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

As the busy spring days gradually come to an end and the heat of summer has not yet fully arrived, it is a time for farmers to take a breather and make plans. After dinner, the family gathers in the main room of the old house as usual, and by the light of the oil lamp, they talk about their respective progress and future plans.

Chen Dashan put down the bowl of water in his hand and looked at his father: "Dad, how's the tidying up of the wasteland going? The furniture I made for Fourth Aunt is just waiting for the final sanding and waxing. I can invite her to come and see it the day after tomorrow. If there are no problems, the carpentry work will be done."

Mr. Chen was using a thin bamboo skewer to pick at the remnants in his pipe. Hearing this, he nodded, his face tanned and satisfied from years of sun exposure: "Almost done. The large rocks and old tree roots have been cleared away, and the land has been roughly turned over. We don't have much manure this year, so we need to use it on the cultivated land first to ensure this year's harvest. As for the wasteland, we don't expect it to produce much grain in the first year. We'll plant some soybeans and mung beans, which are good for the soil and can withstand poor conditions, so we can harvest some beans. Next year," he paused, his voice filled with confidence, "we'll have pigs and so many chickens, ducks, and geese, so manure won't be as scarce as it is this year. Then we'll fertilize the wasteland thoroughly and cultivate it well for two years, and it will be good land."

Chen Dashan pondered and said, "That makes sense. Dad, when we have some free time, Xiaohe and I will go to the back mountain again. If we can find some good soil with thick humus and a dark color, we'll carry some back and spread a thin layer on the wasteland. That will increase the fertility a bit."

"That's great!" Chen's mother chimed in. "The black soil in the mountains is much more fertile than our yellow soil. Even if each person carries two baskets back, it'll be good to spread it on the ground."

Chen Xiaohe, unable to contain himself any longer, excitedly interjected, "Once the wasteland is cleared up, my brother and I will go cut some good timber! My brother's craftsmanship has made a name for itself now; what if people come to order furniture in the future? We need to be prepared!"

Chen's mother gave her youngest son an approving look: "Xiaohe is right, we do need to be prepared. However," she changed the subject, looking at Chen Xiaohe, "once the wasteland matter is finished, you can't abandon your bamboo weaving skills. I'm thinking, the Dragon Boat Festival isn't far off, we'll go to the market and sell some more then. Bamboo baskets, wicker baskets, and those new patterned little boxes you've come up with, I think someone will want them. It's a festival, after all, it's good to have something presentable when visiting relatives and friends."

Su Xiaoyin added softly, "Mom, Xiaoqing and I used the scraps of fabric the cloth shop gave us last time to make a lot of new hair ties, which are more delicate than the previous ones. We can take them to try them out together later."

Su Xiaoqing's eyes lit up. Remembering something, she said, "Oh, right, Mom, I went up the mountain a few days ago and saw that many wildflowers have budded. I reckon they'll be in full bloom in a few days. Should we pick some and dry them? Then we can put them in small cloth bags and make sachets. Wearing them during the Dragon Boat Festival to repel mosquitoes and ward off evil spirits will definitely be more popular than selling them as hair ties, and we can sell them for a higher price."

"Scented sachets?" Chen's mother thought for a moment and thought it was a good idea. "That's a good method! I'll go pick some when the wildflowers are in full bloom. We won't make too many, just to test the waters."

The family members chatted amongst themselves, making clear plans for the chores before the Dragon Boat Festival, filled with anticipation for the next harvest season.

At this moment, Chen's father, having cleaned his pipe, remembered something else and said to his two sons, "Oh, right, there's something I need to tell you. Your second uncle's family, Chen Ermu's family at the west end of the village, is going to build a new house. Construction will begin in a couple of days, and I'll have to go help. Dashan and Xiaohe, you two should also try to lend a hand when you have time. Last year when we built our house, Uncle Ermu and his son did a lot of work, and we have to repay that favor."

Chen Dashan immediately replied, "Is Second Uncle building a house? Is Brother Xiaoshu getting married?"

"Yes," Chen's mother chimed in with a smile, "Xiaoshu's son, they've found a match. The girl is from the next village, and she's quite hardworking. They'll get married after the autumn harvest. Their old house is cramped and not enough room, so they've set aside a plot of land next to it to build a three-room new house for the young couple to live in separately. We've already talked to your father, and our family will have to help out."

Chen Xiaohe readily agreed, "Of course! Dad, don't worry, my older brother and I will definitely go! We'll take care of all the heavy lifting, like digging the foundation, mixing the mud, and carrying bricks!"

Chen Dashan nodded: "If Second Uncle needs anything related to carpentry, I can help take a look."

"Alright, as long as you understand." Seeing his sons agree so readily, Mr. Chen was pleased. "That's how it is in the village. You help me, I help you, and that's how we all get by."

The oil lamp flickered gently, casting the family's shadows onto the earthen wall, magnifying them into a stable shape. The night breeze, carrying the warmth of early summer, blew in through the open window, and the faint clucking of chicks and ducks could be heard from the makeshift pen in the backyard.

Life is like the newly planted jujube tree outside the house; though still immature, it has taken firm root, stretching its branches and leaves, basking in the sunlight and rain, quietly awaiting the season of blossoming and bearing fruit. The Chen family sits around the lamp, talking about the wasteland, their crafts, the market, and human relationships—each a seemingly trivial matter, yet together they weave a vibrant and hopeful picture of rural life. Tomorrow will be another day of hard work at their respective posts, but with clear goals and the support of their families, the labor is not merely hardship, but a solid step towards a more abundant future. As night deepens and the lights dim, the lamp of hope for a better life shines ever brighter in everyone's heart.