Fu Yucheng wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, resting his chin on the top of her head: "It's good to be a living advertisement, so that the whole Northeast knows that my wife looks best with a silver hairpin."
He suddenly slipped a note into her hand. "This is a recipe from Commander Zhang's daughter. She said it's good for getting pregnant."
The paper read "Red dates, goji berries, and boiled eggs" in neat handwriting.
Yun Tangyin smiled and walked towards the kitchen: "I'll cook you a bowl too, to help you recover."
“I don’t need any supplements,” Fu Yucheng said, following behind. “I’m perfectly healthy.”
Before he could finish speaking, she glared at him and said, "Preparing for pregnancy is a matter for two people, do you think it's only my problem?"
He scratched his head and laughed, "Then I'll eat two more eggs."
As they were talking, Jiang Jianhua brought in a bamboo sieve with dried hawthorn slices spread out inside: "I heard from Yuanshan that you two are trying to conceive. These are dried hawthorns that I made. They can be soaked in water to stimulate your appetite."
She slipped a bag of walnuts into Yun Tangyin's hand, saying, "Eat two every day, and your child will be smart in the future."
Yun Tangyin slipped a piece of brown sugar into her pocket: "Second sister-in-law, sit down and rest. I just cooked some millet porridge."
Jiang Jianhua touched her hand and smiled, "You need to take good care of your hands, you'll need them to make patchwork clothes for the children in the future. By the way, I found some cotton for you, it's very soft and fluffy, perfect for making small quilts."
Fu Yucheng suddenly stood up: "I'll go put a bamboo frame over the cotton and let it sunbathe to kill any germs."
"You're so thoughtful," Jiang Jianhua said to Yun Tangyin, watching his retreating figure. "Acheng is truly devoted to you."
In the afternoon, while Yun Tangyin was sewing a baby jacket, Fu Yucheng sat beside her tidying up the crib.
"Do you think the spacing between these railings is okay?" He held it up to show the children. "If it's too wide, the children's hands might get caught; if it's too narrow, it won't be breathable."
Yun Tangyin leaned closer to look: "Tighten it by another half an inch, and it will be just right. By the way, we can weave a drawer under the bed to store diapers."
He suddenly leaned down and kissed her on the cheek: "You're so thoughtful."
Just then, Zhou Mingniang came in carrying a bamboo basket containing six bamboo longevity locks: "Acheng, do you think these locks are well-made? Director Wang said he wants to prepare them for the supply and marketing cooperative's New Year's goods."
Fu Yucheng picked up the lock and looked at it. The lock was inscribed with the words "Long Live to a Hundred Years" and had a small bell hanging from it. "Aunt Zhou's craftsmanship is almost as good as Second Brother's."
He suddenly winked at Yun Tangyin, "Have your sister-in-law tie a red silk cloth around the lock, it'll sell well."
Yun Tangyin smiled and nodded: "I have some leftover red cloth here, I'll sew it tomorrow."
After Zhou Mingniang left, Fu Yucheng put a walnut in her hand: "Open your mouth."
Watching her chew with relish, I suddenly said, "When the baby is born, let's make a bamboo lock like this too, it's lighter and more delicate than a silver lock."
"What about the silver lock?" Yun Tangyin asked, spitting out the kernel.
“Hang it above the bed as a decoration.” He picked up the silver lock and gestured, “to let the child know that many people are looking forward to his arrival.”
In the evening, Fu Yuanshan came to deliver the folded file box. When he saw the crib, he suddenly said, "I'll add a sunshade to the top of the crib so it can block the sun in the summer."
He slipped a bamboo strip into Fu Yucheng's hand, saying, "Use these thin bamboo strips; they'll make something that's translucent and cool."
Just as Fu Yucheng was about to make a move, Yun Tangyin stopped him: "Eat first. I made some chicken soup to nourish your body."
Fu Yuanshan naturally stayed for dinner, along with Jiang Jianhua, who had joined the group at the same time.
At the dinner table, Fu Yuanshan suddenly lowered his voice and said, "I heard from an old Chinese medicine doctor in the army that drinking pigeon soup is good for those trying to conceive. I'll catch two for you two tomorrow."
"No need to trouble Second Brother." Yun Tangyin put a piece of chicken into his bowl. "Our usual home-cooked meal is fine."
After Fu Yuanshan left after dinner, Fu Yucheng suddenly said, "Tomorrow I'll go to the mountains to hunt some wild pigeons and pick some mushrooms to make you mushroom and pigeon soup."
"Don't go too deep into the mountains," Yun Tangyin cautioned. "I've heard there are wild animals in the back mountains."
"Don't worry, I've got a gun with me." He patted the holster on his waist. "I trained in hunting back in the army, so I'm pretty accurate."
Lying on the kang at night, Yun Tangyin touched the amulet on Fu Yucheng's chest and asked, "Do you think our child will like bamboo ware?"
“I’ll definitely like it.” He snuggled closer to her. “From birth, I’ve had bamboo toys and slept in a bamboo bed. I’ll know that I grew up being loved.”
“I wish he were like you, a soldier,” Yun Tangyin said softly. “He looks so dashing in a military uniform.”
"Anything is fine." He hugged her tighter. "As long as she's our child, anything is okay."
The next morning, just as Fu Yucheng was about to enter the mountain, Yun Tangyin grabbed his arm: "Take this with you."
She slipped a bag of dried hawthorns into his pocket. "Eat some if you're hungry. Also, come back early, don't worry me."
"Okay." He kissed her forehead. "I'll bring you wild berries when I come back."
After Fu Yucheng left, Yun Tangyin sat in the courtyard sewing red silk cloth.
Sunlight filtered through the bamboo blinds and fell onto the cloth, turning the silk threads a golden-red hue.
As she was sewing, she suddenly heard a noise outside the courtyard. Looking up, she saw Erzhuzi running in with a small bamboo bow and arrow in his hand.
"Look at the bow and arrow I made! It can shoot sparrows!" He gestured with the bowstring. "When my little brother is born, I'll teach him to shoot arrows."
Yun Tangyin stuffed a handful of candy into his pocket: "Don't shoot sparrows, you have to protect living beings. By the way, when you go to call your brother Fu back for dinner, ask him if he wants some red cloth wrapped around his bow and arrows."
"Yes! I want to be wrapped in the reddest cloth!" Erzhuzi skipped and hopped away.
When Fu Yucheng returned at noon, he was carrying two wild pigeons and a basket of mushrooms.
Just as Yun Tangyin was about to take it, he stopped her: "Don't move, I'll handle it."
He slipped a bunch of wild hawthorns into her hand. "They were just picked, they're sweet."
"How did you know I like to eat this?" Yun Tangyin laughed.
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