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

When Afu returned from the clinic and heard the news, his face flushed again. He lowered his head, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, and rubbed his hands together nervously. Su Xiaoqing asked him if he was willing or not; if not, she would refuse. Afu became anxious, his voice suddenly rising as he said he was willing, willing. Su Xiaoqing laughed and playfully hit him, saying that was good enough, and they should wait for news.

Su Xiaoyin told Chen Dashan about it. Chen Dashan was squatting on the doorstep smoking a pipe. After finishing a bag, he tapped it on the sole of his shoe and said, "Afu has always been quiet since he was little, but I didn't expect him to be so thoughtful. If the Zhao family's daughter works out, Afu will finally have his own little family." Su Xiaoyin said she had no objections; it all depended on the Zhao family. Chen's mother, who was sewing shoe soles nearby, listened for a while and said, "Afu's personality is such that he should find a capable and efficient girl to complement him." The whole family thought about it and agreed.

Afu's marriage was progressing smoothly, but there was still no news about Shitou and Aji. Su Xiaoqing sometimes complained that the two older brothers were letting their younger brother get ahead of them. Shitou just laughed when he heard this, saying he wasn't in a hurry, his destiny hadn't arrived yet. Aji was even more direct, saying that the case files at the yamen were closer to him than his wife, even though they saw each other every day, but that wasn't what he wanted. Chen's mother was both amused and annoyed, and pointed at her two grandsons before giving them a long speech.

Qingqing sat to one side, head down, embroidering a handkerchief, a slight smile playing on her lips. Her dowry was mostly prepared; the bedspreads, pillowcases, and curtains were all embroidered by her own hands, each piece more exquisite than the last, depicting mandarin ducks playing in the water and flowers symbolizing wealth and prosperity. Su Xiaoyin said the dowry should be presentable, so no one could find fault with it. Qingqing said it was enough; too much would only seem ostentatious. Su Xiaoyin thought about it and agreed, so she didn't add anything more, only instructing Qingqing to stay put before the wedding, that she and Xiaoqing would handle the shop's affairs, and that Qingqing didn't need to worry about anything.

As the days went by, one happy event after another occurred in the Chen family.

----

On the day Qingqing's dowry was ready, Su Xiaoyin laid out each item on the kang (heated brick bed) for the whole family to see. The bright red embroidered quilt cover was embroidered by Qingqing herself, depicting mandarin ducks playing in the water and twin lotus blossoms, the stitches fine and even. The pillowcases were embroidered with pomegranates, symbolizing many children and blessings. The bed curtains were made with Su Xiaoyin's help, using the lightest and softest gauze, hanging like a thin mist. Mother Chen wrapped the twenty taels of silver and the contract for the shop Qingqing had purchased in red cloth and placed them in the dowry box, which was then wrapped in oiled paper to prevent moisture. Qingqing sat on the edge of the kang, looking at the pile of things, feeling both happy and reluctant to part with them.

When Shi Tou returned from the county school, he immediately shoved a red paper package into Qingqing's hand. Qingqing opened it and found two taels of silver and a pair of exquisite silver bracelets. The bracelets were engraved with lotus scrolls, polished smooth and round, clearly carefully chosen. Qingqing's eyes instantly welled up with tears. Shi Tou stood before her, dressed in the plain-colored long gown of the county school, his back ramrod straight. His voice was lower than usual, but every word carried weight.

"Qingqing, this is what I saved up before, not much. I'm your older brother, and I've been studying at school all these years. You've helped a lot with things at home, and I haven't done much for you. Keep this money, and wear the bracelet. After you get married, if the Yang family bullies you, come back, and I'll stand up for you. I'm a scholar now, no longer a commoner without any official rank. I have the ability to support you, so you have to believe me. Even if I get married and have my own family in the future, you'll still be my sister, and I'll always be your support."

Qingqing's tears finally fell. She wiped them with the back of her hand, then wiped again, but couldn't wipe them away. Shi Tou stood there, at a loss, wanting to reach out and pat her shoulder, but then pulled back.

Aji returned from the yamen, placing two taels of silver and a pair of silver earrings in Qingqing's hands. He didn't say much, only, "Qingqing, don't worry. Although I'm not as successful as your eldest brother, I'll be the first to stand up for you if anyone bullies you." Afu grinned and came over, also taking out two taels of silver and a pair of silver earrings from his pocket, saying, "Sister, I don't earn much, please don't mind." Qingqing looked at her three brothers—Shitou was steady, Aji was reserved, and Afu was lively—her heart warmed, and tears welled up again.

Qingqing wiped away her tears, looked up at them, and spoke in a soft voice, but each word was clear.

"Don't worry, I will definitely live a good life and won't let anyone bully me anymore. I have shops, land, and the money I've saved over the years, so I don't need to live at the mercy of others. I've observed Yang Wenhu; he's not the kind of person who bullies others. I will live a good life."

Standing at the door, Chen's mother looked at her four children—three grandsons and one granddaughter—and her eyes reddened. She didn't go in; instead, she turned back to the kitchen, picked up a water ladle, only to find the water vat was full. She hesitated for a moment before putting it down.

Ah Fu's marriage is also looking promising.

Matchmaker Zhang went to the Zhao family and praised Afu to the skies—he was reliable, hardworking, didn't drink or gamble, and had never made a mistake during his years as an apprentice at Doctor Li's clinic. His skills in processing medicinal herbs were even more refined than some people who had been doing it for decades. After listening, Manager Zhao said, "Let's see him first, then we'll talk."

The meeting was arranged at a teahouse in town. Manager Zhao arrived with his daughter, Zhao Qinghuan, while Afu went with Su Xiaoqing and Su Xiaoyin. Afu wore a newly made blue cotton long gown, her hair neatly combed, and sat in the teahouse, unsure what to do with her hands. Zhao Qinghuan, on the other hand, was poised and confident, wearing a light green cotton jacket and a bright silk flower in her hair. She glanced at Afu openly, then lowered her head and smiled demurely.

Su Xiaoqing stepped on Afu's foot under the table, and Afu stammered, "Hello, Miss Zhao." Zhao Qinghuan laughed and said, "Just call me Qinghuan, don't call me Miss, it's too formal." Afu's face turned red from his ears to his neck. Manager Zhao, watching from the side, stroked his beard and smiled.

Both were quite satisfied. Shopkeeper Zhao said that Afu was an honest boy, and his daughter was also an honest person; two honest people together would surely have a good life. Zhao Qinghuan also had a good impression of Afu, saying that her master, who was an apprentice at the medical clinic and knew how to process medicinal herbs, had mentioned Afu, saying that this young man would be successful in the future. The two chatted about medicinal herbs for a while—how to process Atractylodes macrocephala, how to steam and dry Rehmannia glutinosa. Afu spoke fluently and knowledgeably, and Zhao Qinghuan listened attentively, occasionally interjecting. The two chatted back and forth, leaving the elders aside. Su Xiaoqing and Chen Xiaohe exchanged a glance, both seeing smiles in each other's eyes.

The Chen family began discussing where Afu would live after his wedding. Su Xiaoqing suggested either buying Afu a house in the county town, building another one in the village, or renovating the old house where the children used to live while attending school in the county town for Afu. Chen Xiaohe said buying a house in the county town was too expensive, and besides, Aji and Shitou were also in the family; they couldn't all afford to buy new houses in the county town for all three of them. Chen Dashan said building another one in the village wasn't expensive, but it was far from the clinic, making it inconvenient for Afu to travel back and forth every day.