Chapter 159: Visiting a Textile Factory
Fu Yucheng put some noodles into Yun Tangyin's bowl with his chopsticks: "Eat quickly, sweet potato noodles are best eaten hot."
He suddenly remembered something, "The logistics department is going to inspect the water pipes tomorrow, so we need to store some water in advance."
Yun Tangyin scooped a spoonful of soup into his bowl and said, "Got it. I'll boil two pots tomorrow morning. By the way, your old cotton-padded jacket needs to be taken apart and washed. I'll find time to refurbish it."
Fu Yucheng smiled as he ate his noodles: "No need to refurbish it, the new cotton-padded jacket you made will definitely be warmer."
He looked out the window and said, "It's getting cold out of nowhere. The patrolmen should get out their cotton coats."
Yun Tangyin wiped her mouth and said, "When I went to collect cotton this afternoon, I saw Director Wang sewing cotton gloves for the patrol team. He said the temperature would drop in the next two days."
She added a piece of coal to the stove and said, "Let's boil some more water so we can soak our feet tonight."
As he was speaking, he heard Old Zhang coughing outside the yard.
Fu Yucheng stood up and opened the door: "Uncle Zhang, are you still not resting?"
Old Zhang held up an enamel cup and said, "I'll bring you some freshly brewed wolfberry tea."
He glanced at the table and said, "Are you eating noodles? I have some pickled peppers. Would you like some?"
Yun Tangyin stuffed a sweet potato into his hand: "It's freshly cooked, try it. No need for chili, Acheng doesn't like spicy food."
"You young people really know how to live." Old Zhang took a bite of his sweet potato. "The surveillance has been debugged. I just saw Zhou Desheng's wife deliver a bowl of dumplings to the message room. She said it was for the brothers on duty."
Fu Yucheng added some hot water to Old Zhang's cup and said, "Uncle Zhang, don't stay in the reception room all the time. Take a break if you need one."
"It's okay. I'm in good health." Old Zhang put down the cup. "You guys should go to bed early. I'm going back to the house."
After sending Old Zhang away, Yun Tangyin poured hot water into the basin: "Come and soak your feet, the water has just dried."
She placed a piece of soap at Fu Yucheng's feet and said, "Wash your socks while you're at it. I'll give you two stitches. Your heel is rubbed."
Fu Yucheng put his feet in the basin and said, "You are really careful. By the way, we are going to check the water pipes tomorrow. Do you want to borrow a big bucket? Ours is not big enough."
"No, I borrowed two when I picked up cotton this afternoon and put them in the woodshed."
Yun Tangyin poured some water on his feet and asked, "Is this water temperature okay?"
"Just right." Fu Yucheng stuffed a walnut into her hand and said, "Crack a couple to relieve your boredom."
The next morning, Yun Tangyin had just filled the water tank when she heard the voices of the military wives talking outside the yard.
Mrs. Li came in, holding the child. "Yinyin, do you have any water? We only have half a bucket left."
"I have saved it. Go to the woodshed and get a bucket. Pour some in first."
Yun Tangyin stuffed a cookie into the child's hand and said, "Freshly baked, try it."
Mrs. Li came out carrying a bucket of water. "You're really thoughtful. By the way, my husband said the regiment is organizing a tour for the military families to visit the textile factory. We're leaving the day after tomorrow morning. Are you coming?"
Yun Tangyin poured flour into the basin: "Go, it's a good time to look at the new fabric. What about your children?"
"Let my mom come and watch it," Mrs. Li scooped water into the bucket. "I heard you can get two feet of cloth if you go there, and they have a wide variety of colors."
Fu Yucheng came back from outside carrying a ladder. "Did you return the ladder? Uncle Zhang said the surveillance camera can see very clearly at night. There was a stray dog wandering around the gate last night, and it was all recorded."
"Does it really work?" Yun Tangyin stuffed a steamed bun into his hand, "Eat it quickly, I steamed it with brown sugar."
"It works," Fu Yucheng said while biting a steamed bun. "Uncle Zhang said that from now on, anyone who wants to enter the compound must register at the reception desk first, otherwise they won't be allowed in."
He stuffed a steamed bun into Mrs. Li's hand and said, "Fresh out of the pot."
Mrs. Li took the steamed bun and put it in her pocket. "I'm going back now. The child must be hungry. Meet at the gate at 7 o'clock the day after tomorrow. Don't forget."
After seeing off Mrs. Li, Yun Tangyin added water to the pot: "Cook some sweet potato porridge and eat it with steamed buns."
She stuffed a pair of scissors into Fu Yucheng's hand and said, "Help me cut a pattern out of that peony-red cloth. I want to make a small jacket."
Fu Yucheng gestured with the scissors: "How big should it be cut? I think a two-foot square will be enough."
He put it on the table after cutting it. "Is this okay?"
"Almost," Yun Tangyin picked up the fabric sample and compared it. "Let's go to the textile factory and see if there's any nice lace, then add some."
She looked out the window and said, "The plumber is here. Let's turn off the faucet."
Fu Yucheng had just turned off the faucet when Director Wang came over holding a notice board. "The list of people going to the textile factory the day after tomorrow, can you guys check it out? Is there anything wrong with it?"
He stuffed a piece of paper into Yun Tangyin's hand and said, "Here are the precautions. Don't bring too many things."
Yun Tangyin took the paper and read it: "I see, just bring a cloth bag. Director Wang, can I choose the fabric myself when I get there?"
"Sure. Pick one and record it in the account. It will be deducted from your allowance at the end of the month." Director Wang stuffed an apple into Fu Yucheng's hand. "Just gave it to you. Here you go."
Fu Yucheng stuffed a sweet potato into Director Wang's hand and said, "I've just cooked it. Try it. I'm off duty the day after tomorrow, so I'll go help look after it."
"That's great," Director Wang said as he hammered a nail into the bulletin board. "More people means more help. Oh, and there's a cafeteria at the textile factory, so you don't need to bring your lunch."
In the afternoon, Yun Tangyin was sewing a cloth cover when Fu Yucheng came back with a paper bag: "This is the soap distributed by the regiment. Here you go."
He poured it on the table, "There are also two boxes of vanishing cream, made in Shanghai."
Yun Tangyin picked up the vanishing cream and smelled it. "It smells really good, better than Vaseline. Give a box to your second sister-in-law. She said she wanted to buy it last time but couldn't bear to."
Fu Yucheng put the box in his pocket and said, "I'll go right away. By the way, I just saw Xiao Li on patrol. He said there's a movie tonight called 'Southern Expedition and Northern Expedition'. Do you want to go and see it?"
"Go," Yun Tangyin stuffed a cloth pad into his hand, "bring a pad, the ground is cold."
In the evening, when they went to the canteen to get food, the chef poured an extra spoonful of braised pork into Fu Yucheng's bowl and said, "We're going to the textile factory the day after tomorrow. Bring some more meat buns for the military wives to eat on the way."
He stuffed an enamel pot into Yun Tangyin's hand and said, "There's soy milk in it, it's warm."
"Thank you, Master Liu," Yun Tangyin stuffed a shoe insole into his hand, "I just made it, please use it as a cushion."
Zhou Desheng's wife came over with a lunch box and said, "I heard you guys are going to the textile factory too? I want to see the looms. I've never seen one in my life."
She put a piece of pork ribs into Yun Tangyin's bowl and said, "Eat more."
Fu Yucheng stuffed a steamed bun into Zhou Desheng's wife's hand and said, "I just bought it, it's still hot. I heard that the textile factory has a nursery, so it's convenient to take the children there."
"Really?" Zhou Desheng's wife's eyes lit up. "Then I'll bring my son along to broaden his horizons."
After dinner, I went to the movies. As soon as I sat down, Xiao Li came over with a cloth bag: "Sister-in-law, I brought you some fried peanuts."
He stuffed a flashlight into Fu Yucheng's hand and said, "It's dark at night. Use it to light the way after watching the movie."
Yun Tangyin stuffed a piece of candy into Xiao Li's hand and said, "I just bought this. Try it. I've seen this movie. It's great."
Xiao Li threw a peanut into his mouth: "I haven't seen it yet, but I heard others say it's very exciting."
He pointed into the distance and said, "Director Wang is here. I'll go over and say hello."
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