Yun Tangyin smiled and nodded: "I'll go find some oil paper right away."
She had just turned around when she saw Erzhuzi stomping his feet, pulling on the stern of the fishing boat: "I want Aunt Fu to sew it right now!"
"What's the rush?" Fu Yucheng hoisted the child onto his shoulders. "Let's go see the lampshades your second brother Fu painted; they're even brighter than the glass lamps in the temple."
In the west wing, Fu Yuanshan was tying tassels to the lampshade.
The setting sun shone through the gauze on the bamboo frame, casting swaying shadows of bamboo branches on the wall. "Look at this light and shadow, doesn't it look like real bamboo swaying?"
He held up the lampshade and laughed, "If Reporter Li sees this, she'll definitely take another picture."
Erzhuzi suddenly snatched the lampshade: "I'll lift it! I'll lift it!"
He held up the lampshade and walked around in the yard, his shadow chasing him on the ground, which made everyone laugh.
At dinner, Jiang Jianhua scooped a spoonful of brown sugar porridge into Yun Tangyin's bowl: "Drink some quickly, I added longan."
She suddenly nudged Fu Yucheng's arm. "Tomorrow we're going to the market. Buy Yinyin an old hen, and I'll stew it."
“No need to buy it.” Fu Yucheng put a piece of cured meat into his bowl. “Commander Zhang said that the army canteen is slaughtering a pig for the New Year tomorrow and will save half a rack of ribs for us.”
Just as Yun Tangyin was about to speak, Erzhuzi rushed into the house carrying a bamboo fishing boat: "Aunt Fu, look! I found the oil paper!"
He slammed the oil paper on the table. "Hurry up and sew it!"
"Sew after you finish eating." Yun Tangyin stuffed a piece of brown sugar cake into his mouth. "Is it sweet?"
"Sweet!" Erzhuzi smacked his lips. "Even sweeter than the sugar paintings Brother Fu bought."
While Yun Tangyin sewed oil paper for the fishing boat at night, Fu Yucheng sat beside her, weaving kite spools.
Colorful threads were wrapped around the bamboo shaft, which made a rustling sound when it spun. "Do you find this shaft easy to handle?"
He held it up and asked, "It's lighter than a wooden axle, so you can lift it too."
Yun Tangyin leaned closer to look: "It would look even better if you carved bamboo branch patterns on it."
She suddenly yawned. "The old Chinese medicine doctor said I should sleep at 9 PM, so I'll rest after finishing this stitch."
Just as Fu Yucheng took the needle and thread, Erzhuzi came in rubbing his eyes: "Is the boat sewn up yet?"
He held up a small bamboo fishing net, saying, "I wove a fishing net; I can use it to catch peanuts."
"Go to sleep." Fu Yucheng pushed him towards the edge of the kang (heated brick bed). "You can play first thing tomorrow morning."
As soon as Erzhuzi lay down, he muttered, "I want to be the captain..."
Yun Tangyin couldn't help but laugh: "This child, all he thinks about is boats."
“He takes after his father.” Fu Yucheng lowered his head and sewed oil paper. “My second brother loved to build fishing boats when he was young. He said he wanted to live by the river when he got old.”
The next morning, Yun Tangyin was awakened by the sound of a bamboo flute.
She pushed open the window and saw Erzhuzi jumping around in the yard with a bamboo flute in hand. Although the flute music was out of tune, it conveyed a sense of joy.
"Awake?" Fu Yucheng came in carrying a bowl of steamed egg custard. "I poached two eggs for you."
As soon as Yun Tangyin sat down, Zhou Mingniang came in carrying a small bamboo medicine grinder: "Yinyin, do you think this grinder is good? It can grind donkey-hide gelatin, which is more convenient than using a hammer."
The millstone is made from a whole bamboo root, with natural patterns that show the bamboo joints.
Yun Tangyin stuffed a piece of brown sugar cake into Zhou Mingniang's hand: "It looks better than the iron millstone sold by the supply and marketing cooperative. I'll put a piece of velvet cloth on the millstone later."
Zhou Mingniang suddenly lowered her voice: "I found some goji berries for you. Grind them together with donkey-hide gelatin to replenish your qi and blood."
She slipped a small bag into Yun Tangyin's pocket. "Don't let Acheng see this. He always says you're patching up too much."
Just as Yun Tangyin was about to thank him, Erzhuzi rushed into the house carrying a fishing boat: "Aunt Fu, look! The boat can float!"
He was holding a basin of water, and the bamboo fishing boat was swaying on the water, with its red silk sail billowing high.
"It really floats." Yun Tangyin put a peanut on the boat. "It's just like a real boat."
Erzhuzi suddenly threw peanuts into the water: "Let's catch fish!"
He used his fishing net to scoop up a peanut, and sure enough, he exclaimed, "I'm the captain!"
Fu Yucheng poked his head out from the kitchen: "Be careful not to spill water on the kang (heated brick bed), or your mother will beat you if she sees it."
In the morning, Fu Yucheng went to the army base to collect ribs, while Yun Tangyin sat in the courtyard embroidering a baby bib.
Just as the tiger head pattern was halfway embroidered, Jiang Jianhua came in carrying a bamboo winnowing basket: "Yinyin, come and see, I've dried some millet for the child. It's freshly harvested, and it smells wonderful when used to make porridge."
She stuffed a cloth bag into Yun Tangyin's hand. "This is walnut powder sent from my family. It's easier to mix with water than to crush it."
Yun Tangyin stuffed a piece of pork rib into her hand: "This is from Commander Zhang. Take it back and stew it with radish."
Just as Jiang Jianhua was about to decline, Fu Yuanshan came in carrying a small bamboo cradle: "Acheng, do you think this cradle is well-made? The child can lie in it until he is three years old."
The cradle is woven with swastika patterns, and it creaks when it's rocked.
Fu Yucheng placed a bamboo tiger in the cradle: "Let's weave a canopy so it can provide shade in the summer."
He suddenly smiled at Yun Tangyin, "I'll have you embroider a gauze curtain, so it will flutter in the wind."
Yun Tangyin smiled and nodded: "I'll embroider bamboo branch patterns to match the crib."
When Fu Yucheng went to the market in the afternoon, he made a special detour to the bamboo ware stall.
The stall owner held up a small bamboo cart and smiled: "Comrade Fu, buying a cart for your child? This is a cart my son made; it can be pushed and pulled."
Just as Fu Yucheng was about to answer, Yun Tangyin tugged at his arm: "Our bamboo cart at home is still brand new."
She smiled at the stall owner, "This cart is exquisitely woven, but the child is still nowhere to be seen, so let's not waste money."
Erzhuzi poked his head out from behind the car: "Aunt Fu is right! My old stroller can also be used by the little brother, and I can even teach him how to push it!"
He suddenly started jumping around with his bamboo flute in hand, exclaiming, "I'll tie the flute to the cart and push it around, making a clanging sound!"
The stall owner smiled upon hearing this: "Young lady, you know how to manage your money. I'll save it for you, and you can come back to buy it after the baby is born?"
"Okay." Fu Yucheng slipped a candy into Yun Tangyin's hand. "Let's go buy the hawthorn cake you've been talking about."
After walking a few steps, Erzhuzi suddenly tugged at Yun Tangyin's sleeve: "Aunt Fu, shall we make a bamboo steering wheel for our little brother? We can put it on the old cart, and it'll look like a real car!"
Yun Tangyin patted his head: "I'll teach you when you learn how to make circles."
She turned to Fu Yucheng and said, "I'll ask my second brother to add a small bamboo backrest to the old stroller so the child can sit more steadily."
Fu Yucheng nodded: "Wrap another layer of cotton rope around it, so the handlebars won't hurt your hands."
He suddenly glanced towards the bamboo ware stall, "Actually, the shock absorption on that new car is really good..."
"It's not too late to buy it when the child can run." Yun Tangyin stuffed a piece of hawthorn cake into his mouth. "There's no rush now. I'll buy you a good piece of bamboo strips and weave a big kite."
Erzhuzi clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Me too! I want to fly a kite with my little brother!"
The laughter of the three mingled with the shouts of the market vendors, echoing far and wide in the sunlight.
I spent the whole day playing with Erzhuzi.
They didn't take him home until evening.
Now Yun Tangyin got a taste of what it's like to take care of a child, and as soon as she got home, she collapsed onto the bed.
Fu Yucheng burst out laughing when he saw this.
"You're already tired?"
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