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

That afternoon, Chen's mother picked up the children and brought them back to the house. As soon as they entered, Shitou ran to Chen's mother, looked up at her, and said, "Grandma, I have good news for you!"

Chen's mother squatted down and asked with a smile, "What good news?"

Shi Tou grabbed Li An's hand and pulled him in front of Chen's mother: "Brother Li An got second place in his class on the exam today! The teacher even praised him!"

Chen's mother's eyes lit up, and she quickly grabbed Li An's hand, looking him up and down: "Really? An'an, you're amazing!"

A little embarrassed, Li An said with a blush, "Grandma Chen, Shi Tou also did well on the test; he came in fifth place."

Shi Tou puffed out his little chest, but quickly slumped back down: "But I didn't do as well as Brother Li An on the exam."

Chen's mother smiled and said, "Fifth place is still great! You two are both amazing. Grandma will cook something delicious for An'an tonight as a reward; we'll have meat!"

Aji and Afu came over, and Aji asked, "Grandma, I also came in eighth place, will I get a reward?"

Qingqing chimed in, "Grandma, I didn't have a test, but I still want to eat meat."

Surrounded by her children, Chen's mother beamed, "Everyone gets everything! Tonight we'll stew meat, so everyone can have two extra pieces!"

The children cheered and ran around in the yard.

Su Xiaoyin poked her head out from the kitchen and asked with a smile, "Mother, what's making you so happy?"

Chen's mother told her that Li An had come in second place. Su Xiaoyin was also happy and said to Li An, "An'an, you're so amazing! Auntie will make you braised pork as a reward."

Li An blushed and whispered, "Thank you, Auntie."

Chen's mother added, "An'an, when your father recovers, tell him this good news. He'll definitely be happy."

Ang Lee nodded, his eyes shining.

That evening, Su Xiaoyin prepared a large feast. The braised pork was stewed until tender and glossy with a reddish-brown color; the stir-fried vegetables were vibrant green and crisp; and there was a pot of bone broth, simmered until milky white, with a few sprigs of cilantro floating on top. The children ate with gusto, their mouths drooling. Shitou, while eating, said, "Grandma, if I do well on every test, will you make me braised pork every time?"

Chen's mother smiled and put a piece of meat on his plate: "As long as you do well on your exams, Grandma will cook for you every day."

Aji and Afu joined in the clamor, and Chen's mother responded to each of them.

After dinner, Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing cleaned up the dishes. Mother Chen led the children to enjoy the cool air in the courtyard. The moon rose, casting its soft light upon the ground. Several children gathered together; Shitou took out his textbook and read aloud to Li An by the moonlight, Li An correcting his pronunciation. Qingqing followed along, while Aji and Afu joined in, chattering excitedly.

Chen's mother sat on the porch, watching her children, her heart filled with warmth. Although Li Hu hadn't fully recovered, he was alive and back, and that was the greatest blessing. The children were growing up day by day, making progress in their studies, and although life was busy, it was busy with hope.

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

Chen's mother tucked the blanket around Li An and whispered, "An'an, study hard and become the top scholar in the imperial examination so your father will be happy."

With his eyes closed and a slight smile playing on his lips, Ang Lee gave a soft "Mmm".

----

After dinner, the family, as usual, moved stools to the yard to enjoy the cool evening air. A breeze blew by, carrying the scent of crops and grass, gradually dissipating the heat accumulated during the day. The moon had not yet risen, and the last trace of crimson lingered on the horizon. Several butterflies fluttered about in the yard, and the children chased after them, chattering excitedly.

Su Xiaoyin leaned back in her chair, holding a palm-leaf fan in her hand, fanning herself idly. She had been working at the general store these past few days and knew the business inside and out, and she had been pondering something on her mind.

"Dad, our melons sold even better this year. Do you think we should plant more next year?" she asked her father, turning her head to him.

Mr. Chen was smoking a pipe when he heard this. He took the pipe out of his mouth, thought for a moment, and said, "Grow more? There's no suitable place on the mountain now."

Chen's mother chimed in, "That's right. Now there's one patch of land planted with medicinal herbs, another with melons, and fruit trees. This year they even started a new patch for vegetables. Where's the empty space?"

Su Xiaoyin sighed. Of course, she knew there was no more open space on the mountain, but the melons in the shop were always the first to sell out every day. Many people came late and couldn't buy any, leaving disappointed. She thought that if there were more melons, the shop's business would definitely be better.

Chen Dashan leaned back in his chair, holding a blade of grass in his hand, unconsciously weaving something. He thought for a moment and said, "Dad, how about we plant some vegetables on the land at the foot of the mountain? We can change the place where we plant vegetables now to melons. Vegetables grow quickly, have a short cycle, and can be planted anywhere. Melons need good soil, and the land at the foot of the mountain has thick soil and a nearby water source, so it's perfect for growing melons."

Mr. Chen thought for a moment, lit his pipe, took a puff, and slowly said, "That's fine. This is all we can do this year. We'll plan for next year properly. We can plant fruit trees and medicinal herbs on the mountain, melons at the foot of the mountain, and vegetables by the river. That way, there won't be any conflicts."

Hearing this, Su Xiaoyin felt a little more at ease. She then asked about the braised food: "Dad, the braised food at the shop hasn't been selling very well lately. Many regular customers say they're tired of it, and a new braised food shop opened on the next street. It tastes similar to ours, but it's cheaper, and it's taking away some of our business."

Chen's mother sighed, "That's how business is; people come in and people go out. We need to think of a way."

Chen Xiaohe's eyes lit up, and he said, "Sister-in-law, why don't you try making some jujube cakes? We still have so many jujubes left from last year, stored in the cellar. Making jujube cakes isn't difficult, and the cost is low. If you take them to a shop to sell, someone will definitely want them."

Su Xiaoyin nodded: "That's a good idea. Jujube cake is sweet but not cloying, and both the elderly and children love it. I'll try it tomorrow. I just don't know if I can make it well."

Chen Dashan also spoke up. He always spoke slowly, but he thought things through carefully: "We could try adding some spice to the braised food. Spicy and numbing flavor would be appetizing in the summer. We've never made spicy food before, so maybe it will attract some new customers."

Su Xiaoyin's eyes lit up, and she turned to look at Su Xiaoqing. Su Xiaoqing was fanning Qingqing, and upon hearing this, she perked up as well: "Big brother is right! I've had spicy braised pork in the county town once, it's so numbing and spicy, it's really satisfying. We can try it, let's make a small batch first and see if everyone likes it."

Su Xiaoyin made the decision: "Okay, let's try it at home tomorrow. Make a small pot of spicy braised pork and a batch of jujube cake. If it tastes good, we can take it to the shop to sell."

Mr. Chen listened from the side and nodded in satisfaction. His children had their own ideas and were willing to think things through; only then could their lives get better and better.