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

Mr. Chen took a puff of his pipe and nodded: "Alright, I'll help you with it these next couple of days. Turn the soil over and apply plenty of base fertilizer, so the vegetables will grow plump and juicy. The weather warmed up early this year, so hurry up and plant them; they'll be ready to harvest in another month."

Chen Dashan also said, "We can grow more chives. Chives grow quickly, one crop after another, and they grow back after you cut them. City people need them for making dumplings and frying eggs, so there's no worry about selling them."

Chen Xiaohe's eyes lit up: "Big brother is right, chives are good. We can also plant some bok choy, spinach, and scallions, they all grow fast. Our vegetable garden is already quite big, if we add another plot, it will be enough. We can also plant some cucumbers and peppers later."

Chen's father gave him a few more instructions on fertilizing and watering, which Chen Xiaohe noted down.

Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing sat beside each other, holding embroidery frames and stitching a few stitches in the last rays of daylight. The Five Relationships painting was almost finished; the phoenix's tail feathers weren't complete yet, and Su Xiaoyin planned to finish it in the next few days. The two sisters had discussed what to embroider next several times but hadn't decided yet. Su Xiaoqing wanted to embroider a "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix," but Su Xiaoyin thought it was too complicated and worried it wouldn't meet the demand before the festival. The two were still pondering.

Su Xiaoyin said, "Manager Sun isn't in a hurry. He said he'd show it to him first once it's finished, but he didn't say when he'd want it. Let's take it slow and finish the Five Relationships picture before thinking about the next one. Besides, Madam Qian has high expectations for the Five Relationships picture, and since it's just the finishing touches left, we can't let our guard down."

Su Xiaoqing nodded and then lowered her head to embroider a few more stitches.

As they were talking, the courtyard gate rang.

Chen Xiaohe put down the grass stalks in his hand and ran to open the door. Standing outside was Li Hu, carrying a bundle in his hand, looking somewhat anxious.

"Uncle Li Hu? Come in quickly!" Chen Xiaohe ushered him in.

Li Hu entered the courtyard, first greeting Mr. and Mrs. Chen, then glancing at the children playing there. His gaze lingered on Li An for a moment, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.

Chen's father sensed something was wrong and put down his pipe: "Brother Li, sit down and let's talk. What happened?"

Li Hu sat down on the stool, rubbed his hands together, and said somewhat embarrassedly, "Brother Chen, sister-in-law, I want to ask you for a favor."

Chen's mother poured him a bowl of water: "What is it? Tell me."

Li Hu took the water, but didn't drink it. He put it aside and said, "I have to go out for a while. I owe someone a favor, and this time the caravan is going to another place, so I have to go with them. I know that place well; I spent quite a bit of time there in the past, so I can guide the caravan."

Mr. Chen asked, "How long will it take?"

Li Hu said, "It would take at least one or two months, and at most three months. Li An is young, and it's inconvenient for me to take care of him alone when we go out. He also can't miss school. I was thinking... could Li An stay with your family for a while? He could go to and from school with your child and have a companion."

Mrs. Chen looked at Mr. Chen, who nodded. Mrs. Chen smiled and said, "I thought it was something serious. An'an is a very well-behaved child, we'd be happy to. How about An'an goes to live with Grandma Chen in the county town and goes to school with Shi Tou and the others?"

Standing beside his father, Li An looked up at Chen's mother and then at his father upon hearing this. Li Hu patted his head: "An'an, Grandma Chen has taken you in. You must be obedient, study hard, and don't be naughty."

Li An whispered, "Dad, I understand."

Chen's mother took Li An's hand and said with a smile, "An'an, from now on you will live and eat with Shi Tou and the others. Grandma Chen will cook delicious food for you. When school is out for holidays, you can go back with your father."

Ang Lee nodded, his eyes a little red, but he didn't cry.

Li Hu spoke a few more words to Chen's father about going out, handed Li An's change of clothes and books to Chen's mother, and then took out a silver ingot from his pocket and stuffed it into Chen's mother's hand: "Sister-in-law, this is Li An's food and lodging expenses, please keep it."

Chen's mother pushed the money back, saying, "Why give me money? We're neighbors, it's just a matter of having more children and more chopsticks. When you're out and about, you should carry some money with you; you'll need it."

Li Hu refused, and after several rounds of back and forth, Chen's father said, "Brother Li, keep the money. Don't worry about the child with us. We'll treat you to drinks when you come back."

Li Hu then took the silver back, thanked him repeatedly, and hurried away. His figure disappeared into the night, his steps much faster than usual, his cane tapping on the bluestone pavement with a crisp sound.

Li An stood at the courtyard gate, watching his father walk away until he was out of sight, still standing there motionless. His mother walked over and took his hand: "An'an, come in. From now on, treat this place as your own home."

Ang Lee grunted in agreement and followed Chen's mother into the house.

Shi Tou ran over, grabbed Li An's hand, and said, "Brother Li An, you'll stay with us! Tonight I'll teach you cat's cradle! My mom just taught me, it's so much fun!"

Qingqing also said, "Brother Li An, my younger brothers taught me how to read, can you teach me too?"

Surrounded by several children, Ang Lee's tension gradually dissipated, and a smile appeared on his face.

Chen's mother laid out bedding for Li An inside the house, right next to the stone. Several children huddled on the kang (a heated brick bed), chattering and laughing, their voices drifting out of the window and filling the courtyard.

Father Chen lit his pipe again and said slowly, "Li Hu has it tough. He has to raise a child alone, run the shop, and run caravans all by himself. It's really hard on him."

Chen's mother sighed, "Yes. He entrusted his child to us because he trusts us. We must treat his child well and not let him worry."

Chen Dashan said, "Mom, don't worry. An'an is a sensible child, and she gets along well with Shitou and the others. Living together won't be a problem."

Su Xiaoyin said from the side, "Tomorrow Xiaoqing and I will take a look at An'an's clothes. If she's missing anything, we'll make her a couple more outfits. This child is thinner than a stone; she needs to eat more good food."

Chen's mother nodded: "Okay, you guys handle it."

It was late at night, and the children were sleepy, so they all lay down on the kang (a heated brick bed) and fell asleep. Chen's mother covered them with blankets, dimmed the lamp, and then quietly came out.

In the courtyard, the moon rose, casting its gentle light across the ground. Apricot blossoms continued to fall, their petals drifting in the moonlight like a light snowfall.

Father Chen sat on the porch, smoking his pipe and gazing at the stars. Chen Dashan sat beside him. Father and son didn't speak, but they both understood—that's life, one day at a time, one task at a time. Spring planting was over, wild vegetables needed to be picked, embroidery needed to be finished, children needed to be taken to school, and neighbors in need needed help. Busy, yes, but busy with a sense of purpose and hope.

The sun will rise again tomorrow. There's still work to be done, nothing can be skipped. But these kinds of days bring a sense of peace.