Yun Tangyin took a bite of sweet potato and laughed, "You just know how to flatter me. By the way, Aunt Li's child said the other day that he wanted a cloth tiger, so I'll take advantage of the time I'm making a mattress for our child to embroider an extra one for him."
Fu Yucheng added a piece of coal to the furnace: "I'll go to the back mountain tomorrow to collect some bamboo strips and make you a embroidery frame so it'll be easier to embroider."
He suddenly remembered something, "Director Wang said her grandson is turning one month old and she wants to invite the military wives to the celebration. What do you think we should give her?"
"Give me two feet of red cloth," Yun Tangyin said, stuffing a piece of cloth into his hand. "The color is perfect; it'll make a festive little bib."
She looked out the window. "How about we embroider another pair of tiger-head shoes? It would show we've put more thought into it."
"Okay, I'll do as you say." Fu Yucheng placed a bamboo basket on the table. "When you go to the cafeteria for lunch tomorrow morning, ask Director Wang when exactly the banquet will be held."
Just then, there was a knock on the door outside the courtyard.
When Fu Yucheng opened the door, he saw Zhou Desheng's wife holding a cloth bag: "I brought you a sample of the freshly dyed blue cloth to see if it's suitable for making cotton-padded jackets."
She slipped a piece of candy into Yun Tangyin's hand. "My husband got it from the regiment headquarters. He said it's a fruit candy made in Shanghai."
Yun Tangyin touched the blue cloth and smiled, "The color is so even, it looks better than ready-made cloth. By the way, do you know how to make cotton-padded jackets? Let's figure it out together later."
“How could I?” Zhou Desheng’s wife glanced at the table. “The peony red cloth you picked is really eye-catching. It would definitely look good to make a new jacket out of it.”
She suddenly lowered her voice, "I heard that the regimental headquarters is going to distribute coal to the families of soldiers for the winter, and the distribution will start the day after tomorrow, did you know that?"
Fu Yucheng stuffed a sweet potato into her hand: "I just heard from Old Zhang that they gave out a lot this year, enough to last until spring."
He pointed into the yard and said, "Do you have enough firewood? If not, come to my woodshed."
"That's enough," Zhou Desheng's wife stuffed sweet potatoes into the cloth bag. "I'm going back now, the child should be awake by now. Oh, and call me when you go to collect the coal tomorrow."
After seeing Zhou Desheng's wife off, Yun Tangyin picked up some fabric from the basket: "Keep this pink one out, and make a little jacket for Director Wang's grandson."
She slipped a needle into Fu Yucheng's hand, saying, "Help me thread this."
Just as Fu Yucheng finished threading the needle, he saw Aunt Li standing at the gate of the courtyard, holding a child: "Yinyin, my husband said that the textile factory is coming to deliver fabric tomorrow, and they want everyone to go to the gatehouse to register their measurements, did you know that?"
"I don't know," Yun Tangyin said, shoving a cushion into her hands. "Come in and sit down. Why do you need to register your measurements?"
“They said they were making uniform cotton-padded coats for military families,” Li said, stuffing a biscuit into her child’s mouth. “My husband said he wanted them to be thicker, just enough to get through the winter.”
She glanced at the table. "The floral fabrics you picked out are so pretty. Can I have a piece too?"
“I’ve saved two pieces for you,” Yun Tangyin stuffed the fabric into her hand. “This one with little yellow flowers is perfect for making a little bib.”
She suddenly remembered something, "When you pick up the coal tomorrow, ask your husband to help carry it. It's just Ah Cheng in my family."
“No problem,” Aunt Li said, picking up the child. “I’m going back now. Meet at the reception room at seven o’clock tomorrow morning to register the measurements. Don’t forget.”
Fu Yucheng stuffed a sweet potato into Aunt Li's hand: "It's freshly heated, give it to the kids as a snack."
He pointed into the yard and said, "You should move your woodpile; it's too close to the wall and it's not safe."
"Okay, I'll make him move it later." Aunt Li smiled and walked out. "See you tomorrow morning."
The next morning, Yun Tangyin had just finished combing her hair when she saw Fu Yucheng carrying a burlap sack into the yard: "I just got the new cotton from the logistics department, it's whiter than last year's."
He stuffed a wad of cotton into her hand, saying, "Feel this; it'll be warm enough to make a cotton-padded coat."
Yun Tangyin put the cotton into the basket: "Let's go register the size first, or we'll miss the line."
She slipped a brown sugar bun into his pocket, "To have some on the way."
A long queue had already formed in the gatehouse. Director Wang, holding up a notebook, shouted, "When you report your measurements, please make sure you want a cotton-padded jacket or cotton-padded trousers. Don't get it wrong."
She slipped a pen into Yun Tangyin's hand, "Can you take notes for me? My hands are a bit stiff from the cold."
Just as Yun Tangyin picked up her pen, a textile factory worker carried in a roll of cloth: "Dear military wives, this is a new camel hair cloth that has arrived at the factory. It's good for making cotton-padded coats to protect against the wind. Would you like to take a look?"
"Give me a ruler," Sister Li said, shoving the ruler into the craftsman's hand. "Make me a big cotton-padded coat, the kind that can cover my cotton-padded trousers."
She shoved a piece of cloth into Yun Tangyin's hand, saying, "Feel the texture; it's much better than the coarse cloth we buy at home."
Fu Yucheng stuffed a steamed bun into the craftsman's hand: "Just bought it, it's still warm. Make a long cotton-padded coat for my family, the kind that goes down to the knees, to protect their stomachs."
He moved closer to Yun Tangyin, "You make one too."
After registering the dimensions, Yun Tangyin walked home and saw Old Zhang nailing a sign to the wall: "What's this?"
"A map of the coal yard," Old Zhang handed her a piece of paper, "showing how much each family gets. Don't get it wrong when you go to collect it."
He pointed into the distance and said, "The textile factory's tricycle is here, unloading fabric. Go and take a look."
Rolls of cloth were already piled up outside the warehouse. The factory manager, wearing a blue cloth hat, shouted, "Everyone take the cloth according to the registered dimensions. Don't take too much or too little."
He slipped a piece of fabric into Yun Tangyin's hand. "This is newly arrived corduroy. It's durable for making cotton trousers. Want some?"
"Give me three feet," Yun Tangyin shoved a coupon into his hand. "I just got these cloth coupons, is that enough?"
She stuffed some fabric into Fu Yucheng's hand, saying, "Look at this color, it'll be perfect for making a pair of cotton pants."
Fu Yucheng touched the fabric: "This material is thick and better than last year's canvas."
He shoved a sweet potato into the factory manager's hand, saying, "I just got it from the canteen, have a taste."
"Thanks," the factory manager said, handing him a piece of fabric. "This is a new tweed fabric from the factory. It would look nice to make a jacket. I saved a piece for you."
As they walked home after collecting the fabric, Yun Tangyin suddenly pointed ahead and shouted, "Look, Zhou Desheng and the others are moving the woodpile."
Fu Yucheng looked over there and said, "Let's move the firewood a bit further away from the window."
He slipped a piece of candy into Yun Tangyin's hand, "Just bought some fruit candy, to sweeten your mouth."
Yun Tangyin unwrapped the candy and smiled, "It's still better to have it lively like this."
Fu Yucheng hugged her tighter: "It'll be even more lively from now on."
The laughter of military wives drifted from afar, accompanied by the shouts of textile factory workers unloading fabric. This ordinary morning was filled with the warmth of life.
Fu Yucheng helped Yun Tangyin carry the fabric into the yard, and just as they put it down, they heard rustling sounds coming from the woodshed.
He picked up a carrying pole from the corner of the wall and peered inside, where he saw a gray rabbit gnawing on firewood.
"Where did this rabbit come from?" Yun Tangyin leaned closer. "Did it run down from the back mountain?"
Fu Yucheng put down the carrying pole and laughed: "If I catch you, I'll make you a rabbit fur scarf."
He shoved a carrot into her hand. "Go lure it away, I'll block it from behind."
The two were cornering the rabbit when Yu Xia heard the commotion and came over: "What are you doing? Why are you making such a racket?"
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