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

The two brothers discussed their plans for three years from now. Regardless of whether they passed the exam or not, they needed to give their family an explanation. Afu had already found a job; after several years of studying at Doctor Li's clinic, he had mastered the art of processing medicinal herbs. Doctor Li praised his steady hands and meticulousness, saying that the processed herbs he produced were even neater than those prepared by many with over ten years of experience. Qingqing, though a girl, was literate and skilled in embroidery. Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing had taught her for several years, and her embroidery sold much better than what was available in the general store. She was sure to do well in the future.

The two brothers, though one had achieved the title of Xiucai (a successful candidate in the county-level imperial examination) and the other the title of Tongsheng (a successful candidate in the county-level imperial examination), which was considered a great honor by the villagers, still lacked the skills to make a living. To this day, they relied entirely on their family for food, clothing, and other necessities. Shitou and Aji had discussed it; if they failed the exams again in three years, they would have to find their own way. They couldn't have spent over ten years studying in school only to end up relying on their parents for support.

Shi Tou planned to find work at the county school. Having studied in the top class for years, he had a solid foundation in his studies. While not exceptionally gifted, he was more than capable of teaching young children. His teacher had mentioned before that the county school needed an assistant teacher and asked him to keep an eye out for suitable candidates and recommend him. Aji wanted to find work at the yamen (government office), even something as simple as copying documents; he wasn't picky. He had excellent calligraphy skills; his teacher had often praised his neat handwriting and strong strokes in the top class. He could handle the copying and writing tasks at the yamen.

If none of these options work, then go back to the village or to the town and open a school to teach the children to read and write. A scholar who has passed the county-level imperial examination and a student who has passed the county-level examination are considered respectable in the village, and that should be enough to open a school. We don't expect the students to achieve great academic success; as long as they can read, write, and do basic arithmetic, that's enough. For the children in the village, achieving that much is already considered a success.

Having made up their minds, the two brothers worked even harder.

Shi Tou would get up before dawn every day to memorize his lessons, and then write policy essays under the lamp at night, writing them one by one. After finishing, he would correct his own work, and if he wasn't satisfied, he would rewrite them. The stack of Xuan paper on the table was about a foot high. Aji was not to be outdone, and the two secretly competed, neither willing to put down their pens first.

The villagers soon found out that the Chen family had produced a scholar who had passed the county-level imperial examination and a student who had passed the county-level imperial examination.

In no time, matchmakers were practically breaking down the threshold of the Chen family's house. From the east village, the west village, the town, and the county seat, people kept coming to inquire, some carrying eggs, some carrying pastries, but Chen's mother turned them all away.

"The child is still young, let's wait a few more years. She's only just passed the imperial examinations, her life isn't settled yet, there's no rush for marriage." Mother Chen sat in the main room, in front of her two packets of brown sugar and a gaudy handkerchief pouch brought by the matchmaker. The matchmaker was a woman in her forties, very quick-witted, who sat there talking for an hour without pausing, from the girl's appearance to needlework, from needlework to the dowry. Mother Chen listened, drank the tea, accepted the brown sugar, and her words remained the same—wait a few more years.

Su Xiaoyin and Chen Dashan had talked about it privately. Qingqing was their only daughter, well-behaved and never competitive. She never complained when learning embroidery from Su Xiaoyin, even when her fingers bled from the needle; she would just blow on them and continue embroidering. Su Xiaoyin felt sorry for her and told Chen Dashan that Qingqing should stay home for a few more years; there was no rush to arrange a marriage. Marriage wouldn't be as easy as staying at home. In her husband's family, she would have to be mindful of her in-laws' moods and serve the whole family. It was nowhere near as comfortable as being a daughter at her parents' home. She should stay as long as possible. Chen Dashan also said it was better for the boy to marry a few years later, so the pressure wouldn't be so great. Shitou and Aji had nothing now, not even a decent livelihood. Even if they got engaged, how would they support their family? They couldn't let their daughter suffer.

Three more years passed.

Shi Tou and A Ji took the exam again. A Ji passed and became a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the lowest level of the imperial examinations), and the two brothers participated in the provincial examination together. This time, the Chen family's expectations were even higher than three years ago. Red ribbons were tied to the old locust tree in the courtyard; Chen's mother had heard some superstition that it could bless the candidates with brilliant writing skills. Su Xiaoyin also went to the City God Temple to burn incense. On her way back, she met Er Mu's family, who asked her what she had prayed for at the temple. She said it was for peace and safety—actually, she prayed for passing the provincial examination, but she was too embarrassed to say it.

Unfortunately, they all failed the exam.

When the news reached them, Chen's father was weaving bamboo baskets in the yard. He put down the bamboo strips, took off his reading glasses to wipe them, and said, "That's enough. He's studied what he needed to study, and taken the exams he needed to take. It's not a waste. The child has done his best all these years."

The news of their failure wasn't unexpected for the two brothers. They had studied diligently for three years, but on the path of the imperial examinations, hard work was only part of it; luck, opportunity, and the examiner's favor were all crucial. After taking the exams for so many years, it was time to let go. Shi Tou and A Ji decided they wouldn't take the exams again. Life wasn't just about the imperial examinations.

Shi Tou quickly found work at the county school. His teacher wrote him a letter of recommendation, and the headmaster of the county school personally met with him, examined several of his essays, and then had him give a trial lesson on the spot. The headmaster sat in the back row listening for a long time, nodded slightly, and said that he had a good foundation and explained things clearly, which children could understand. He suggested that Shi Tou try it out for three months. The monthly salary wasn't much, but it was stable and enough for him to live and eat in the county town, and he could even save some money each month.

Aji found a job copying documents at the yamen. The county magistrate saw that his handwriting was neat and his work was reliable, so he kept him on. His monthly salary was eight qian of silver, with some extra pay during holidays. It wasn't much, but it was a stable income regardless of drought or flood.

When Shi Tou received his first day's wages, he didn't spend a single penny and handed it all to Su Xiaoyin untouched. Su Xiaoyin refused, saying, "Keep it yourself. Life in the county town is different from home; money is needed for everything." Shi Tou placed the money on the table and said, "Mother, you've never kept track of how much money I've spent on my education over the years. I don't earn much now, so please take this first, and I'll give you more when my monthly salary increases." Su Xiaoyin turned her back, pretending to clear the dishes, neither taking the packet of coins nor refusing to return it.

Aji bought two pounds of pork belly with his first paycheck and asked Su Xiaoqing to make braised pork for the family. Su Xiaoqing's hands were shaking a little as she cut the meat. Aji stood beside her watching and suddenly said, "Mom, I'll buy you meat every month from now on." Su Xiaoqing laughed and scolded him, "Who asked you to buy it?" Then she turned her head and tears fell into the oil in the pan, disappearing with a sizzle.

Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing started to get anxious.

Shi Tou is seventeen, and so is A Ji. Their peers' children are already running around. Before, when Chen's mother tried to stop matchmakers, she said the children were too young and they should wait a few more years. Now, there's no need to stop them anymore; matchmakers, hearing the news, are coming in droves again, even more frequently than when the imperial examination results were announced. Girls from the east village, girls from the west village, the daughter of the general store owner in town, the niece of the silk shop owner in the county town—one after another, they're sending out invitations, practically slapping the birth dates and times of all the eligible girls on the table.