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

Just then, the curtain at the back of the house was lifted.

The first to enter was a tall young man. He wore a faded coarse cloth shirt and jacket, his shoulders and back broad, his arm muscles well-defined, clearly the result of years of hard labor. His face had the square features common to northern men, his skin slightly dark, his nose straight, and his eyes bright and piercing, revealing the sharpness of youth and a touch of naiveté. He paused for a moment upon seeing so many people in the room, then his gaze fell on the two unfamiliar "girls," scrutinizing them curiously. His brows furrowed slightly, seemingly surprised by their appearance, but not with much disdain, more with curiosity.

This must be his younger brother, Chen Xiaohe.

His appearance broke the silence and brought the Zhou couple back to their senses. Aunt Chen quickly said, "Xiaohe, hurry and greet Matchmaker Wang and...the two young ladies. This is your brother..."

Before she could finish speaking, the curtain moved again.

Another figure slowly followed them in.

Compared to his younger brother's upright and agile gait, his steps were noticeably hesitant. He was also dressed in old clothes, slightly thinner than his brother, but his shoulders and back remained straight. His face resembled his brother's somewhat, but was more angular, his skin pale from long periods without sunlight, and his lips pressed into a straight line. Most striking were his eyes, calm as a deep pool, seemingly containing many things, yet also seemingly nothing at all, serene to the point of indifference. His gaze swept across the room, past Wang Guanmei, past his parents, and finally landed on Xiaoyin and Xiaoqing, lingering only briefly before moving away, without any emotional fluctuation.

His right foot showed some unnatural pauses and a slight drag when he walked. But once he stopped, he stood there steadily, like a tree that had weathered the storm, leaned slightly but still had deep roots.

My older brother is Chen Dashan.

The sisters' hearts sank slightly at the same time. A limp… was this one of the future husbands they might have to face? Xiaoqing subconsciously moved closer to her sister.

When those calm, unwavering eyes swept over her, Xiao Yin caught a fleeting glimpse of something akin to self-mockery or understanding. It wasn't the numbness of someone resigned to their fate, but rather a conscious awareness of their situation and an acceptance of all possible external reactions... a kind of silence.

Looking at her two sons, especially the elder son who was so quiet and reserved, seemingly isolated from his surroundings, Aunt Chen's eyes suddenly reddened. She sniffed and said to Wang, the matchmaker, "Matchmaker, these are my two sons. Dashan is twenty-four. He served in the army for the family a few years ago and got injured. His legs... aren't very agile, but he's hardworking and capable. Xiaohe is twenty-two. He's strong and can endure hardship." Her introduction carried a mother's unique tone, a mixture of praise and unbearable sorrow.

Wang Guanmei nodded and looked at the two sisters: "Miss Su, you've seen the Chen family's situation. They're poor, but they're honest people, and the two brothers are both of age. Your requests... Brother Chen, sister-in-law, what do you think?"

The problem was thrown back to the Chen family.

Mr. Chen opened his mouth, looked at his wife, then at his two sons, and finally his gaze fell on the two dirty but upright sisters. He sighed, "This...these two girls' requests are really...alas, we peasants marry to make a living and carry on the family line. Now these two girls have to live together...this..."

Chen Xiaohe suddenly spoke up, his voice clear and bright, carrying the straightforwardness unique to young people: "Dad, Mom, I think it's okay!"

Everyone looked at him.

Chen Xiaohe scratched his head, looked at Xiaoyin and Xiaoqing, and said frankly, "The sisters don't want to separate; they're loyal and affectionate! As for our family, my brother and I don't want to separate either! My brother injured his leg for the sake of this family, and I'll have to take care of him for the rest of my life! If he gets married, and his wife dislikes him, or if he feels uncomfortable because of his leg... how can this family live in peace? If the sisters are willing to come over, they can keep each other company, take care of the family together, and not dislike my brother, then... then I think that's great!" As he spoke, his face turned slightly red, but his eyes were burning.

Chen Dashan abruptly looked up at his younger brother, a flicker of emotion finally appearing in his usually calm eyes—a mixture of helplessness and deep feeling. He hissed, "Xiaohe! What nonsense are you spouting!"

"I'm not lying!" Chen Xiaohe retorted, "Brother, do you want to be a bachelor for life and make me a bachelor too? These two girls... although they seem to have suffered a lot, they don't look down on us for being poor and even made this request. I think they're destined to be with our family!"

Aunt Chen's tears finally fell. She looked at her eldest son's silent, restrained profile, then at her younger son's eager and sincere expression. With a determined bite, she said to Wang, the matchmaker, "Matchmaker, as long as the two young ladies don't mind our poverty, don't mind living in the mountains... and his leg, and are willing to live a good life, we... we have no objections! It's just that marrying two at once, the dowry..."

"The dowry doesn't need to be extravagant," Xiaoyin immediately interjected. She knew this was the most crucial moment. "My sister and I only ask for a place to settle down and a stable meal. Although we come from the South, we know how to be thrifty and manage a household well. We will work hard to supplement our income."

Chen Dashan, who had been silent all along, finally spoke slowly. His voice was low and hoarse, but every word was clear: "Have you... thought it through? Following someone like me, you'll spend your whole life toiling in the soil, and you might even be pointed at and gossiped about." For the first time, his gaze truly and earnestly fell on Xiaoyin's face.

Xiao Yin met his gaze without flinching: "We fled thousands of miles of famine, witnessed life and death, and know that being able to live, stay with our loved ones, have a roof over our heads, and a piece of land to cultivate is the greatest blessing. External fame and the opinions of others are insignificant compared to surviving and settling down."

Chen Dashan gave her a deep look, and something seemed to flutter slightly in his deep, pool-like eyes. He remained silent, which was taken as tacit agreement.

Watching this scene, Wang Guanmei felt a mix of emotions. This marriage, from beginning to end, exuded a sense of helplessness and a peculiar reconciliation born of "having no other choice." But seeing the Chen brothers, one silent and resilient, the other sincere and passionate, and the Su sisters, though down on their luck, with their clear eyes and measured words, even the coldness of her usual businesslike demeanor began to melt away.

"Since both sides have no objections, this marriage can be considered preliminarily settled." Wang, the matchmaker, stood up. "The specific details, such as the betrothal gifts and the wedding date, can be discussed by both families later. I will go back to the yamen to process the household registration documents for the Su sisters."

When we left the Chen family courtyard, the sun was already setting. The golden sunlight bathed the earthen walls and thatched roof in a warm hue.

Xiaoyin and Xiaoqing took one last look back at the neat but impoverished courtyard, and at the four members of the Chen family standing at the gate watching them go—the silent older brother, the bright-eyed younger brother, and the parents who seemed to have breathed a sigh of relief despite their sorrow.

The mule cart creaked and groaned as it made its way back.

Xiaoqing leaned on her sister's shoulder and whispered, "Sister, is this our home from now on?"

Xiaoyin gazed at the clouds on the horizon dyed red by the setting sun and the silent and solid outline of Nanshan Mountain in the distance, and softly hummed in agreement.

"Those two brothers... seem not so bad." There was a very faint hint of relaxation in Xiaoqing's voice, a relaxation that even she herself did not notice.

"Mmm," Xiaoyin responded, but before her eyes flashed Chen Dashan's calm and unwavering eyes, which seemed to hold a thousand words, and Chen Xiaohe's frank, sincere, and undisguised gaze.

The road ahead remains uncertain, but at least they have grasped a vine that might allow them to take root. This vine may not be glamorous, and may even have thorns, but it is sturdy enough.

Survive, stay together. This is the only belief they carried with them from the flood, and now, it seems they have seen a glimmer of light in this unfamiliar northwestern land.