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

Su Xiaoyin thought for a moment and said, "Okay, let's not buy it for now. We'll talk about it when we've decided. I'll have the embroidery pattern drawn in the county town. You're too busy with work at home. There are fewer people in the shop in the afternoon, so I have time to draw it."

Su Xiaoqing nodded: "Okay, then you draw it, sister. I'll finish up my chores at home first, and then I'll help you find the right thread once the embroidery pattern is ready."

In the evening, Su Xiaoyin closed her general store. She took out the small fish and tofu that Su Xiaoqing had brought that morning from the cabinet, put them in a basket, and headed towards another house.

The house was near the school, not far from the shop, only a fifteen-minute walk away. Su Xiaoyin pushed open the courtyard gate; the house was quiet and empty. Chen's mother had gone to pick up the children, and Chen Dashan hadn't finished work yet.

Su Xiaoyin went into the kitchen, tied on an apron, and began to cook.

The small fish were cleaned, salted, and pan-fried until golden brown on both sides. Water, scallions, ginger, and tofu were added, and the mixture was simmered over low heat. The pot bubbled and simmered, and the fish soup gradually turned milky white, filling the whole yard with its aroma.

She took out the leftover braised food from the basket that morning and chopped a small plate of it. The chives were brought from home that morning; they were very tender. She chopped them into sections, added a few eggs, and stir-fried them into a dish of chives and eggs. The dough had been left to rise yesterday. She shaped it into pancakes, stuck them to the side of the pan, and they quickly turned golden brown and crispy.

Just as I was busy working, the gate to the courtyard rang.

Mother Chen returned with her four children. Shi Tou ran ahead, shouting as soon as he entered, "It smells so good! Mom, what are you doing?"

Su Xiaoyin poked her head out of the kitchen, smiling, and said, "Stewed small fish with tofu, stir-fried eggs with chives, and braised pork. Go wash your hands, it'll be ready soon."

Aji and Afu ran in after him, circling around the stove. Afu stood on tiptoe to look into the pot, swallowing hard, "Mom, when can we eat?"

Su Xiaoyin smiled and picked him up, showing him the fish soup in the pot: "It'll be ready soon, go tell Grandma and your brothers to wash their hands."

Several children ran to fetch water to wash their hands. Li An followed behind, neither arguing nor grabbing, waiting until Shi Tou finished washing before he washed his hands. Chen's mother watched this, secretly nodding in approval; this child was sensible.

The food was laid out on the table. A large bowl of stewed small fish and tofu was served, with bright green scallions floating on top of the milky white broth. Thinly sliced ​​braised pork was arranged on a plate. The stir-fried eggs with chives were golden brown and looked very appetizing. The flatbread was crispy on one side and soft on the other, steaming hot when broken open.

Su Xiaoyin served soup to the children and then put a piece of tofu and a few slices of braised meat on Li An's plate: "An'an, eat more. You're too thin, you need to gain some weight."

Ang Lee whispered, "Thank you, Auntie. Your cooking is delicious."

Chen's mother smiled and said, "Eat more if you like it. It's just like home here with Grandma Chen."

The children buried their heads in their food. Shi Tou took a sip of the fish soup and sighed contentedly, "Mom, your fish soup is so delicious! It's even better than the ones sold at the market!"

Aji and Afu nodded in agreement, their mouths stuffed full, unable to speak.

Su Xiaoyin glanced at the table and noticed someone was missing. She asked Chen's mother, "Mother, isn't Dashan coming back for dinner?"

Chen's mother said, "Dashan is eating at Wu Zhubu's place, so we don't need to bring his share. They provide meals there, saying it's easier to eat together."

Su Xiaoyin nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

After dinner, Chen's mother was about to clear the dishes. Su Xiaoyin stopped her, saying, "Mother, you rest. Take the children to play in the yard. I'll clean up."

Chen's mother couldn't persuade her otherwise, so she took the children to the yard.

In the courtyard, Shi Tou, A Ji, A Fu, and Li An sat together, beginning to teach Qing Qing what she had learned at school that day. Shi Tou used a twig to draw and write on the ground, reciting as he wrote: "At birth, people are inherently good. Their natures are similar, but their habits differ..."

Qingqing repeated the words, and after two repetitions, she remembered them and could even recite them. Shitou was not convinced and taught her a few more new words, which Qingqing also learned very quickly.

Aji, standing nearby, grew anxious: "Sis, slow down! I can't keep up!"

Qingqing smiled, slowed down, and taught him word by word.

Mrs. Chen sat on a bench in the porch, watching the children with a smile on her face. Su Xiaoyin finished cleaning up the kitchen, came out, and sat down next to Mrs. Chen.

"Mom, you've worked so hard," Su Xiaoyin said softly.

Chen's mother waved her hand: "What's so hard about it? I'm happy to see my children grow up and become more capable every day."

The moon rose, casting its gentle light upon the ground. The children's laughter drifted far from the courtyard. Su Xiaoyin leaned against a pillar, pondering the day's events. Fifty taels of silver, plus the shop's income, meant the family was becoming increasingly well-off. What should she embroider next? She needed to think carefully.

As night deepened, Chen's mother called the children into the house and told them to wash up and go to bed. Su Xiaoyin helped make the bed, and the children squeezed onto the large kang (heated brick bed), chattering for a while before gradually quieting down.

Su Xiaoyin returned to her room, lit the oil lamp, took out paper and pen, and began to draw an embroidery pattern. She drew a few strokes, but was dissatisfied, crumpled them up, and tossed them aside. She drew a few more strokes, still dissatisfied. She put down her pen, rubbed her eyes, and thought she would draw again tomorrow.

Outside the window, the chirping of insects grew louder and louder. Tomorrow will be another new day.

----

"Little River, are you home?"

At noon that day, under the blazing sun, Brother De pushed open the courtyard gate and walked in. He was wearing a worn-out short jacket with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Beads of sweat streamed down his face, and his back was soaked. It was clear that he had just come out of the fields and hadn't even had a chance to drink some water.

Chen Xiaohe was weaving bamboo baskets in the yard when he heard the sound. He quickly stood up, put down the bamboo strips he was holding, patted the bamboo shavings off his clothes, and greeted him with a smile: "Brother De is here! Come in and sit down, I'll pour you a bowl of cool tea."

He led Brother De into the main room and brought out a bowl of chilled tea from the kitchen. The tea had been brewed by Su Xiaoqing that morning and kept chilled in the well; it was perfect to drink now, cool and refreshing with a hint of mint.

Brother De took it, gulped down a big mouthful, and let out a long sigh: "Thanks, I've been walking all around and I'm so thirsty."

Chen Xiaohe sat down opposite him and asked, "Brother De, what brings you here? I've seen you busy working on the barren mountain lately."

De Ge put down his bowl, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and said, "I just finished my work and took some time to come over. I wanted to ask you, did Uncle Li Hu say when he'd be back?"

Chen Xiaohe was taken aback: "Uncle Li Hu? Didn't he go out? Before he left, he arranged for Li An to stay with us. Now he lives in the county town with my mother and the children, and goes to school every day."

Brother De nodded and sighed, "Yes, he entrusted the barren mountain to me before he left, asking me to take care of it. It's been quite a while since he left, and my family has been a bit too busy lately. I'm worried and wanted to ask if you know when he'll be back."