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

On the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, the Chen family packed their belongings and returned to the village from the county town. The mule cart was loaded with leftover New Year's goods, clothes for the children to change into, and two bolts of fine cotton cloth that Su Xiaoyin had bought in the county town, saying that she would make light clothing for the family in the spring.

As soon as I entered the village, I saw Brother De standing under the old locust tree, as if waiting for someone. His cotton-padded coat was newly made, dark blue, with creases on the cuffs, and his hair was neatly combed. He looked much more energetic than before the New Year, and his eyebrows and eyes were full of joy.

"Dashan, we've been waiting for you to come back!" Brother De came up to greet them, took the bundle from Chen Dashan's hands, and helped carry it into the yard.

Chen Dashan tied up the mule, dusted himself off, and smiled as he cupped his hands in greeting: "Brother De, congratulations! We heard your eldest son's marriage proposal was successful? We heard about it on the second day of the Lunar New Year and have been thinking of coming back to congratulate you. Has the date been set yet?"

Brother De grinned from ear to ear, pulled a handful of peanut candy from his pocket, and stuffed it into the hands of the children, including Shi Tou, who had run over. He replied, "It's settled, it's settled. The date the fortune teller chose is auspicious for marriage, so we'll set it after the spring planting. The weather will be neither too hot nor too cold, just right."

Su Xiaoyin was unloading things from the car when she heard this. She turned around and said with a smile, "Brother De, now you can finally relax. Which family in town is the woman from? I heard she owns a general store?"

Brother De nodded, his smile widening. As he helped move the things, he said, "His surname is Zhou. He's run a general store in town for over ten years. This is his only daughter, someone I know well. She's literate too, so I'll feel at ease leaving the store in the county town to her." He then turned to Chen Dashan, his tone becoming serious, "Dashan, actually, I came here today for this. I'd like you to make a set of furniture."

Chen Dashan carried the last bundle into the house, washed his hands, and came out to sit on the stone bench in the courtyard. De Ge also moved a stool and sat next to him. Chen's father brought out two bowls of tea from the kitchen, placed them in front of the two men, and sat on the threshold, smoking and listening.

"Brother De, the date is set after the spring planting, which is less than two months from now." Chen Dashan pondered for a moment, "I need to go to town first to look at the house, take the measurements, and see what kind of furniture needs to be made. Then I need to calculate the time. If it's too late, I'll have to find someone else. I can't delay your plans."

Brother De quickly waved his hand, his tone sincere: "Dashan, I trust your skills. Even if it's a few days later, I can talk to the Zhou family. But it would be best if it weren't delayed, after all, the bride's family is also waiting to see the new house."

Chen Dashan stood up, dusted off his clothes, and said, "Alright, I'll go back and get the tools now. You drive the oxcart, and we'll head to town."

Su Xiaoyin chased after Chen Dashan to the courtyard gate and stuffed a water bag into his hand: "Take this, drink it if you get thirsty on the way. Go early and come back early."

Chen Dashan took the water bag and followed Brother De out the door.

De Ge's newly purchased house is located at the east end of town, not far from the main street, just around the corner from the market—a quiet oasis amidst the hustle and bustle. The house isn't large, with two courtyards, but it's kept very clean. The courtyard walls are newly painted, with blue bricks and gray tiles, and red lanterns from the Lunar New Year still hang above the door, swaying gently in the breeze. De Ge opened the door and led Chen Dashan inside.

There were two main rooms and one wing room each on the east and west sides. The courtyard was paved with bluestone slabs, with withered grass growing in the cracks, waiting to be tidied up in the spring. Chen Dashan walked around the rooms, took out a measuring tape, and squatted down to take measurements. De Ge followed behind, holding a notebook. Chen Dashan would call out a number, and De Ge would write it down.

"Place the large wardrobe in the east side room, against the north wall. It should be five feet wide and ten feet high, divided into two sections, with drawers at the bottom." Chen Dashan squatted on the ground, gesturing with a measuring tape to indicate the location.

Brother De noted it down, then asked, "Where should we put the camphor wood chest?"

Chen Dashan stood up, walked to the west side room, and looked around: "Place a pair by the window for good ventilation and to prevent them from getting damp. You can put a vase or dressing case on top of the chests; it'll look nice too." He went to the main room and measured the location of the dining table: "The dining table seats six people, which is fine for our own use, but can also be opened when guests come. The cabinets can be placed in the kitchen; they can hold dishes, rice, and noodles."

Brother De wrote everything down, closed the notebook, and said with satisfaction, "We'll do it your way. Dashan, how much silver? I'll give you a deposit first."

Chen Dashan put away the measuring tape and silently calculated for a while: "A total of four taels of silver. All the wood used for you is of the finest quality. The wardrobe is made of pine, which is sturdy; the camphor wood chest is also made of camphor wood, which is insect-resistant and more expensive. If other woods were used, it would be much cheaper. But the camphor wood chest is durable, and this will be a valuable asset for the bride's family. The dining table and chairs are made of elm, which is durable. The cabinets are also made of pine, with a clear varnish."

Without hesitation, De Ge said decisively, "I'll make it out of camphor wood, no exceptions. Da Shan, I'll give you two taels of silver as a deposit first, and I'll pay the rest after it's finished." He took out the silver from his pocket and handed it over.

Chen Dashan took the silver and asked, "Brother De, would you like to choose a design for the carving?" He took out a booklet from his cloth bag, which Su Xiaoyin had drawn for him. It contained various flowers, birds, and auspicious patterns. Although it was only drawn with charcoal, the lines were clear and easy to understand.

Brother De took the booklet, flipped through a few pages, and pointed to one of them: "This one, with a lotus scroll pattern. It has a good meaning and isn't flashy."

Chen Dashan glanced at it and nodded: "Okay, this is my specialty. Xiaohe's carving skills are more refined than mine, let him carve it, I guarantee you'll be satisfied."

The two locked the door and drove the oxcart back. On the way, Brother De was in a good mood and hummed a few lines of opera, which were carried away by the wind. Chen Dashan didn't hear what they were saying, but he felt that the tune was light and cheerful.

By the time they got home, it was almost dark. Su Xiaoyin set the table, and the family sat down together. While eating, Chen Dashan told them about what had happened to De Ge's family.

After listening, Mr. Chen put down his chopsticks, his brows furrowing slightly: "Less than two months, time is tight. Dashan, have you made up your mind? Don't delay any longer, or we'll make enemies with Brother De's family."

"There's still time." Chen Dashan swallowed a mouthful of rice, his tone confident. "We already have camphor wood chests and cabinets at home, and the sizes are just right. We made a few extra sets before the New Year, and they've been sitting in the storage room without being painted. We used good materials when we made them, the mortise and tenon joints are tight, and the sanding is fine. Xiaohe can carve the details on them; he's skillful and can carve more finely than I can. I'll start making the dining table and chairs and the wardrobe tomorrow. These aren't difficult; they can be finished in less than a month."

Mr. Chen was still worried and asked again, "Is the size of the camphor wood chest really suitable? What if it doesn't fit and we have to make alterations?"

Chen Dashan nodded: "I measured it. The width and length of the wall next to the window in the west side room of Brother De's house are just right. I only dared to agree after I went to see it. Dad, don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Chen's father then stopped asking questions and picked up his bowl to continue eating.