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

"Sister, how's business at the shop lately?" Su Xiaoqing asked.

Su Xiaoyin said, "It's alright. Tofu, bean sprouts, braised meats, and preserved fruits are all selling well. We can earn a few hundred coins a day, which isn't as much as during peak season, but it's still quite a bit." She paused, then sighed, "It's just that the pastries aren't selling very well. Lately, we can't sell out the ones we make every day, so I've reduced the quantity."

Su Xiaoqing frowned: "Is it because the taste is bad?"

Su Xiaoyin shook her head: "The taste is fine. People have said the jujube cake and mung bean cake are good. It's probably because it's cold lately, and people don't like eating cold pastries anymore. Maybe it will be better around the New Year."

Su Xiaoqing thought for a moment and said, "Sister, how about we try making something hot? Like steamed rice cake or something, made fresh and sold hot, people will be more willing to buy it when it's cold."

Su Xiaoyin's eyes lit up: "That's a great idea. I'll give it a try later. Also, I noticed that breakfast stall in the county town sells their steamed buns and mantou really well every morning. Should we try making and selling some breakfast there too?"

Su Xiaoqing said, "We can give it a try. But time is tight in the morning, so we need to prepare in advance. The shop opens early enough, and if we get up even earlier to make breakfast, I'm afraid we won't be able to keep up."

Su Xiaoyin thought for a moment and said, "That's true. Let's not rush it, let's think about it slowly."

As they were talking, Chen Dashan came out from the backyard. His head was still wrapped in gauze, but his complexion was much better than a couple of days ago, and he walked more steadily. He held onto the door frame and slowly walked to the counter.

"Brother, why are you up? Doctor Li said you need to rest in bed." Su Xiaoqing quickly stood up to help him.

Chen Dashan waved his hand and sat down on the chair next to him: "I've been lying down for several days, and I feel terrible all over. Get up and sit down, it's nothing."

Su Xiaoyin poured him a bowl of hot water and handed it to him, saying, "Don't sit for too long, go back and lie down in a bit."

Chen Dashan took the bowl, took a sip of water, looked at Su Xiaoyin, and said softly, "Xiaoyin, don't be too anxious. Take your time with things at the shop. If the pastries aren't selling well, just make less. Don't put too much pressure on yourself."

Su Xiaoyin nodded, feeling warm inside, but said, "I know. I just want to add more things to the shop so that business will be better and our family's life will be better."

Chen Dashan held her hand, his rough palm against her slender fingers, and said in a low but earnest voice, "It's already very good. Much better than I imagined."

Su Xiaoyin's eyes welled up with tears, but she held them back. She withdrew her hand and lowered her head to continue making silk flowers.

Su Xiaoqing looked at her elder brother and sister-in-law's expressions, her lips curved slightly, but she didn't say anything and continued to sort through the scraps of cloth.

Qingqing looked up at her uncle, then at her mother, and asked softly, "Daddy, does your head still hurt?"

Chen Dashan patted her head: "It doesn't hurt anymore. Qingqing, go and write."

Qingqing said "Oh" and lowered her head to continue writing.

At noon, Su Xiaoyin went to the kitchen to cook. There were eggs and cured meat brought by Chen's mother, so she steamed some egg custard, stir-fried a plate of cured meat and vegetables, and heated up some steamed buns. The family sat around the table and ate a simple meal.

Chen Dashan ate about half a bowl of rice and then put down his chopsticks. Su Xiaoyin looked at him and frowned: "Eat some more."

Chen Dashan shook his head: "That's enough. You guys eat."

Su Xiaoyin didn't try to persuade him anymore, knowing that he didn't have a good appetite and that he could recover slowly.

In the afternoon, Chen's mother returned from the stall, while Chen's father remained there. Su Xiaoqing wanted to relieve her father-in-law, but Chen's mother stopped her, saying, "Your father can stay there by himself. You rest. We'll relieve him tomorrow."

Su Xiaoqing couldn't go against her mother-in-law's wishes, so she had no choice but to stay.

In the evening, Mr. Chen packed up his stall and returned home. The family sat together and talked about their affairs. Mr. Chen recounted the outcome of the village's handling of the matter, and Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing listened in silence.

"Let's just let this matter rest," Mr. Chen sighed. "We'll be more careful in the future."

Su Xiaoyin nodded without saying anything.

Chen Dashan leaned back in his chair, his eyes closed, as if deep in thought. After a while, he opened his eyes and said, "Dad, we need to have some rules for our family next year. We can't keep doing what we used to do, where anyone can bully us whenever they want."

Mr. Chen nodded: "You're right. Let's discuss this properly during the New Year."

It was late at night, and Chen's mother took the children to bed. Su Xiaoyin helped Chen Dashan back to the house, helped him take off his coat, and laid him down. She sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), looked at his face, and whispered, "Dashan, when you get better, we'll live a good life together."

Chen Dashan took her hand and nodded.

----

More than ten days later, Chen Dashan's injury was completely healed. The gauze on his head was removed, and pink new flesh grew from the wound. Doctor Li came to see him and said that the recovery was good. As long as he didn't do heavy work, he could walk around without any problems. School was also closed for the holidays. Shitou, Aji, Afu, Qingqing, and the other children cheered and packed their schoolbags, then went back to Nanshan Village with the adults.

The mule cart was packed full of bedding, changes of clothes, and New Year's goods that Su Xiaoyin had bought in the county town, leaving almost no room to step. Mother Chen sat at the back of the cart, her children crowding around her, chattering excitedly. Shi Tou counted on his fingers, "Grandma, for New Year's I want braised pork, dumplings, and firecrackers!" Qingqing chimed in, "I want candied hawthorns!" Aji and Afu joined in the commotion, their chatter giving Mother Chen a headache, but her face was full of smiles.

Chen Dashan drove the cart, with Su Xiaoyin sitting beside him. The winter wind was cold, cutting like a knife against his face, but his heart was warm. Finally, he could go home, no longer lying on the kang (heated brick bed) in the county town, anxiously thinking about the crops, livestock, and all the things to do back home. Su Xiaoyin tucked his collar in, and he glanced at her sideways, saying nothing, but his eyes were filled with a smile.

When they arrived home, Chen's father and Chen Xiaohe were waiting at the gate. Chen Xiaohe ran over, helped his older brother out of the car, looked him up and down, and said with a few red eyes, "Brother, you're finally all better."

Chen Dashan patted his younger brother on the shoulder and said with a smile, "It's alright, it's nothing. You've had a hard time these past few days."

Chen Xiaohe shook his head and helped unload the things from the car. The children jumped out of the car and ran all over the yard. Afu chased a hen, making it fly all over the yard and cluck. Chen's mother shouted from behind, "Stop chasing it! If you keep chasing it, I'll stew you tonight!" Afu didn't listen and ran even faster.

That evening, the family gathered in the main room. A large pot of steaming bone broth sat in the center of the table, alongside scrambled eggs, a platter of braised pork, stir-fried vegetables, and a dish of pickled vegetables. Father Chen picked up his wine cup, took a sip, looked at his family, and slowly said, “Dashan is better now, the children are back, and our family is finally all together. Tomorrow I’ll find someone to help, and the day after tomorrow we’ll slaughter the pig. We’ll also kill the ducks and chickens that aren’t laying eggs, and smoke or pickle what needs to be smoked. This year, we’ll have a proper New Year.”