As soon as I entered the courtyard, I saw Song Yushuang sitting on a bamboo rocking chair, picking vegetables. The greens in the bamboo basket were so tender that they looked like they could be squeezed to release water.
"You're finally back," she said, looking up and smiling. "I just steamed some locust flower cakes, just waiting for you to eat them with sugar."
Yun Tangyin leaned over to help pick the vegetables: "How did Mom know I like to eat this?"
The dew on the vegetable leaves felt cool and refreshing to the touch.
“You were mesmerized yesterday when Yu Xia was drying locust flowers.” Song Yushuang stuffed a tender stem into her hand. “Try it, it’s sweet.”
Fu Yucheng placed the soy milk on the bamboo table, and suddenly stuffed a tea egg into Song Yu's hands: "I peeled this for you. The egg white is intact, and it's more tender than the ones cooked in the army canteen."
Song Yushuang smiled and said, "You're so thoughtful. Your father has never peeled an egg for me in his entire life."
She suddenly scooped a spoonful of honey into Yun Tangyin's bowl, saying, "It's better to dip locust flower cake in it than white sugar; it's more soothing to the throat."
Fu Yucheng squatted in the yard weaving bamboo baskets, the bamboo strips flying in his hands, while Yun Tangyin sat beside him embroidering a baby's hat.
Sunlight filtered through the wisteria blossoms on the bamboo trellis, falling on her hair like scattered gold dust.
“Look at the pattern on the bottom of this basket,” Fu Yucheng held it up for her to see, “I added a meander pattern, making it more sturdy than the last one.”
The basket still has a small handle on the edge, wrapped with a red rope she wove.
Yun Tangyin touched the bottom of the basket: "Even more evenly distributed than what's sold at the supply and marketing cooperative." She suddenly stuffed a piece of locust flower cake into his mouth, "It's dipped in honey, is it sweet?"
"It's just the right sweetness," Fu Yucheng said with a smile, chewing on the cake. "It tastes better than the fruit candies issued by the army."
He suddenly grabbed her hand and placed a small bamboo trinket in her palm. "This is for you. I just carved it."
It's a little bamboo rabbit with a small peach blossom carved on its ear.
Yun Tangyin pinched the rabbit's ears and laughed: "It's much more delicate than the tiger you carved last time."
“That’s right,” Fu Yucheng moved closer to her, “The rabbit is a good match for you, and the tiger is a good match for me, a perfect pair.”
At lunchtime, Yu Xia came in carrying a bamboo tray with a bowl of black chicken soup on it: "Yinyin, drink up! I added angelica root, it's even more nourishing than yesterday's."
She placed a piece of chicken liver in Fu Yucheng's bowl, saying, "You should also nourish yourself, considering how much you've been making bamboo crafts lately."
Just as Fu Yucheng was about to decline, Yun Tangyin stuffed a piece of chicken into his mouth: "Your sister-in-law specially saved this for you, eat it quickly."
She picked up a piece of chicken skin for herself, but Fu Yucheng reached out and snatched it away: "You have to eat lean meat, chicken skin is too oily."
Yu Xia covered her mouth and laughed, "You two are so lovey-dovey, it's sweeter than locust flower cake." She suddenly stuffed a cloth bag into Yun Tangyin's hand, "These are the roses I dried. They're better for making tea than the ones from the pharmacy. They're perfect for when you have insomnia."
In the afternoon, Fu Yucheng pulled Yun Tangyin toward the bamboo workshop. His newly made bamboo rocking bed hung on the bamboo frame, with lotus vines carved on the bed railing. It creaked and sang when it rocked.
“Look at this bed frame,” he said, touching the red velvet on it. “It’s softer than wood, and the child won’t feel uncomfortable lying on it.”
Yun Tangyin leaned over the bed and swayed back and forth: "It's even more exquisite than the carpenters in town."
She suddenly noticed a small bamboo drawer hidden under the bed. Pulling it open, she found several pieces of hawthorn candy inside. "Why did you hide this again?" she asked.
Fu Yucheng lowered his voice: "Aunt Zhou said to eat two pieces before the meal to whet your appetite, so I specially saved these for you."
Her eyes sparkled as if she were afraid of being overheard.
Just as Yun Tangyin put the candy into her pocket, Fu Yucheng came over holding a piece of bamboo: "I've carved another pair of longevity locks. Do you think the pattern is good?"
The bamboo lock is engraved with the words "Peace" and is wrapped with silver thread around its edges.
“It’s even prettier than a silver lock,” Yun Tangyin said, touching the lock’s surface. “It’s perfect for wearing in the cool summer.”
She suddenly snuggled closer to him, "Once the baby has had enough of wearing it, we'll hang it above the bed as a keepsake."
In the evening, Fu Yucheng was stewing white fungus soup in the kitchen, and Yun Tangyin was peeking through the door frame.
He put lotus seeds and lily bulbs into the casserole, and sprinkled some goji berries on top. The red and white ingredients floated in the soup like a painting.
“I added rock sugar,” Fu Yucheng scooped a spoonful for her to taste, “It’s a little sweeter than last time, you like it.”
The porcelain spoon touched her lips, burning her so much that she flinched, but he gently wiped away the soup stains from the corner of her mouth with his fingertips.
"It's scalding hot," Yun Tangyin laughed, patting the back of his hand. "It's even hotter than the black chicken soup you cooked last time."
“That’s right,” Fu Yucheng turned off the stove. “The old Chinese medicine doctor said that hot soup is good for your health.”
He suddenly pulled a paper packet from his pocket. "These are mints I bought for you. They'll keep you cool."
Lying on the kang at night, Yun Tangyin touched the bamboo calming pillow woven by Fu Yucheng, which was stuffed with dried lavender, and the fragrance made her sleepy.
“Smell this,” she snuggled closer to him, “it’s even more calming than the mugwort my sister-in-law gave me.”
Fu Yucheng placed a small bamboo pillow behind her back: "I added a layer of cotton padding, it's softer than last time."
He suddenly lowered his head and kissed her forehead. "Tomorrow I'll go to the back mountain to pick some wild chrysanthemums to make you a new pillow stuffing. They're even better for cooling down than lavender."
Yun Tangyin tugged at his collar and laughed, "How come you know everything? You know more than an old Chinese medicine doctor."
"For you and the child," Fu Yucheng buried his face in the crook of her neck, his voice muffled, "you'll learn everything quickly."
He suddenly slipped a small bamboo box into her hand. "This is for you. I was too embarrassed to give it to you during the day."
The box was lined with red velvet and contained a pair of silver earrings with small bells as pendants that jingled when shaken.
He suddenly kissed her earlobe. "Keep it safe for me first. It's safer than hiding it in a bamboo box."
The bamboo wind chimes outside the window rang twice, as if echoing the sweetness inside the room.
Yun Tangyin touched the red agate on her wrist and listened to Fu Yucheng's heartbeat. Suddenly, she felt that life was like the bamboo basket he wove. It looked simple, but it was tightly wrapped by fine bamboo strips and was full of warmth.
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