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

Several cleaned fish sat in a wooden basin in the kitchen. Their scales had been scraped off, their innards removed, and a few cuts had been made on each side of their bodies. They were rubbed with salt and left to marinate. The fish weren't large, each about the length of a palm, but they were very fresh; their gills were still red, and their eyes were bright. Su Xiaoyin peeked inside. The fish were caught by Chen Dashan in a fish trap he'd set in the river yesterday, and he was saving them for dinner.

"Xiaoqing, we're out of tofu at home. I'll go to the tofu shop and buy two pieces. All the tofu we made at home sold out yesterday, and there aren't many pieces of dried tofu left either." Su Xiaoyin wiped her hands on her apron and took out a few coins from the drawer.

Su Xiaoqing was rummaging through the cabinet looking for something when she heard this. She looked up and replied, "Okay, sis, you go ahead. I'll soak some more soybeans and make tofu tomorrow morning. There's not much dried tofu left in the braised food section either. That old man bought several pieces today and said he'd come back tomorrow."

Su Xiaoyin nodded, took the money, and went out the door.

The tofu shop was at the east end of the village, not far away, just a few minutes' walk. It was getting dark, but the shop was still busy, steaming hot vapor rising from the entrance, carrying a rich aroma of soybeans. Su Xiaoyin bought two pieces of tofu, carrying them on a lotus leaf, and slowly walked back. Passing the large locust tree at the village entrance, several old women were still sitting under it, enjoying the cool shade and fanning themselves. Seeing Su Xiaoyin pass by, they greeted her all at once. She responded a few times, but didn't talk much more.

Back home, the kitchen was already bustling with activity. Su Xiaoqing was squatting at the entrance of the storeroom, scooping soybeans into a wooden basin. The water in the basin was splashing, and the soybeans were swirling in the water. Su Xiaoyin placed the tofu on the cutting board, glanced at the sky, and guessed that Chen's father and the others could work for a while longer and wouldn't be back so early.

"Xiao Qing, I'm going to the bamboo forest to pick some bamboo leaves," Su Xiaoyin said, taking a basket off the wall.

Su Xiaoqing put down her work, clapped her hands, and stood up. "Sister, I'll go with you. I'm also going to gather pig feed; we're running low. These pigs eat non-stop all day long, like a bottomless pit. By the way, sister, what are you gathering bamboo leaves for?" She picked up another basket, took two small hoes from behind the door, and handed one to Su Xiaoyin.

Su Xiaoyin took the hoe and said as she walked out, "We'll have to make zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) at home for the Dragon Boat Festival, right? Besides, I'm thinking of picking some zongzi leaves to take to the general store. Whoever buys something can get a small bundle for free as a thank you to our loyal customers. Who wouldn't want something free? It's a waste not to take it, and they'll remember our kindness." Su Xiaoqing thought it made sense. The Dragon Boat Festival was only a little over ten days away, and it was time to start preparing in advance. "Sister, you're so thoughtful. Not only should we give them to the store, but we should also give them to Mom's stall. No matter how much money someone spends, even if it's just a bundle of hair ties, giving them a bunch of zongzi leaves will make them happy."

The two sisters left the courtyard and headed towards the back of the mountain.

The bamboo grove was on the hillside behind the village. It wasn't large, but the bamboo grew very densely. Last year's old leaves had withered and fallen to the ground, rustling underfoot. The newly sprouted bamboo leaves were a vibrant green, broad and long, carrying a fresh fragrance. Su Xiaoyin picked the broad leaves, folding them neatly and stacking them in her basket. Su Xiaoqing helped her, picking only the lower leaves, as the taller ones were out of reach.

"Sister, this piece is big enough, just right for wrapping zongzi." Su Xiaoqing held up a bamboo leaf and looked at it in the setting sun. The leaf was translucent and had no insect holes.

Su Xiaoyin took it and looked at it. She was satisfied and praised, "Xiaoqing, you have a good eye. This piece is bigger than the ones I picked myself."

After picking enough bamboo leaves, the two went to gather pig feed. On the slope beside the bamboo grove, wild grasses grew lush and green—lamb's quarters, purslane, dandelions—tender and fresh, just what pigs love to eat. The two sisters squatted down and cut handfuls of grass, quickly filling their baskets. On their way back, they saw a clump of wild shepherd's purse by the roadside, still tender and not yet in bloom. Su Xiaoyin squatted down and picked a bunch, intending to blanch it and make a cold dish for dinner—a refreshing and appetizing addition to their meals.

When they got home, the sun had already set, with only a faint red glow remaining on the horizon. The two didn't dare rest and quickly prepared dinner.

The fire in the stove was lit again. Su Xiaoyin tied on her apron and first put the fish in the pot to stew. She poured oil into the pot, heated it, and then sautéed scallions, ginger, and garlic until fragrant. She then carefully slipped the fish in one by one and fried them until golden brown on both sides. She added cooking wine, soy sauce, and sugar, then poured in water to cover the fish. She covered the pot and simmered it over low heat. In another pot, the mung bean soup that had been cooked earlier had cooled down. Su Xiaoqing carried it in a wooden basin to the yard and placed it on the stone table, saving it for dinner.

Steaming buns, stir-frying bok choy, and mixing shepherd's purse—the two sisters worked together seamlessly, their hands and feet never stopping, and the aroma in the kitchen grew stronger and stronger.

The steamed buns were being steamed, and the firewood in the stove was burning brightly. Su Xiaoyin went to the yard and picked a handful of tender green vegetables. She washed them in the well water, chopped them into sections, put oil in the pan, sautéed minced garlic until fragrant, added the green vegetables, and stir-fried them for a few seconds until cooked.

Su Xiaoqing blanched the shepherd's purse, squeezed out the water, chopped it, added minced garlic, vinegar, and sesame oil, and mixed it into a large plate.

The food was ready, but Mr. Chen and the others hadn't returned yet. Su Xiaoyin stood at the gate and looked out several times. In the distance, on the ridges of the fields, there was only twilight and birds returning to their nests; not a single person was in sight.

When it was completely dark, the gate of the courtyard finally rang.

Father Chen walked at the front, his trousers smeared with mud, his clothes soaked and clinging to his back, his face revealing his exhaustion. Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe followed behind, none of the three speaking, clearly worn out. Chen Xiaohe still had a hoe on his shoulder, the mud still clinging to the blade.

Su Xiaoyin hurriedly went to greet him, took the tools from Chen Dashan's hands, and placed them under the eaves: "Dad, you're back? Wash your hands quickly, dinner's ready." She then turned and called towards the kitchen, "Xiaoqing, bring the dishes!"

Su Xiaoqing responded and brought out steaming hot food from the kitchen.

Chen Xiaohe washed his hands, plopped down on a stool, and looked at the table full of dishes. His eyes lit up, and his nostrils flared: "Sister-in-law, such a sumptuous dinner? Stewed fish, stir-fried vegetables, shepherd's purse salad, and mung bean soup. Is this for the New Year? I'm starving."

While serving mung bean soup, Su Xiaoqing asked, "Why are you back so late today? It was completely dark. I thought something had happened to you on the way."

Chen Xiaohe picked up the mung bean soup and took a big gulp. The icy soup slid down his throat, and he let out a satisfied "ha!" before speaking. "There are still two acres left to fertilize. Dad said if we finish it all today, we can get on with other work tomorrow without delaying things. So we decided to finish it all today before coming back." He wiped his mouth and added, "You all know Dad. He won't feel at ease until the work is finished, not even God can stop him."

Su Xiaoyin quickly handed steamed buns to Chen's father and Chen Dashan, and also stuffed one into Chen Xiaohe's hand, urging them to eat quickly before the food got cold. Chen's father took the steamed bun, broke it open, picked up a piece of green vegetable with his chopsticks, and chewed slowly. Although he looked tired, his expression was relaxed.