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

Madam Yang smiled and introduced the two families. The elder sister, Zhang Qiuming, wore a light purple dress, and the younger sister, Zhang Yuming, wore a light blue dress. Both were eighteen years old, a year younger than Shi Tou and Aji, and looked quite mature. Su Xiaoyin asked Shi Tou and Aji to sit down, while she and Su Xiaoqing sat opposite them, with Madam Yang accompanying them. Qingqing busied herself pouring tea for everyone. Zhang Qiuming took the initiative to speak, her voice calm and measured, recounting her family's situation without concealment or exaggeration. Her father had been adopted and mistreated, severed ties with his family, died unexpectedly during his imperial examinations, and her mother had also passed away. Her grandparents had fought over the family property, filed a lawsuit, won, and sold their possessions, leaving their hometown. She spoke calmly from beginning to end, as if recounting someone else's story.

Shi Tou listened quietly, his gaze fixed on Zhang Yuming. She sat next to her sister, not saying much, but occasionally interjecting with a clear, cheerful voice. Shi Tou noticed that she tilted her head slightly when she spoke, her eyes sparkling like stars. Aji's gaze, on the other hand, was fixed on Zhang Qiuming. She spoke clearly and calmly, occasionally taking a sip of water from her teacup; her fingers were long and slender, her nails neatly trimmed.

Zhang Yuming spoke first. Looking at Shi Tou, she asked directly, "I heard you teach at the county school. What age do you teach?" Shi Tou paused for a moment, then said, "From beginners to those taking the imperial examinations." Zhang Yuming then asked, "What do you usually do at home?" Shi Tou thought for a moment and said, "Teaching, reading, and occasionally helping with chores around the house." Zhang Yuming laughed, saying, "You're really honest, answering every question directly, without trying to flatter yourself." Shi Tou's face flushed slightly, and Aji, standing beside him, smiled slightly.

Zhang Qiuming picked up the conversation and asked Aji what kind of work he did at the yamen. Aji said it was just copying and writing, not tiring. Zhang Qiuming then asked, "So, are you going to stay at the yamen forever? Or do you have other plans?" Aji thought for a moment and said that the yamen was easy, and he could study while working, and try taking the imperial examination in a couple of years. Zhang Qiuming nodded and said, "It's good that you have plans."

It was almost noon, and Madam Yang asked Qingqing to stay for lunch, instructing her to help prepare it in the kitchen. The food was laid out on two tables—one for the adults and one for the younger generation. Shi Tou, holding his bowl, ate without tasting anything, repeatedly reaching for the same dish with his chopsticks. Aji, on the other hand, ate normally, picking at his food and drinking soup as usual, but Su Xiaoqing noticed he poured tea for Zhang Qiuming once. Zhang Qiuming ate without any hesitation, eating and drinking as she pleased. When Shi Tou put food on her plate, she thanked him and ate with her head down, completely at ease.

After the meal, Madam Yang told the two girls to go back to their rooms to rest, and pulled Su Xiaoyin aside. They had been staying at the Yang family's old house for the past few days, and their food, clothing, and daily necessities were all in good condition. Since neither family had any elders, Madam Yang had been helping with many things. Zhang Qiuming was quiet but perceptive; Zhang Yuming was clever and had a sweet tongue, but not excessively so. Su Xiaoyin nodded, saying she had noticed it too.

Shi Tou and Aji stood in the courtyard, neither of them speaking. After a while, Shi Tou spoke softly, "That little sister, Zhang Yuming, is quite nice." Aji glanced at him and said, "The older sister is nice too." The two looked at each other, both understanding.

Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing returned to the village that day, leaving Shitou and Aji to stay in town for a couple more days to learn more. Qingqing helped tidy up two empty rooms in the Yang family's old house, making sure the bedding was neatly arranged. Dinner was prepared by Yang's mother herself: four dishes and a soup—braised fish, scrambled eggs, stir-fried vegetables, cucumber salad, and a pot of pork rib soup. Zhang Qiuming helped tend the fire in the kitchen, while Zhang Yuming helped serve the dishes. The meal was enjoyed by both hosts and guests.

Two days later, Su Xiaoyin asked Matchmaker Zhang to propose marriage. The betrothal gifts were the same as Afu's: a shop in the county town, twenty taels of silver, and a new house to be built for them in the village. The Chen family did not look down on either girl because they were orphans, nor did they show favoritism because they were sisters. The conditions offered by the Chen family were clear—what Afu had, they also had; they were treated equally.

After the matchmaker finished reading the betrothal gift list, Zhang Qiuming and Zhang Yuming exchanged a glance, then nodded without hesitation. Zhang Qiuming said they saw the Chen family's sincerity; they had everything they needed: a shop, silver, jewelry. They had no elders to make the decision for them, so they were making their own. They were willing to accept this marriage.

The sisters arranged their own dowries. They took out the money from selling their house and land back home, and Madam Yang helped them calculate it—they couldn't be without income; they couldn't just sit around and do nothing after getting married. Madam Yang had lived in town for most of her life, knew many people, and had many connections. She said, "After marrying into the Chen family, you'll be part of Nanshan Village. That place is productive, with mountains and rivers; life will be good there. Money sitting in a box won't grow; you need to invest."

The two sisters decided to buy a few acres of land and a shop. Land could produce grain, and the shop could generate rent; having income from both would put their minds at ease. Madam Yang inquired and found several plots of land for sale near Nanshan Village, but they were all low-grade fields with poor soil and low yields; they would need several years to recover. The sisters went to see it, squatted down at the edge of the field, and grabbed a handful of soil. The soil was indeed infertile, yellowish, and crumbled easily in their hands. But Zhang Qiuming said that it would improve after a few years; it couldn't be left barren forever. Farmland was fundamental; they couldn't be ashamed of its poor quality. So they bought it—five acres—and registered it in both their names.

The shop was located on East Street in the county town, not far from Chen's General Store. It had two storefronts and a small courtyard in the back. The original owner had run a porcelain business, but had closed down due to losses. The shelves were still there; after some tidying up, it could be rented out. The two sisters walked around the shop. Zhang Yuming wiped the windowsill with her finger; the dust wasn't thick, indicating it hadn't been vacant for long. The paint on the walls hadn't peeled off much either, better than expected. Madam Yang found a reliable middleman to help manage it, and it was rented out in no time for 500 cash a month, settled monthly. The money wasn't much, but it was a steady stream.

The two sisters didn't invest all the remaining silver; they kept some for emergencies. Zhang Yuming said she felt uneasy spending all the money, but felt less anxious having money in hand. Zhang Qiuming nodded, carefully wrapped the remaining silver and the deeds to the shops and land in a small, fine cotton cloth package, then wrapped it in oiled paper.

After the New Year, both Shitou and Aji turned nineteen, and the brothers' marriages were finally settled. The entire Chen family breathed a sigh of relief. The wedding date was set after the spring planting and before the Dragon Boat Festival—not too hot, not too cold, perfect for a joyous occasion. Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing began preparing to build a new house. New bedding was needed, pots and pans were to be added, and Chen Dashan had already made the furniture—camphor wood chests, wardrobes, dressing tables—everything was there, stored in the storeroom, just waiting for the lady of the house to enter.

Zhang Qiuming and Zhang Yuming lived in the old Yang family house in town, helping Madam Yang with needlework and managing the shop, occasionally going to the county town to check on the shop they had bought. The two sisters sometimes talked about the future. Zhang Yuming leaned on her sister's shoulder and said, "This time next year, we'll be in Nanshan Village." Zhang Qiuming laughed and said, "Not 'we,' it's you and Brother Shitou, and me and Aji." Zhang Yuming blushed and buried her head in her sister's shoulder. The fire in the kitchen reflected on their faces, warm and cozy.