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

Soon, the aroma of food wafted from the kitchen. Braised pork, steamed fish, scrambled eggs, cucumber salad, and a large bowl of pork rib soup—Qingqing's favorite. The table was laden with food. Yang Wenhu sat next to Shitou, Aji poured him wine, and Afu served him food. Shitou raised his glass and said, "Brother-in-law, Qingqing is our only sister. If you dare to bully her, the three of us brothers won't stand for it." Yang Wenhu, holding his glass, his face flushed red, repeatedly said, "No, no," his voice so loud it startled Chen's mother, who was serving rice in the kitchen.

When Qingqing left, Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing loaded the return gifts they had prepared onto the mule cart. There were two bolts of fine cotton cloth, a jar of homemade rice wine, a basket of cured meat, a packet of dried mushrooms, a basket of eggs, and red date cakes that Chen's mother had steamed overnight. Qingqing said it was too much and she couldn't carry it all. Chen's mother said, "What's the big deal? Your mother-in-law is so good to you, we can't be stingy." Qingqing didn't refuse again, her eyes red-rimmed, and Su Xiaoyin helped her into the mule cart.

Yang Wenhu drove the mule cart, with Qingqing sitting beside him, leaning out to wave to the people at the courtyard gate. Su Xiaoyin stood at the front, with Chen's mother beside her, Su Xiaoqing holding Chen's mother's arm, and Shitou, Aji, and Afu standing side by side behind. The mule cart turned the corner of the alley and disappeared from sight. Su Xiaoyin stood there for a long time until Chen Dashan came over and draped a coat over her shoulders, only then did she turn back.

Qingqing's wedding is over, now it's Afu's turn.

The new house is located east of Su Xiaoqing's house, facing south. It has three main rooms and two wing rooms on each side, with blue bricks and gray tiles. The doors and windows were all handmade by Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe. The courtyard is paved with bluestone slabs, and in the corner stands a pomegranate tree that Chen's father specially transplanted from the mountain, saying that pomegranates bring many children and good fortune. The tables and chairs in the main room have been freshly painted and are shiny. The kang (heated brick bed) in the bedroom is covered with a newly woven bamboo mat, and the quilts are neatly folded. The pillows are embroidered by Su Xiaoqing, featuring a pair of mandarin ducks and twin lotus flowers, with fine stitches that look auspicious. The kitchen is fully equipped with pots, pans, and utensils, and all the seasonings have been bought. The lard was rendered by Su Xiaoyin and filled a large jar in the corner of the stove. The firewood in the backyard is finely chopped and neatly stacked, enough to burn for the entire winter. There was also a small cellar in the corner, where vegetables for the winter—cabbage, radishes, and potatoes—were already stored, all handpicked by Chen's father. The storeroom was also half-full of timber, which Chen Dashan had reserved for Afu.

Every day, Su Xiaoqing would go to the new house and walk around, wiping and touching everything. One day, Afu returned from the clinic and saw Su Xiaoqing squatting in front of the stove, tending the fire. The firelight made her face glow red. Afu squatted beside her, and Su Xiaoqing said, "This stove burns well, and the flue is clear. It'll be easier for your wife to cook." Afu lowered his head and said, "Mother, thank you for your hard work." Su Xiaoqing glanced at him, added a piece of firewood to the stove, stood up, dusted off her hands, and said, "I'm going to water the vegetables." Reaching the courtyard gate, with her back to Afu, she said in a muffled voice, "Just be good to your wife from now on." Afu nodded heavily, but Su Xiaoqing didn't turn around.

As the wedding day drew closer, Afu would rush to the new house every day after finishing his work at the clinic, checking on things to repair.

----

On the day of Afu's wedding, the weather was perfect. It should have been a chilly time of year, but the heavens were exceptionally kind. The sky was a clear blue, and the warm sun shone brightly. It didn't look like winter was approaching at all; it was clearly late autumn bidding a reluctant farewell. Before dawn, the entire Chen family was busy preparing. The kitchen was steaming, and Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing had gotten up before daybreak. One was stewing meat, the other steaming buns; the spatula flew across the pot, and the fire in the stove blazed brightly. Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe set up tables and chairs in the yard. An eight-immortal table borrowed from a neighbor was lined up in a row, and long benches were neatly stacked. Red lanterns hung from the gate all the way to the main room. Large red "double happiness" characters were pasted on the lintels, on the windows, and even on the pigsty gate—a small "double happiness" character, put up by Chen's mother, who said that the animals were also family members and should share in the joy.

Qingqing and Yang Wenhu arrived before dawn. Qingqing, dressed in a light purple silk shirt, her hair neatly combed, immediately rolled up her sleeves and helped with the chores, clearing away dishes, setting plates, and laying tablecloths, moving with even more efficiency than she did at home. Yang Wenhu followed behind Chen Dashan, moving tables and chairs, carrying the eight-immortal table to the corner, and arranging the long benches in a row. This usually refined man, who worked as a cashier in the shop, was surprisingly capable of heavy physical labor, working up a sweat without stopping. Chen Dashan glanced at him, handed him a bowl of water, which Yang Wenhu took, drank, and then handed the bowl back to continue moving things.

Taking a moment to spare, Qingqing took out a wedding gift from her bundle and gave it to Su Xiaoqing—two taels of silver, plus two bolts of exquisite fine cotton cloth. Yang Wenhu had personally selected the cloth from the shop; one bolt was light blue embroidered with lotus scrolls, the other a lotus root pink with subtle patterns—elegant colors, perfect for Zhao Qinghuan's age. Su Xiaoqing took the cloth, stroking it and examining it for a long time, her eyes welling up with tears. She said, "You've come, that's enough. Why bring anything?" Qingqing grasped Su Xiaoqing's hand, saying, "Auntie, this is a small token of my appreciation; you must accept it." Su Xiaoqing didn't refuse again and carefully put the cloth away in the cupboard.

Shi Tou and Aji greeted the guests at the door. Shi Tou, wearing a dark blue long gown, stood at the gate, bowing to the guests before ushering them into the courtyard. Aji, dressed in a new gray-blue outfit, was responsible for pouring tea and serving water, bringing the teapot to each guest as soon as they sat down, ensuring the teacups were never empty. The guests were all old neighbors and relatives from the village. Er Mu's aunt carried a basket of eggs and two bunches of vegetables, heading straight to the kitchen as soon as she entered. Zhang, the matchmaker, wore a dark red silk jacket, her hair slicked back and polished. She strolled around the courtyard, inspecting everything, and remarked that few in town could match the pomp and circumstance of the occasion.

Mr. and Mrs. Chen, dressed neatly, sat in the armchairs in the main room. Mr. Chen wore a dark gray cotton robe and cloth shoes with thick soles, his hair was neatly combed, and he had a smile on his face. Mrs. Chen wore a navy blue silk jacket, newly made for the New Year and only worn once. Her hair was tied in a bun, adorned with a silver hairpin, and she wore silver earrings. Old neighbors came over to greet them, praising Mr. Chen's good fortune and saying that Mrs. Chen looked more than ten years younger. Mr. Chen cupped his hands in greeting, smiling broadly; Mrs. Chen said, "Not at all," but the corners of her eyes curved into crescent moons.