New ink fragrance in old times

Lin Mo gently pushed open the door. The morning light filtered through the sparse clouds and sprinkled on the ground in patches, adding an unusual softness and mystery to this ordinary morning.

The breeze brings a hint of fresh air, which makes people feel refreshed.

"It feels even colder today. My ears hurt."

Lin Mo hurried out of the room, ran into the kitchen, squatted by the fire, and tried to dispel the coldness on his body.

Wherever I looked, I found that the Lin family today was very different.

Everyone in the family was walking in a hurry, with different expressions on their faces. They occasionally talked in low voices, with a bit of suppressed excitement in their voices, as if something big was about to happen, making the whole Lin family shrouded in a subtle atmosphere.

Smoke curled up from the kitchen. Unlike the leisurely preparations of the past, today's breakfast seemed unusually busy and orderly. The clatter of pots and pans and the crackling of burning wood intertwined to create a unique morning symphony.

Steaming porridge, exquisite side dishes, and some of Lin Mo's favorite vegetables were quickly placed on the table, exuding an enticing aroma that made people salivate.

The family members sat together. Although they didn't talk much, everyone's eyes were full of anticipation, and the occasional glances they exchanged revealed a hint of mystery.

After dinner, Shen Xin and Lu Yue quickly cleaned up the dishes, and their figures moved around the kitchen busily and orderly.

The others worked together to load some food, winnowing baskets, home-grown vegetables, charcoal and some hand-woven baskets onto the donkey cart. Every time an item was moved, the donkey cart made a slight creaking sound.

Zhao Yue'e carefully tied and secured each item to ensure they would not fall apart on the bumpy road, and her movements were very skillful.

After everything was ready, Zhao Yue'e turned around and looked at Shen Xin: "From the old family."

Zhao Yue'e said softly, "Your father and I are going to town today, so you'll be the one taking care of the house. Remember to keep an eye on the chicken coop and the vegetable garden. Also, don't neglect the little ones. Push them to memorize more books."

Hearing this, Shen Xin nodded gently, with a hint of determination in his eyes: "Don't worry, Mom, I will take care of everything at home. You and Dad, be careful on the road, and come back soon."

At this time, Lu Yue also walked out of the house, walked to Lin Xuebo's side, and whispered: "Don't forget the things I asked you to bring."

Lin Xuebo patted his chest and assured: "Don't worry, wife, I will definitely do everything well for you, without missing a single thing."

As the crisp sound of donkey bells rang out, Lin Xuejin and Lin Xuebao sat on both sides of the donkey cart, holding the reins, ready to set off.

The donkey cart slowly drove out of the Lin family courtyard. The wheels rolled over the bluestone road, leaving a series of ruts of varying depths, and slowly moved towards the town.

The others returned to the kitchen one after another. The crackling firewood released waves of warm and cozy warmth, like the guardian angel of winter, silently dispelling the cold outside.

Lin Mo leaned comfortably against the back of the chair, his eyes slightly narrowed, his cheeks soft and warmed by the fire, a satisfied smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, and he enjoyed this rare tranquility and comfort.

At this moment, Shen Xin temporarily took a break from the busy housework. She looked up at the window and saw the clear blue sky outside with a few white clouds wandering leisurely. The sunlight shone through the gaps in the clouds, casting mottled light and shadows, adding a bit of liveliness and brightness to this winter afternoon.

An idea struck her, and she suggested, "The weather outside is really nice, the sun is shining brightly. Why don't we go to the yard to bask in the sun, which will make us warmer."

After hearing this, Han Suniang nodded slightly, obviously quite interested in this proposal.

Seeing this, Shen Xin and Lu Yue took action immediately. They carefully arranged for the pregnant Han Suniang.

A soft cushion was carefully placed on a large chair, and a fluffy pillow rested against her back. Han Suniang sat down slowly, feeling the support of the chair and the gentleness of the pillow. She said gratefully, "Thank you, sister-in-law and sister-in-law, you are so considerate."

Shen Xin and Lu Yue smiled at each other and replied, "We are all family, that's not the case."

Then, Lu Yue placed the infant He'er in a specially made cradle and said to Han Suniang, "Second sister-in-law, please help me look after He'er for a while."

Han Suniang smiled and nodded: "Okay, go ahead and don't worry."

Little He'er seemed to feel the warmth of the sun and the comfort of the cradle. Her little hands waved unconsciously and a sweet smile appeared on her face. That smile was pure and innocent, like a ray of sunshine in winter, as if it could melt all the hardness and coldness in the world, and make people's hearts become soft.

Shen Xin directed Xing'er and Hua'er, "You guys, go get some benches and sit in the yard with your backs to the sun, okay?"

Xing'er and Hua'er nodded obediently: "I understand, mother."

Shen Xin nodded with satisfaction, and then started to hang out the quilts for the whole family with Lu Yue.

They placed the quilts one by one on the bamboo poles set up in the backyard. As the breeze blew, the quilts swayed gently, as if adding a touch of vivid color to this warm courtyard.

The sunlight shines through the quilt, casting mottled shadows, filling the entire yard with warmth and happiness.

The two carefully took down several baskets of golden corn from the rack in the backyard. The heavy corn cobs sparkled with an attractive luster in the sun.

They carried the corn baskets steadily to the front yard. The sunlight shone on the corn, reflecting a warm and soft light, adding a bit of joy of harvest and tranquility to this winter afternoon.

As soon as Shen Xin sat down on an old wooden bench, he saw Han Suniang impatiently picking up a cob of corn and skillfully starting to thresh it.

She turned to look at Han Suniang with concern and asked softly, "Sister-in-law, how have you been feeling these days? Being pregnant is really not easy. You must take good care of yourself and don't get too tired."

Han Suniang paused for a moment, then gently stroked her bulging belly. With a maternal glow on her face, she smiled and replied:

"Sister-in-law, I'm getting older now, and my body is getting heavier. I'm either sitting or lying down every day, and I really feel very tired. It might be because of the cold weather recently, my legs cramp from time to time, but I'm used to it. After all, this is not my first time as a mother, and I know how to deal with it."

Although Han Suniang's words were somewhat relaxed and relieved, Shen Xin still caught a hint of subtle fatigue and worry in her eyes.

At this time, Lu Yue also joined their conversation. She said with concern, "Second sister-in-law, cramps can be serious or minor. Don't take it lightly. Why don't you ask your second brother to help you loosen up your muscles and bones tonight? Otherwise, the pain will keep you awake all night, which is not good for you and the baby."

Han Suniang shook her head gently, a helpless smile on her lips: "It's okay, just bear with it and it will pass. I'm about to give birth, and everything will be fine after the baby is born."

After hearing this, Shen Xin sighed softly, reached out and held Han Suniang's hand, his tone full of tenderness:

"Sister-in-law, relax. You look so sad all day long, and it's not good for the children. We are all family. If you have any difficulties or hardships, just talk about them and share them together. You have to believe that everything will be fine."

Han Suniang nodded gratefully, her eyes slightly reddened: "Sister-in-law, I know everything. With you around, I feel much more at ease."

Shen Xin nodded slightly and gently patted the back of Han Suniang's hand to express his comfort.

Then, the three of them began to thresh the corn in tacit understanding.

While Shen Xin was skillfully threshing the corn, he kept observing Han Suniang beside him out of the corner of his eye.

She saw Han Suniang's brows were furrowed, and there was a trace of unconcealable sadness in her eyes, and she couldn't help feeling distressed and understanding in her heart.

Ever since Sanlang's accident, my second brother's wife has been emotionally unstable. Pregnant women are naturally delicate and prone to getting stuck in a rut, let alone Han Suniang who has experienced such a lot of twists and turns.

Shen Xin sighed softly. As the eldest sister-in-law, all she could do was talk to her and give her some advice.

Lin Mo and a few others also gathered around. They were either squatting or sitting, busy breaking corn kernels with their little hands, although their movements were a little clumsy.

Shen Xin and Han Suniang were chatting about family matters while skillfully threshing corn. The air was filled with warmth and harmony.