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

Chen Xiaohe then pulled out a package of meat wrapped in oiled paper from his pocket and handed it to his mother, saying that he had bought it from the butcher's stall—two jin of pork belly and a few large bones—and asked her to make soup for his father to help him recover. Chen's mother took the meat, muttering about why he had bought so much, saying that they had plenty of food at home, but her eyes were smiling.

Chen Xiaohe gave his mother a few more instructions, telling her to keep an eye on his father and make sure he didn't secretly do any work, and to let him rest more. Chen's father, listening nearby, interjected, "I'm not a child anymore, why do I need you to watch over me? Okay, okay, you two go about your business."

Chen's mother pushed Chen's father into the kitchen to heat up his food. Chen Xiaohe stood in the yard and checked his father's room again, making sure the windows were closed tightly, whether the fire pit needed to be lit, and whether the bedding was thick enough. After checking, he walked to the kitchen door and called out, "Mother, I'm leaving now. Father, take good care of yourself and don't worry about me. I'll come to pick you up in seven days."

Mr. Chen was sitting in the kitchen drinking porridge, his back to the door. He waved his hand but didn't turn around.

Chen Xiaohe drove the mule cart back. The sun was already high in the sky, its warmth comforting him. The morning mist had dissipated completely, and the distant fields, villages, and trees were clearly visible on the earth. People were turning the soil in the fields on both sides of the road, and the sounds of calling to the livestock could be faintly heard.

Chen Xiaohe thought of his father's back as he sat in the kitchen earlier, his back slightly hunched, his hair mostly white, and his movements as he ate porridge much slower. A sudden pang of sadness gripped his heart. He sniffled, took a deep breath, and cracked the whip, urging the mule to quicken its pace.

For Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing, the shop was unusually quiet for a while.

Su Xiaoqing squatted behind the counter, sorting the fabric scraps and neatly arranging those of similar colors. Su Xiaoyin stood at the doorway and glanced at the street; there weren't many people around, probably everyone had gone home to cook. She turned and picked up the embroidery, saying to Su Xiaoqing, "I'm going to Manager Sun's place to take this embroidery to him for his opinion. If he likes it, we'll sell it; if not, we'll think of something else." Su Xiaoqing nodded in agreement, "Sister, you go ahead. I'll mind the shop myself; it won't interfere."

Su Xiaoyin put the embroidery into the basket on her back, covered it with a clean cloth, and walked quickly toward Sun's bookstore.

Shopkeeper Sun was standing behind the counter arranging books, while a shop assistant was wiping the bookshelves. There weren't many customers in the shop; sunlight streamed in from the doorway, illuminating the blue brick floor. Su Xiaoyin stepped forward and said, "Shopkeeper Sun, I finished embroidering a piece and would like you to take a look." Shopkeeper Sun put down his book, took off his reading glasses, wiped the lenses, and said with a smile, "Madam Chen is here. Quickly, let me see."

Su Xiaoyin took the embroidery from her basket and carefully unfolded it on the counter. Shopkeeper Sun looked down at it closely, then called over a shop assistant to help. The two of them stood on either side and fully unfolded the embroidery. It was a flower and bird painting—peony, plum blossom, orchid, bamboo, chrysanthemum, and also golden pheasant and egret. Every stitch was fine and even, the colors were elegant and sophisticated, and the composition of the whole work was well-balanced, with just the right amount of white space. The gold threads shimmered in the sunlight, and the golden pheasant's tail feathers were made with seven or eight different shades of silk thread, the gradations so natural they looked like they had been painted.

Shopkeeper Sun examined it for a long time, then straightened up, took off his glasses, rubbed his eyes, and nodded, saying, "Madam Chen's skills have improved again. This one is even better than the last one; the composition, color scheme, and needlework are all more refined. I'd like to keep it. Still fifty taels, is that alright?"

Su Xiaoyin felt a sense of relief, but her face didn't show any joy; she simply nodded in agreement. Manager Sun took out five ten-tael silver ingots from the counter, neatly stacked them, and then had a clerk bring out a stack of Xuan paper from the back. The paper was slightly yellowed and the edges were a little worn, but the texture was soft and delicate, still indicating it was originally of good quality. Manager Sun said to Su Xiaoyin, "This is some stock we received before, but this batch wasn't of very good quality, and the leftovers have been sitting in the warehouse. If you don't mind, you can take it home for your children to practice calligraphy. Aren't Shitou and the others studying at school? Practicing calligraphy uses a lot of paper; this should last them for a while."

Su Xiaoyin took the paper and flipped through it. It was a thick stack. Although the paper was a bit old, it would be more than enough for writing for a long time. She quickly thanked him, put away the Xuan paper and silver, and hurried back to the general store. As soon as she entered, she couldn't help but tell Su Xiaoqing about it, her eyes brimming with undisguised joy.

Su Xiaoqing was coloring a clay dog ​​when she heard this, her hand trembled, and a red mark appeared on the dog's tail. She didn't bother to wipe it off, put down her brush, and stood up. That afternoon, the two sisters worked on their small embroidery projects while discussing their next piece. Sunlight streamed in through the doorway, falling warmly on the floor.

----

When Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe returned from the mountain that evening, it was already completely dark. Both were chilled to the bone, their clothes soaked with dew, and their shoes caked with a thick layer of mud, which they had to rub off several times on the stone steps at the courtyard gate. Chen Dashan carried two wild rabbits, already cleaned and skinned, the meat white and glistening under the kitchen light. Chen Xiaohe carried a bundle of firewood, stacked on a pile in the corner of the yard, the pile almost reaching the eaves.

Su Xiaoyin was heating up food in the kitchen when she heard the noise. She poked her head out and called out to the two of them to wash their hands and eat. The dishes on the stove were already laid out—stewed cabbage with vermicelli, scrambled eggs, a dish of pickled vegetables, and a bowl of radish soup, all steaming hot. The fire in the stove was still burning, making the kitchen feel warm and cozy.

Su Xiaoqing was setting out the bowls and chopsticks, turning each clean bowl upside down to drain. Su Xiaoyin recounted how she had earned fifty taels of silver from selling embroidery patterns that day, and then took out the stack of Xuan paper that Manager Sun had given her from the cabinet to show them. The edges of the paper were slightly yellowed, but it was a thick stack on the table and quite heavy.

"Manager Sun is very satisfied and even gave us a lot of Xuan paper. There are some flaws, though. Some of the paper has water stains and the edges are worn, but it won't affect our calligraphy practice. I'll deliver it to the children tomorrow. Shi Tou and the others have already run out of Xuan paper. A few days ago, A Fu said he wrote on the back several times, and the characters were all stacked together and couldn't be seen. This will last them a while."

Chen Xiaohe squatted in front of the stove, warming himself by the fire, his hand resting on the firebox, the flames casting flickering shadows on his face. He took the Xuan paper, flipped through it, then returned it, his eyes sparkling, his tone filled with childlike admiration: "Sister-in-law, you and Xiaoqing are really amazing. Fifty taels, another fifty taels! How many sheets have you made already? Manager Sun likes your stuff so much, you'll never have to worry about sales." He paused, then, remembering something, added, "Oh, right, brother, I went to check the traps today and caught two wild rabbits. They're all cleaned up, and they're very plump. Tomorrow when you go to the county town, take one to Mom and Dad, and we'll keep one. Mom said Dad's been drinking Chinese medicine lately, and his mouth is bitter; eating meat will at least give him some variety."