Chapter 139 You are more precious than anything else
As Yun Tangyin reached the gate, Fu Yucheng came towards her, holding a small bamboo gadget. "Do you think this rattle is good? I covered the bamboo with sheepskin. It's louder than a wooden one."
The drumstick was wrapped with a blue cloth strip, which made a jingling sound when shaken.
"It's even more exquisite than the ones sold at the supply and marketing cooperative." She stuffed a piece of sour plum that Yu Xia had given him into his hand. "It's from my sister-in-law. Try it."
Fu Yucheng squinted his eyes in anger, but nodded: "It's just the right amount of sour, better than the ones in the army."
He suddenly pulled Yun Tangyin into the house and said, "I made a small bamboo medicine box to store your pregnancy-maintaining medicine. It's more moisture-proof than a wooden box."
The medicine box was covered with red velvet, with wolfberries and donkey-hide gelatin placed in separate compartments, and a package of hawthorn cake hidden at the bottom.
"Aunt Zhou said pregnant women should eat less sweets, so I secretly hid it for you."
Fu Yucheng lowered his voice, like a child stealing candy.
Yun Tangyin was about to laugh when Jiang Jianhua came in holding a bamboo sieve: "Come here, Yinyin, I dried some more pumpkin seeds and added some salt."
She dug into the sieve twice and said, "Look how plump the kernel is. I'll give it to you to eat for fun."
"Second sister-in-law is also pregnant, so she needs to rest more." Yun Tangyin stuffed a small bamboo pillow into her hand. "Fu Yucheng made it, it's very comfortable to use."
As soon as Jiang Jianhua sat down, he saw Yu Xia coming in with a bamboo basket filled with some dried mugwort.
"I heard from an old Chinese doctor that boiling mugwort in water and rubbing it on your body can calm your nerves." She stuffed the cloth into Yun Tangyin's hand, "This is something I just picked. It's fresher than the ones sold in the pharmacy."
"How did sister-in-law know that I've been suffering from insomnia lately?" Yun Tangyin took the mugwort and smiled, "Yesterday Fu Yucheng said he would weave a bamboo calming pillow for me."
Yuxia's fingertips stroked the edge of the bamboo basket. "I did the same thing back then. Yuanshan made one for me and stuffed it with lavender."
She suddenly looked up and said, "I'll go pick some tomorrow and make one for you."
Fu Yucheng poked his head out from the kitchen: "Don't bother, sister-in-law. I'll go make a pillowcase right now. Just teach me how to stuff it with lavender."
"I'll help too." Jiang Jianhua slapped his thigh. "The blue printed fabric my parents sent me is perfect for pillowcases."
When the three of them were busy in the yard, Erzhuzi rushed in holding a small bamboo bow and arrow: "Brother Fu, look! I have wrapped the arrow with cloth, so it won't hurt when you shoot it!"
He stuffed a bamboo arrow into Yun Tangyin's arms and said, "Aunt Fu, take this. I'll teach you how to shoot peanuts."
"Be careful not to bump into it." Yuxia quickly pulled the child to her side. "I'll make you a bamboo target made of straw, so it's softer to shoot at."
As soon as Erzhuzi ran out, Jiang Jianhua stuffed a piece of pumpkin pie into Yun Tangyin's hand: "Eat it quickly, I added chopped walnuts."
She suddenly touched Yuxia's arm and said, "Sister-in-law, you should eat it too. This cake replenishes your energy and blood, and is better than the brown sugar cake."
Yu Xia took a bite of the cake and smiled: "Second brother and sister-in-law are really good at it. My steamed buns never rise."
"I'll teach you." Jiang Jianhua pressed a bamboo-bound cookbook into her hand. "This is what my mother gave me. It says to add alkali flour to the dough. I marked it for you."
In the evening, Fu Yuanzheng came in carrying a small bamboo table: "Acheng, do you think this diaper-changing table is suitable? I added a bamboo drawer to store talcum powder."
The corners of the table are rounded to prevent them from hurting the children.
Yu Xia quickly stuffed a piece of cake into his hand and said, "Try what my second brother's wife made. It's more delicious than the one you bought from town last time."
Fu Yuanzheng bit into a piece of cake and smiled: "My wife still loves me." He suddenly stuffed an oil-paper bag into Yu Xia's pocket and said, "I bought you some vanishing cream. It's from Li Ji. It's better than the one from the supply and marketing cooperative."
Yu Xia's face flushed red, and she stuffed it into Yun Tangyin's hand: "You are pregnant, you can use it."
"Keep it, sister-in-law." Yun Tangyin pushed it back, "I have some that Fu Yucheng bought here, it has the scent of osmanthus."
At night, Yun Tangyin lay on the kang, touching the soothing pillow woven by Fu Yucheng and smiling: "Do you think sister-in-law is particularly happy today? She is humming a song while talking."
"That's right." Fu Yucheng placed a small bamboo pillow behind her waist. "Brother Yuanzheng bought her some vanishing cream. It works better than anything else."
He suddenly came over and said, "I'll buy you two boxes tomorrow. They're rose-scented, and they're more fragrant than osmanthus."
"No need." Yun Tangyin grabbed his hand, "You are more precious than anything else."
She suddenly yawned. "The traditional Chinese medicine doctor said pregnant women should go to bed early. Let's take a rest."
As soon as Fu Yucheng blew out the oil lamp, he heard the sound of bamboo sieves colliding outside the yard.
He put on his clothes and went out to see that Yuxia was squatting in the yard turning over and drying mugwort. The moonlight fell on her back, like a layer of silver powder.
"Sister-in-law, why haven't you slept yet?" Fu Yucheng handed over a small bamboo lantern. "Light it up, don't get tired."
Yuxia took the lantern and smiled: "This mugwort needs to be turned over three times. I'm thinking of boiling water for Yinyin tomorrow."
She suddenly looked up and said, "Acheng, do you think I am too impatient?"
"How could that be possible?" Fu Yucheng stuffed a hot egg into her hand. "My mother said that when she was pregnant with me, she waited for three years before she got pregnant."
He squatted down to help turn the mugwort, "Don't worry, sister-in-law, what's coming will eventually come."
Yu Xia's tears suddenly fell on the wormwood, shining brightly in the moonlight. "I'm just worried that Yuanzheng is unhappy. He always says he wants a boy like Erzhuzi."
"Brother, that's not what I meant." Fu Yucheng didn't know how to comfort him for a moment.
Yu Xia's tears fell even harder, but she smiled: "This damned bastard knows everything in his heart, but he won't say it."
She wiped her face and said, "A few days ago, I saw him secretly putting money in the donation box at the temple. He came back and told me he didn't go. He must have been asking the Buddha for blessings to have a child."
"That's it." Fu Yucheng smiled as he turned the mugwort over the grass. "Big brother has you in his heart. If he really has a child, he will definitely spoil the child to the sky."
Yu Xia suddenly stuffed a handful of dried lavender into his hand: "For Yinyin's pillowcase. I picked it today. It's more fragrant than last year's."
She stood up and patted her apron. "Go back. Don't keep Yinyin waiting anxiously. Pregnant women sleep a lot."
As soon as Fu Yucheng entered the room, he saw Yun Tangyin sitting up with her clothes draped over her shoulders: "Is my sister-in-law gone?"
"Well, I left some lavender for you." He put the leaves into the bamboo basket. "Come back tomorrow morning to teach me how to sew pillowcases."
Yun Tangyin snuggled into his arms and said, "Sister-in-law, you've finally relaxed."
The next morning, Yuxia arrived bearing the blue printed cloth. Jiang Jianhua also approached with a basket of needlework. "My family says the bamboo pattern on this cloth is a good omen. Making it into a pillowcase for my child will ensure a good night's sleep."
The three of them were busy around a small square bamboo table. Yu Xia's needlework was even more skillful than Jiang Jianhua's.
Yun Tangyin stuffed a piece of candy into her hand and said, "Sister-in-law, your stitches are neater than those of an embroiderer. When the baby is born, I'll ask you to make a patchwork quilt for me."
Yu Xia's face lit up. "Really? I'll go back and dig through the bottom of my box and find all the floral fabrics I brought as a dowry."
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