As soon as Yu Xia left, Jiang Jianhua grabbed Yun Tangyin and said with a laugh, "Look at how anxious my sister-in-law is, she must have dug out all the floral fabrics she's kept hidden away. I saw that phoenix and peony fabric that she brought with her as part of her dowry once. She said it was given to her by her mother, and it's very precious."
Yun Tangyin smiled as she touched the lavender in her hand: "It's good that my sister-in-law is feeling better. I saw her looking worried the other day, and it made me feel bad too."
Just then, Fu Yucheng came in holding up a small bamboo toy: "Look at this little windmill, right? I pasted colored paper onto bamboo strips, and it spins when the wind blows. When the kids grow up, they'll be happy to push it around and play with it."
“It’s even more fancy than the ones sold in town. You’re too impatient.” Yun Tangyin stuffed a pumpkin cake into his hand. “It was made by your second sister-in-law. Try it.”
Just as Fu Yucheng took a bite, Erzhuzi rushed into the yard carrying a small bamboo bucket: "Brother Fu, look! My bucket can hold water now!"
He scooped some well water into the bucket and carefully brought it to Yun Tangyin, saying, "Aunt Fu, look, it doesn't leak!"
"Erzhuzi is so capable." Yun Tangyin patted his head. "When your little brother is born, you can use this bucket to fetch water for him to wash his face, okay?"
Erzhuzi patted his chest and said, "Great! I can even weave him a small bamboo basin so he can wash his hands!"
At lunchtime, Yu Xia indeed brought a bamboo bundle containing seven or eight pieces of floral cloth, red, green, and purple, which was dazzling to the eye.
"How about this piece?" She held up a piece of blue cloth with white flowers. "I'll make a little bib for the child, it'll keep him cool."
Jiang Jianhua leaned closer to look: "This one is good, the lotus pattern on it is auspicious. I also have a piece of yellow cloth, which is perfect for making a little hat for the child to match the set."
Yun Tangyin put a piece of pork rib into Yu Xia's bowl: "Sister-in-law, eat something quickly, you've been busy all morning."
She suddenly laughed out loud, "When the three of us have children, wearing the patchwork clothes made by our eldest sister-in-law, running around in a line in the yard, that will be so lively."
Yu Xia smiled broadly: "I'll make three small bamboo bells for them to hang on their wrists. They'll jingle as they walk, making it hard to tell who's running."
In the afternoon, Fu Yuanzheng carried in a small bamboo cradle with swastika patterns on it, which creaked when he rocked it.
"Look at this cradle, isn't it? It was given to me by Yuanshan. I added a little bamboo mechanism to adjust its height." He put a small bamboo tiger in the cradle, "to keep the child company."
Yu Xia touched the cradle and laughed, "I don't know yet."
She suddenly shoved a piece of cake into Fu Yuanzheng's hand, "Try this made by your second sister-in-law, it tastes better than the ones you buy in town."
Fu Yuan was biting into a pancake: "Hmm, it's really good."
He suddenly slipped a small bamboo box into Yu Xia's pocket. "I bought you some rouge from Li's shop. It smells better than the ones from the supply and marketing cooperative."
Yu Xia's face flushed red, and she stuffed it into Yun Tangyin's hand: "You're pregnant, you need to take good care of your complexion, you can use this."
"Sister-in-law, keep it." Yun Tangyin pushed it back. "I don't like wearing these things. Fu Yucheng said I look good even without them."
Hearing this from the side, Fu Yucheng quickly nodded: "That's right, Yinyin is prettier than the flowers in the yard even without rouge."
This made everyone laugh, with Yu Xia's laughter being the loudest, as clear and crisp as a wind chime under the eaves.
In the evening, Yun Tangyin sat in the courtyard embroidering baby socks, while Yu Xia and Jiang Jianhua helped her thread the needle.
"Look, the stitches are crooked." Yu Xia took the needle and thread and skillfully sewed a few stitches. "It has to be embroidered like this to make it sturdy."
Jiang Jianhua slipped a preserved plum into her hand: "Sister-in-law, you're so skillful. You embroider even better than my mother."
Yu Xia laughed: "My mother used to be an embroiderer, and she taught me from a young age. After I married into this family, I almost forgot how to embroider."
She suddenly looked up and said, "After the baby is born, I'll teach you how to embroider tiger-head shoes. I guarantee they'll be better looking than the ones you buy."
Yun Tangyin nodded: "Okay, I was just worried that I didn't know how to embroider."
Fu Yucheng poked his head out from the kitchen: "What are you all chatting about? It's so lively. Come in and have dinner. I made chicken soup with goji berries to replenish your qi and blood."
As soon as everyone sat down inside, Erzhuzi rushed in, holding a small bamboo spoon: "Aunt Fu, look! You can use this spoon to drink soup!"
He ladled some soup into Yun Tangyin's bowl. "Aunt Fu, have some. Is it sweet?"
Yun Tangyin took a sip and laughed: "Sweet, sweeter than honey."
Erzhuzi laughed smugly: "I asked Brother Fu to put the candy in."
Fu Yucheng flicked his nose: "You little rascal, you knew your Aunt Fu loved sweets."
At the dinner table, Yu Xia kept putting food into Yun Tangyin and Jiang Jianhua's bowls, saying, "Eat more, eat more. You're pregnant, you need to nourish yourselves."
Jiang Jianhua put a piece of chicken in her bowl: "Sister-in-law, eat more too. You need to take good care of yourself so you can give us a big, healthy nephew."
Yu Xia blushed again, but she didn't refuse and obediently ate it.
Lying on the kang at night, Yun Tangyin touched the calming pillow woven by Fu Yucheng and smiled: "Today was really lively. My eldest sister-in-law is happy, and my second sister-in-law is happy too."
Fu Yucheng snuggled closer to her: "It'll be even more lively in the future. Once all three children are born, the courtyard will be like a market every day."
He suddenly lowered his head and kissed her forehead. "When the time comes, I'll weave a big bamboo basket, put them all in it, and push it around everywhere."
Yun Tangyin laughed and punched him lightly: "You're just imagining things."
The moonlight shone through the bamboo window frame and fell on their clasped hands, so gentle it could melt away.
The sound of Yu Xia and Jiang Jianhua chatting and laughing drifted from afar, like a warm melody flowing gently through the quiet night.
The next morning, Yun Tangyin had just finished combing her hair when she heard the sound of a bamboo basket turning at the courtyard gate.
Peeking inside, I saw Yu Xia pushing a small bamboo cart in, piled high with colorful fabrics and sewing baskets.
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