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

"What's so difficult about that?" Mother Chen smiled, her eyes crinkling. "When I was young, I learned to make everything at my parents' home. Chestnut cake, jujube cake, pea flour cake... Although life wasn't easy back then, we always tried to make something delicious for holidays. Just wait, I guarantee you'll get to try something new."

As they were talking, the loud clucking of a hen after laying an egg came from the yard. Chen's mother put down her shoe sole, stood up, and said, "You all eat slowly. I'll go collect the eggs. I'll heat up the pig liver later, so you can have a couple more bites; it'll help replenish your blood."

Watching Chen's mother's nimble figure disappear into the kitchen doorway, Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing exchanged a smile.

After breakfast, as expected, Chen's mother moved a small stool to the yard and began peeling chestnuts in the bright sunlight. She was skilled; she used a knife to make a cross-shaped cut on the shell, and with a slight squeeze, the brown shell cracked open, revealing the fuzzy chestnut kernel inside. Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing wanted to help, but Chen's mother firmly stopped them.

"You two just sit there in the sun and chat with me. This work is hard on your nails, so you can't touch it now," Chen's mother said as she worked non-stop, quickly piling up a small half bowl of peeled chestnuts.

The sun shone warmly, and the courtyard was quiet and peaceful. Mother Chen chatted idly about which family's daughter-in-law was skillful, which family's young man was getting married, and which plot of land seemed to have an exceptionally good harvest this year... The Su sisters listened, occasionally chiming in, savoring this ordinary, mundane yet incredibly real everyday life.

After peeling the chestnuts, Chen's mother grabbed two handfuls and put them into a small earthenware jar, which she then placed deep inside the still-warm stove. "Let the ash simmer; it'll smell delicious soon," she said, patting the ash off her hands. She then washed the remaining chestnut kernels, preparing to dry them and grind them into powder.

At noon, Chen's mother stir-fried a plate of golden, glistening shredded carrots, heated up some bone broth, and made a pot of golden-brown cornbread. The meal was simple, but it tasted especially delicious because of the care she put into it. Although Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing didn't have big appetites, they ate with relish.

In the afternoon, the two sisters went back to their room for a short rest. Their mother continued her work, carefully crushing the semi-dried chestnuts in a stone mortar and pestle, then sifting them to obtain a smooth chestnut flour. She then scooped out a small spoonful of her treasured lard, melted it, added a little sugar (made from wild jujube syrup brewed in autumn), kneaded it together with the chestnut flour, and steamed it. Soon, a sweet and unique chestnut aroma filled the air.

When Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing woke up, Chen's mother came in carrying a small plate. On the plate were several pieces of freshly steamed chestnut cake, still steaming hot, with a gentle light brown color, a delicate texture, and a few whole chestnut pieces.

"Come and have a taste, it's fresh out of the pot, be careful it's hot." Chen's mother smiled and placed the plate in front of them.

The two sisters carefully picked up a piece and took a small bite. The cake was soft and delicate, melting in their mouths. The sweetness of the chestnuts, the richness of the lard, and the sweetness of the syrup blended perfectly, making it neither greasy nor cloying, but rather fragrant and delicious.

"It's delicious!" Su Xiaoqing couldn't help but exclaim. "Mom, your cooking is amazing!"

Su Xiaoyin savored the pastry, nodding in agreement. The snack wasn't extravagant, but it was filled with her mother-in-law's selfless love and thoughtful consideration, making it more touching than any delicacy.

Watching them eat happily, Chen's mother smiled contentedly. She turned and retrieved the small tin can from the stove, opened the lid, and a rich, sweet aroma of caramel mixed with the unique flavor of chestnuts burst forth. Inside, the roasted chestnuts had split open, revealing their golden, tempting flesh.

"The roasted chestnuts are ready. Enjoy them as snacks." Chen's mother poured the roasted chestnuts into another small basket and placed it beside them.

As the sun gradually moved westward, the light in the courtyard softened. In the distance, the sound of wheels rolling over the dirt road could be heard, along with the faint sounds of men talking and laughing.

"I guess it's your dad and the others coming back." Chen's mother listened intently, a smile appearing on her face. "I'll go check on them. You all stay inside and rest; don't come out in the wind."

Sure enough, a short while later, the courtyard gate was pushed open, and Chen's father, Chen Dashan, and Chen Xiaohe returned laden with their spoils. The wheelbarrow was piled high with firewood, tightly bound together. Each of their baskets also contained a harvest: besides firewood, there were some dried pine branches, a few late-blooming mushrooms, and, incredibly, two gray wild rabbits thrashing about on the edge of Chen Xiaohe's basket!

"Oh! There's this harvest too!" Chen's mother greeted her with delight.

Chen Xiaohe proudly raised his chin: "Dad's trap was brilliant! We found it while we were chopping wood, a male and a female, perfect!"

Although Chen Dashan didn't speak, looking at the cart full of firewood and the harvest, his tired face was filled with satisfaction. After unloading the firewood, the first thing he did was walk to the window of the east wing and whisper, "Xiaoyin, are you alright?"

Su Xiaoyin replied from inside the house, "It's fine, Mom made us something delicious. You must be exhausted, go and rest."

"Not tired," Chen Dashan replied briefly, his voice tinged with amusement.

As dusk settled, the Chen family courtyard was once again enveloped in the warm glow of lights and the aroma of food. The sweet scent of roasted chestnuts, the spicy fragrance of stir-fried rabbit with chili peppers, and the rich flavor of bone broth mingled together.