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

Mr. Chen hummed in agreement, then asked, "Who's going to the general store tomorrow? You're busy with orders and can't get away. Is Manager Li pressing you for more?"

Before Chen Dashan could answer, Chen Xiaohe interjected, "Dad, I'll go. It's just selling goods, right? I'm quicker-witted than my older brother, and I know everything on the shelves. I can calculate the price of braised food per pound and the price of tofu with my eyes closed."

Mr. Chen glanced at him and shook his head. "Where are you going? Didn't you say you were going up the mountain to pollinate the fruit trees? Artificial pollination is a delicate task that can't be delayed. Last year you worked on it for ten days or so. If you give up halfway this year and the fruit doesn't grow well, will you compensate for the lost money?"

Chen Xiaohe scratched his head and remained silent.

Mr. Chen thought for a moment, "I'll go to the general store to sell goods tomorrow. The fields don't need watering yet; the corn seedlings have just sprouted, and the soil moisture is still good. We can wait a couple of days to weed. If we can't manage by then, we can hire someone. The work in the fields is too heavy for us to finish. Hiring someone will cost twenty coins a day; it won't cost much, and they won't be exhausted."

Chen Dashan nodded, his tone becoming more relaxed: "That's fine too. Dad will go to the general store, I'll focus on doing Manager Li's work, Xiaohe will go up the mountain to tend the fruit trees, and we'll hire people to do the work in the fields. We'll each have our own tasks, and no one will be bothered by anyone else."

Chen Xiaohe chuckled and picked up a piece of meat from the bone to gnaw on. "Brother, if you're too busy with that carving, just let me know. I'll carve a few strokes for you when I come back from the mountain tonight. I can't guarantee anything else, but I can carve a lotus pattern with my eyes closed."

Chen Dashan glanced at him, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Alright. We'll talk about it after you've taken good care of the fruit trees. The fruit trees are a major source of income, so we can't be careless. I'll handle things at the shop; I'll do the carpentry myself; and you can take care of the flowers and fruit trees on the mountain."

The family ate and chatted, the kitchen warm and cozy, the fire still burning in the stove. The moon peeked out from behind the clouds, casting its gentle light across the floor.

That's life, slow and steady, one thing after another. The happy occasion at Brother De's house had just ended, and now their own chores were piling up again. But having work to do and money to earn is better than being idle.

----

As usual, several home-style dishes were laid out on the dinner table. With spring planting over and the work in the fields less hectic, Su Xiaoyin finally had time to focus on the stove—the bone broth was milky white, topped with bright green scallions; the stir-fried bamboo shoots with cured pork were from the last batch of tender bamboo shoots, which would have been too tough in a few days; and there was also a dish of cold water celery salad, crisp and refreshing.

The family sat around the table, the children holding bowls, their mouths glistening with oil. Shi Tou and A Ji were fighting over a bone, their chopsticks clattering together, when Chen's father glared at them, and they each shrank back.

"Dad, the notice for corvée labor came down today." Chen Dashan put down his bowl, wiped his mouth, and said, "Our family will still pay the silver, but we won't have to go. Two and a half taels. I saw Brother De write it down, so our family won't have to send anyone."

Father Chen paused, his hand still holding the chopsticks, and frowned slightly. "This year's corvée labor is earlier than usual. In previous years, it would start after the Dragon Boat Festival or after the wheat harvest. This year, the wheat has only been planted for a short time." He thought for a moment, then put down his chopsticks. "I'll have your mother get you the money later. This money has to come from the family coffers. Although our family hasn't completely separated, you can't be expected to pay for this kind of thing out of your own pocket."

Chen Dashan shook his head, his tone nonchalant: "It's alright, Dad, no rush. It doesn't matter who pays. Xiaoyin and I have some money too, and we're keeping the public funds for emergencies." He picked up his bowl, took a sip of soup, and added, "Anyway, the money's there, it doesn't matter where we spend it."

"That's not right." Chen's mother put down the steamed bun in her hand, her tone leaving no room for discussion. "These things should be paid from the public treasury. The money for corvée labor is not a small amount, and your family's money didn't come from thin air. What should be paid from the public treasury should be paid from the public treasury. We can't break the rules."

Father Chen nodded, took his pipe from his waist, tapped it on the table leg, but didn't light it. Looking at the table full of food, he suddenly remembered something, and a smile unconsciously crept onto his lips: "Oh, right, I have some good news for you. Shi Tou, A Ji, and A Fu have been promoted to Class B."

Su Xiaoyin's chopsticks stopped in mid-air.

Father Chen put his pipe on the table, his voice brimming with undisguised pride: "Today I went to the county town and stopped by the school. The teacher said all three children have been promoted. Shi Tou is on the verge of getting into Class A, but with a little more effort, he can move up; A Ji and A Fu have also secured their places in Class B. The teacher said that if they study in Class B for a few more years and have the talent, they can get into Class A and try for the imperial examinations."

The main room fell silent for a moment.

Chen Dashan froze, placing the bowl on the table, forgetting to eat. Su Xiaoyin's eyes instantly reddened; she lowered her head, pretending to drink soup so no one would see. Chen Xiaohe and Su Xiaoqing exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise and disbelief in each other's eyes. Su Xiaoqing was the first to react, grabbing Aji's hand, her voice trembling: "Really? Aji, you've been promoted to Class B? All of you have been promoted?"

Aji, feeling a little embarrassed as his mother pulled him along, lowered his head and hummed in agreement.

Stone, however, was not intimidated. He puffed out his chest and said loudly, "Grandpa, the teacher said I can memorize things quickly, but my handwriting isn't very good. I'll practice my handwriting more in the future, and I'm sure I can get into the top class!"

Mr. Chen patted Shitou's head, his wrinkles smoothing out. He turned to Mrs. Chen, his tone resolute: "Old woman, when you come back tomorrow, buy a few pounds of pork and a roast duck. Let's have a good celebration. The children are doing well, that's what matters most. Shitou and the others are home for the day tomorrow, so the whole family can have a nice meal."

Chen's mother smiled and agreed, already planning which butcher stall to buy meat from tomorrow. When Shi Tou and the others heard about eating meat, their eyes lit up, and A Fu clapped his hands and shouted, "I want to eat chicken legs!"

Father Chen then turned to his three grandsons, his smile fading as he looked at them intently.

"You must study hard at school. If you're still in the second tier at fifteen and don't have the talent for the imperial examinations, then Grandpa will send you to learn a trade." Father Chen's voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear and emphasized. "Carpentry, blacksmithing, bricklaying, accounting—whatever you do, as long as you master it, you can support yourself. Remember, you are always the children of farmers. You can't think you're superior and look down on others just because you've studied at school for a few years. Those who forget their roots don't deserve the Chen surname."

The three children quieted down and listened to their grandfather's words. Stone was the first to nod, his voice clear and bright: "Grandpa, I remember. I won't forget my roots."

Aji and Afu nodded in agreement. Although they were a little confused, they knew that their grandfather was speaking seriously and dared not make a fuss.