall, which was adorned with colorful hair ties. Chen's mother was eloquently explaining how to wear the hair ties to two young women, while Chen Xiaohe held a small wooden horse, making a baby in someone's arms giggle. The baby's mother seemed hesitant. Chen Dashan stood calmly to the side, observing the goods on the stall and the passing crowd.

Seeing Su Xiaoyin and the others return, Chen's mother glanced at them with an inquiring look. Su Xiaoyin nodded slightly, a smile playing on her lips. Chen's mother's smile deepened, and she turned back to them, promoting the item even more enthusiastically: "Look at this peach-pink one with small flowers, it suits your complexion! It'll be so festive to wear it during the New Year! Two for five coins, what a bargain!"

Seeing this, Su Xiaoqing immediately squeezed behind the stall to help Chen Xiaohe greet customers. Su Xiaoyin carefully put the money in her arms into the hidden pocket of the basket on Chen Dashan's back, and then joined in, picking up a wooden comb and introducing the wood and workmanship to a woman who asked for advice.

This last big market before the Lunar New Year was indeed a success, with strong purchasing power. Brightly colored and festive hair ties were the most popular among young women and newlyweds, and because they were cheap, the wooden shelves were more than half empty before noon. Adorable little wooden carvings and bamboo woven items also attracted many adults with children, and quite a few were sold. Wooden combs and hairpins sold more slowly, but still managed to generate some sales.

As the sun began to set, the crowds at the market finally started to thin out. At the Chen family's stall, seven or eight tenths of their goods had already been sold, and only a few hair ties remained. Although the family's legs ached from standing and their mouths were dry from talking, the sight of their empty baskets and bulging purses had long since dispelled their fatigue with the joy of a bountiful harvest.

"That's about enough. Let's pack up and go buy some things before heading home," Chen's mother said, looking at the sky.

The group efficiently packed up the remaining goods and dismantled the wooden frames. Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing then told Chen's mother and went to Tao's cloth shop again. With part of the money they earned from selling embroidery today, they bought some embroidery thread and a few pieces of fabric suitable for making festive embroidery, preparing to continue working during the New Year holidays.

The cart on the way back was no longer loaded with heavy mountain produce or goods, but with New Year's goods and the family's bountiful harvest and joy. Dusk fell, and the cold wind lingered, but everyone's heart was warm and bright. This new home, built by their own hard work and dedication, was about to welcome its first truly prosperous, harmonious, and hopeful New Year. And today's bustling market was like a perfect rehearsal, foreshadowing an even more prosperous year to come.