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

After reviewing the plan, Mr. Chen decided to transplant the jujube tree. Early the next morning, he took his youngest son, Chen Xiaohe, carrying hoes and shovels, and several pieces of damp old burlap, and went to the sunny slope behind the mountain. The father and son carefully dug around the chosen wild jujube tree, trying not to damage the main root. They brought a large enough clod of earth, carefully wrapped the roots and soil with the damp burlap, and then together they carried the tree back.

In the east corner of the new house's yard, Chen Dashan had already dug a deep and wide tree pit, just as his father had instructed the night before. He had even laid a layer of soil mixed with wood ash shoveled from the stove, saying it would fertilize the ground. The jujube tree was carefully placed into the pit. Chen's father held the trunk to ensure it was in the correct position, while Chen Xiaohe and Chen Dashan shoveled soil in. Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing helped by watering and tamping the soil down. A jujube tree, imbued with the spirit of the mountains, had taken root in the corner of the new house. Its tender green buds trembled slightly in the spring breeze, as if foreshadowing a sweet future.

I had just planted the jujube tree and hadn't even had a chance to wipe the sweat from my brow when I heard a knock at the gate and a woman's voice: "Is Dashan home?"

Chen's mother was washing her muddy hands by the well when she heard the sound and hurried over to open the door. Standing outside was Aunt Si from the village, a woman about the same age as Chen's mother, wearing a slightly worn blue cotton jacket, her face showing a mixture of urgency and anticipation.

"Oh, it's his fourth aunt! Come in and sit down!" Mother Chen quickly ushered her into the courtyard.

Fourth Aunt didn't stand on ceremony. Her gaze swept across the yard, and when she saw Chen Dashan tidying up his tools, her eyes lit up: "Dashan, I've finally found you! I have something urgent to ask you for help!"

Chen Dashan put down the shovel in his hand and walked over: "Fourth Aunt, please feel free to tell me what's on your mind."

"Well," Aunt Si rubbed her hands together, "my eldest son is engaged and will be marrying into the family after the fall. The new house needs some decent furniture to make it look grand, right? I heard you're a good carpenter, making sturdy and durable pieces, so I shamelessly came to your door. Do you... have time to take on work now?"

After listening, Chen Dashan pondered for a moment and asked, "I have time. Fourth Aunt, what kind of furniture do you want to make? Will you provide the wood, or will I prepare it? How long will it take? But I have to make it clear to you in advance that my skills are limited. I can only make practical items. I don't know how to do complicated carvings, so I'm afraid there won't be many designs on the furniture."

Upon hearing this, Fourth Aunt immediately waved her hand and laughed, "Oh dear, what do you need carvings for! We country folk just want something sturdy and durable! Too many patterns will just collect dust! As for the wood..." She looked a little troubled, "The good wood we had saved up was almost all used up when we built the new house a couple of years ago, and what's left are just pieces of unusable timber. I'll have to trouble you to provide the wood; just pick the sturdy kind."

She counted on her fingers: "I'm thinking, we need to make two large camphor wood chests to store clothes and bedding for the new bride; a kang table for the young couple to eat and drink tea on the kang; a large table and four long benches in the main room; and... could you make a light trolley? It will be convenient to transport grain or other things around the house in the future."

Chen Dashan quickly estimated the amount of wood and the time needed. The leftover wood from building the house, plus the few good pieces his father had found a few days ago, should be enough. He said, "Fourth Aunt, I can provide the wood for these furniture pieces. I'll use good quality wood to ensure they're sturdy. However, it will take some time to make; it'll probably take about twenty days to finish. Do you think that's feasible?"

"We can make it! We can make it in the fall!" Fourth Aunt nodded repeatedly.

Chen Dashan then quoted the price: "Two large camphor wood chests, a kang table, a square table for the main room, four long benches, and a small cart. The cost of the wood and labor will be calculated together, and I'll charge you one tael and five mace of silver. Is that acceptable?"

The price was clearly more reasonable than Fourth Aunt had expected, and her face immediately lit up with a smile: "Great! Absolutely! I knew you were honest! To tell you the truth, you made the big chest that accompanied Wang Laosan's daughter's dowry when she left home, right? I went to see it myself, and the wood, the mortise and tenon joints—it was truly impeccable! Her daughter is so respected in her husband's family! I came here specifically because of your excellent craftsmanship!" As she spoke, she took out an old money pouch from her bosom, carefully counted out an ounce of silver, and handed it to Chen Dashan, "This is an ounce of silver as a deposit; keep it for now! I'll definitely bring you the remaining five qian when you finish the work!"

Chen Dashan took the silver and nodded: "Okay, then I'll start preparing. You can come and see the goods in twenty days."

After seeing off the delighted Fourth Aunt, the atmosphere in the Chen family courtyard became even more lively. This unexpected carpentry job was not only an affirmation of Chen Dashan's skills, but also a considerable source of income.

Looking at her eldest son, Chen's mother couldn't hide her pride. She then began to rearrange the household chores: "Since Dashan has taken on the job, he should stay home and make furniture for the next twenty days. The reclamation of those fourteen acres of wasteland can't stop. Xiaohe, starting tomorrow, you and your father will go to the wasteland and focus on the work. The vegetable garden, the chickens, ducks, geese, pigs, and the three meals a day will be handled by me, Xiaoyin, and Xiaoqing. I've been watching the weather these past few days, so in the morning I'll take Xiaoyin and Xiaoqing up the mountain again to see if we can pick some more mushrooms and dry the last batch of spring mushrooms. If there's nothing left on the mountain, I'll go to the wasteland in the afternoon and help you reclaim the land. More people means more help."

She looked at her two daughters-in-law: "Xiaoyin, Xiaoqing, you two help tidy up the house and feed the livestock this morning, and stay home this afternoon to focus on your embroidery. Didn't the embroidery shop manager say that there are many happy events happening these days, so we need to keep up the good work? Dashan can do carpentry, and you can do embroidery, so it won't interfere with each other."

This arrangement was reasonable, and no one objected. Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing exchanged a glance, knowing that their mother-in-law was being considerate, allowing them to focus on the more lucrative embroidery work. Chen Dashan also looked at his mother gratefully, knowing that while he was doing carpentry, he wouldn't have to worry about household matters.

The next day, the Chen family's life began to operate according to the new division of labor.

As dawn broke, Chen's father and Chen Xiaohe, carrying dry rations and water, set off for the land of hope that held the promise of the future, laden with even heavier farming tools. Chen Dashan, meanwhile, plunged into his carpentry shed. He first mentally reviewed the furniture his fourth aunt wanted, then carefully selected, planned, measured, and marked the dimensions in the woodpile. Soon, the rhythmic sounds of sawing and planing filled the air, and fragrant sawdust danced in the morning light.

Chen's mother, along with Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing, first fed the chickens, ducks, and geese, cleaned the pigsty, and watered the seedlings in the corner of the yard. Then, the three of them, mother and daughters-in-law, shouldered baskets and went into the mountains again. In late spring, mushrooms were indeed harder to find in the mountains than before, but they still managed to find some stray hazel mushrooms and straw mushrooms thanks to their experience and patience. There were still some wild vegetables, which they picked as well, intending to dry them or eat them that evening.

When she returned at noon, after a quick meal, Chen's mother rolled up her sleeves and said to her two daughters-in-law, "There aren't many mushrooms left on the mountain, so I won't be going this afternoon. I'm going to help your father and Xiaohe over at the wasteland. I'm leaving the house in your care."

Su Xiaoyin quickly said, "Mother, don't worry, we'll take care of things at home."

In the afternoon, only the rhythmic sounds of sawing and planing and the delicate rustling of needle and thread from the east wing remained in the courtyard. Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing sat in the bright and clean room, the red cloth on the sewing frame gradually filled with colorful silk threads, outlining auspicious patterns such as mandarin ducks, twin lotus blossoms, and ruyi cloud designs. Occasionally, they would stop sewing, rub their eyes, listen to the steady sounds of work coming from Chen Dashan's direction outside the window, exchange a smile, and then lower their heads to focus on their work again.

Sunlight streamed obliquely through the window, illuminating the dancing dust motes and the serene profiles of the two sisters, their fingers gradually gaining skill. Inside the carpentry shed, beads of sweat glistened on Chen Dashan's forehead, yet his expression remained focused as rough pieces of wood began to take shape in his hands, shaping furniture. This small courtyard in springtime was filled with the solid sounds of hard work and the silent weaving of a beautiful life.