Chapter 214: Sew Him a Small Quilt
The eight-immortal table under the pergola was filled to the brim. The braised pork was glowing red with oil, the steamed fish was lying on the porcelain plate with its tail raised, there were also cold cucumbers and stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and even the freshly steamed buns were steaming and covered with a layer of fine white flour.
Fu Yuanshan was busy pouring wine for the neighbors, the coarse porcelain wine glasses clinking together and making crisp sounds. He smiled and said, "My dear uncles and aunts, today is the full moon banquet for my eldest nephew Nian'an. Please don't be polite, eat and drink well!"
Zhou Desheng stood up with his wine glass in hand and raised it towards Song Yushuang. "Aunt, Nian'an looks so blessed. He's sure to be a successful child in the future! Let me toast you first. Thank you for taking care of our family."
Song Yushuang quickly stood up, still holding Nian'an in her arms, carefully avoiding the child. "Desheng, you're too polite. We're all neighbors, so it's only natural for us to help each other. I'll drink this cup, and I also want to borrow your good wishes. I hope Nian'an will be a down-to-earth person in the future."
Yun Tangyin was sitting beside her, and Jiang Jianhua was picking up a piece of fish for her: "Yinyin, you should eat more fish to replenish your body. The child still depends on you to feed his milk."
Yun Tangyin took it with a smile. Just after taking a bite, she heard Nian An let out an "Ah" and stretched out his little hand towards her.
Song Yushuang quickly handed the child over: "Are you hungry? Let your mother feed him."
Yun Tangyin hugged Nian An and patted his back gently, her eyes so gentle that tears could drip from them.
Aunt Zhang came over with a bowl of brown sugar egg custard and placed it next to Yun Tangyin: "Drink some of this after eating fish to replenish your blood. I deliberately put less sugar in it because I was worried it would be inconvenient for you to breastfeed."
Yun Tangyin quickly thanked him: "Aunt Zhang, you've been so busy since morning. You should sit down and take a rest."
Aunt Zhang waved her hand and smiled, "It's not hard. Seeing such a cute child makes me happier than anything else. Look at Xiaolan, she just kept telling me that she wanted to come play with Nian'an every day."
As she was talking, Xiaolan came running over, pulling Zhou Ming and Zhou Liang with her, clutching a stuffed rabbit. "I brought a gift for Nian'an! My mom made this rabbit for me, and I wanted to give it to Nian'an."
Yun Tangyin took the doll and said with a smile, "Thank you, Xiaolan. Nian'an will definitely like it. When he grows up, let him join you in picking strawberries and digging bird eggs in the back mountains."
Xiaolan's eyes lit up and she nodded vigorously: "Okay, okay! I can even teach him to climb trees!"
Song Yushuang looked at the lively children and her heart was filled with joy.
She picked up her wine glass and raised it towards everyone. "Thanks to everyone for coming today. I don't have much to offer, just some home-cooked meals. But the thought that goes into these meals is genuine. If you need any help in the future, just let me know. We have to help each other to live a good life."
After saying that, she tilted her head back and drank half a glass of wine. Her face flushed, but she smiled particularly energetically.
The full moon banquet lasted until the afternoon, and the neighbors gradually dispersed.
Fu Yucheng and Fu Yuanshan were busy clearing away the dishes, while Jiang Jianhua helped Aunt Zhang pack up the remaining food. "Aunt Zhang, take some of this braised pork and steamed buns back home for the children's dinner."
Aunt Zhang couldn't refuse, so she had to take it: "Then I won't be polite. Don't be too tired. I will help with the rest of the work tomorrow."
Song Yushuang sat under the eaves holding Nian An in her arms. The sunlight shone through the gaps in the locust leaves onto the child's face, leaving tiny spots of light.
Nian An fell asleep with her little mouth slightly open, occasionally letting out a soft hum.
Song Yushuang gently stroked his hair and whispered to Yun Tangyin, "Look at this child, he's so well-behaved even when he's sleeping. When Ah Cheng was little, he would always cry in the middle of the night. His father and I would take turns holding him and comforting him, and we wouldn't be able to sleep well all night."
Yun Tangyin smiled and said, "Maybe Nian An feels sorry for me. She knows I'm weak after giving birth and doesn't want me to get tired."
Song Yushuang nodded, her eyes filled with satisfaction. "Yes, our Nian'an is a sensible child. From now on, I will make millet porridge for you every morning and chicken soup for noon. If you take good care of yourself, the child will grow up strong."
In the evening, Fu Yucheng took out a small wooden box from the house and handed it to Song Yushuang: "Mom, this is the reading glasses I bought for you in town today. The lenses of your previous glasses are all worn out, and it's inconvenient for you to see things."
Song Yushuang took the wooden box and opened it. The ink-colored frame was lined with transparent lenses and had a faint wood scent.
She tried it on, picked up the piece of cloth from the sewing box, looked at it, and said with a smile, "It's so clear! It's much better than my previous glasses. Ah Cheng, you should also think about buying this for me."
Fu Yucheng sat beside her, watching Nian An sleeping soundly. "You work hard for Nian An every day, making clothes and embroidering patterns. Your eyes must be tired. This is what I should do."
"By the way, I'll go to town to buy some cotton tomorrow. Didn't you say you wanted to make a small quilt for Nian'an? Soft cotton is so comfortable to cover yourself with."
Song Yushuang nodded repeatedly: "Okay, okay, let's buy some new cotton and pick out a light pink cloth. Girls like pink. Oh, no, Nian'an is a boy. How about light blue?"
Yun Tangyin couldn't help but laugh: "Mom, don't worry, the child is still young, and he can wear light pink. When he grows up, I will make him a dark blue one."
Song Yushuang also laughed: "You are right, I am so happy that I am confused."
At night, after Nian An fell asleep, Song Yushuang sat under the oil lamp, wearing new reading glasses, and began to sew a small quilt for Nian An.
The light pink cloth was spread on the kang. She took the needle and thread and sewed stitch by stitch. The stitches were fine and neat.
Yun Tangyin leaned against the headboard and looked at her, and suddenly said, "Mom, do you still remember when I first got married?"
Song Yu paused, then smiled and said, "Why don't you remember? Back then you were shy and spoke softly. Now it's all good. You're a mother, and we have Nian'an in our family. Life is getting better and better."
She lowered her head and continued to sew the quilt. The light from the oil lamp reflected on her face, and the white hair at her temples also shone softly. "When this quilt is finished, let Nian'an cover himself with it. He won't be afraid of the cold in winter. When he grows up and sees this quilt, he will know how much grandma loved him."
Yun Tangyin looked at her mother's focused expression and felt warm in her heart.
The moonlight outside the window poured into the room, falling on the small quilt on the kang and on the face of Nian An who was sleeping soundly.
The yard was quiet, with only the occasional crackling sound of the oil lamp and the subtle sound of Song Yu's hands threading the needle through the cloth.
Such a night is ordinary and warm, like a bowl of thick sweet potato porridge, soothing everyone's heart.
The next morning, Song Yushuang took the small quilt she had sewn and covered Nian An with it.
The cloth was wrapped with soft cotton, and Nian'an lay inside it like a little pink ball.
Fu Yucheng walked in and saw this scene. He smiled and said, "Mom, your quilt is so beautiful. Nian'an will definitely be warm under it."
Song Yushuang said proudly, "Of course, I stayed up all night sewing it, and the stitches are all aligned, so it doesn't hurt at all."
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