Fu Yucheng was tying red rope around a bamboo cart when Yun Tangyin came over with a bowl of mutton soup: "Take a break, drink it while it's hot."
She noticed the burrs on the handlebars. "We need to sand these down so the kids don't hurt their hands."
"It's already sharpened." He stuffed a piece of biscuit into his mouth. "The fine sandpaper I borrowed from Erzhuzi is even more effective than the whetstones in the army."
He suddenly grabbed her hand and asked, "Feel it, isn't it smooth?"
As soon as Yun Tangyin touched the handlebars, he pressed her hand down and kissed her: "Softer than the handkerchiefs you embroider."
"You're being silly." She pulled her hand back and laughed. "I've finished drawing the dragon and phoenix design. Are you going to send it to my second brother?"
Fu Yucheng walked out with a biscuit in his mouth: "Let's go now. By the way, what do you want to eat tonight? I'll make you steamed egg custard; the old Chinese medicine doctor said it's soft."
"Let's steam another pumpkin," Yun Tangyin said, chasing after them. "The pumpkin we bought last time is still in the kitchen."
As soon as Fu Yucheng entered his second brother's courtyard, he heard Fu Yuanshan arguing with Erzhuzi: "Your bamboo dragonfly is so crooked, why would Reporter Li want it?"
"I added a bell!" Erzhuzi shouted, holding up his bamboo dragonfly. "It's louder than the one Brother Fu made!"
Fu Yucheng slammed the pattern on the table: "Stop arguing, look at this."
Fu Yuanshan unfolded the drawing paper, his eyes lighting up: "These dragon scales are so realistic! If I copy them, I'm sure I'll win the top prize."
When she returned home, Yun Tangyin was embroidering a red cloth base on a bamboo wine cup.
She arranged the wine glasses in a circle on the table, with a red cloth background and bamboo-woven double happiness characters, like a newly opened flower.
"It looks really good." Fu Yucheng leaned closer to smell it. "What did you spray on the fabric? It smells nice."
"Osmanthus dew." She poured some into his palm. "Zhou Mingniang said that the items used at the wedding banquet should be fragrant for good luck."
In the evening, Zhou Mingniang came to collect the wine cup and clicked her tongue in amazement when she saw the dragon and phoenix pattern on the table: "Yinyin's skills are comparable to those of the embroidery masters."
She stuffed a bag of peanut candy into Yun Tangyin's hand, saying, "This will moisten your mouth. Tomorrow I'll have Erzhuzi's father make you an embroidery frame."
Just as Yun Tangyin was about to decline, Fu Yucheng took over: "That's great, she always says the embroidery frame is too short and makes her neck sore."
At night, Fu Yucheng installed the crib curtain rods, while Yun Tangyin sat beside him sewing a little tiger vest. "Do you think the elastic band on the cuffs will do?"
She held it up and asked, "If it's too loose, the wind might get in; if it's too tight, it'll feel constricting."
Fu Yucheng measured with his fingers: "Take it down another half inch, and it will be just right."
He suddenly burst out laughing, "When the child wears this and stands next to the tiger lantern that Erzhuzi made, they won't be able to tell which one is real."
"Nonsense." Yun Tangyin poked his waist. "Tomorrow when I go to the army to pick up the medicine, I'll ask Commander Zhang when the bamboo weaving exhibition starts."
“No need to ask.” Fu Yucheng put down the hammer. “I ran into the communications officer at noon. He said it will be done at the beginning of next month, and he even asked us to be judges.”
Yun Tangyin's eyes lit up: "Really? Then I'll have to add some more gold thread to Second Brother's bamboo screen to make it even more eye-catching."
The next morning, just as Fu Yucheng pushed his bicycle out of the yard, Erzhuzi ran in carrying a small bamboo abacus: "This abacus I made can do arithmetic!"
The abacus beads are made from jujube pits, and they make a rustling sound when they spin.
"You're really capable." Yun Tangyin stuffed a handful of almonds into his pocket. "Once you learn multiplication, I'll have your brother Fu make up a big one for you."
Erzhuzi suddenly grabbed Fu Yucheng's handlebars: "Brother Fu, can you make a bamboo horse for the little brother? I've seen kids in plays riding those."
"Let's talk about it after you've made a bamboo dragonfly with abacus beads." Fu Yucheng flicked his nose. "Let's go get the medicine."
In the military compound, Regiment Commander Zhang was nodding at a bamboo bookshelf: "Acheng, look at this bookshelf, can it hold thirty books?"
Fu Yucheng gestured with his hand: "Just deepen it by two inches."
He suddenly hid behind Yun Tangyin, "Sister Zhang is here, she's probably going to ask you to embroider pillowcases."
Sure enough, Sister Zhang came in carrying a piece of blue cloth: "Yinyin, could you embroider a pair of 'Mandarin Ducks Playing in the Water' pillowcases for me? My husband always says my embroidery looks like ducks."
Yun Tangyin took the cloth and smiled, "Come back in three days to pick it up. I guarantee it will look even more like the painting."
After picking up the medicine, Fu Yucheng handed Yun Tangyin a paper package: "This is malted milk powder given by Commander Zhang. He said you need to replenish it."
"Why does he always give me things?" Yun Tangyin opened the paper package and smelled it. "I'll embroider a schoolbag for his daughter later and inlay it with silver thread."
“No need for that.” Fu Yucheng rubbed his temples. “I gave him a set of coasters yesterday, that’s my return gift.”
When Yu Xia got home, she was squatting in the yard, drying cotton.
"You two are finally back."
She slipped a cloth bag into Yun Tangyin's hand. "This is freshly fluffed cotton. It'll be perfect for making a small mattress for the child."
Yun Tangyin touched the cotton, which was as soft as a cloud: "Sister-in-law, you've worked hard. I'll embroider a pair of cotton shoes for you later, with wool padding inside."
Fu Yucheng covered the cotton with a bamboo sieve: "Don't let it dry for too long. Bring it in after noon to avoid it getting dusty."
In the afternoon, while Yuntang was embroidering pillowcases, Fu Yucheng sat beside her weaving bamboo horses.
The bamboo branch bent into a beautiful arc in his hand, and the horse's head was even carved with mane.
"Do you see how pointed the horse's ears are?" he asked, holding it up. "Erzhuzi said that the horses in operas all have pointed ears."
Yun Tangyin leaned closer to look: "Carve a red tassel too, it'll look even more imposing."
She suddenly remembered something, "The old Chinese medicine doctor said we should take a walk this afternoon, shall we go for a walk by the river?"
Just as Fu Yucheng was about to get up, he saw Fu Yuanshan carrying in a small bamboo ladder: "Acheng, look at this ladder? It's safer for the kids to reach toys on higher floors than a stool."
The ladder was only two feet high, and the steps were made of round bamboo strips, so they didn't hurt your feet when you stepped on them.
"Second Brother's mind is more meticulous than embroidery." Yun Tangyin stuffed a piece of mung bean cake into Fu Yuanshan's hand. "It was just steamed to cool you down."
Fu Yuanshan smiled as he ate a cake: "I heard from Jianhua that you two are going for a walk? A new bamboo viewing platform has been built by the river. Go for a stroll there; it's very spacious."
The riverside viewing platform was indeed beautiful, with wild roses entwined on the bamboo railings, their fragrance so sweet it made one dizzy when the wind blew.
Fu Yucheng helped Yun Tangyin sit down and took out a paper package from his pocket: "I brought you some red date cake. Are you hungry?"
Just as Yun Tangyin took a bite, she saw two small bamboo ducks floating in the water, each with a red silk cloth in its beak.
“Didn’t Erzhuzi weave that?” she laughed, pointing at the duck. “He must have secretly put it there.”
Fu Yucheng suddenly hugged her from behind: "When the child grows up, we'll make him one too, so he can carry a paper boat and float on the river."
“We also need to teach him to swim.” Yun Tangyin leaned closer to him. “Like you learned to swim back in the army.”
"Teach him how to be a decent human being first." Fu Yucheng lowered his head and kissed the top of her head. "He can't forget his roots."
The setting sun dyed the river water golden red, and the shadows of the bamboo railings fell on the two people, like a moving painting.
Yun Tangyin suddenly felt that these days were really good. With him by her side, she had something to look forward to, and even the wind carried a sweet scent.
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