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

After listening, Mr. Chen lit his pipe, took a puff, and exhaled the smoke through his nostrils, which slowly dissipated in the lamplight. He neither agreed nor disagreed, but simply advised, "Only observe carefully on the day of the meeting. Take only half of what the matchmaker says; only what you see with your own eyes counts. Don't rush into a decision."

Shi Tou and Aji returned from the county town at this time. Upon entering, they first drank a bowl of water, then sat down and recounted what they had learned from the county school and the government office. On Shi Tou's side, Headmaster Zhou said he had met the Yang family's child; he had studied at his school for two years. Back then, the child was quiet and didn't cause trouble. His studies were average, and he didn't seem to have any particular talent. Later, he went home to help with the family shop and didn't continue his studies. His character was fine; he was just quiet and not very sociable, but it wasn't a major flaw. On Aji's side, Old Liu from the household registration office said the Yang family's child was well-behaved and he hadn't heard of any bad habits.

After hearing this, Su Xiaoyin breathed a long sigh of relief, finally putting her mind at ease after two days of worry. Su Xiaoqing tidied up the dishes and put them in the kitchen, washed her hands, and came back. She sat down and said, "It seems that the marriage proposal with the Yang family can be discussed further now."

Chen Dashan nodded, but added, "We still need to be careful on the day of the matchmaking. We should see the boy with our own eyes, talk to him, and see if his eyes are upright and how he treats people. He may seem like an honest person, but there are genuine and fake honest people. A fake honest person can't stay honest forever, but he can fool people for a while." Chen Xiaohe chimed in, saying that he would also go and help to assess the situation.

Afu chimed in, saying he couldn't go; two elderly patients needed their medicine prepared in advance that day, and he couldn't leave, but he trusted everyone's judgment. Qingqing came out of the kitchen carrying a basin of washed wild fruits, blushing as she placed the basin on the table and turned to leave. Su Xiaoqing stopped her, saying, "Qingqing, come sit down. Listen to this yourself; this isn't just your problem." Qingqing sat down with her head down, twisting the hem of her clothes with both hands, not looking up for a long time.

From this day forward, Qingqing's marriage was officially on the agenda. The whole family was on tenterhooks, but also full of anticipation.

----

Looking at the sky, it was still not fully light when Su Xiaoyin got up.

She lit the fire in the stove, and the water in the pot bubbled and steamed, but she couldn't calm her mind. Qingqing's marriage was the most important thing for the Chen family right now. Shitou and Aji had achieved academic success, and Afu had established himself in the clinic, but Qingqing was their only girl. She had been pampered since childhood, never competing or fighting for anything. She never complained when doing embroidery, and she wouldn't even utter a sound when her fingers were pricked by the needle. Su Xiaoyin didn't say anything, but she was more anxious than anyone else.

Su Xiaoqing arrived early, put on an apron, and went into the kitchen to help make breakfast. The two sisters busied themselves at the stove, whispering as they discussed what to wear, bring, and say to their trip to town. Su Xiaoyin suggested something simple and understated, something that wouldn't seem ostentatious; Su Xiaoqing countered that it couldn't be too plain either, as they were young and should dress more brightly. Their back-and-forth banter nearly caused the porridge in the pot to overflow.

Qingqing was washing up in her room when Su Xiaoqing went in to help. Qingqing was wearing a light purple cotton jacket, a new one she'd made for the New Year and only worn once. The collar and cuffs were embroidered with a circle of small, intertwined flowers, which Qingqing herself had done, the stitches fine and even. Her hair was styled in a simple double bun, adorned with a silver hairpin—one that Chen Dashan had bought a few years ago when he went to town on business. She'd always been reluctant to wear it, but this time she'd specially dug it out from the depths of her closet to put it on. Qingqing looked at herself in the bronze mirror, then removed the hairpin, feeling it was too plain, and replaced it with a pair of silver cloves that Su Xiaoyin had worn in her youth. Su Xiaoqing then lightly dusted her cheeks with powder and dabbed rouge on her lips. She stepped back and examined Qingqing, nodding in satisfaction, saying it was good—not too heavy, not too light, looking spirited without being ostentatious. Qingqing felt her face flush under her gaze, lowered her head, and twisted the hem of her jacket between her fingers.

"Mom, Auntie, isn't this a bit too much?" Qingqing's voice was very soft. Su Xiaoqing pressed her back to the mirror and said, "What's so deliberate about it? You don't usually like to dress up, so what's wrong with dressing up once in a while? Don't be nervous, just think of it as a trip to town."

After breakfast, Su Xiaoyin checked everything she needed to bring—Qingqing's handkerchief, her purse, and a handkerchief she had embroidered, which she said she would take to show Madam Yang her craftsmanship. The three of them left the courtyard and boarded the mule cart. Su Xiaoqing drove, while Su Xiaoyin and Qingqing sat in the back. Qingqing clutched the handkerchief tightly in her hand, her knuckles turning white. Su Xiaoyin took her hand and said, "Don't be nervous, we're just going to take a look. Whether it suits you or not is still uncertain." Qingqing nodded, took a deep breath, and released her hand.

The mule cart moved slowly, the morning breeze carrying the scent of wheat seedlings from the fields. Qingqing's hair was blown by the wind; she reached up to gather it, then let it fall again. Along the way, they encountered villagers on their way to the town market, carrying baskets and riding bicycles in twos and threes. Aunt Ermu walked towards them, immediately spotting Qingqing on the cart, her voice rising an octave: "Oh, Qingqing, where are you going? All dressed up!"

Su Xiaoyin smiled and replied, "I'm going to the cloth shop in town to buy a few bolts of cloth; we need to make summer clothes for the family." Aunt Ermu's gaze swept over Qingqing, but she didn't ask any further questions, smiling and saying, "Alright, you can go ahead." After the mule cart passed, Su Xiaoqing glanced back and whispered, "Sister, that look from Ermu's family... they probably guessed it." Su Xiaoyin said, "So what if they guessed it? It was something we were bound to find out sooner or later."

Upon arriving in town, Yang's Cloth Shop was already open. The door panels had been removed and neatly stacked against the wall, and several bolts of newly arrived silk, brightly colored and clearly expensive, were displayed on the counter. Manager Yang was standing behind the counter, giving instructions to a clerk, when he saw the mule cart stop at the door and quickly came out to greet it.

"Madam Chen is here! Please come in, please come in!" Manager Yang's voice was loud and clear, his face beaming with smiles. As he ushered the three of them inside, he called out to the back, "Madam, our guests have arrived. The cloth we left for you is in the backyard. Let me take you there to see it." With that, he led them to the backyard.

The backyard wasn't large, but it was very tidy. The ground was paved with blue bricks, and a pomegranate tree grew in the corner, its blossoms in full bloom, a vibrant red. A stone table and several stone stools sat on it, with a teapot and teacups on the table, and two plates of pastries beside them. Madam Yang was already waiting under the eaves, dressed in a light blue silk blouse, her hair neatly combed, her face kind, and a smile playing on her lips—she seemed like someone easy to get along with.

When Su Xiaoyin and the other two entered, Madam Yang's gaze immediately fell on Qingqing. She looked Qingqing up and down, lingering on her face, her smile widening, her eyes brightening. Holding Qingqing's hand, she scrutinized her for a while before turning to Su Xiaoyin, her tone filled with undisguised satisfaction: "Madam Chen, this girl is truly beautiful. Delicate features, a good figure, and she looks gentle and virtuous. You are blessed."