Hearing the retching sound, Fu Yucheng slammed the fish basket in his hand to the ground with a thud and rushed over to support her: "What's wrong? Did you choke on the fishy smell?"
He took off his coarse cloth jacket and held it to her nose, saying, "Cover it up, it'll block the smell better than a handkerchief."
Yun Tangyin shook her head, her stomach churning, as the smell of bamboo in her jacket subsided. "It's nothing, I just suddenly can't stand the smell of fish."
Fu Yucheng quickly dragged the fish basket to the corner of the yard and covered it tightly with a bamboo mat: "It's all my fault, I should have put the fish in the kitchen first."
He popped a preserved plum into her mouth, saying, "Hold it in your mouth and press it down; it's more effective than a mint."
Song Yushuang came out carrying a basin to collect water, and upon seeing this, she slapped her thigh and said, "Look at my memory! I forgot that pregnant women can't stand the smell of fish! Yinyin, come inside quickly, I'll have your sister-in-law take the fish to be cleaned first and then bring it back."
Yu Xia was carrying in red bean buns when she heard this and quickly chimed in, "Yes, yes, I'll take them to clean up. It's better than having Yin Yin choke on me here."
She stuffed a warm red bean bun into Yun Tangyin's hand, saying, "Hurry up and eat something sweet to balance out the taste."
Yun Tangyin smiled as she ate a red bean bun: "It's really nothing, just a bit of a strong reaction."
She stuffed half of it into Fu Yucheng's hand, saying, "You eat some too, to ease your guilt."
Fu Yucheng sighed as he chewed on his steamed bun, "It's all my fault for being so clumsy."
He suddenly slipped a packet of candied tangerine peel into her pocket. "I just bought these at the supply and marketing cooperative. They're even more appetizing than preserved plums. I'll always keep some in my pocket from now on."
In the morning, Yun Tangyin sat on a bamboo couch embroidering a baby pillow, while Fu Yucheng squatted beside her, whittling bamboo strips. Suddenly, he held up a bamboo strip and asked, "Shall I weave a bamboo screen for you? Put it by your bed to block the wind and smell. It's more breathable than cotton curtains, and you'll feel more comfortable smelling it."
“No need for that,” Yun Tangyin said, “I just feel nauseous occasionally, it’ll be fine in a while.”
She slipped a piece of maltose into his hand. "Is it sweet? It's sweeter than candied orange peel."
Fu Yucheng smiled, biting into a candy: "Anything you give me, no matter how cloying, is sweet."
He suddenly placed a cup of chrysanthemum tea next to her. "It's freshly brewed with rock sugar. It's more soothing to the throat than plain water. Drink more when you feel nauseous."
At lunchtime, Yu Xia came in carrying a bamboo tray with a plate of steamed yams on it: "Yinyin, eat quickly. I added honey, so it's lighter than stir-fried and won't make you feel nauseous."
She put a few pieces into Fu Yucheng's bowl as well, saying, "You should eat some too, to nourish your spleen and stomach. Don't always think about weaving bamboo ware."
Just as Fu Yucheng was about to put some yam into Yun Tangyin's bowl, she stopped him, saying, "I can reach it, you eat it yourself."
She put a piece of pork rib in his bowl, saying, "You like this; it's more filling than yam."
Yu Xia covered her mouth and laughed: "The other day I saw my second sister-in-law drying hawthorns. She said she was saving them for you. They're more sour than the ones you buy at the pharmacy. They're perfect for sucking on when you feel nauseous."
Yun Tangyin's eyes lit up: "Second sister-in-law is so thoughtful, even more so than I am."
Fu Yucheng chewed on a rib and hummed, "I bought it for you a long time ago. It's even sourer than the ones she dried. It's on the second shelf of the bamboo cabinet."
In the afternoon, Yun Tangyin sat under the shade of bamboo embroidering a small bib, while Fu Yucheng squatted beside her weaving a bamboo basket. Suddenly, he held up the basket and asked, "How about we make a lid for this basket? It can hold your favorite snacks, and it's cleaner than leaving it open."
“Okay,” Yun Tangyin said, threading the needle, “Let’s make a small lock, it’ll be easier to tie than with a rope.”
"I'll listen to you." He lowered his head and wove the basket lid. "Once it's finished, I'll carve a little lotus flower on the lid. It'll look better than a plain one."
In the evening, Fu Yucheng went to the kitchen to cook porridge. Yun Tangyin peeked through the door frame and saw him add a handful of millet to the porridge: "The old Chinese medicine doctor said that millet is good for the stomach and is lighter than rice porridge. You should drink more of it."
Yun Tangyin leaned over and smelled it: "It smells so good, even better than the millet porridge in the cafeteria."
She slipped a piece of sesame candy into his hand, saying, "I just got it from Aunt Li; it's sweeter than white sugar."
Fu Yucheng smiled, biting into a candy.
He suddenly added a bamboo stick to the stove, saying, "This bamboo stick burns brightly, and the porridge cooks faster than firewood."
At dinner, Fu Yucheng ladled a bowl of millet porridge into Yun Tangyin's bowl: "Look how well this millet is cooked, it's stickier than last time."
His own bowl only contained plain porridge, so Yun Tangyin scooped half a spoonful of millet porridge into his bowl: "Don't just give me the food, you need to eat too."
Fu Yucheng quickly ate, while Song Yushuang and Yu Xia exchanged smiles. In the glow of the bamboo lanterns, the food on the table steamed, just like the warmth of the day, making people's hearts flutter.
At night, Yun Tangyin lay on the kang (a heated brick bed), and Fu Yucheng was massaging her stomach when he suddenly said, "Tomorrow I'll go to the mountain to pick some wild hawthorns for you. They're fresher than the ones you buy, and you won't feel nauseous if you suck on them."
“The mountain road is slippery, don’t go,” Yun Tangyin said, touching his hand. “Don’t we have dried hawthorns at home? That’s enough for me.”
“That won’t do,” Fu Yucheng lowered his head and kissed her forehead. “Dried ones aren’t as sour as fresh ones. I’ll pick the reddest ones for you, so sour they’ll make you wince.”
Yun Tangyin tugged at his collar and laughed, "You're just hoping I'll be jealous."
"No way," Fu Yucheng pulled her closer, "I was just worried you'd feel nauseous."
Fu Yucheng fed her candied hawthorns, which were crystal clear: "They're cleaner than the ones you buy in town. Take a bite if you want. They're more sour than preserved plums."
Just as Yun Tangyin was about to take a bite, he pressed her hand down: "Eat slowly, don't hurt your teeth."
He suddenly brought his mouth close to hers and said, "Is it sour? If it is, then I'll eat it."
Yun Tangyin popped a hawthorn into his mouth: "Try it yourself, it's more accurate than me saying so."
Fu Yucheng frowned, feeling a sour taste, but smiled and said, "It's perfect for cutting through the greasiness."
The bamboo wind chimes outside the window rang twice, as if echoing the sweetness inside the room.
Yun Tangyin smiled, a hawthorn in her mouth: "It's just the right amount of sour, more potent than candied tangerine peel."
She suddenly poured some melon seeds into Fu Yucheng's palm, "Peel some melon seeds for me, it's easier than peeling them yourself."
Fu Yucheng cracked open the sunflower seeds, the kernels piling up like a small mountain in her hand: "Eat slowly, they're even harder to chew than the melon seeds we bought last time."
He suddenly popped a candied fruit into her mouth, saying, "The sweetness is better than just eating sour food."
Song Yushuang came in with a bamboo lantern to check on the room. She saw the two of them huddled in bed sharing hawthorns. She smiled and raised the lantern higher, saying, "Go to sleep. If you keep eating like this, you'll get heartburn at night."
She placed a small bamboo chamber pot next to Yun Tangyin's pillow, saying, "Don't go to the kitchen when you get up at night. It's lighter than an enamel one, so you won't have any trouble carrying it."
Yun Tangyin blushed and stuffed the chamber pot under the bed. Fu Yucheng quickly took it and put it away, saying, "Mom, you can leave it here. I'll take care of her tonight."
He suddenly stuffed a candied hawthorn into Song Yu's hands, saying, "It's sweet, which will suit your taste better than the sour ones."
Song Yushuang tapped his head: "You're so sweet-talking."
As she turned away, she added, "If Yinyin feels nauseous, keep some millet porridge warm on the stove; it's better for her stomach than cold steamed buns."
Once only the two of them were left in the room, Fu Yucheng snuggled closer to Yun Tangyin and said, "Tomorrow I'll weave a bamboo melon seed tray, the kind with a small drawer. It'll be cleaner than your rough porcelain bowl, and you can just throw the shells into the drawer."
Yun Tangyin stroked his stubble and laughed: "You're always thinking about these things."
He gently bit her fingertips in his mouth, making her pull her hand away because of the ticklish feeling. "Stop it, or it'll be dawn."
Fu Yucheng held her hand tightly, saying, "Let's chat a little longer. It's more reassuring than seeing you in my dreams."
He suddenly breathed into her ear, "Do you think the baby will crave sour foods after it's born?"
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