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

Chen Xiaohe was starving. He picked up the bowl and gulped down a large mouthful. The warm broth slid down his throat, and the delicious flavor instantly awakened all his taste buds. He sighed contentedly, "Mom, this chicken soup is amazing! Was it made with fresh mushrooms picked from the mountain? Autumn mushrooms have the best flavor; they make the soup the most delicious!"

Mother Chen sat down, picked up a piece of green vegetable with her chopsticks, and smiled, "The pheasant itself is delicious; the mushrooms are just for flavor. If you just boil mushrooms in plain water, would it taste like this? But speaking of which, the mushrooms came in earlier this autumn, but unfortunately, there are too many people picking mushrooms and searching for other mountain goods now—too many cooks spoil the broth. Once the autumn harvest is over and the mountain goods are fully ripe, we'll see if we can bring back more." She then changed the subject, looking at her two sons, "Why are you two so late today? Was the market crowded?"

Chen Dashan had already eaten half a pancake and drunk some soup before he recovered and explained in detail: "Mother, you guessed right, there were an unusually large number of people at the market today. They were probably all trying to buy some things before the autumn harvest. When Xiaohe and I arrived, all the good spots were almost taken. We finally found a corner to set up our stall, and as soon as we put our things down and hadn't even started to call out, people gathered around."

His tone was calm, but his eyes gleamed: "The large baskets, wooden shovels, and grain bins I brought were all useful items for the autumn harvest, and they sold the fastest. Several villagers from other villages who came to the market saw that the goods were sturdy and the prices were fair, and they placed orders right away. Quite a few hemp ropes were also sold. The remaining small bamboo wares and wood carvings were also picked up one by one. By the time the market closed, there were only these few things left on the cart." He pointed with his chopsticks to the few remaining items on the cart under the eaves.

With chicken stuffed in his mouth, Chen Xiaohe mumbled, "There were so many people! The market closed almost half an hour later than usual! My brother and I saw that most of the goods had been sold, so we went to buy some more after the market closed. My brother bought cloth and cotton, and I bought meat." He swallowed his food and counted on his fingers, "Three clean-shaved big bones, a set of fresh pig offal, and a pound and a half of streaky pork! I also wanted to buy some lard, but the stall owner said that it was all sold out for today and that we would have to wait until tomorrow morning when the pig is slaughtered. I told him that I would go to get it first thing tomorrow morning."

Chen Dashan continued, "I went to the cloth shop. I bought three feet of soft, absorbent fine cotton cloth and ten pounds of cotton. The cotton was last year's cotton; I checked it carefully, it was well-preserved, had no musty smell, and was white. The price was much cheaper than new cotton. I also came across a bolt of cotton cloth that had been soaked in water and was a bit yellowish. The fabric itself was good, just the color was uneven. The shopkeeper was selling it off at a very good price. I'm thinking of buying it, washing it a few times, and making undergarments or everyday clothes for my parents, Xiaoyin, and Xiaoqing. It should be fine. I also bought two large bundles of scraps of cloth. They're small pieces, but they have many colors and patterns, so they'll be useful eventually."

He paused, then took out an old money pouch from his pocket, weighed it in his hand, and it made a pleasant clinking sound of copper coins: "After deducting the money I made from selling things today, I still have five hundred coins left over from buying these flowers." He handed the money pouch to Chen's mother.

Mother Chen took the money bag but didn't open it immediately. She simply weighed it in her hand, a relieved smile spreading across her face. "Good sale! You two brothers have worked hard. You'll have to get up early tomorrow to get the lard, so get some rest tonight and be well-rested." She looked at the bundles of fabric and cotton on the table and said to Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing, "That fine cotton cloth and precious cotton are specially prepared for you and your future children, to make little clothes and blankets. Your father and I have our own home-woven linen, which is sturdy and durable, perfect for working in the fields, so don't worry about us."

Su Xiaoyin hurriedly said, "Mother, that piece of cloth that has been soaked can be washed and worn by you and Father..."

"Yes, Mother, we still have old clothes," Su Xiaoqing added.

Mother Chen waved her hand, her tone leaving no room for argument: "Listen to me on this. This is the most important time for you, and you can't be careless about your food, clothing, or daily necessities. Your father and I have lived like this for half our lives, and we won't miss a new piece of clothing. This five hundred coins," she shook the purse, "will be kept in the public coffers. It will be useful for buying meat, wine, hiring helpers during the autumn harvest, or purchasing other things."

Mr. Chen had been listening quietly until now, when he finally spoke, his voice steady: "Dashan and Xiaohe did a great job today, selling the goods well and making the right purchases. The autumn harvest is just around the corner, and with these preparations at home, we feel much more at ease. Tomorrow morning, Xiaohe will go get the lard, and when he comes back, we'll discuss when to officially start harvesting. This year, there's a lot of work to do, both on the wasteland and the cultivated land, but with our family working together and having these new, handy tools, we're not worried."

The next evening, the glow of the oil lamp flickered in the main room. The leftovers from dinner had been cleared away, and the family sat around, their faces showing slight weariness, but more so a clear awareness of the busy work to come. Father Chen tapped his pipe, the embers flickering in the dim light. He spoke in a deep voice, "Dashan, Xiaohe, you've both been tired from selling goods at the market these past few days. You two should rest at home tomorrow and catch your breath. The day after tomorrow, we'll officially begin the harvest."

Chen Dashan was soaking his slightly sore feet in hot water when he heard this. He looked up, his voice still steady: "Dad, Xiaohe and I will feel better after a nap. Tomorrow we'll be free anyway, so I was thinking of going to the river early in the morning to set a few fish traps and see if we can get lucky. The midday sun is strong, so we can go for a stroll in the mountains and see if we can pick some mushrooms, wood ear fungus, or find some wild fruits. Once the autumn harvest gets busy, I'm afraid I won't have time to go into the mountains." He thought of his wife's increasingly heavy body and their unborn child, and he wanted to save up as much as possible.

Chen Xiaohe nodded in agreement: "Yes, Dad, my brother and I will go. We'll also check if the traps we set have yielded any results. The autumn harvest is hard work; we can't do it without some food in our bellies."

Listening from the side, Chen's mother picked up beans she would use the next day and chimed in, "Alright, it's good for you to go and take a look around, just be careful. Tomorrow I'll stay home and prepare the pork belly and offal we bought today, render some lard, and make a few jars of meat sauce. During the autumn harvest, time is tight, so meat sauce sandwiches are filling and convenient. I'll also dig out some pickled bamboo shoots and stir-fry some pickled bamboo shoots with minced meat, it'll be appetizing."

Su Xiaoyin cradled her slightly protruding belly and softly suggested, "Mom, when you make the meat sauce, you can add some dried chili flakes. The autumn harvest is tiring, and it's easy to lose your appetite. Eating something spicy will make it more flavorful and also help you sweat."