Chapter 190: As long as the child is healthy, it doesn’t matter whether the child is a boy or a girl.
Xiaolan held the bottom of the bamboo basket in her hands, as if she were holding a rare treasure, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Really? Brother Fu, you didn't lie to me?"
Fu Yucheng put down the bamboo strips in his hand and reached out to gently smooth the raised corners of the bamboo basket base: "Of course I didn't lie to you. The base is tightly woven, but the edges are a little crooked. Pay more attention to adjustments next time, and you will definitely be able to weave a complete small bamboo basket."
Yun Tangyin brought a plate of locust flower cake and placed it on the stone table: "Girl Lan, take a break first, eat a piece of cake and then study."
She picked up a piece of cake and handed it over. "This is freshly steamed and still warm. It will fill your stomach and give you strength."
Xiaolan took the cake and took a big bite. The sweet fragrance mixed with the refreshing aroma of locust flowers spread in her mouth. She squinted her eyes in satisfaction and said, "The locust flower cake made by my sister-in-law is the best. It's even more delicious than the ones sold at the supply and marketing cooperative in town!"
Zhou Desheng walked into the yard carrying a bundle of straw. His military boots left deep footprints on the snow, and the straw was still stained with snow foam. "Brother Fu, I brought the straw. Aunt Zhang said it's soft and perfect for making a nest for rabbits."
He leaned the straw against the wall and rubbed his red, frozen hands. "My wife also asked me to bring you some freshly ground cornmeal to make porridge to nourish your stomach."
Fu Yucheng stuffed a cup of hot water into his hand and said, "Warm your hands quickly. It's so cold, why are you making such a trip?"
He pointed to the base of the bamboo basket in Xiaolan's hand and said, "Look at what Lan has woven. It's so good even after learning it for the first time."
Zhou Desheng leaned over to take a look, then nodded with a smile: "This girl is very skillful, much better than those two boys in my family. They can't even tie their shoelaces properly."
Xiaolan felt a little embarrassed by the praise, her cheeks flushed, and she lowered her head to continue chewing the locust flower cake.
Yun Tangyin smiled and said, "Miss Lan is not only dexterous, but also thoughtful. She cut pieces of cloth to make little cushions for the rabbits last night. Look at how neatly these pieces are cut."
She picked up the pieces of cloth on the stone table, blue, pink, and floral, each piece neatly stacked and with smooth and neat edges.
Zhou Desheng's wife came in carrying a cloth bag filled with cornmeal, still steaming. "I've just ground it. I'm bringing it to you while it's still hot."
She peeked into the cage and saw the rabbits still sleeping in their little bamboo baskets. She whispered, "These little guys really know how to enjoy themselves. They sleep so soundly."
She took out a small stuffed animal from her bag. "This little tiger doll is for my child. My mother taught me how to sew it. It's not as pretty as the one you embroidered, Yinyin, but it's a token of my love."
Yun Tangyin took the puppet and traced the fine stitching with her fingertips. The tiger's eyes were embroidered with black velvet, revealing a sense of cleverness. "It's really beautiful, more vivid than mine. The kids will definitely like it."
She put the doll into the wooden box that contained children's clothes, together with the previous rabbit doll and little hat. The whole box was filled with gifts from the neighbors.
Fu Yucheng and Zhou Desheng began to collect the thatch, intending to make a new nest for the rabbits.
Fu Yucheng spread out the thatch and carefully selected the soft parts, while Zhou Desheng used scissors to cut the long grass stems short. "Brother Fu, let's make a double-layer nest for the rabbit. Put the thatch on the bottom and the cloth cut by Lan Yatou on the top. It's warm and soft."
Fu Yucheng nodded: "Good idea, this way the rabbit won't be cold."
Xiaolan finished her cake and came over to help. She carefully spread the cloth on the thatch, afraid of messing it up. "Brother Fu, Uncle Zhou, do you think it looks good this way?"
She laid the pink piece of cloth in the middle and the blue piece of cloth around the edge, like a blue border around the thatched nest.
Yun Tangyin came over and said with a smile, "It's really beautiful. Lan girl has a good taste. The rabbit will definitely like this flower nest."
The sun gradually sets in the west, and the golden sunlight shines through the branches of the old locust tree, weaving tiny spots of light on the ground.
The new rabbit hutch was finally ready. It was covered with soft thatch and bright cloth and placed in a corner of the rabbit cage, complementing the previous small bamboo basket.
Fu Yucheng opened the cage door and carefully put the new nest in. The female rabbit immediately came over, sniffed it with her nose, then crawled into the nest and curled up comfortably.
"It seems like it likes it very much," Fu Yucheng said with a smile, closing the cage door, "I'll bring the little rabbits in later to keep them warm too."
Xiaolan lay by the cage, staring at the mother rabbit without blinking. She saw it circle the new nest twice, smoothing out the straw and cloth. Suddenly, she clapped her hands and exclaimed, "Look, it can tidy up its nest! Just like my mother makes the bed!"
She gently touched the cage bars with her fingertips, and the flower ball just happened to poke its head out of the bamboo basket. Its little nose came over and rubbed against her fingertips, and the soft fur made her feel itchy.
Fu Yucheng handed a piece of fresh vegetable into the cage. The female rabbit immediately raised her head and chewed quickly with her three-lobed mouth. There was a piece of pink cloth stuck to the tip of her ear.
"When it gets cooler at night, add another layer of quilting to the nest," he said, turning to Yun Tangyin. The shoulders of his army green cotton-padded jacket were stained with straw scraps. "Aunt Zhang said that mother rabbits with cubs are afraid of the cold, so we need to make more warm beds."
Yun Tangyin nodded in response and reached out to brush the grass debris off his shoulders. "I took apart my old cotton-padded jacket and happened to have some soft cotton wadding. I'll put it on them tonight."
Zhou Desheng's wife squatted at the kitchen door and peeled corn. The golden corn kernels fell into the bamboo basket, making a light "tapping" sound.
"Yinyin, your belly is getting more and more prominent," she smiled, the fine lines at the corners of her eyes filled with warmth. "My mother said that if you're pregnant with a boy, it's early. He'll definitely be a strong boy in the future, as strong as Brother Fu."
Yun Tangyin touched her belly, her face flushed. "Thank you for your good wishes. As long as the child is healthy, it doesn't matter whether it's a boy or a girl."
Zhou Desheng was carrying his empty shoulder pole and preparing to go home. When he passed the rabbit cage, he stopped and added a handful of soybeans to the trough. "I'll go to the back mountain to cut some straw tomorrow. Although this new nest is good, it's always a good idea to have more straw on hand."
He stuffed a paper bag into Fu Yucheng's hand and said, "Inside are some sunflower seeds that my wife roasted. You two can eat them in your free time to relieve your boredom."
Fu Yucheng took the paper package and stuffed a piece of locust flower cake into his pocket: "Take it and eat it on the way. It's still hot from being steamed."
The setting sun dyed the old locust tree in the yard golden red. The snow on the branches melted into water droplets, dripping onto the blue brick ground, leaving small wet marks.
Xiaolan skipped home, carrying the bottom of a bamboo basket she had woven. Her red hairband looked like a dancing flame in the twilight. "Sister-in-law! Brother Fu! I'll come early tomorrow morning to help you spread the quilt! I'll also bring some red bean paste buns that my mother made!"
Yun Tangyin stood at the gate and waved: "Go slowly on the road, don't fall!"
The oil lamp in the room was lit, and the dim light reflected on the New Year painting of "Years of Abundance" on the wall. The carp in the fat baby's arms seemed to come alive.
Fu Yucheng sat on the edge of the kang, polishing bamboo strips, preparing to make another mold for Xiaolan to weave a bamboo basket. The bamboo strips turned rapidly in his hands, and wood chips fell to the ground like a handful of fine snow.
Yun Tangyin sat beside him, taking apart an old cotton-padded jacket. The cotton thread broke with a rustling sound, and the soft cotton wool piled on his knees like a ball of white cloud.
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