Fu Yucheng carried the bamboo knife and walked towards the fence, glancing back every few steps. Yun Tangyin laughed out loud at his gaze: "Go and fix it quickly. After you're done, I'll make you some rose tea, the kind that your sister-in-law just dried."
Only then did his steps become lighter, and the bamboo knife struck the loose bamboo strips, making a crisp sound.
“Look at these bamboo strips,” he shouted, holding up a new bamboo branch, “they’re tougher than the old ones, they can last another three years.”
Yun Tangyin sifted sesame seeds and replied, "You can weave a new one in three years, one with patterns, and it will be prettier than the current one."
Song Yushuang poured sesame seeds into the bamboo tray: "He only listens to you. Back then, when we asked him to learn bamboo weaving, he said he didn't like it, but now he's good at weaving anything."
Fu Yucheng suddenly leaned over, holding up a bamboo strip: "Look how thin this strip is! It can be used to make a small necklace for the child; it's lighter than silver."
The bamboo strips curved into a small circle at his fingertips, glistening like silver threads.
Just as Yun Tangyin was about to answer, Song Yushuang slapped her hand: "Ignore him, tell him to hurry up and fix the fence."
She slipped a piece of sesame candy into Yun Tangyin's hand, saying, "It's freshly made, and it's stickier than the ones sold in town."
After finishing repairing the fence, Fu Yucheng came in holding a bunch of wild roses: "Here you go, picked from the back hill, they smell better than the roses in the yard."
Bamboo strips were also tied to the flower branches, making them into a small bouquet.
Yun Tangyin stuffed a piece of sesame candy into his hand: "It's covered in bamboo shavings, wipe it off quickly."
She put the flowers in a bamboo vase, saying they looked more vibrant than the silk flowers she bought from the supply and marketing cooperative.
At lunchtime, Yu Xia brought in a bamboo steamer, lifted the lid and steam rose up: "Yinyin, eat the glutinous rice lotus root quickly. I added osmanthus honey, it's sweeter than the canned one you brought last time."
She put a piece in Fu Yucheng's bowl as well, saying, "You should eat some too, it'll help nourish your brain."
Just as Fu Yucheng was about to serve some to Yun Tangyin, she stopped him with her chopsticks, saying, "Eat it yourself, my bowl is big enough."
She put a piece of pork rib in his bowl, saying, "Eat more meat so you'll have energy this afternoon."
Yu Xia looked at the two of them and smiled: "Yesterday I saw Yuanshan carving something in the bamboo workshop."
Yun Tangyin's eyes lit up: "Second brother is really skillful, much better than the carpenter in town."
Fu Yucheng chewed on the ribs without saying a word.
In the afternoon, Yun Tangyin sat under the shade of bamboo embroidering tiger-head shoes, while Fu Yucheng squatted beside her, whittling bamboo strips in preparation for weaving a small bamboo basket.
Bamboo shavings fell on his shoulder, and Yun Tangyin reached out to brush them off for him. Her fingertips touched his collar, but he grabbed them with his hand.
"Don't move," he said, leaning down to kiss the back of her hand. "It tickles."
He twirled the bamboo knife in his hand, shaving bamboo strips as thin as paper. "Look at these bamboo strips," he said, "they can be used as bookmarks; they're stronger than paper."
Yun Tangyin took the bamboo strip and tucked it into the embroidery manual: "It's even prettier than the ones I bought in the bookstore. It would be even better if you carved a little peach blossom on it."
“It’s not difficult at all,” Fu Yucheng took out a small knife and carved a peach blossom in a few strokes. The petals were so thin that they could be seen through. “Here you go, tuck it into the page you usually read.”
In the evening, Fu Yucheng went to the well to fetch water, and Yun Tangyin followed behind carrying a bamboo bucket.
He put the bucket into the well, twirled the rope twice in his hand, and pulled up crystal-clear water.
“Look at this water,” he poured some into her palm, “it’s cooler than the tap water in town, it feels nice to wash your face with it.”
Just as Yun Tangyin scooped up some water to wash, he pulled her into his arms: "Be careful not to catch a cold, I'll wring out a towel for you."
He dried her hands with his sleeve, the rough cloth making her palms itch.
“You’re even more nagging than my mom,” Yun Tangyin said with a laugh, pushing him away. “I’m not made of paper.”
Fu Yucheng pressed the damp towel against her face: "You are my precious darling, more precious than any bamboo woven treasure, and I must protect you carefully."
At dinner, Fu Yucheng ladled a spoonful of corn porridge into Yun Tangyin's bowl: "I added a little alkali, it's more fragrant than plain porridge, you should try it."
His own bowl only contained plain porridge. Yun Tangyin scooped half a spoonful of corn porridge into his bowl, saying, "Don't be picky about food, or I won't make you a new wristband."
Fu Yucheng quickly shoveled down his drink, while Song Yushuang and Yu Xia exchanged smiles. The bamboo oil lamp cast a warm yellow light on the table, stretching the family's shadows long.
At night, Yun Tangyin lay on the kang (a heated brick bed), listening to Fu Yucheng's busy work in the bamboo workshop. The soft sound of bamboo knives shaving bamboo pieces was like a humming song.
She put on a coat and went over, and saw him installing a mechanism on a small bamboo cradle, with a red rope she had woven wrapped around the crank handle.
"Why aren't you asleep yet?" She draped a coat over his shoulders. "It's chilly at night."
Fu Yucheng turned around and smiled: "Put a bell on the cradle so the baby can hear it when you rock it, which is better than keeping it muffled."
He slipped a small bamboo bell into her hand. "Listen, it's crisp."
Yun Tangyin pinched the bell and shook it. The crisp sound drifted through the bamboo grove, mingling with the bamboo scent on his body, like a gentle song.
"Go to sleep," she said, pulling his arm. "We can do it tomorrow."
Fu Yucheng blew out the bamboo lantern and led her into the house. Moonlight shone through the bamboo window lattice and onto the ground, like a layer of silver frost.
"Do you think the baby will look like you or me when it's born?" Yun Tangyin suddenly asked.
“You are the best,” Fu Yucheng said, squeezing her hand tightly. “You have round eyes and dimples when you smile, even prettier than the pomegranate flowers in the yard.”
He suddenly leaned down and whispered in her ear, "If we were like me, I would teach him to weave bamboo crafts, and you would teach him to embroider. The three of us would live a life sweeter than honey."
Yun Tangyin leaned on his shoulder and laughed, the bamboo wind chimes tinkling in the wind, as if echoing the anticipation of the entire courtyard.
The next morning, Fu Yucheng came in holding a small bamboo gadget: "Look at this bamboo dragonfly, isn't it? I carved your name on its wings, so you can see it when it spins."
Yun Tangyin took it and twisted it. The wings spun rapidly, and sure enough, the shadow of the two characters "Yinyin" appeared.
"It's much more delicate than the last one," she said, popping a piece of rice candy into his mouth. "It's from my second sister-in-law. Is it sweet?"
“Sweet,” Fu Yucheng said with a smile, chewing on the candy. “Sweeter than the fruit candies from the supply and marketing cooperative.”
He suddenly slipped a small box into her hand. "This is for you. I was knitting it until midnight last night."
The box was lined with cotton paper and contained some dried wild chrysanthemums, which had a refreshing fragrance.
"I'll put a pillow insert in it for you," Fu Yucheng smiled, "It's cleaner than the ones we picked from the back mountain."
Yun Tangyin smiled as she held the box: "How come you thought of everything for me?"
"Because you're my wife," Fu Yucheng pulled her into his arms, "If I don't cherish you, who will I cherish?"
Just then, Song Yushuang called from the courtyard: "Yinyin, come quickly! Yuxia brought you some freshly steamed jujube cake, it's even softer than the last one."
Just as Yun Tangyin was about to get up, Fu Yucheng pressed her down: "I'll go get it, you sit down."
He ran out and came back in a short while later, carrying a plate with several pieces of jujube cake on it, steaming hot.
“My sister-in-law said she added brown sugar,” Fu Yucheng slipped a piece into her hand, “It’s more nourishing for your blood and energy than white sugar.”
Yun Tangyin took a bite, and the aroma of dates mixed with the sweetness of brown sugar spread. She suddenly stuffed half a piece into Fu Yucheng's mouth: "You eat some too, to replenish your strength."
Sunlight streamed through the bamboo window, illuminating their faces with a warm glow, just like the sweetness of the days in the courtyard.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com