As they left the photo studio, the sunlight slanted across the street. Fu Yucheng, holding Yun Tangyin's hand, walked towards the supply and marketing cooperative: "I just heard from the master that the shop next door has just received some osmanthus cakes. Shall we go buy you some?"
Yun Tangyin paused in her steps: "Didn't we say we were going to buy sugar cakes?"
"Buy them all." Fu Yucheng squeezed her hand. "Whatever my wife wants to eat, we'll buy it."
As soon as he reached the shop entrance, Aunt Li, who sells pastries, poked her head out and smiled: "Isn't this Fu Yucheng? What brings you out with your wife today?"
"Let's take some photos." Fu Yucheng pulled Yun Tangyin closer. "Give me two jin of osmanthus cake and one jin of sugar cake."
Aunt Li deftly wrapped the pastries in oil paper, her eyes glancing at Yun Tangyin: "Is this your wife? She looks so pretty in that red dress, like a girl from a New Year's painting."
Yun Tangyin blushed at the compliment, but Fu Yucheng couldn't stop smiling: "My wife is beautiful no matter what."
After paying and walking out, Yun Tangyin, carrying the bag of pastries, pouted and said, "Couldn't you have said less?"
“I’m telling the truth.” Fu Yucheng suddenly stopped and took out a small paper packet from his pocket. “This is for you. I saw it when I passed by the department store just now.”
Inside the paper package was a red lipstick, its surface gleaming delicately in the sunlight.
Yun Tangyin was taken aback: "When did you buy it?"
"I was just passing by and bought it secretly. It wasn't expensive, only 80 cents." Fu Yucheng unscrewed the cap and gently applied some to her lips. "See, it suits you so well."
An old man selling candied hawthorns on the street looked at them and smiled: "The young couple is so loving, just like me when I was young."
Yun Tangyin pursed her lips, the sweet scent of lipstick mingling with the aroma of osmanthus cake, warming her heart like a little sun inside.
On the way back, Fu Yucheng suddenly said, "The other day, I went to the mountains with my second brother and we found a cave that can shelter us from the rain. When the weather gets warmer in a while, I'll take you to hunt wild rabbits."
"You can hunt?" Yun Tangyin's eyes lit up.
“Of course.” Fu Yucheng raised his eyebrows proudly. “When I was a kid, I went into the mountains with my grandpa and we could catch three wild rabbits a day. I’ll make you rabbit soup to help you recover.”
Yun Tangyin smiled and nodded: "Then I'll wait to eat."
“Okay, I’ll have my older brothers bring their tools, and we’ll go together.” Fu Yucheng suddenly remembered something, “Oh right, Mom said she’s going to get new quilt covers made at the beginning of next month.”
"Making new quilt covers? Are you getting new bedding for your older brother?"
Yun Tangyin turned her head to look at him. Sunlight filtered through the leaves and fell on her hair, making her silver earrings sparkle.
Fu Yucheng squeezed her hand: "It's not just your older brother, Mom said we should get a new bed for our wedding room. She even asked you what pattern you like, saying she'd pick one you like."
Yun Tangyin felt a warmth in her heart: "Mom is so thoughtful. Actually, there's no need to be so particular, as long as it can be covered."
“That won’t do.” Fu Yucheng stopped and looked at her seriously. “We need to have everything we need. Do you prefer peonies or roses? I think the phoenix playing with the peony is quite beautiful and festive.”
“Your taste…” Yun Tangyin laughed, “Something simple is fine, like a bamboo pattern, it looks refreshing.”
"I'll listen to you." Fu Yucheng bent down and tied her loose shoelaces. "We'll go to the market with Mom and pick them out together, so she can help us make an eye for them."
As they passed the blacksmith's shop, Wang the blacksmith was hammering away. Seeing them coming, he smiled and called out, "Does your wife's earring fit properly? If not, I'll alter it."
Yun Tangyin touched the silver earrings on her ears and nodded with a smile: "They fit perfectly, thank you, Master Wang."
"No need to thank me, this kid has been watching me for three days straight while I'm working on it." Wang the blacksmith wiped his sweat. "He said he wants to make a good one, so his wife will like it."
Yun Tangyin looked at Fu Yucheng in surprise, but he looked away and said, "I just... I just stared at him a couple of times."
Wang the blacksmith laughed heartily: "This kid is so protective of his wife."
Once they were a distance away, Yun Tangyin nudged his arm: "You really did keep an eye on him for three days?"
"Otherwise what?" Fu Yucheng raised an eyebrow. "The things my wife wears must be the best."
When they got home, Jiang Jianhua was drying cotton in the yard. Seeing them return, he quickly greeted them, "Yinyin, come and try on the cotton shoes I made for you. I just finished sewing them."
Yun Tangyin took the cotton shoes. The shoes were embroidered with small flowers and the stitches were fine. "Second sister-in-law, your craftsmanship is excellent. They are even more exquisite than those sold at the supply and marketing cooperative."
"I'm glad you like it." Jiang Jianhua patted the cotton wool off his hands. "I specially added a layer of linen to the soles of the shoes to absorb sweat."
Fu Yuanshan squatted down beside her chopping wood, glanced at Yun Tangyin, and then silently looked away.
Yun Tangyin felt a surge of warmth in her heart. She put on the cotton shoes and tried them on; they fit perfectly. "Thank you, Second Sister-in-law."
"No need to thank me, we're family." Jiang Jianhua called into the house, "Mom, Yinyin and the others are back!"
Song Yushuang came out of the house, holding a piece of blue-printed cloth in her hand: "Yinyin, come and see, how about this cloth for a quilt cover?"
Yun Tangyin leaned closer to look. The cloth was printed with a lotus pattern, and the blue and white colors were very elegant. "It's beautiful. You have excellent taste."
“I knew you’d like it.” Song Yushuang smiled, her eyes narrowing into slits. “Tomorrow, I’ll ask your sister-in-law to help us sew up the quilt cover and lining so we can use it before it gets cold.”
Fu Yucheng suddenly remembered something: "Oh right, Mom, the supply and marketing cooperative got a batch of new cotton. It's fluffier than the cotton the team got. How about we buy a few kilograms?"
"No need, no need, we still have some left over from last year." Song Yushuang waved her hand.
"Mom, don't worry about it." Fu Yucheng took out some money from his pocket. "I got my bonus this month, enough to buy cotton."
Yun Tangyin placed the pastries on the table: "Mom, we bought osmanthus cake, please try some."
Song Yushuang picked up a piece and put it in her mouth. The sweet aroma instantly spread in her mouth: "It's so delicious. You young people really know how to buy things."
When Fu Yuanzheng returned for dinner, he saw pastries on the table and asked with a smile, "What's the occasion today?"
“Yinyin and Acheng went to take photos.” Song Yushuang put a piece of meat on her eldest son’s plate. “When the photos are developed, hang them in the main room.”
Fu Yuanzheng looked at Yun Tangyin and asked, "How did the photos turn out? Your sister-in-law is so beautiful, she'll look good no matter how you take them."
He was always a man of few words, so to be honest, Yun Tangyin was a little taken aback by his sudden praise.
But if Fu Yuanzheng said that, it must mean that he really thinks so.
Yun Tangyin blushed at the compliment, and Fu Yucheng answered for her, "That's right, my wife looks good in anything."
Jiang Jianhua chuckled and joked, "Your lips are as sweet as honey."
After dinner, Fu Yucheng helped Yun Tangyin clear the dishes, and the two talked quietly in the kitchen.
"I'll go to the team to get cotton tomorrow. You and Mom can stay home and sew quilt covers?"
"Um."
"If you like, let's embroider a pair of pillowcases, I'll embroider them for you."
"No way."
"I don't know how now, but I can learn." Fu Yucheng hugged her from behind, his chin nuzzling against the top of her head. "Will you teach me?"
Yun Tangyin leaned against him, listening to his strong heartbeat, and laughed out loud.
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