Chapter 82: Cooking Fish for Her
As the night deepened, Fu Yucheng carried a bundle of dry firewood and stuffed it into the stove. The flames crackled and licked the firewood, making the hut warm.
Yun Tangyin sat cross-legged on the kang, mending Fu Yucheng's frayed cuffs in the light of an oil lamp. The stitches were crooked, but she sewed with extreme care.
"Don't bother yourself. Let Lao Zhang's wife help you tomorrow." Fu Yucheng came closer and rubbed his nose against the top of her head.
"No way." Yun Tangyin pursed her lips and tugged at the thread. "You wear what I sew, and then you'll look like a proper family man."
Fu Yucheng chuckled, put his arms around her waist from behind, and rested his chin on her shoulder as he watched her sew: "The stitches are crooked like earthworms."
"That's the earthworm I embroidered too." Yun Tangyin poked the needle into his arm. "If you laugh again, I'll prick you."
He grabbed her wrist and brought it to his mouth, then bit the tip of the needle gently. "Go ahead, I'm happy to accept it as long as it's you who's doing it."
Yun Tangyin's face flushed again, and she pushed his hand away: "Don't be serious, let go quickly, the string is going to get tangled."
The two of them played around for a while, and Fu Yucheng suddenly remembered something. He took out a tin box from his luggage bag and opened it to find osmanthus cake wrapped in oil paper.
"Here, your favorite." He pinched a piece and fed it to her mouth.
Yun Tangyin took a small bite, the sweet fragrance of osmanthus spread on the tip of her tongue, and her eyes felt a little hot.
She finished sewing the last stitch and lifted her sleeve to examine it. "Look, does it look like that?"
Fu Yucheng took it, looked at it over and over, and suddenly put it on his arm, straightening his back: "My wife sewed it. If I wear it outside, I'm sure the security team will be envious."
"You're just sweet-talking." Yun Tangyin pushed the remaining osmanthus cake to him, "Have some too."
He came over and held the crumbs on the edge of her mouth, his warm breath sweeping over her lips: "It tastes sweeter this way."
The oil lamp crackled and popped, casting the shadows of the two people on the wall, snuggling together so tightly that it was difficult to tell them apart.
The next morning, Lao Zhang came to pick them up in his fishing boat. "The wind is good today. Let's take you to the center of the river. You can catch big fish there."
It was Yun Tangyin’s first time on a fishing boat. She was so nervous that she held Fu Yucheng’s arm tightly. She closed her eyes in fear when the boat shook.
He held her in his arms and chuckled in her ear: "Don't be afraid, I'll be your cushion if you fall."
"Pooh, pooh, pooh, what nonsense." Yun Tangyin hit him, but hugged him tighter.
When the boat reached the middle of the river, Fu Yucheng helped her adjust the fishing rod: "Try it? The fish here are stupid, so you can definitely catch one if you hook one."
As soon as Yun Tangyin cast the hook, the float was pulled down. She exclaimed, "There's a fish! What a strong fish!"
Fu Yucheng quickly grabbed her hand and pulled together. The fishing rod bent into a bow, and the water surface splashed with a splash. A half-meter-long carp was pulled up and kept jumping on the deck.
"Oh my god!" Yun Tangyin patted his chest and laughed, "Even better than me!"
Fu Yucheng threw the fish into the fish tank and suddenly pointed to the distance: "Look over there."
Yun Tangyin looked in the direction he pointed and saw a group of white birds flying close to the water, their wings cutting through the morning mist, as beautiful as a painting.
She was fascinated by what she saw until Fu Yucheng touched her face: "Are you stunned?"
"Yeah." She leaned on his shoulder. "I always heard people say that the Northeast was bitterly cold, but I didn't expect it to be so beautiful."
"I'll bring you here often." He held her hand tightly. "When I'm discharged from the army, I'll build a small house by the river and go fishing with you every day."
"Then what about your military medals?" Yun Tangyin laughed at him, "Aren't these what you value most?"
"Military medals are not as important as you." He bent down and kissed the top of her head. "I used to think that defending our country was the most important thing, but now I know that protecting you is the most important thing."
When the fishing boat docked, Yun Tangyin's basket was filled with fish. Fu Yucheng carried the heavy fish basket and smiled from ear to ear: "I'll make you fried fish tonight, sprinkled with pepper and salt, it's so delicious that you can swallow your tongue."
"When did you learn to do this?" Yun Tangyin opened her eyes wide in surprise.
"I asked Lao Zhang's wife last time and wrote it down in a notebook." He pulled out a small notebook from his pocket with the recipe scribbled on it. "I guarantee it will taste better than hers."
In the evening, the aroma of fried fish wafted from the cottage. Yun Tangyin sat by the stove and helped him add firewood. Watching him tossing the wok with an apron on, he looked a little funny, but it made people feel warm.
"Try it?" He picked up a small fish and handed it to her mouth.
Just as Yun Tangyin was about to open her mouth, he suddenly withdrew his hand, took a bite himself, and smacked his lips: "Hmm, it's cooked."
"Fu Yucheng!" Yun Tangyin glared at him angrily, but he smiled and pulled her into his arms, feeding the little fish in his mouth to her mouth, "Just kidding, here."
The fish was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a light aroma of pepper and salt. Yun Tangyin nodded as she ate, "It's delicious! Much better than what the cafeteria chef makes."
"Then I'll take care of the meals at home from now on." He scratched her nose, "As long as you don't mind my clumsiness."
"He's not stupid." Yun Tangyin wiped the oil off the corners of his mouth. "My man is good at everything he does."
After dinner, the two sat by the river and looked at the stars. Fu Yucheng suddenly started humming a song. His tune was a little off, but he was very serious.
Yun Tangyin sang softly along, and the evening breeze, carrying the moisture of the river, carried the song far away.
"Did you often sing for others in the past?" Yun Tangyin asked suddenly.
"How could that be possible?" Fu Yucheng smiled. "I only know this one song. I heard it sung by an old soldier when I was a recruit. I wrote it down and wanted to sing it for you."
Yun Tangyin's heart seemed to be filled with something. She turned around and hugged him: "Fu Yucheng, it's great to meet you."
He tightened his arms, holding her in his embrace, his voice a little hoarse: "Me too, I'm so lucky."
On the way back, the car was driving slowly. Yun Tangyin dozed off in Fu Yucheng's arms, still clutching the silver plum blossom hairpin in her hand.
He lowered his head to look at her sleeping face, quietly covered her with his military coat, and planned to clean up the empty room when he got back and use it as her embroidery room.
When the car was about to reach the military family compound, Yun Tangyin woke up, rubbed her eyes and asked, "Are we almost there?"
"Yeah." Fu Yucheng helped her tidy up her hair. "Do you want to sleep a little longer?"
"I'm not going to sleep anymore." She sat up and suddenly remembered something. "Oh, by the way, you said you would teach me how to shoot a gun, don't forget it."
"I won't forget it." He smiled and nodded. "Let's go to the shooting range tomorrow. I guarantee you'll hit the target every time."
Yun Tangyin looked at the light in his eyes and suddenly felt that the days to come would be like the road that this carriage had traveled. There might be bumps, but it would always continue to move towards warmth.
Because he is by my side, there are laughter, warmth, not enough days, and endless love words.
Yun Tangyin leaned in Fu Yucheng's arms, her arms around his waist, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but rise.
On days like this, she really feels happy.
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