Jiang Jianhua was standing at the kitchen doorway, clutching the packet of malted milk powder in his hand, the corner of the paper crumpled: "Sister-in-law, you don't need to hide it. Yinyin will find out about these things sooner or later."
She placed a rough porcelain bowl on the stove, and Yu Xia quickly scooped out a spoonful of freshly made hawthorn jam: "It's freshly made, with rock sugar, so it's not sour."
Jiang Jianhua stirred the sauce with a small spoon and suddenly laughed: "I always thought Yuanshan was dull and not as caring as Acheng. It wasn't until he locked himself in the woodshed that I realized he was scared."
Yun Tangyin added a piece of coal to the stove, the firelight making her eyelashes shine: "Second sister-in-law, let bygones be bygones. Now, taking good care of your pregnancy is the most important thing."
"That's right." Yu Xia added a spoonful of brown sugar to Jiang Jianhua's bowl. "I asked someone to bring me an old hen the other day. I'll make you some soup tomorrow to help you recover."
When Fu Yuanshan returned from chopping firewood, his shoulders were covered in snow.
He piled the firewood in the corner, and when he heard voices coming from inside the house, he paused.
Jiang Jianhua suddenly called out to him, "Yuanshan, come in and try some hawthorn sauce."
When he walked in, his hands were still covered in sawdust. Jiang Jianhua scooped up a spoonful of sauce and held it to his lips: "Is it sweet?"
Fu Yuanshan's Adam's apple bobbed, and he mumbled, "Sweet."
Song Yushuang came out of the inner room, holding a small cotton-padded jacket in her hand: "Look at my memory, this jacket was just sewn. I'll have the clothing factory make two more of them tomorrow so we can alternate wearing them."
Jiang Jianhua touched the tiger head pattern on his cotton-padded jacket, then suddenly looked up at Fu Yuanshan: "Do you think this child will look like you or me if it is born?"
“Like me, that would look good,” Fu Yuanshan blurted out, then quickly added when he saw her raise an eyebrow, “Like you would also work.”
Yu Xia chuckled, "You finally know how to say something nice."
“Then we should teach this child to chop wood,” Fu Yuanshan suddenly interjected, leaning the axe against the wall. “Chopping wood will help him build strength so he’ll have the power to protect you in the future.”
Jiang Jianhua rolled his eyes at him, but the corners of his mouth were turned up high: "Isn't that tacky? We have to teach him to read so he can go to university in the future."
“Going to university is good.” Song Yushuang placed a plate of peanuts on the kang table. “If my grandson can get into university in the future, I will throw a three-day banquet for him.”
Just then, the sound of a bicycle bell came from outside the courtyard gate; the postman had arrived with a telegram.
Yun Tangyin opened the package and suddenly jumped up: "Acheng said that the pregnancy-preserving injection in Shanghai has been found, and he told me to go to the train station to pick it up!"
Fu Yuanshan suddenly shoved a banknote into her hand: "I'll go get it. You stay home with her."
"I'll go instead," Yu Xia said, wiping her hands. "You need to stay home and cook millet porridge for your second sister-in-law, and don't forget to add red dates."
Fu Yuanshan's ears turned red, and he moved closer to Jiang Jianhua: "Then... I'll go start the fire."
Watching him clumsily add firewood to the stove, Jiang Jianhua suddenly said to Yun Tangyin, "Look at him, he's still the same as ever, clumsy with words but warm-hearted."
Yun Tangyin felt a warm glow in her heart as she recalled the copper whistle that Fu Yucheng had given her before he left: "Men are all like that. They don't say it, but they remember it in their hearts."
The chicken soup on the stove was bubbling away, and its aroma filled the whole house.
Fu Yuanshan squatted in front of the stove, adding just the right amount of firewood, and the flames were so steady they seemed to be stationary.
Jiang Jianhua leaned against the door frame and looked at him, then suddenly called out, "Yuanshan, come with me to the supply and marketing cooperative tomorrow."
"What do you want to buy?" Fu Yuanshan looked up, a few sparks clinging to his eyelashes.
"Buy a parenting book," Jiang Jianhua said with a smile. "Dr. Zhang said that reading more books is essential for a healthy pregnancy."
Fu Yuanshan's face flushed red, and he added another piece of firewood to the stove: "Okay, I'll go with you."
Song Yushuang suddenly spoke up: "Please also bring me a bag of embroidery thread. I'm embroidering a pair of tiger-head shoes for the child, to match Yinyin's pair."
Yun Tangyin touched the longevity lock in her pocket and suddenly felt that the room was unbelievably warm.
The snow was still falling, but the laughter, conversation, and aroma of chicken soup inside had long since chased away the chill.
When Yu Xia returned with the medicine, she was carrying a cloth bag: "The supply and marketing cooperative has some new floral fabric. I thought it looked nice, so I bought a piece for the child. It'll be perfect for making a little jacket."
When Jiang Jianhua unfolded the cloth, he saw that it was a piece of coarse cloth with a blue background and white flowers, printed with small wild chrysanthemums: "It's really beautiful, just like the one Yinyin embroidered."
Yun Tangyin suddenly remembered the little coat that Fu Yucheng had embroidered and couldn't help but laugh: "The wild chrysanthemums that Acheng embroidered were crooked and messy, how could they be as pretty as this?"
Fu Yuanshan suddenly stood up and walked towards the door: "I'm going to the clothing factory to ask Lao Zhang to make a few more small clothes based on this fabric pattern."
Watching his retreating figure, Jiang Jianhua suddenly said to Yun Tangyin, "Look, isn't he quite good at taking care of people?"
Yun Tangyin added a piece of coal to the stove, and the flames leaped up: "Second sister-in-law, just wait and enjoy your good fortune. Once the baby is born, the Fu family will be very lively."
The snow outside the window had stopped sometime ago, and moonlight shone through the window frame, falling on the hawthorn jam scattered on the ground, turning it as red as a ball of fire.
Jiang Jianhua touched his belly and listened to the laughter in the room. Suddenly, he felt that life was like this hawthorn jam. After the sourness, all that was left was sweetness.
When Fu Yuanshan returned from the clothing factory, he was carrying a paper package.
He handed it to Jiang Jianhua: "Old Zhang said this fabric is sturdy and can be used to make three jackets and two pairs of trousers for the child."
When Jiang Jianhua opened it, he saw that the stitches were fine and even better than what he could sew himself. He suddenly looked up at him and said, "What did you say to Lao Zhang? His skills are so good."
Fu Yuanshan looked away: "I...I gave him two catties of brown sugar."
A burst of laughter suddenly erupted in the room, startling the kettle on the stove, which made a loud "whoosh" sound.
As Yun Tangyin watched this scene, she suddenly remembered Fu Yucheng's words about "family," and her heart felt warm and cozy, as if she were sitting in a heater.
This is probably what life is like: there are arguments and laughter, tears and joy, but as long as our hearts are together, we can overcome even the toughest obstacles.
Before the laughter had even subsided, the kettle on the stove started whirring even louder.
Yu Xia quickly picked up the kettle to make tea, the tea leaves swirling in the glass: "Speaking of which, Old Zhang from the clothing factory is really honest. The other day when I went to get mattresses made, he insisted on stuffing in two extra feet of cotton, saying that it's better for pregnant women to sleep on something softer."
Jiang Jianhua touched the newly made jacket and suddenly stuffed it into Fu Yuanshan's arms: "Try it on and see if the size is right."
Fu Yuanshan, his arms stiff and half his face covered by the jacket, said in a muffled voice, "How could I wear this?"
Song Yushuang laughed so hard she slapped the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed): "I told you to test the tightness of the stitches, who told you to wear it?"
She suddenly stuffed a red cloth bag into Jiang Jianhua's hand, saying, "These are the egg vouchers I've saved up. I'll boil two for you every day to supplement your protein intake."
Yun Tangyin suddenly remembered something, ran into the house, and came back carrying a glass jar: "These are dried longan. Dr. Zhang said that soaking them in water is good for pregnant women."
Just as Jiang Jianhua was about to take it, Fu Yuanshan stopped him: "Let me try it first, don't make it too sweet."
He picked one up and put it in his mouth, his cheeks puffing out like he had a date in his mouth. "It's alright, not too sweet."
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