He added a piece of coal to the stove: "I'll cook some sweet potato porridge tonight and eat it with Zhou Desheng's cured fish."
He suddenly remembered something, "Yinyin, have you started knitting your sweater yet? I think that ball of pink yarn looks just right."
Yun Tangyin picked up a knitting needle and gestured: "I've only started ten stitches, do you think the tightness is okay?"
She slipped a needle into Fu Yucheng's hand, saying, "Help me hold the thread tight; I can never reach it."
As she was knitting, a knock came from outside the courtyard.
When Fu Yucheng opened the door, he saw Xiao Li holding a cloth bag: "Sister-in-law, are you knitting a sweater? My mother sent you some yarn, here are two skeins for you."
He peered into the cage. "This rabbit looks healthy and shiny. I have a bag of cabbage seeds. If I plant them in the spring, it'll be enough to feed it for the whole spring."
Yun Tangyin stuffed a small cotton-padded jacket into his hand: "I just got this, it's for your little niece. By the way, does the patrol team work extra shifts at night? I boiled some sweet potatoes, I'll save two for you."
“Hey,” Xiao Li stuffed his cotton coat into his pocket, “there’s some noise on the back hill. The regimental commander ordered us to send a couple more men. If you hear any noise, don’t come out to check, just call me.”
Fu Yucheng shoved an axe into his hand: "I just sharpened it. I carry it with me on patrol for self-defense. Have you had dinner yet? My porridge is almost ready, go get a bowl."
"No, thank you," Xiao Li took two steps back. "I have to go change shifts. Uncle Zhang is still waiting in the guard room."
After seeing Xiao Li off, Yun Tangyin added a ladle of water to the pot: "Cut the preserved fish in half, stew it until it's very tender, and take a bowl to Old Zhang."
She slipped a piece of fabric into Fu Yucheng's hand. "I just got some corduroy. I'll make you a pair of cotton trousers to go with this military cotton-padded jacket."
Fu Yucheng was slicing a cured fish when Yu Xia came in holding a sweater: "How do you think my pattern is? It looks crooked."
She slipped a plush toy into Yun Tangyin's hand. "A freshly sewn rabbit lantern, for the child to play with."
Yun Tangyin took the sweater and smiled, "The wheat ear pattern is so evenly knitted, much better than mine."
She slipped a knitting needle into Yu Xia's hand, saying, "Use this to knit; it's thinner than yours, and the resulting patterns will be prettier."
"You're so skillful," Yu Xia glanced at the stove, "You're making sweet potato porridge? My family steamed some cornbread, I'll bring you two."
She suddenly lowered her voice, "My husband said that the regiment headquarters is going to build a bathhouse for the family compound. Construction will start in the spring, and we won't have to travel three miles to take a bath anymore."
Fu Yucheng slipped a piece of cured fish into her hand: "It's freshly stewed, have a taste. Where's the bathhouse? Is it far from our compound?"
“It’s being repaired right next to the warehouse,” Yu Xia said, stuffing a dried fish into her pocket. “My husband went to help level the ground, and he said it will be ready to use next winter. By the way, do you have any extra soap? We’ve run out of our soap.”
Yun Tangyin shoved a bar of soap into her hand: "Just got it, made in Shanghai, smells wonderful. You'll look great in that camel hair vest when we go to Director Wang's house for the baby's one-month celebration tomorrow."
Just as dinner was set on the table, Zhou Desheng came in carrying a bundle of firewood: "Is the porridge ready? I can smell the aroma."
He put firewood on the ground, saying, "This is freshly chopped pine wood; it smells wonderful when it burns."
Yun Tangyin ladled porridge into his bowl: "Eat quickly, it's freshly cooked. By the way, does your cotton coat fit? Fu Yucheng said the one he got for you is a bit big."
“Perfect,” Zhou Desheng said, shoveling porridge into his mouth. “I was planning to wear a sweater underneath, it’ll be perfect for winter. My wife asked me to ask if you have enough yarn? She wants to knit a little cape for the child.”
Fu Yucheng put a piece of preserved fish into his bowl: "That's enough. I got six large rations, so I'll give two to your family. Tomorrow, go to Director Wang's house and have your husband learn from Yinyin. Her knitting patterns are beautiful."
After finishing dinner, Yun Tangyin had just stacked her bowls when Director Wang came in holding a red cloth bag: "A newly embroidered purse, do you think it looks nice?"
Yun Tangyin picked up the purse and praised, "This tassel is so cleverly woven, better than mine. By the way, tomorrow is the baby's full moon celebration, I'll bring a brown sugar steamed cake, symbolizing that the child will have much wealth and good fortune."
“No need to bring it,” Director Wang said, showing a silver bracelet he had slipped into his hand. “This is for the child. This is enough. Come early tomorrow and help me set up the stage. The troupe has hired a storyteller for us.”
Fu Yucheng handed a hot water bottle to Director Wang: "It's freshly filled with hot water, keep it warm. Where's the stage set up? I'll go move the tables first thing tomorrow morning."
“It’ll be set up in the middle of the courtyard,” Director Wang said, putting a hot water bottle into his pocket. “I asked Old Zhang to leave two kerosene lamps on so we can sing tonight. You all get some rest; you’ll be busy tomorrow.”
The next morning, just as Yun Tangyin put the steamed cake on the stove, she saw Aunt Li come in carrying her child: "This steamed cake smells really good, save a piece for my child."
She stuffed a cloth bag into Yun Tangyin's hand, "These are insoles I just made, for you to put on your new cotton shoes."
Fu Yucheng carried a table out: "I'm going to set up the stage. You steam the rice cakes and take them to Director Wang."
He slipped a key into Yun Tangyin's hand. "Lock the door. Don't let the rabbit get away."
Yun Tangyin slipped a cookie into the child's hand: "It's freshly baked, have a taste. I'll steam it and head over. Be careful when you're setting up the stage, don't bump into anything."
Just as I put the steamed cakes into the bamboo basket, Yu Xia came in holding a new dress: "Look how pretty this jacket is! It's made from floral fabric that the textile factory gave us."
She slipped a red hair tie into Yun Tangyin's hand, saying, "Keep it, it'll look nice when you braid your hair."
Yun Tangyin stuffed a piece of steamed cake into her hand: "It's freshly steamed, have a taste. Let's go, Director Wang must be getting impatient."
As soon as the two walked to the middle of the courtyard, they saw that the stage had already been set up.
Old Zhang held up a lantern and hung it on the pole: "Come help me hold it up, my old arms and legs are too weak to stand steadily."
Yun Tangyin stuffed a piece of steamed cake into his hand: "It's freshly steamed, have some. When is the storyteller coming? The children are all waiting."
"They'll be there soon," Old Zhang said, stuffing a steamed cake into his mouth. "I sent Xiao Li to pick them up. He said it's an old gentleman who can sing 'The Case of Judge Bao'."
Just then, Director Wang came out carrying his grandson: "You've finally arrived! Please help me greet them."
She slipped a red cloth bag into Yun Tangyin's hand. "It's a gift for our first meeting. There's a silver dollar inside. Keep it as a keepsake."
Yun Tangyin slipped a silver lock into the child's hand: "This was just given to me by Director Wang. May you live a long and healthy life."
She shoved a piece of steamed cake into Director Wang's hand, saying, "Try it, it's still warm."
After Fu Yucheng finished setting up the stage, he came over and said, "The storyteller has arrived, and the children have all gathered around him."
He handed Yun Tangyin a hot water bottle, saying, "It's cold, keep it warm."
Yun Tangyin leaned on his shoulder and laughed: "Look at this courtyard, it's even more lively than during the New Year."
Fu Yucheng hugged her tighter: "It will be even more lively in the future. Once the bathhouse is repaired, we can take a bath every week."
Yun Tangyin laughed out loud: "The men's and women's bathhouses are separate, so how could I possibly go to the men's bathhouse with you?"
Fu Yucheng also realized what was happening, and he hugged Yun Tangyin and laughed along with her.
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