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

Father Chen lit his pipe, took a drag, and slowly exhaled: "The old village head is getting on in years and his health has always been poor. He was seriously ill last winter and almost didn't make it. This time, it might be difficult. Here's what we'll do: let Xiaoyin and Xiaoqing take care of the children and sell goods in the county town. The vegetables the grocery store needs tomorrow, have Dashan or Xiaohe deliver them in the morning. Dashan and Xiaohe, you can decide whether you want to live in the county town or at home."

Chen Xiaohe was looking through today's account book when he heard this. He looked up and said firmly, "Dad, I have to work on the mountain tomorrow. The melons will be ready to be picked in a few days, so I have to go and keep an eye on them to make sure no one steals them. The fruit trees also need someone to look after them; I need to water them and thin out the fruit. I won't go to the county town; it's more convenient to stay in the village."

Chen Dashan put the whetstone back in the storeroom, came out, wiped his hands, and said, "Then I'll go to the county town to help out, and I'll also deliver the vegetables in the morning. Xiaohe, you focus on the work on the mountain. It won't interfere with either."

Father Chen nodded and tapped his pipe on the sole of his shoe: "Alright, it's settled then. As for the old village head, our family will contribute what we should, both manpower and effort. He's been the village head for decades and has done a lot for the villagers."

----

The old village head ultimately didn't make it through.

That night, when the news spread through the village, it was still dark, the moon was obscured by clouds, and the courtyard was shrouded in darkness. Father Chen got up, put on his clothes, and stood at the gate listening for a while. In the distance, he could hear dogs barking and people talking. He went back inside and woke Mother Chen, and the two hurriedly dressed and rushed to Brother De's house.

The Chen family's courtyard gate wasn't fully closed, and the kitchen light was on; quite a few people had already arrived to help. De Ge's wife, her eyes red and swollen from crying, greeted the guests at the kitchen door, her voice hoarse. De Ge stood in the main room, looking several years older overnight; the wrinkles on his face were etched like knife marks, and his hair had turned much whiter. Seeing Mr. and Mrs. Chen enter, he only nodded, his throat too sore to speak.

For the next few days, the entire Chen family helped out at De Ge's house. Father Chen busied himself setting up the mourning tent and borrowing tables and chairs, while Mother Chen helped in the kitchen by preparing vegetables and washing dishes. Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing also came, helping to steam buns and serve dishes. Almost everyone in the village arrived; even several elderly people who rarely went out came, leaning on their canes. Old Li Zheng had served as the village head for decades, attending every wedding and funeral, mediating every family dispute. The villagers remembered his kindness and all wanted to see him off on his final journey.

But Dege's eldest son did not return.

From the vigil to the funeral procession, from the burial to the seventh day after death, he never showed up. De Ge's eldest son was the eldest grandson, and according to custom, he should have carried the funeral banner, broken the offering basin, and held the memorial tablet, but he did none of these things. De Ge stubbornly insisted on carrying the tablet himself. No one said anything, but everyone was thinking—why doesn't this eldest grandson come back?

On the day of the burial, the sky was overcast, with occasional drizzles, as if mourning someone. The grave was on a hillside behind the village, freshly turned yellow earth piled up around the pit, exuding a damp, earthy smell. As the coffin was lowered into the ground, Dege knelt before the grave, kowtowing three times, his forehead covered in dirt and bits of grass. Chen's father and mother stood in the crowd, watching Dege's retreating figure, neither of them speaking.

Those who had helped ate at the host's house; seven or eight tables were set up. There weren't many dishes, but there was plenty of wine. As the men drank, their voices gradually grew louder and they became more talkative.

"Why didn't Brother De's eldest son come back?" A middle-aged man, his face flushed and neck thick with drink, held a piece of fatty meat between his chopsticks, dangling it in mid-air. "It's understandable that his granddaughter-in-law isn't coming back because she's pregnant; she's heavy and can't handle the strain. But as the eldest grandson, isn't it unreasonable for him not to show up? His grandfather is gone, and he didn't even attend his final journey. Is he even human?"

Those around him nodded in agreement, their voices low but still audible. Some sighed, some shook their heads, and some cursed a few times before swallowing their words, realizing they shouldn't say such things in front of the deceased.

An elderly woman with gray hair held a bowl, picked up a bite of food, and slowly said, "You don't know, do you? The old village head suddenly passed away because of De Ge's eldest son. The old man was holding in his anger, couldn't sleep at night, and his blood pressure spiked, so he died."

There was a moment of silence at the dinner table. Someone asked what had happened, but the old woman refused to say, only shaking her head and sighing.

Mr. and Mrs. Chen sat in the corner, heads down, eating, neither of them speaking. That's how things are in the village; good or bad, it all spreads, but some things shouldn't come out of their mouths.

After the meal, the guests left one after another. Mr. and Mrs. Chen stayed behind to help clear the dishes, sweep the floor, and move the tables and chairs. The bowls in the kitchen were stacked higher than a person. Mrs. Chen squatted by the well to wash the bowls. Dege's wife came over, took Mrs. Chen's hand, her eyes reddened again, and her lips trembled. She wanted to say something, but only managed to say, "Sister-in-law, thank you for your hard work," her voice so hoarse that it was almost inaudible.

Chen's mother patted the back of her hand and said, "Don't think too much. People can't come back to life. Your health is the most important thing." De Ge's wife nodded and turned to go to the kitchen to get the dishes.

After the yard was cleaned up, Mr. and Mrs. Chen were about to leave when Brother De came out of the main room and called them back. His complexion was still very bad, but his voice was a little more steady than a few days ago.

"Uncle Chen, sister-in-law, please wait a moment." De Ge ushered them into the main room, poured three bowls of water, and sat down himself, holding the bowl in both hands as if to warm himself. "We're preparing to divide the family property. The little bit of land and silver we have left is just a source of trouble. Since you're here today, we'd appreciate it if Uncle Chen could be our witness." De Ge paused, then added, "I've also invited Uncle Er from the village; he'll be here in a bit."

Mr. Chen nodded, picked up the bowl of water, took a sip, and didn't say anything more.

Second Uncle arrived leaning on a cane; his hair was completely white, and his back was hunched, but he was still sharp of hearing and sight. The four of them sat down in the main room, and Brother De laid out the family's assets on the table.

The old village head didn't leave behind much. He owned only a few acres of poor land, located in the most remote part of the village, with bad soil and consistently low yields. His money was even more meager; the old village head had lived a life of poverty, and most of his savings were spent on the wedding of De Ge's eldest son. The remaining amount was left untouched. (The land and shops in the county town that the old village head's family later bought were all in De Ge's name. De Ge had already divided the family property once after marrying his brother; this time, they were only dividing what the old man had left behind.)

The family split up quickly. Since they had little to lose, there wasn't much to fight over.

After dividing up the small amount of property left by the old village head, Brother De put down his water bowl, the bottom of which slammed against the table with a dull thud. He remained silent for a moment, his voice not loud, but every word seemed to be spoken with great force.