Chapter 201 Let’s Cut Some More Pine Wood
Yun Tangyin looked at the moon outside the window and suddenly remembered that at this time last year, Fu Yuanshan had built a wooden rack in the yard and hung the dried radishes she had dried on it, while Jiang Jianhua was helping to turn them over. The two of them were talking and laughing, and the moonlight shining on them was like a layer of silver.
"Do you remember last winter, when my second brother and his wife were drying radishes in the yard?" she whispered, her fingertips gently stroking Fu Yucheng's palm. "My second sister-in-law also said that when she comes back in the spring, she wants to learn how to make dried radishes from me. She said that the dried radishes you buy in the city aren't as crispy or fragrant as those at home."
Fu Yucheng followed her words and recalled, the corners of his mouth raised unconsciously: "How could I not remember? That day, my second brother said he wanted to reinforce the wooden frame to prevent it from being blown down by the wind. As a result, he spent the whole afternoon tossing and turning, and his hands were rubbed red. My second sister-in-law even laughed at him for making a fuss."
He added a piece of coal to the stove, and the flames leaped up, making the room even warmer. "When they come back, we'll build a new wooden rack, sturdier than last year's, so Second Sister-in-law can dry more radishes."
Yun Tangyin leaned on his shoulder, and the little guy in her belly suddenly moved and gently nudged her palm, as if agreeing with what they said.
"Look, the child is also looking forward to Uncle and Aunt coming back," she grabbed Fu Yucheng's hand and pressed it on her belly, "He moved several times just now. He must have heard us talking about dried radish and wanted to try what Sister-in-law made."
Fu Yucheng put his ear to her belly, listening to the subtle movements inside, his eyes so gentle that tears could drip from his eyes: "Wait until it comes out, and ask Second Uncle and Second Aunt to make it some dried radish porridge. It's more delicious than the milk powder in the city, and I guarantee it will be plump after eating it."
The next morning, just after dawn, Zhou Desheng came carrying an axe. His military boots made a "crunching" sound as he stepped on the snow, and there was still some snow foam on the axe.
"Brother Fu, shall we go to the back mountain and chop some pine wood?" He placed his axe in the yard. "Pine wood burns well and has a pine scent. It's the warmest wood for heating the kang. My sister-in-law is pregnant, so the kang needs to be heated to prevent her from getting cold."
Fu Yucheng nodded and took out a cotton-padded jacket from the house: "It just so happens that I also want to cut some pine wood and make a small wooden box for my second sister-in-law to put her woolen rabbit and handkerchief in, so that she won't have nowhere to put her things when she comes back."
The two walked towards the back mountain, and their footprints on the snow were soon covered by the newly fallen snow. In the pine forest on the back mountain, snow was hanging on the pine needles. When the wind blew, the snow flakes fell down and landed on the collar, feeling cool.
"Look at that pine tree," Zhou Desheng pointed to a sturdy pine tree not far away. "The trunk is straight, and the wood is good. It's perfect for making wooden boxes. We can also cut some branches to heat the kang. It's killing two birds with one stone."
Fu Yucheng raised the axe and chopped it on the tree trunk with a "bang", causing the accumulated snow to fall down. The fresh fragrance of pine wood mixed with the chill of the snow refreshed people.
Yun Tangyin was busy making lining for Jiang Jianhua at home. The fine cotton cloth slowly took shape in her hands. A circle of light blue lace was specially sewn on the collar and cuffs, making it look particularly exquisite.
Zhou Desheng's wife came over with freshly baked scallion pancakes. The pancakes were still steaming, and the aroma of scallions filled the yard. "Yinyin, try it quickly. These freshly baked scallion pancakes are perfect with corn paste. You must be hungry."
She leaned over to look at the lining and couldn't help but admire it: "Your craftsmanship is really good. The stitches are more even than mine. If Jianhua wears it, he will definitely wear it every day and won't want to change it."
Yun Tangyin took the scallion pancake and took a bite. It was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and the aroma of scallions spread in her mouth. "It's delicious, better than the ones I make. Come on, sit down and take a rest. I'll pour you a cup of hot water."
She put a piece of sweet potato into Zhou Desheng's wife's bowl and said, "I steamed this sweet potato a few days ago. I added some sugar. It's very sweet. Try it."
Zhou Desheng's wife took a bite of the sweet potato, and the sweet fragrance spread in her mouth. She couldn't help nodding: "It's really sweet, better than the sweet potatoes bought in the city. When Yuanshan and Jianhua come back, let them try it too. They will definitely say they miss home."
Xiaolan arrived with Zhou Ming and Zhou Liang, holding a newly woven bamboo basket with red string wrapped around it, revealing a child's ingenuity. "Sister-in-law! Brother Fu! Look at the basket I made! When Uncle and Aunt come back, let's use this to pack dried shepherd's purse for them to take back, okay?"
Yun Tangyin took the bamboo basket and touched the smooth bamboo strips with her fingertips. "It's really beautiful. Lan girl is very skillful. The bamboo basket you wove is more exquisite than the ones you can buy in town. If my second sister-in-law saw it, she would definitely praise you."
In the evening, Fu Yucheng and Zhou Desheng came back carrying pine wood with snow still on it. The burden on their shoulders was heavy, but their faces were full of smiles.
"Yinyin, what do you think of this pine wood?" Fu Yucheng placed the pine wood in the yard. "It's good wood, perfect for making wooden boxes. I'll start making it tomorrow and try to finish it before they come back."
Yun Tangyin walked over and touched the grain of the pine wood. "It's really good. It's stronger than I thought. If your second sister-in-law knew that you made a wooden box specially for her, she would be very happy."
During dinner, the aroma of stewed fish soup wafted from the kitchen. It was the fish Fu Yucheng had caught in the creek behind the mountain in the afternoon. There was also some tofu added to the fish soup, which was so delicious that it made people drool.
Aunt Zhang brought out the fish soup, with emerald green chopped green onions floating in the coarse porcelain bowl. "Try it! We've been stewing this fish soup all afternoon, and it's very fresh. Yinyin, drink more. It'll nourish you and be good for the baby, too."
Yun Tangyin took the fish soup and took a sip. The warmth slid down her throat into her stomach, and she squinted her eyes in comfort. "It's really delicious, even better than the fish soup in the city restaurants. Aunt Zhang, you should drink more too."
Zhou Desheng took a sip of wine and suddenly remembered something. He said to Fu Yucheng, "Brother Fu, let's go to town tomorrow to buy some brown sugar for my sister-in-law. She's pregnant and needs a lot of nourishment. Brown sugar can warm the body and is better than white sugar."
Fu Yucheng nodded: "Okay, I'll go there early tomorrow morning and ask the post office to see if my second sister-in-law has sent us a letter, so we don't have to worry about it."
At night, the moonlight shines into the yard again, illuminating the pine trees.
Fu Yucheng sat on the edge of the kang and rubbed Yun Tangyin's legs. She was pregnant and her legs were always sore.
Yun Tangyin closed her eyes, feeling the strength coming from her husband's palm. The soreness in her legs gradually dissipated, and the corners of her mouth curled up unconsciously: "Your skills are getting better and better. It's even more comfortable than the old Chinese doctor in town."
She reached out and touched the back of Fu Yucheng's hand, which still had thin calluses from chopping wood during the day. "Are you tired from chopping pine wood today? The calluses on your hands seem to be thicker."
Fu Yucheng stopped, gently put her legs down, and covered her with a thin blanket: "It's not tiring, this little work is nothing. As long as you and the child are fine, it's better than anything else."
He added a piece of coal to the stove, and the flames crackled twice, filling his eyes with warmth. "Tomorrow I'll go to town to buy brown sugar, and I'll buy you a piece of floral cloth while I'm there. You've always wanted a piece of floral cloth to make a quilt for your child, right? The town supply and marketing cooperative just got a batch, and the colors are so bright."
Yun Tangyin's eyes lit up and she sat up. "Really? That's great. I've been thinking about making a small quilt for the child. It's soft and comfortable for him to sleep on."
She remembered something and took Fu Yucheng's hand and said, "By the way, buy some embroidery thread for my second sister-in-law. I want to prepare more for her so that she can embroider some patterns she likes when she comes back."
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