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

Su Xiaoyin breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "Okay, sister-in-law, then we'll take them back after they've finished rolling around."

Dege's wife led her four children into the new room. The room was decorated festively, with large red "double happiness" characters pasted on the windows, and a large red quilt on the kang (a heated brick bed) embroidered with mandarin ducks playing in the water. The pillows were made of satin and embroidered with twin lotus flowers. A pair of red candles were lit on the bedside table, their flickering flames illuminating the room warmly.

Dege's wife folded the quilt into a strip and placed it in the middle of the kang (a heated brick bed), letting Shitou roll on it first. Shitou took off his shoes, climbed onto the kang, and rolled from one end of the quilt to the other, then back again, completing three rounds. Dege's wife muttered beside him, "Roll, roll, roll, roll out gold, roll out silver, roll out a pair of chubby grandsons." Then she stuffed a red envelope into Shitou's arms.

Next was Qingqing, then Aji, and finally Afu. Afu was the youngest, and Su Xiaoqing carried him onto the kang (heated brick bed). He wobbled and rolled around once, but halfway through, he slipped and lay motionless on the quilt, making everyone in the room laugh. Dege's wife picked Afu up and gave him a red envelope as well.

Dege's wife brought the four children out, took Su Xiaoyin's hand, and said sincerely, "Xiaoyin, this is a red envelope. We can't let the children come for nothing. It's not much money, it's just a token of our appreciation. Buy them some candy."

Su Xiaoyin declined, but Dege's wife was adamant and insisted on stuffing the red envelope into Qingqing's little pocket. Su Xiaoyin had no choice but to thank her and lead the children back home.

Shi Tou walked in front, hands in his pockets, touching his red envelope, his little face full of pride: "Mom, I have money! I want to buy candied hawthorns!" Qing Qing followed behind, her little hands also in her pockets, smiling with her lips pursed. Aji and Afu ran and jumped, kicking pebbles along the way, humming an unknown little tune.

Back home, Su Xiaoyin folded the children's new clothes and put them back in the cupboard. Su Xiaoqing took out the red envelope given to her by Dege's wife and handed it to Chen's mother.

Mother Chen took the red envelopes and counted them. There were four red envelopes, each containing six coins, for a total of twenty-four coins. She returned the red envelopes, saying, "Keep them to buy candy for the four children. Take them back to bed quickly; they're so sleepy they can barely keep their eyes open." Shi Tou and A Ji were already yawning, and A Fu was leaning against Su Xiaoqing's lap, his eyes half-closed and his head nodding.

Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing helped the children wash up and carried them onto the kang (a heated brick bed) one by one. Qingqing fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, and Afu, clinging to Su Xiaoqing's arm, mumbled "Mother" before turning over and falling asleep as well. Su Xiaoqing covered them with blankets, blew out the lamp, and tiptoed out of the room.

Inside the main room, Chen's mother and father were still discussing tomorrow's plans. Chen's mother said, "Get up early tomorrow and steam a pot of buns to take over, wishing their little family a prosperous future." Chen's father nodded and then instructed Chen Dashan to take the cart over tomorrow to bring the table and chairs.

Su Xiaoyin sat down next to Chen Dashan and said softly, "Dashan, tomorrow Xiaoqing and I will go to the county town to set up a stall and open a general store. You, Xiaohe, and your parents will go to Dege's house to help out. The store can't close down; wild vegetables are selling well these days, so we can't cut off the supply."

Chen Dashan frowned: "Aren't you going? It's a wedding at Brother De's house, the whole village is going, and it wouldn't be right if only the women in our family didn't go. How about Xiaohe and I go set up a stall to sell goods, and you, Xiaoqing, and your parents go together? The children love to watch the excitement."

Su Xiaoyin shook her head, her tone soft but firm: "You guys go ahead. You're the heads of the household, so you can handle things in this kind of situation. Xiaoqing and I are just women, so we won't go and join the fun. Besides, we can't neglect the shop. Wild vegetables and bamboo shoots are seasonal; they'll be too old in a few days. We can't afford to waste a single day."

Chen Dashan reached out and hugged her, a smile curving his lips: "You're the head of the family. Our little family will all listen to you."

Su Xiaoyin chuckled at his words and gently nudged him, saying, "Since you're going to listen to me, then it's settled. Go to sleep now, we have to get up early tomorrow."

Chen Dashan blew out the lamp. In the darkness, her voice was soft and gentle, like a spring night breeze: "When you go tomorrow, help Brother De's family with some chores. They've been good to us, we can't be stingy."

Chen Dashan hummed in agreement and pulled her closer to him. The moonlight outside the window was bright, its gentle glow filtering through the paper windowpane, filling the room with a soft glow. In the distance, the barking of dogs came in waves, as if they were responding to each other.

----

The village was bustling with activity before dawn as Dege's family was celebrating a happy occasion.

As soon as the rooster crowed for the second time, people began to arrive at De Ge's doorstep. The women, wearing aprons, went into the kitchen, while the men moved tables and chairs, pasted up "double happiness" characters, and hung lanterns. The children darted in and out of the crowd, picking up dud firecrackers that hadn't gone off. Two large pots in the kitchen were started simultaneously, one for stewing meat and the other for steaming buns, the steaming heat filling the entire courtyard with a warm and cozy feeling.

Mother Chen arrived early. She was wearing a new navy blue jacket, her hair was neatly combed, and her basket was filled with steamed white flour buns that she had made early that morning. De Ge's wife saw her from afar and hurried over to greet her, taking the basket and thanking her repeatedly, "Sister Chen, why are you being so polite? It's enough that you came; you even brought things."

Mother Chen waved her hand and said with a smile, "This was steamed at home this morning. I hope the young couple's life will get better and better."

Dege's wife led her into the kitchen and assigned her to a spot towards the back to chop minced meat. The work wasn't tiring, but it required strength. Dege's wife knew Chen's mother had strong hands and chopped the meat evenly, so she specifically reserved it for her. Chen's mother tied on an apron, rolled up her sleeves, took two cleavers, and began chopping with a clanging sound. Several other women were also busy nearby; some were chopping vegetables, some were tending the fire, and some were washing dishes. The kitchen was as hot as a steamer, but no one complained.

"Sister Chen, why didn't your two daughters-in-law come over?" a round-faced woman asked while chopping scallions, her voice loud enough for everyone in the kitchen to hear.

Chen's mother continued chopping the meat with her knife, her head never lifting, her tone flat: "They went to the county town to sell goods. The stall can't be closed. If you don't open today, people will come to buy things but won't find you, and they won't come back next time. That's how business is; it can't be interrupted even for a day. Our family rule is that business is business, and personal relationships are personal relationships; neither should be neglected."

The round-faced woman nodded repeatedly, her tone full of envy: "That's true. Your family's life is getting better and better, thriving! I even saw your shop in the county town last year; everything was neatly arranged, and there were lots of customers."

Mrs. Chen smiled modestly and said, "Not at all, not at all. Now the two young ones are in charge. Old Chen and I just lend a hand. The children are grown up and have their own ideas. As elders, we can't always stand in their way. We have to let go when it's time to let them go and make their own way."