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

"These bamboo shoots are so delicious! They're so fresh and tender. After eating radishes, cabbages, pickled vegetables, and radishes all winter, my mouth was practically tasteless. This fresh and vibrant taste of spring is so refreshing!" Chen Xiaohe slurped down a big mouthful of bamboo shoot soup, then picked up a chopstick of cold bamboo shoot salad and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing it with a crunching sound, his face full of satisfaction.

Seeing his greedy look, Chen's mother was both amused and annoyed. She scolded, "How could it not taste good? If it didn't taste good, would those restaurant owners in the city spend money to buy it? Spring bamboo shoots are all about the season; once they're gone, they're gone forever."

Su Xiaoqing also took small bites of the bamboo shoots, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Chen's mother, recalling the unexpected delight she had experienced that afternoon: "Mom, this afternoon my sister and I were in the bamboo forest, and we not only dug up bamboo shoots, but we also found some good stuff!"

"Oh? What good stuff?" Chen's mother asked.

"It's bamboo fungus!" Su Xiaoqing lowered her voice, but couldn't hide her excitement. "Spring bamboo fungus! It looks even fresher and bigger than the ones we picked last autumn! We've already carefully dried them behind the house."

"Bamboo fungus? It's sprouting in spring too?" Chen's mother was both surprised and delighted, her chopsticks pausing in mid-air. "That's a rare treat! We have to hurry, while everyone else in the village is busy with spring planting and hasn't realized it yet, we should get as much as we can! Tomorrow, we'll go to the bamboo grove at daybreak!"

And so the matter was settled. The next day, as dawn broke, the Chen family split into two groups. Father Chen, with Chen Xiaohe, continued tending to the newly sown fields and planning the reclamation of the fourteen acres of wasteland. Chen Dashan, accompanied by Mother Chen and the sharp-eyed and quick-handed Su sisters, set off again towards the bamboo forest behind the mountain.

Before the morning dew had dried, the air in the bamboo grove was fresh and sweet. The four had a clear division of labor: the Su sisters, relying on their experience of finding bamboo fungus last time and their more meticulous observation skills, were mainly tasked with finding those "snow-skirted fairies" hidden under the thick layer of decaying leaves and soil. Chen Dashan and his mother were in charge of digging up the spring bamboo shoots on a large scale. Both of them were skilled at farm work, and their hoes swung quickly and accurately, specifically picking out the shoots with firm husks and tender yellow tips.

"Mom! Come quick! There's another small patch here!" Su Xiaoqing's voice was filled with excitement. A moment later, Su Xiaoyin also made a discovery in another place.

Hearing the sound, Chen's mother went over and watched as her daughters-in-law carefully picked out plump, white bamboo fungus from under the fallen leaves. Her smile deepened: "Good, good! Quite a lot! Adding the ones we picked yesterday, once they're dried, I think it'll weigh at least a pound and a half!"

Su Xiaoyin carefully searched the vicinity, straightened up, and wiped the fine sweat from her forehead: "That's all for now. I've searched the entire vicinity and haven't found anything new."

Chen Dashan walked over carrying a bundle of freshly dug bamboo shoots. Looking at the precious bamboo fungus, he said calmly, "This is already quite a lot. Before you came, my family would wander around the bamboo forest all year round and rarely came across more than a few. These things depend on fate, and also on who has a keen eye and a keen eye."

With the bamboo fungus harvest complete, the four men devoted all their energy to digging for bamboo shoots. The bamboo shoots, seemingly having held back all winter, sprouted eagerly, almost everywhere. They worked diligently, the only sounds the dull thud of hoes hitting the ground and the crisp snapping of shoots as they were pried up. One by one, their baskets were filled and piled up beside the bamboo grove.

Returning to the old house at noon, the courtyard was almost overflowing with green and yellow bamboo shoots, like a small mountain. Looking at this abundant harvest, Chen's mother made a plan: "This afternoon, let's go dig again for another day! While we're still going strong, let's dig as many as we can. Tomorrow, we'll pick the best ones and take them to the county town to test the waters and see what price we can get. If the price is right, great; if we can't sell them, or the price is too low, we won't lose out. We can dry them all into bamboo shoots and keep them for ourselves to eat slowly. They'll be a good thing in winter!"

After a short rest following lunch, the four of them picked up their tools and baskets again and returned to the bamboo forest as if they were tireless. That afternoon, they put in even more effort and almost swept away all the decent-looking bamboo shoots in sight.

At dinner time, the family was so tired that they could barely lift their arms, but looking at the two large piles of bamboo shoots in the yard and the white bamboo fungus drying in the shade behind the house, they felt a sense of peace and joy.

While serving rice to everyone, Chen's mother gave instructions: "Tomorrow, Xiaohe, you take Xiaoqing with you, push the cart, and go to the county town to sell spring bamboo shoots. Last time you sold winter bamboo shoots, you went to Wang's Restaurant with your father, so you know the way and the people there. This time, take Xiaoqing with you so she can familiarize herself with the place and gain some experience. Go to Wang's Restaurant first and ask if they'll buy them at a reasonable price. If they won't, then push the cart around to other restaurants and markets to try your luck."

Chen Xiaohe immediately and loudly agreed, "Yes! Don't worry, Mom! I've got it covered!" Su Xiaoqing also nodded quickly, feeling a little nervous but mostly eager to try.

Mother Chen then said to Su Xiaoqing, "Xiaoqing, pack up a few of the good embroidery pieces you and your sister have made recently. After you sell the bamboo shoots, go to the embroidery shop and sell those pieces too. Ask the shopkeeper what patterns are popular lately. You can do both at the same time."

"Yes, Mother, I understand!" Su Xiaoqing replied.

The next day, before dawn, Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe loaded the carefully selected, uniformly sized, and intact bamboo shoots onto a cart, piling them high and securing them with straw ropes and old burlap. Su Xiaoqing also prepared her small bundle, which contained several exquisitely embroidered handkerchiefs and two auspicious bibs.

Before setting off, Su Xiaoyin took out a small bamboo basket from the kitchen. Inside were tender shepherd's purse, dandelions, and other wild vegetables, as well as a small bag of freshly picked mushrooms that looked quite good that morning. She handed it to Chen Xiaohe and instructed him, "Brother Xiaohe, these wild vegetables and mushrooms were specially picked by my mother and me this morning from the back mountain. They're very fresh. Right now, it's the lean season, and the vegetables in the fields haven't come out yet. I guess there aren't many fresh vegetables in the city either. Take these to the manager of Wang's Restaurant and tell him they're some wild vegetables we picked ourselves, so he can try them. It's never a bad thing to be a good person."

Chen Xiaohe took the basket and chuckled, "Sister-in-law is so thoughtful!"

In the morning light, Chen Xiaohe pushed a heavy cart, with Su Xiaoqing carrying a bundle and basket beside him, as they set off on the dirt road leading to the county town. The wheels creaked and groaned as they rolled over the damp earth, carrying the hopes of the family, and the excitement and slight trepidation of the young couple's first time traveling as merchants together, heading towards the bustling county market. The spring breeze rustled through the roadside willows, bringing the scent of earth and grass, as if encouraging them.