The morning sunlight streamed into the room through the window. When Jiang Jianhua woke up, he could already hear Fu Yucheng chopping wood outside the courtyard.
She got up to wash up, and as soon as she walked under the eaves, she saw Aunt Zhang carrying a steaming bowl of steaming egg custard. There were two tender yellow eggs in the porcelain bowl, and some chopped green onions were sprinkled on top.
"Jianhua, eat it while it's hot," Aunt Zhang handed her the bowl. "I deliberately put less salt in it. You're feeling weak right now, so it's better to eat something light."
Jiang Jianhua took the bowl, and the aroma of steamed egg custard wafted towards her. She scooped up a spoonful, and found it soft, smooth, and melt-in-your-mouth.
"Thank you, Aunt Zhang, it's delicious," she said, her eyes slightly moist. "I feel so bad that you go to so much trouble for me every day."
Aunt Zhang smiled and waved her hand: "Silly child, why are you being so polite with your aunt? Taking good care of your health is more important than anything else."
Yun Tangyin woke up as well, and slowly walked out, supporting her back. Fu Yucheng quickly put down his axe and went over to her, bringing her a rocking chair: "Why didn't you sleep a little longer? Was it too noisy outside?"
Yun Tangyin shook her head and said with a smile, "No, it's just that listening to the sounds coming from the courtyard makes me feel at ease."
She looked at Jiang Jianhua and said, "Second sister-in-law, is the steamed egg custard delicious? Aunt Zhang's cooking is excellent. I've been so grateful for Aunt Zhang's care during my pregnancy."
Jiang Jianhua nodded: "It's delicious, even better than what I eat in the city."
She suddenly remembered something and said to Yun Tangyin, "Yinyin, shall I teach you how to embroider the pattern for a tiger-head pillow later? We agreed yesterday to make a tiger-head pillow for the child to bless him with good health."
Yun Tangyin smiled and agreed, "Okay, I've been wanting to learn. With you teaching me, I'm sure I can embroider beautifully."
After the meal, Jiang Jianhua took out an old embroidery book from her bag, which contained her old tiger head patterns.
"Look, the tiger's head should be embroidered more rounded, the eyes should be embroidered with black thread, and then outlined with gold thread, so it looks more spirited,"
She pointed to the pattern and said to Yun Tangyin, "Let's draw the pattern on the cloth first, and then embroider it slowly. There's no rush."
Yun Tangyin picked up her pen and, following the drawing by Jiang Jianhua, gently sketched on the light yellow cloth.
Her hands were a little heavy in the later stages of her pregnancy, so she drew slowly, but the lines were very steady. "Very good," Jiang Jianhua said with a smile, looking at the tiger head she drew. "It's much better than the first one I drew. You have a talent for embroidery, and you'll definitely become a master in the future."
Fu Yuanshan and Fu Yucheng were building a wooden frame in the yard, preparing to make a cradle for Yun Tangyin.
Fu Yuanshan was measuring with a ruler, while Fu Yucheng was planing wood, wood shavings falling to the ground, carrying the fresh scent of pine.
"The cradle needs to be made more stable, and the gaps between the railings shouldn't be too wide, so the child doesn't get their hands stuck," Fu Yuanshan said as he measured. "Also, carve some locust flower patterns on the railings; it'll look nicer that way too."
Fu Yucheng nodded: "Okay, I've got it. Once it's done, apply a coat of clear varnish. It'll be both shiny and durable."
He looked up at Yun Tangyin and Jiang Jianhua under the eaves and said with a smile, "If you're tired from embroidery, take a break. Don't keep pushing yourselves. Once the cradle is finished, see if it's comfortable."
Around noon, Zhou Desheng's wife came over with a basket of fresh vegetables, including spinach and bok choy, still damp with morning dew.
"These are some freshly picked vegetables that my mother grew in the garden. I brought them to you," she said with a smile. "Yinyin is pregnant, so she needs to eat more fresh vegetables to get more vitamins. Jianhua, you should eat more too. Light food is good for your health."
Yun Tangyin took the vegetables and said with a smile, "Thank you, sister-in-law. I was just thinking of having vegetable and tofu soup for lunch. With the vegetables you gave me, I don't need to go to town to buy them."
Jiang Jianhua chimed in, "Yes, the vegetables we grow at home are so fresh, they taste much better than the ones we buy in the city."
At lunchtime, the kitchen was filled with the aroma of vegetable and tofu soup, as well as braised pork made by Fu Yucheng, which was fatty but not greasy and melted in the mouth.
Fu Yucheng picked up a piece of lean meat for Yun Tangyin: "Eat some meat to replenish your nutrition so that the child can grow strong."
She then placed a piece of tofu on Jiang Jianhua's plate: "Second sister-in-law, eat more tofu. It's soft, easy to digest, and good for your recovery."
Jiang Jianhua took the tofu, took a bite, and squinted his eyes at its deliciousness: "It's so good."
Fu Yuanshan smiled and said, "This is tofu from Old Wang's family in town. It's made with brine, which tastes better than tofu made with gypsum. I'll buy it again if I want to eat it in the future."
In the afternoon, the sun was shining warmly, and Jiang Jianhua sat with Yun Tangyin under the eaves embroidering a tiger-head pillow.
Yun Tangyin embroidered tiger ears with fine stitches, while Jiang Jianhua embroidered tassels beside her. The light yellow silk thread twirled in her hands, and soon she had embroidered beautiful tassels.
"Look, the tassels should be embroidered longer, so that when the child is lying down, the tassels will sway gently and can even amuse the child,"
As Jiang Jianhua embroidered, she said, "Once it's finished, I'll sew a little bell on the pillow. When the child moves, the bell will ring. How interesting!"
Yun Tangyin smiled and nodded: "Great, you've thought of everything. The child will definitely like it."
She suddenly felt the little one in her belly move, and quickly pulled Jiang Jianhua's hand to her belly: "Second sister-in-law, feel it, the baby is moving, he must also be looking forward to the tiger head pillow being finished soon."
Jiang Jianhua gently placed his hand on Yun Tangyin's belly and felt the baby's gentle movements. His eyes welled up slightly, but a smile appeared on his face: "It's really moving. This child is so lively. It will definitely be a healthy baby in the future."
The cradles for Fu Yuanshan and Fu Yucheng are almost finished; the wooden frames have been erected, and locust flower patterns are being carved.
Fu Yuanshan carefully carved on the railing with a carving knife, creating layers of locust flower petals that were lifelike.
"How do you think this locust flower carving is?" Fu Yuanshan asked Fu Yucheng. "Doesn't it look just like the old locust tree in the yard?"
Fu Yucheng nodded: "It really looks like it, Second Brother. Your craftsmanship is excellent, even more exquisite than the carpenters in town."
He touched the cradle railing. "It's so smooth. The baby will definitely feel comfortable lying on it; it won't hurt."
By evening, the main body of the tiger-head pillow was finished. On the light yellow cloth, the tiger's head was round and plump, with bright black eyes and golden tassels, making it look exceptionally cute.
Yun Tangyin hugged the tiger-head pillow to her chest and said with a smile, "It's so pretty. When the baby is born, I'll let him use this as a pillow. He'll definitely sleep soundly."
Looking at the tiger-head pillow, Jiang Jianhua was filled with joy: "Yes, this tiger-head pillow looks so festive. If the child sleeps on it, he will definitely be healthy."
She suddenly remembered something, "In a few days, let's make a little bib for the child and embroider the words 'May you live a long and healthy life' on it, to bless the child with peace and safety."
At dinner, Fu Yucheng made pumpkin pancakes, which Yun Tangyin loved, and also stewed chicken soup to nourish Jiang Jianhua.
Everyone sat around the table, eating and chatting, their laughter filling the courtyard.
Looking at the lively scene before her, Jiang Jianhua felt a warm glow in her heart. She knew that although losing her child was heartbreaking...
But with so many people around her who care about her, things will gradually get better, just like the old locust tree in the yard, which, after enduring the cold winter, will always sprout new buds and bloom with new hope in the spring.
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