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

After listening, Chen's mother remained silent for a while before saying, "This division... sounds fair. The eldest and second sons get cash and freedom, while the third son gets long-term security and an immediate marriage. Your Uncle Wufu and his wife also have a clear plan for their retirement, so they won't be passed around like a scapegoat in the future. But... will the eldest and second sons' wives ever settle down? They couldn't even tolerate the third son recovering from his injuries for a few months before."

Father Chen snorted coldly, "We have to tolerate it whether we like it or not! Your Fifth Uncle is truly angry this time. He said that without the support and indulgence of the eldest and second sons, would those two daughters-in-law dare to so blatantly interfere with my brother's marriage and say such hurtful things? They can't even tolerate their own brother, who is only temporarily unable to work and needs their parents' care for a few months. What will they rely on when their parents get old and sick? They'll probably want to throw him out as soon as possible for peace and quiet! So this time, taking advantage of the pressure from the third son's in-laws, and with the village head and us present, we're cutting the Gordian knot, dividing the family, and establishing the rules. It's all written down in black and white, so no one can go back on their word."

The main room fell silent for a moment, broken only by the tireless chirping of cicadas outside the window. The Chen family members listened to their neighbor's story of dividing the family property, their feelings a mixture of emotions. There was admiration for Chen Wufu's decisive action, sympathy for Chen Laosan's plight, and a chill at the cold relationship between the brothers and sisters-in-law.

"Alright, let's just ignore what other people's business is like." Mrs. Chen broke the silence first, picked up the serving chopsticks and put a bowl of cold noodles on everyone's plate. "Hurry up and eat, the noodles are getting soggy. Take a rest after you finish eating, we still have a lot to do this afternoon."

After lunch, the shady spot under the old locust tree in the yard was visibly steaming with heat. Chen's father sat on a stone stool under the tree, rolled up the sleeves of his undershirt, and idly fanned himself with a tattered palm-leaf fan, his forehead still covered with beads of sweat.

Chen Dashan finished clearing the dishes and came out of the kitchen. He glanced at the blazing sun and said to his father, "Dad, it's too hot at midday. The ground is scalding hot. It's not the right time to water the plants. Every ladleful of water will only steam half of them and could easily damage the roots. Why don't we go up the mountain for a bit? See if the traps we set a few days ago caught anything, and maybe we can find some good timber too. We've used up almost all the scraps from last time, so we need to prepare some."

Mr. Chen squinted at the sky and realized it wasn't the right time to go to the fields, so he nodded and said, "Alright, let's rest until it's cooler after the hottest part of the midday sun."

Hearing this, Chen Xiaohe, who was squatting by the well washing his feet, immediately perked up, shaking the water droplets off his feet and coming over: "Going up the mountain? Brother, how about we check out the bamboo forest on the way? See if there are any tender bamboo shoots that have just sprouted? We can dig up a few and have Mom and Xiaoqing pickle some! It's so hot today, I don't have much of an appetite, I just want something sour and spicy to whet my appetite!"

Chen Dashan thought for a moment. It was cooler inside the bamboo forest than outside, and there might really be some late-blooming tender bamboo shoots hidden in the shade at this time of year. So he replied, "Okay, let's go take a look. If there are any suitable ones, we'll pick a few that have just sprouted and dig them up. They're not too old or too young, just right for pickling."

Chen's mother was wiping the table in the main room with a damp cloth when she heard this and poked her head out to instruct, "Going for a walk is fine, just to get away from the sun. Fill up your water bottles and take them with you; in this weather, you'll sweat buckets with every little movement, so drink plenty of water and don't catch heatstroke." After wiping the table, she turned to Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing, who were tidying up their sewing baskets, "Xiaoyin, Xiaoqing, it's midday, the sun is really strong, you two shouldn't be busy. Now that you're more pregnant, you'll tire more easily than others. Go back to your rooms and take a nap, get some rest and recharge."

Su Xiaoyin's belly was already slightly protruding, and Su Xiaoqing's belly was also showing. Hearing their mother-in-law's words, both of them felt a warm glow in their hearts. Su Xiaoyin obediently nodded, "Yes, Mother. Let's rest for a while."

The two sisters put down their work, helped each other, and slowly walked back to the now more spacious and bright room (Chen Dashan later added another room). The window was open, and the cross-ventilation brought a slight coolness, much more comfortable than outside. The two lay down and quickly fell asleep in the tranquility and gentle breeze.

Seeing that his daughters-in-law had gone to rest, Father Chen also went back to his room to take a nap. Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe, however, were not idle. The two brothers filled two large bamboo water jugs, then went to the well behind the kitchen to fetch several buckets of cool well water. Carrying large brushes and wooden basins, they headed towards the newly built, spacious, and clean pigsty in the corner of the yard.

The half-grown piglet kept in the pen has now grown plump and strong, with glossy black fur. This pig was carefully selected and bought by Chen's father after the spring; it's a good breed, eats well, and has never had any health problems. Since the beginning of summer and the weather has been hot, Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe have had an additional, unwavering midday task—bathing and caring for the pigs in the old house and the new house, each responsible for one piglet.

The two pigs were quite intelligent. As soon as they heard the brothers' footsteps and the sound of the water bucket swaying, they knew it was "bathing time." They immediately huffed and puffed as they crawled out of the shady shed, wagging their little tails happily. They went to the fence, nudging out with their wet snouts and making pleasant grunts.

"Look how comfortable you two are!" Chen Xiaohe laughed as he opened the pen gate and, together with Chen Dashan, poured water into a shallow pool specially built with stone slabs in the corner of the pigpen. The pigs immediately stepped in eagerly, lay down comfortably, and only poked their heads out.

Chen Dashan picked up a large brush, dipped it in water, and began to scrub the back and sides of one of the pigs. His technique was skillful, and his pressure was just right, removing the dirt while also giving it a massage. The pig grunted comfortably and squinted its small eyes.

Chen Xiaohe was in charge of the other end, chatting with the pigs as he brushed them: "You two are living the good life, aren't you? Ever since it got hot, my brother and I have been coming to give you a bath every noon without fail. We've also kept the pigsty spotless, with no odor at all. You live more comfortably than some people!"

Chen Dashan carefully brushed the area behind the pigs' ears where dirt could easily accumulate, and then said, "It's terribly hot today. If we don't cool them down, they might get sick from being cooped up in their pens, and heatstroke would be even more troublesome. Our family isn't well-off, and these two pigs are our most important hope for the end of the year; we can't afford any mishaps." He paused, his hands continuing their work, but his brow furrowed slightly as he thought of something. "Xiaohe, do you think there's a good veterinarian in any village or town around here? We need to find out in advance, and it would be best if we could get in touch with one."