Chapter 117: First Class Merit

Officer Wang from the military region walked into the courtyard holding the congratulatory announcement, the snow foam still thick on his military cap. "Congratulations! This is our regiment's first first-class merit announcement this year."

Fu Yucheng was about to stand up when Song Yushuang held him down: "You sit down, I'll take it."

She held the red silk-wrapped wedding announcement in her hands, her fingertips trembling. "Come into the house and warm up. I'll ask Yinyin to make tea for you."

Secretary Wang glanced at the awards on the wall and said with a smile, "Fu Yucheng did a great job on the dike this time. When he was trying to stop the pipe burst with his bare hands, we all thought it was going to be a disaster, but he actually soaked in ice water for two hours and sealed the breach."

Yun Tangyin's eyes suddenly turned red: "I knew he wouldn't let his family down."

She stuffed a hot bun into Secretary Wang's hand and said, "Try it quickly, it's fresh out of the pot."

Fu Yuanshan added a piece of coal to the stove, and the firelight made his face red. "He has been stubborn since he was a child. Once he makes up his mind, even eight oxen can't change him. When he was training in the army, he broke his leg but still managed to run five kilometers."

"That's right." Yu Xia came out with some hawthorn tea. "Doctor Zhang said the other day that I need to take good care of myself."

Secretary Wang took a sip of tea and suddenly pulled out a red book from his briefcase. "This is the receipt for the consolation money from the military region. Just sign and you can get it. It's enough to buy my sister-in-law some new clothes."

Yun Tangyin was about to take the call when Fu Yucheng held her hand back: "This money is for my second sister-in-law. She's pregnant and needs to buy more nutritional supplements."

Jiang Jianhua waved his hand: "I don't need it. I have everything at home. It's Yinyin who needs to make up for it."

Song Yushuang suddenly slammed the table and said, "Stop arguing. I'll make the decision. I'll give half to Yinyin to buy supplements, half to Jianhua to make small clothes, and the rest to save for the two children's full-month allowance."

Fu Yucheng smiled and nodded: "Mom is still thoughtful."

He stuffed a pack of cigarettes into Secretary Wang's hand and said, "Thank you for the trouble. Come inside and warm up for a while before you go."

Secretary Wang waved his hand and said, "No, I still have to go to the next company to deliver the notice. By the way, the military district will hold a celebration party next month and ask you to give a speech. Remember to wear your new uniform."

"My military uniform is still wearable." Fu Yucheng touched the collar of his military coat, "It's just that the cuffs are a little worn."

"That won't do." Fu Yuanshan suddenly stood up. "Tomorrow I'll ask Lao Zhang to make you a new one. The material must be the best khaki."

Yun Tangyin stuffed a handkerchief into Fu Yucheng's pocket and said, "I'll embroider your name on the cuff so it won't be confused with others."

Fu Yucheng smiled while pinching his handkerchief: "You are really thoughtful."

He suddenly remembered something and reached into his canvas bag. "Oh, I bought a silver lock for the child to pair with my second sister-in-law's."

The silver lock was engraved with the words "Long Life and a Hundred Years of Life", and there were small bells inlaid on the corners, which jingled when shaken.

Jiang Jianhua touched his silver lock and smiled: "That's good now. The amulets for both children are complete."

Before leaving, Secretary Wang suddenly said, "Captain Fu, your family has a really great atmosphere. It's much more lively than ours. My mom always says that only when the family is united can life become more prosperous."

Fu Yucheng looked at Secretary Wang's back and suddenly moved closer to Yun Tangyin: "When spring comes, let's renovate the yard, build a swing for the children, and plant some roses."

"I want to plant wintersweets." Yun Tangyin pointed to the windowsill, "Look how well this pot is blooming. I can plant a few in the yard next year."

Yu Xia suddenly clapped her hands. "The other day I asked someone to bring some vegetable seeds from the county town. There are spinach and rapeseed seeds. We can plant them in the spring, so we don't have to go to the supply and marketing cooperative all the time to buy them."

Jiang Jianhua touched her belly and smiled: "When the baby is born, I will hold him in the yard and bask in the sun while I watch you plant vegetables and weave baskets. It's a beautiful thought."

Song Yushuang scooped a spoonful of porridge into Fu Yucheng's bowl and said, "Eat it while it's hot. It's not good for your stomach if it gets cold."

She suddenly remembered something, "Oh, Cheng, you said last time that the pregnancy-preserving injections in Shanghai are very effective. Can you ask someone to get some more for my second sister-in-law?"

"I'll call my comrade tomorrow." Fu Yucheng put down his bowl and chopsticks. "He's at the Shanghai Military Region Hospital, so it's convenient for him to do that."

Yun Tangyin stuffed a hot water bottle into Jiang Jianhua's hand and said, "I have some calcium tablets for pregnant women that I bought from somewhere else. Take two tablets a day. It's good for the baby."

"Yinyin still has a solution." Jiang Jianhua said with a smile, "When the child grows up, let him be filial to you too."

Fu Yucheng suddenly hugged Yun Tangyin into his arms: "That won't do. How can you kiss your mother like that?"

Suddenly, a burst of laughter broke out in the house, startling the icicles on the eaves and causing them to fall to the ground with a "click", breaking into sparkling pieces.

Fu Yuanshan added a piece of coal to the stove. The flames licked the bottom of the pot, warming the figures in the room.

He looked at the old and young on the kang, and suddenly felt that life was like the millet porridge in the pot. The longer it was cooked, the more delicious it was.

Yun Tangyin leaned on Fu Yucheng's shoulder, smelling the faint scent of soapberry on him, and suddenly remembered what he said, "When the baby is born, I will come back to be with you every day."

It turns out that happiness is never about being grand and exciting, but about living a peaceful life with a house full of people, a lamp, and a hot meal.

The snow was still falling outside the window, but the laughter, talking, and aroma of food in the house had long kept the cold winter out.

Fu Yucheng looked at the people in the room and suddenly felt that all the hard work was worth it. As long as the family was together, no matter how big the storm was, they were not afraid.

Fu Yucheng was putting some buns into Yun Tangyin's bowl when he heard a bicycle bell ring outside the courtyard gate. Xiao Chen came in carrying a large sack, and the snow foam on his cotton hat splashed all over the floor. "Brother Fu, I've got everything you asked me to buy!"

The moment the sack was opened, cans of milk powder and cod liver oil were revealed. "It was imported from Shanghai. I had to go to the post office three times before I could get it."

Jiang Jianhua touched the foreign words on the milk powder can, his eyes widening. "Is this expensive? Don't waste your money."

"It's not expensive. It's a subsidy from the army." Fu Yucheng stuffed a can of cod liver oil into her hand. "Take one pill a day. It's good for the child's eyes."

Yun Tangyin suddenly remembered something and ran into the house. When she came back, she was holding a glass jar. "This is a lemon pickled with honey. Drinking it in water can help with pregnancy. Doctor Zhang said it's better than canned lemons."

"Yinyin is the one who knows how to live." Yuxia poured a bowl of water into the pot on the stove. "I'll make you some lemon tea. Two pieces of rock sugar will be just right."

Fu Yuanshan was squatting in the yard weaving a bamboo basket, the bamboo strips spinning rapidly in his hands: "Acheng, I'll accompany you to the celebration party on the day."

"Don't talk nonsense when you get there." Song Yushuang stuffed a pair of new shoes into his hands. "You and your elder brother should both go. Wear these. Don't always wear old cotton shoes. It's a joke."

"You have to go!" Jiang Jianhua suddenly stood up, his belly bulging. "You are his brothers. When you go on stage, you have to have family members around you."

Fu Yucheng added a piece of wood to the fire, and the sparks flew high: "Second brother, just think of it as accompanying me for a walk. I have something to tell you."