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

"Big brother, are you home alone?"

Chen Xiaohe pushed open the half-closed gate of the old house and peeked inside. The courtyard was quiet, except for Chen Dashan, who was bending over, using a long-handled wooden ladle to scoop cool well water from the water vat and carefully washing the rather robust pig in the pen. Water splashed on the pig, which grunted comfortably and rolled around on the specially raised, clean cement slab.

Hearing the sound, Chen Dashan straightened up, brushing a strand of sweat-dampened hair behind his ear. Seeing it was his younger brother, he said, "Xiaohe is back. Mother took Xiaoyin and Xiaoqing up the mountain, saying she wanted to find some mint and honeysuckle vines to make some cooling herbal tea to send to Dad. It's getting hotter and hotter, and the work on the river is heavy; she's worried Dad might get heatstroke."

Chen Dashan put down his things and pointed to a few palm-sized crucian carp and a small pile of lively green-shelled shrimp still jumping in a wooden basin by the kitchen door. "I just went to collect the fish, and I was lucky. These shrimp can be dried and stored to enhance the flavor in winter. As for these fish, have your sister-in-law and Xiaoqing clean them later. You can fry them until crispy or make them into sauce, or make some fish sauce. When you take Dad to eat this afternoon, take it with you."

Chen Xiaohe's eyes lit up, and he leaned over to look at the harvest in the wooden basin: "Great job, brother! These fish are quite plump! The fish sauce is perfect with rice, Dad will definitely love it." He took off the small hoe from his shoulder and added, "I carefully hoeed the weeds in the field again, it's very clean now."

Brother, when I go deliver some things this afternoon, I'll ask Dad if he thinks the crops need another coat of fertilizer. I've already collected all the chicken, duck, and pig manure; it's plenty fertile. If Dad says it's okay, we'll apply it right away.

Chen Dashan nodded, agreeing. He wiped his hands with a coarse cloth by the well. "Let's go. Before the sun gets too strong, let's go up the mountain again and see if the traps and snares we set a few days ago have any 'goods' left. If we can get some more game, we can give Dad a little something to eat."

"Alright!" Chen Xiaohe immediately perked up, picked up his empty basket again, and the two brothers went out one after the other, walking along the familiar path into the mountains.

The forest was cooler than the foot of the mountain, but the summer heat was still pervasive, with only the occasional mountain breeze bringing a touch of coolness. The two brothers moved quickly, soon arriving at the first snare they had set. Pushing aside the camouflage, the snare was empty. Undeterred, they continued to check the next spot. Beside a thicket of bushes, the snare finally yielded a result—a plump gray hare was caught on its hind leg, struggling in terror. Chen Xiaohe deftly untied the rabbit, weighed it in his hand, and smiled with satisfaction.

Next, they went to examine the dug trap. The trap was well-camouflaged, with almost no signs of disturbance from the branches and leaves covering it. Chen Dashan carefully used a small stick to remove the loose soil and covering, and peered into the bottom of the trap. There, at the bottom, a brightly colored pheasant was flapping its wings, trying to fly out, but its efforts were in vain due to the depth of the trap.

"Ha! We have the goods!" Chen Xiaohe exclaimed happily.

A rabbit and a pheasant—the harvest wasn't bountiful, but it was enough to make him happy. Chen Dashan took the pheasant out as well, tying its wings and claws with straw rope. Looking at the empty trap, he pondered, "This trap's location doesn't seem right; we need to change it. Since we have some free time today, let's find two more suitable spots and dig two new ones. Remember to mark them so that no one from the village accidentally steps in them when they go into the mountains."

The two brothers got right to work. They wandered around the mountains and forests again, choosing two animal trails that were frequently used by wild animals. Avoiding damp and low-lying areas, they dug two new traps of suitable depth and width, carefully camouflaged them, and then used a machete to carve small, inconspicuous but easily recognizable marks on a nearby tree trunk that only their family would understand.

By the time they returned home with their prey, the sun was already setting. Chen's mother and the Su sisters had just returned from the mountain and were sitting in the shade by the entrance to the main room, eating leftover flatbread from the morning as a midday snack with cool boiled water. Their baskets were filled with fresh, vibrant green mint leaves and intertwined honeysuckle vines, emitting a refreshing and delightful fragrance.

"Mom, we're back!" Chen Xiaohe called out, putting down his basket and proudly showing off the wild rabbit and pheasant.

Upon seeing the prey, Chen's mother smiled. "Wow, a good harvest! This rabbit is plump, and the pheasant's plumage is glossy too." She glanced at the sun and instructed, "Dashan, Xiaohe, you two hurry up and prepare the rabbit and pheasant, making sure the skin is intact. Pheasant meat is firm and delicious when stewed, but it takes a lot of cooking time. I think we should stew the pheasant today, simmering it over low heat overnight. Tomorrow, the meat will be tender and the broth rich, perfect for your father. As for the rabbit... we'll braise half for ourselves today, and rub the other half with salt and hang it on the kitchen beam to air dry for a couple of days."

She then turned to Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing: "Xiaoyin, Xiaoqing, go and clean those fish and shrimp in the wooden basin. Clean the fish thoroughly, and sort the shrimp. As for the fish, just like Dashan said, make it into fish sauce. Add a little more oil and fry it until it's crispy so it can be stored for a while. Take some with you when you bring your father his meals."

Su Xiaoyin agreed, rolled up her sleeves, and went to get the fish. Su Xiaoqing, meanwhile, looked at the colorful pheasant, her eyes darting around, and said to Chen's mother, "Mother, this pheasant's feathers are so beautiful, its tail feathers are so long and shiny. Can we keep all the pretty feathers? I was thinking, if we collect enough, maybe we can try making some little trinkets, like feather shuttlecocks, or stick them on hairpins or hair ties as decorations. We can sell them at the next market; maybe some girls will like them."

Before Chen's mother could answer, Chen Dashan, who was sharpening a knife to prepare the game, chimed in, "That's a good idea. I kept many of the beautiful feathers from the pheasants I hunted before, and they're stored in an old wooden box in the side room. I'll find them for you in a bit. You sisters are skillful, so take your time and see what you can make."

Chen's mother nodded in agreement: "Alright, carefully pluck all the feathers, don't damage them. It's good to make use of waste and exchange them for a few more copper coins."

Inside the main room, Chen's mother began washing the mint and honeysuckle, preparing to brew herbal tea. In the courtyard, Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe, brothers, squatted by the well, skillfully processing wild rabbits and pheasants, skinning and gutting them with swift movements. In the kitchen, Su Xiaoyin cleaned and gutted the fish, cutting it into small pieces and marinating it with salt and a little homemade sauce; Su Xiaoqing carefully picked out impurities from the small shrimp. In the small Chen family courtyard, everyone was busy with their own tasks, the air gradually filled with the coolness of mint, the bloody smell of wild animals (quickly diluted by the well water), and the smoky aroma of firewood burning in the stove.