The days slipped by quietly amidst the sweet aroma of dried radishes and the rich fragrance of stewed winter bamboo shoots. In the blink of an eye, Yun Tangyin's belly grew bigger, and she needed to support her waist when walking. Even when sitting down, Fu Yucheng had to place a soft pillow behind her.

That afternoon, she sat under the eaves embroidering a child's quilt. After only two stitches, she felt a heaviness in her lower back and abdomen, so she had to stop and gently rub her lower abdomen.

Fu Yucheng had just finished chopping firewood in the yard when he saw her pale face. He quickly put down his axe and came over: "Are you tired? I told you not to sit and embroider all the time, your back will suffer."

He carefully helped Yun Tangyin to her feet and slowly walked around the yard twice. "I'll bring you a rocking chair. You can sit in the rocking chair to sunbathe from now on. Don't always be so tense."

Aunt Zhang brought over the newly knitted baby socks. Seeing Yun Tangyin supporting her back, she quickly stepped forward to help: "That's how it is when you're more pregnant. Your body feels very heavy. You need to rest more."

She handed the socks to Yun Tangyin. The socks were embroidered with small locust flowers. "They're for the kids. They're made of soft yarn that won't irritate the skin. They'll be perfect for wearing in the spring."

Yun Tangyin took the socks, her fingertips touching the fine yarn, her eyes slightly warm: "Aunt Zhang, you always think so much about us, even the children's socks."

Aunt Zhang waved her hand with a smile: "We're all family, no need to be so polite. When Yuanshan and Jianhua come back, they'll be happy to see the children wearing the socks I knitted."

Zhou Desheng's wife arrived carrying freshly steamed pumpkin cakes. The cakes were still steaming and their sweet aroma filled the yard: "Yinyin, try some pumpkin cakes. I added some red date paste. They're soft and easy to digest, perfect for you right now."

She helped Yun Tangyin sit down. "My mother said that you should eat more soft foods in the later stages of pregnancy to avoid stomach discomfort. If you like them, I'll steam some for you tomorrow."

Yun Tangyin took a bite of the pumpkin cake. It was sweet but not cloying, with the fragrance of red dates. She squinted her eyes in comfort: "It's so delicious. It suits my taste even better than the snacks in the city."

She slipped a piece of cake into Zhou Desheng's wife's hand, saying, "You should try some too. It's kind of you to make such a special trip." Zhou Desheng's wife took the cake and said with a smile, "It's no trouble at all. It's you who's having a baby and it's hard for you. We're neighbors, so it's only right that we help each other out."

Xiao Lan ran in with Zhou Ming and Zhou Liang, holding a newly woven bamboo basket filled with fresh shepherd's purse: "Sister-in-law! Brother Fu! We went to the back mountain and dug up some shepherd's purse. Does it look fresh? When Second Aunt comes back, we'll use this to make shepherd's purse dumplings!"

Looking at the shepherd's purse in the basket, so green and full of life, Yun Tangyin smiled and said, "So fresh! Lan'er is getting more and more capable. The shepherd's purse you dug is even more tender than last time."

Fu Yucheng brought over a rocking chair, laid out a thick cotton cushion, and helped Yun Tangyin sit down: "From now on, let the children go dig for shepherd's purse. Don't run after them anymore, or you might fall."

He then handed Yun Tangyin a hand warmer, saying, "There's hot water in the warmer, keep your hands warm so they don't get cold."

As evening fell, Fu Yucheng set up a wooden frame in the yard to dry more radish slices.

He climbed the ladder and laid bamboo strips up, while Yun Tangyin sat in a rocking chair watching, occasionally reminding him: "Climb slowly, don't fall. You don't need to build it so high, just high enough to get some sun."

Fu Yucheng smiled and replied, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. The higher we build it, the more it will dry in the sun. When my second sister-in-law comes back, I'll have her take some with her to the city so we can cook it whenever we want."

At dinner time, the aroma of millet porridge wafted from the kitchen. Fu Yucheng specially cooked millet porridge for Yun Tangyin, adding some red dates and longan, making it warm and easy to digest.

He filled Yun Tangyin's bowl to the brim: "Hurry up and drink some porridge to fill your stomach. You're tired from embroidery today, so don't eat anything hard."

As Yun Tangyin was drinking her porridge, she suddenly remembered something and said to Fu Yucheng, "When you go to town tomorrow, could you buy some rouge for your second sister-in-law? She always said that the rouge in the city wasn't pretty, but the rouge that the supply and marketing cooperative in town just got is sure to be the right color."

Fu Yucheng nodded: "Okay, I'll go first thing tomorrow morning and buy you some soft cakes. If you get hungry in the middle of the night, you can have something to eat."

At night, Fu Yucheng massaged Yun Tangyin's legs. Her legs were always swollen in the later stages of her pregnancy, and massaging them made her feel better.

Yun Tangyin leaned against him, touching her belly and whispering, "Do you think the baby might come out early? If it can be born before Second Uncle and Second Aunt come back, then they can hold it."

Fu Yucheng stopped what he was doing and gently touched her belly: "Maybe so. This child is probably also looking forward to seeing Uncle and Aunt. When they come back, our whole family will be reunited. How lively that will be."

The next morning, Fu Yucheng went to town with his money bag. He not only bought rouge and soft cakes, but also specially bought a thick cotton cushion for Yun Tangyin to put on the rocking chair for extra softness.

On his way back, he passed by the post office and went in to ask again, but unfortunately he did not receive a letter from Fu Yuanshan this time. However, he was even more looking forward to the arrival of early March.

Back home, Fu Yucheng handed the rouge to Yun Tangyin: "What do you think of this color? The salesperson said it's the most fashionable peach pink, and Second Sister-in-law will definitely like it."

Yun Tangyin opened the rouge box, its pale pink hue exuding elegance. She smiled and said, "It's so beautiful. If Second Sister-in-law received it, she would definitely use it every day."

Aunt Zhang came over to take a look, and said with a smile, "This color is perfect, it will definitely look good when applied."

She picked up the cotton cushion again. "You're so thoughtful. When Yinyin sits on this, her back won't be so tired."

Fu Yucheng spread the cotton cushion on the rocking chair and helped Yun Tangyin sit down: "Try it to see if it's soft. If it's not comfortable, I'll add another layer of cotton for you."

Yun Tangyin sat in a rocking chair, a hand warmer in her lap, a rouge box in her hand, looking at the dried radishes drying on the wooden rack in the courtyard, her heart filled with anticipation.

In a few days, Fu Yuanshan and Jiang Jianhua will be back. The family will sit together, eat shepherd's purse dumplings, chat about everyday things, and watch the children wear the socks knitted by Aunt Zhang and use the wooden box made by Fu Yucheng.

This warmth, like the old locust tree in the courtyard, will take deep root in everyone's heart, year after year, never to fade away.

As March drew nearer, tender green buds gradually sprouted on the branches of the old locust tree outside the courtyard, the snow had completely melted, and the soil was filled with the breath of spring.

Yun Tangyin's belly grew bigger and bigger, and she became more and more inconvenient to move around, but she always had a smile on her face because she knew that the reunion she had been looking forward to the most was coming soon.

That evening, Fu Yucheng was applying varnish to a wooden box in the yard, while Yun Tangyin sat in a rocking chair watching. Suddenly, she heard a familiar voice from outside the yard: "Acheng! Yinyin! We're back!"

The two looked up at the same time and saw Fu Yuanshan and Jiang Jianhua carrying luggage, walking towards the courtyard with smiles on their faces. The sunlight shone on them, making them look like they were plated with gold.

Yun Tangyin stood up excitedly, and Fu Yucheng quickly helped her up, his eyes full of surprise.

Aunt Zhang, Zhou Desheng's wife, and the children all gathered around, and the courtyard instantly became lively, filled with laughter and chatter, brimming with the warmth of a long-awaited reunion.

Jiang Jianhua put down his luggage, first giving Yun Tangyin a hug, then taking the wooden box from Fu Yucheng. Upon opening it and seeing the lining, handkerchief, and scarf inside, tears instantly welled up in his eyes: "Thank you all, you still remember me..."