In the afternoon, Fu Yucheng took a hot water bottle out of the bamboo basket and gave it to Yun Tangyin, saying, "I just warmed it up on the stove, keep it with you."
"It's not that cold yet," Yun Tangyin said with a smile, pushing the bag back. "You use it yourself; your hands are always so cold."
Fu Yucheng simply shoved her into his arms: "Listen to me, you're two people now, you can't get cold."
He suddenly leaned closer and said, "Yesterday I went to the supply and marketing cooperative and saw that they sell brown sugar ginger tea. I bought you two packets. Make a cup in the morning and a cup in the evening."
Yun Tangyin felt a warm glow in her heart and slipped a newly embroidered handkerchief into his hand: "This is for you to wipe your sweat and absorb it."
Fu Yucheng took it and carefully put it in his pocket: "It's much softer than the coarse cloth handkerchiefs issued by the army."
He suddenly remembered something, "Tomorrow I'll go up the mountain to collect some wild honey and make you honey water, it'll be sweeter than brown sugar."
"No need for all that trouble." Yun Tangyin grabbed his hand. "Just stay with me."
As evening fell, Fu Yucheng was busy in the kitchen, while Yun Tangyin peered through the door frame.
He was putting goji berries and red dates into a clay pot, simmering something.
"What is this?" Yun Tangyin leaned closer to smell it. "It smells so good."
"Black chicken soup." Fu Yucheng added a slice of ginger. "The old Chinese medicine doctor said this soup is good for your health, so I specially asked Aunt Zhou to buy black chicken for me."
He scooped up a spoonful of soup and tasted it. "Try it, how's the saltiness?"
Yun Tangyin took a sip and nodded: "It's just right, much better than the chicken soup in the cafeteria."
Fu Yucheng laughed: "That's right, I added some spring water, it's sweeter than tap water."
He suddenly shoved a peeled egg into her hand, saying, "Have something to eat first; the soup still needs to simmer for a while."
At night, Yun Tangyin lay on the kang (a heated brick bed), and Fu Yucheng was massaging her legs.
His grip was just the right amount of pressure, making her feel incredibly comfortable.
"Who taught you this skill?" Yun Tangyin asked with a smile. "It's even better than the massage therapists in town."
“I learned it in the army.” Fu Yucheng pinched her ankle. “Once, a comrade injured his leg, and the medic taught me a few moves. I memorized them.”
He suddenly softened his grip. "Are you tired? I'll be gentler."
"I'm not tired." Yun Tangyin snuggled closer to him. "Tell me about your time in the army."
Fu Yucheng then told her interesting stories from the army, how he entertained his comrades, and how the veteran cooks taught him how to stew meat.
Yun Tangyin listened with great interest and unconsciously yawned.
"Are you sleepy?" Fu Yucheng tucked her in. "Go to sleep. I'll stay here with you."
Yun Tangyin nodded and quickly fell asleep.
In her dream, she and Fu Yucheng sat under the osmanthus tree in the courtyard, watching the children laugh in their bamboo strollers, the whole courtyard filled with the fragrance of osmanthus.
The next morning, as soon as Yun Tangyin woke up, she saw Fu Yucheng come in holding a small bamboo trinket: "I wove this all night, it's for you to use as a decoration."
It's a little duck with a beak made of red string. When you shake it, it makes a quacking sound.
"It looks so good." Yun Tangyin put a piece of osmanthus cake in his hand. "It's freshly steamed, have a taste."
Fu Yucheng took a bite and nodded: "It's even sweeter than Li Ji's."
He suddenly slipped a small cloth bag into her pocket. "This is for you."
Yun Tangyin opened it and saw some dried roses. "What's this?"
"I made this for you to drink," Fu Yucheng smiled. "The pharmacy said rose petals soothe the liver and regulate qi, which is good for you."
He placed a small bamboo teacup in her hand, saying, "It looks better brewed in this cup than in a porcelain one."
Yun Tangyin held the teacup, feeling a sweet warmth in her heart.
She suddenly remembered something and stuffed a pair of newly embroidered insoles into Fu Yucheng's hand: "I made these for you."
Fu Yucheng took it and saw that it was embroidered with two mandarin ducks. He couldn't stop smiling and said, "It's so beautiful. I'll put it on tomorrow."
The next morning, Yun Tangyin sat under the eaves basking in the sun, while Fu Yucheng squatted in the courtyard, casually weaving a small bamboo basket.
The bamboo strips flew through his hands, and soon a small and exquisite basket was woven.
"Do you think this basket is suitable?" Fu Yucheng asked, holding it up. "I'll use it to hold your snacks."
Yun Tangyin took the basket and saw that there was a small peach blossom woven on it. She smiled and said, "It's so pretty, even more exquisite than the ones sold at the supply and marketing cooperative."
She put some preserved plums and red dates into the basket, "Perfect, I can take them with me when I go out from now on."
Fu Yucheng laughed: "In a few days, I'll make you a bigger one, big enough to fit your embroidery hoop."
At lunchtime, Fu Yucheng put a piece of pork rib into Yun Tangyin's bowl: "Eat more, this pork rib is stewed until tender and easy to digest."
He suddenly added a spoonful of soup to her bowl. "I added some yam to the soup. The old Chinese medicine doctor said that yam strengthens the spleen, which is good for you."
Yun Tangyin took a sip of the soup and nodded: "It's really delicious, even more delicious than yesterday's black chicken soup."
Fu Yucheng laughed: "That's right, I added some corn on purpose to enhance the flavor."
He put a piece of green vegetable into his bowl, saying, "You eat more meat, I'll just eat the vegetables."
"No, you need to eat more too." Yun Tangyin put a piece of pork rib into his bowl. "You need to take care of yourself so you can stay with me."
Fu Yucheng felt a warmth in his heart, nodded, and began to eat heartily.
He suddenly slipped a small bamboo box into her hand. "Here you go. It contains some almonds. The old Chinese medicine doctor said almonds are good for the brain, and they're good for you and the baby."
Yun Tangyin opened the box and saw that the almonds inside were all plump. She smiled and said, "You've really thought of everything."
Fu Yucheng laughed: "That's right, you're my wife, who else would I cherish if not you?"
In the evening, Yun Tangyin sat in the courtyard embroidering a handkerchief, while Fu Yucheng squatted beside her, applying varnish to a small bamboo table.
The varnish has a mild smell, with a hint of turpentine.
"This table looks even shinier after being varnished," Yun Tangyin said with a smile. "It looks even better than a wooden table."
“That’s right. I specially picked this bamboo because of its beautiful grain.” Fu Yucheng blew on the table. “Once it’s dry, you can embroider on it. It’s more convenient than on the kang (heated brick bed).
He suddenly shoved an apple into her hand. "I just bought it. It's very sweet. You can have it."
Yun Tangyin took a bite and nodded: "It's really sweet, sweeter than the crabapples in the yard."
Fu Yucheng smiled and said, "That's right."
He put a piece of apple peel in his mouth, saying, "You eat the flesh, I'll eat the peel."
“No, you have to eat the fruit too.” Yun Tangyin stuffed a piece of apple into his mouth. “You need to get some nutrition too.”
Fu Yucheng felt a warmth in his heart and began to eat heartily.
At night, Yun Tangyin lay on the kang (a heated brick bed), and Fu Yucheng was reading the newspaper to her.
His voice was deep and pleasant, and he read with great emotion.
He suddenly shoved a hot water bottle into her hand. "I just warmed it up. Keep it warm so you don't get cold tonight."
Yun Tangyin nodded and snuggled closer to him: "With you here, how could I be cold?"
Fu Yucheng smiled, lowered his head and kissed her forehead: "Go to sleep. Tomorrow I'll take you to town and buy you some of your favorite foods."
Yun Tangyin nodded and quickly fell asleep.
In her dream, she and Fu Yucheng walked hand in hand on the stone-paved road in the town. The sun was warm, and her heart was filled with sweetness.
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