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

While drinking his porridge, Chen Dashan said to his mother, "Mother, today Dad and I plan to tidy up that newly bought wasteland. While the soil is still moist, we'll clear away the larger stones and burn the weeds. You see, the work in the fields isn't urgent for now. Why don't you take Xiaoyin and pick some mushrooms and wild vegetables on the mountain while they're still tender? We can dry them into dried mushrooms. Even if we can't sell them to restaurants in winter, adding a handful to our own stews will give us a rare and delicious flavor."

Upon hearing this, Chen's mother's eyes lit up. She put down her chopsticks and said, "That makes sense! In winter, all we eat are radishes, cabbages, and pickled vegetables. It's so bland it's unbearable. These spring mountain produce, dried and stored for winter, are a real treasure! Even if we don't make money selling them, we'll still profit from eating them ourselves! It's settled then!"

After breakfast, the family quickly divided the tasks. Chen's father and Chen Dashan shouldered hoes and shovels, took water bottles and dry food, and headed to the newly purchased wasteland.

Chen's mother quickly changed into her old clothes, tightened her trousers, slung a large basket over her shoulder, and handed Su Xiaoyin a slightly smaller one. The mother and daughter-in-law locked the courtyard gate and walked along the familiar path towards the back mountain.

The mountains and forests in spring are bursting with life. Layers of new green leaves, wildflowers dotting the landscape, and the air is filled with the fresh scent of grass and trees. As they walked, Chen's mother pointed to a clump of bushes by the roadside that had just sprouted purplish-red buds and said, "Xiaoyin, see this? This is called Chinese toon. Some city people like to eat it, calling it 'fresh from the tree.' You can stir-fry it with eggs or mix it with tofu. But it has a strong smell. People like your dad, Dashan, and Xiaohe all like it, but I get a headache just smelling it and won't eat a bite."

Su Xiaoyin curiously leaned closer to smell it, and a unique and rich fragrance wafted into her nose. She blinked and said, "Mom, we've never eaten this before when we lived in the south. Let's pick some to take back tonight and let everyone try it."

"Okay, then pick only the tenderest shoots." Chen's mother said, her hands moving non-stop. She pointed to several clumps of tender shepherd's purse, dandelion, and lamb's quarters on the ground. "These wild vegetables are at their tenderest now, and they're not bitter. Let's pick more, blanch them when we get back, dry them in the sun, and soak them in hot water in the winter. Whether we use them for fillings or soup, they're much better than dried vegetables."

Su Xiaoyin diligently learned to identify them, her hands moving quickly. She discovered that her mother-in-law knew this mountain as well as her own backyard, knowing exactly which mushrooms grew in the shady areas and which wild vegetables thrived in the sunny spots. She quickly got the hang of it, picking only those with thick, brightly colored leaves.

"Mom, look over here!" Su Xiaoyin parted a clump of dense ferns, and behind it, on a patch of moist humus, grew a small patch of plump, brown mushrooms with round, thick caps. "So many mushrooms! They look edible!"

Chen's mother hurried over, examined them carefully, and exclaimed happily, "They're hazel mushrooms! These are good; they're the best for stewing meat after drying! Quick, hurry and pick them! The sun will be high in the sky, and the dew will dry, making them harder to pick. The spring planting in the village is almost finished now; I'm sure many people will come up the mountain these next few days, all eager for this fresh spring flavor!"

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law stopped talking and quickly bent down to pick up the mushrooms. Clumps of mushrooms and baskets of wild vegetables filled their baskets, making them increasingly heavy. Besides mushrooms and wild vegetables, they didn't forget the toon leaves, picking the tenderest buds and filling a small basket to the brim.

As the sun approached noon, the two returned home carrying baskets full of their harvest. Just as they entered the courtyard, they saw Chen Xiaohe and Su Xiaoqing also returning, pushing empty carts, smiles on their faces. Almost simultaneously, Chen's father and Chen Dashan, carrying tools and smelling of mud, returned from the wasteland.

"They're all back? Perfect timing!" Mother Chen put down her basket and invited everyone to wash their hands at the well. She then had Su Xiaoyin bring out the boiled water that had been cooled. "Xiaohe, Xiaoqing, how did it go? Did you sell everything?"

Chen Xiaohe gulped down half a bowl of water, wiped his mouth, and couldn't hide his smugness: "Mom, they're all sold! We took them to Wang's Restaurant. Manager Wang was very welcoming when he saw it was us. It's just that spring bamboo shoots aren't as expensive as winter bamboo shoots; he only offered ten copper coins per pound. But he bought all two hundred or so pounds we brought!"

Su Xiaoqing added from the side, her voice clear and crisp: "Manager Wang even praised Mother and Sister-in-law for being so thoughtful! He said that the fresh mushrooms and wild vegetables were delivered at just the right time, as their restaurant was really missing that fresh taste of spring. He specifically asked if we could dry more mushrooms, as he might need them in the winter, but it's uncertain for now. The bamboo fungus is still at the old price; he'll buy it if we have any."

"And there's more!" Chen Xiaohe interjected. "Manager Wang specifically asked if we could pick any toon leaves. They want to buy them, eight copper coins per pound! They need thirty pounds tomorrow! And ten pounds of shepherd's purse, three copper coins per pound. Mother, this is a business with no capital!"

Chen's father and Chen Dashan listened with smiles on their faces. The bamboo shoots had sold for two taels of silver, which was already a good income, but they hadn't expected to receive an additional order for wild vegetables.

Su Xiaoqing took out a small purse: "The embroidery is sold too, for a total of 245 coins. We've been busy at home lately, so my sister and I haven't done much. We still have some embroidery thread and fabric left over from last time, so we didn't buy any more this time."

After listening, Chen's mother quickly calculated in her mind, and a decisive look appeared on her face: "Good! The price of bamboo shoots is fair. Since Manager Wang asked for wild vegetables, he trusts us, and this is a good approach!" She glanced at the sun, "This afternoon, my eldest daughter-in-law, me, and Xiaoqing, the three of us will hurry up the mountain again! While not many people know about it yet, let's quickly pick the thirty catties of toon and ten catties of shepherd's purse that Manager Wang wanted, and also pick some other wild vegetables and mushrooms to dry! This business is booming for these few days. Once everyone in the village realizes it and rushes up the mountain, there will be too many wild vegetables, and the price won't be as high!"

She looked at Chen's father and Chen Xiaohe: "You two can handle the wasteland this afternoon, there's no rush. Dashan is at home, so hurry up and prepare the mountain produce we picked this morning. Blanch what needs blanching, and dry what needs drying, don't let it spoil."

With the task clear, everyone immediately sprang into action. After a quick lunch, Chen's mother, along with her two daughters-in-law, shouldered larger baskets and cloth bags and set off again for the back mountain. This time, their goal was clear: to find toon trees and lush shepherd's purse fields. The mountain was quiet, save for the rustling sounds of their picking and the occasional whispers.

At home, Chen Dashan brought out bamboo sieves and reed mats of various sizes, carefully spreading out the mushrooms his mother and wife had picked that morning. He also washed and blanched the wild vegetables, drained them, and spread them out to dry. Soon, the yard was filled with the fresh aroma of blanched wild vegetables and the unique scent of mushrooms.

Chen's father and Chen Xiaohe were also busy. They gathered the pebbles and weeds that they had cleared from the wasteland that morning and checked the direction of the field ridges and irrigation ditches to make more detailed preparations for the next stage of reclamation.

As the sun set, Chen's mother and her two companions returned with baskets nearly overflowing, their faces showing weariness but also the joy of a bountiful harvest. Thirty catties of toon sprouts, over ten catties of shepherd's purse, and many extra wild vegetables and mushrooms filled a corner of the yard to the brim.

As night fell, the Chen family courtyard was brightly lit. Everyone sat together, eating a simple dinner, their conversation centered on tomorrow's delivery, the dried mountain produce, and the potential opportunities that Manager Wang might bring. The bounty of the spring forest not only filled their baskets but also ignited the family's boundless hope for a richer, more independent future. Those thirty catties of toon sprouts and ten catties of shepherd's purse might have seemed like a small business deal to Manager Wang, but for the Chen family, it was like a key, quietly unlocking a door to a more stable and promising life.