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

Chen Xiaohe paused in his brushing, looking at his older brother: "A veterinarian? Brother, are you worried about...?"

"Yes," Chen Dashan nodded, "Livestock are just like people, they eat grains and cereals, and it's impossible for them not to get sick. We have pigs now, and when we're better off, we might even buy cattle. What if one of them suddenly falls ill in the middle of the night? Where are we going to find someone knowledgeable? Asking around now would be pointless. We need to be prepared in advance, know where to turn, so we can feel at ease."

Chen Xiaohe wholeheartedly agreed: "Brother, you're right! We should ask! How about we ask our parents when we come back from the mountain this afternoon? They're older and more knowledgeable, they might know. It would be best if..." He rolled his eyes, lowered his voice, "It would be best if we could learn a trick or two ourselves. We don't expect to become doctors, but at least we could be able to diagnose common ailments like fever, diarrhea, and loss of appetite, and know how to treat them first, so we wouldn't be completely clueless and anxious."

"That makes sense," Chen Dashan agreed. "Even if you only learn a little bit, it can be very useful in a critical moment. Keep this in mind and ask about it when you have the chance."

After bathing the pigs, the two brothers rinsed the pigpen floor with clean water to make sure it was spotless. The two pigs, soaking wet, lay on the clean stone slab, panting contentedly, clearly feeling extremely comfortable.

As the sun began to set slightly, the heat seemed to lessen a bit. Father Chen, having rested, came out of the house. Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe carried water bottles, machetes, ropes, and an empty basket (to hold any possible game or bamboo shoots), while Father Chen took a wood-chopping knife. The three greeted Mother Chen and headed towards the back of the mountain.

Avoiding the harshest afternoon sun, the forest was indeed much cooler. The dense canopy blocked most of the light, allowing only dappled patches of sunlight to filter through. The air was filled with the rich, sun-baked scent of grass and trees, mixed with the smell of earth and decaying leaves. The cicadas' deafening chirping only accentuated the deep tranquility of the forest.

They first went to the places where they had previously set traps. Luckily, near some bushes on a sunny hillside, they caught a plump gray hare, already lifeless. Chen Xiaohe happily picked it up and weighed it in his hand: "Goodness, it weighs over three pounds! Mom will braise it tonight, a real treat for everyone!"

Another snare was empty, and the third had broken free, leaving only a few wisps of grayish-brown fur. Father Chen examined the marks and said, "It was probably a badger or a fox; they're strong enough to break free. It's alright, a rabbit is good enough."

After collecting their prey, the three headed towards the bamboo forest. Passing through a pine grove, they arrived at the familiar expanse of verdant bamboo. In the height of summer, the bamboo grew exceptionally lush, its tall, straight branches and leaves intertwining to form a natural, cool barrier. Stepping inside, the temperature immediately dropped several degrees, and even the cicadas' chirping seemed distant.

They searched carefully in shady, damp places with thick layers of fallen leaves. Sure enough, at the base of some old bamboo, they found some tender shoots that had just broken through the soil, no more than the length of a finger, with fuzz still on their tips. They were few in number and scattered sparsely.

"There really are!" Chen Xiaohe excitedly squatted down and carefully used the small hoe he carried with him to dig away the surrounding soil. "I only pick these that have just sprouted; they're the tenderest and best for pickling bamboo shoots!"

Chen Dashan and his father also found a few. They didn't covet too many, but only selected about ten of the tenderest and plumpest ones, carefully dug them out, put them in their baskets, and covered them with some large bamboo leaves to keep them moist.

After harvesting the bamboo shoots, Chen Dashan remembered his task of finding timber, so he began wandering around the bamboo grove and the nearby mixed woodlands, searching for trees with good grain suitable for making woodenware. He spotted a linden tree as thick as a bowl with straight branches, and a wild jujube tree with hard wood, both in good locations that wouldn't obstruct the main part of the bamboo grove. He noted their locations, planning to come back and cut them down in the autumn when the timber was drier.

Mr. Chen became interested in several clumps of exceptionally thick bamboo, thinking that these bamboos, though old, were still strong and suitable for splitting into strips to weave some sturdy and durable large furniture, such as bamboo beds and bamboo chairs.

The three wandered in the mountains for about an hour and a half, working up a good sweat, but the mountain breeze made them feel quite refreshed. Seeing that it was getting late, they carried their harvest and set off on their way home.

As the sun set, they returned home. Mother Chen had already prepared a pot of mung bean soup, which was simmering in the well water—sweet and refreshing. Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing had also woken up and were sitting in the main room doing needlework, their complexions rosier than before their afternoon nap.

Chen Xiaohe proudly displayed the wild rabbit and tender bamboo shoots: "Mom! Look! Rabbit! And tender bamboo shoots! We'll have braised rabbit for dinner tonight, and we'll pickle the bamboo shoots tomorrow!"

Mother Chen beamed from ear to ear: "Good! Good! This trip wasn't in vain for you three! Go wash up, you're all sweaty. The mung bean soup is by the well, help yourself. I'll take care of the rabbit."

Chen Dashan put down his basket and splashed his face with the cool well water, the refreshing sensation instantly invigorating him. He drank a large bowl of sweet mung bean soup, feeling the heat dissipate from his body. Looking at the chickens and ducks leisurely strolling in the yard, the fat pigs lying comfortably in the pigsty in the corner, his wife speaking softly and embroidering with her head down in the main room, and his mother busy at the kitchen door but with a smile on her face, he felt a sense of peace and contentment.

The next morning, a simple meal of congee, side dishes, and cornbread was laid out on the table. Chen Xiaohe took a bite of the cornbread, but his eyes kept glancing at his sister-in-law and his wife beside him. His brows furrowed slightly, and he finally couldn't help but speak up: "Mother, look, my sister-in-law and Xiaoqing's bellies...aren't they much bigger than those of a pregnant woman at this stage of pregnancy? I'm a little worried."

Upon hearing this, everyone at the table stopped eating. Mother Chen's gaze immediately fell on her two daughters-in-law's protruding bellies, scrutinizing them closely. Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing both turned slightly to the side, somewhat embarrassed, but their faces also showed a hint of confusion and unease they themselves had noticed. Su Xiaoqing whispered, "Recently, my legs have been cramping at night, and my ankles are so swollen that I can't even wear my shoes."

Chen Dashan listened silently, his grip on his chopsticks tightening. He looked at his mother and said in a deep voice, "Mother, Xiaohe and I have discussed it, and we want to take them to the county clinic today. I'm not at ease keeping putting it off like this."

Mother Chen put down her bowl, her expression turning serious. She stood up and walked to her two daughters-in-law, gently gesturing with her hand above Su Xiaoyin's belly. Then she looked at Su Xiaoqing and pondered, "It's time to go see her. Just staying home and speculating isn't going to solve anything." She paused, a glint of light flashing in her eyes, tinged with uncertainty. "I see this belly... is indeed larger than that of a woman five months pregnant. Xiaoyin, Xiaoqing, you are twin sisters, and perhaps you truly are destined to have twins."

"Twins?" Chen Dashan looked up abruptly, his breath catching in his throat for a moment. Chen Xiaohe's mouth also gaped open. Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing exchanged bewildered glances, their hands instinctively protecting their bellies.

"This is just a suggestion, it's not a sure thing, we'll have to see a doctor to know for sure," Chen's mother said hurriedly, but the expectation in her voice was undisguised. "Whether it's true or not, we have to go to the clinic. Swollen and cramped feet can't be taken lightly. Here's what we'll do, after we finish eating, you two brothers go with them. It's hot, so don't let them walk. Spend a few coins to take them in the oxcart at the village entrance, it'll be safer. Go early and come back early, and take good care of them."