Chapter 158
"Hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-----"
Wang Sister-in-Law came over in the morning to chat with Luo Ge and help with sewing clothes. Her mood was exceptionally good.
As she busied herself with the fabric in her hands, she started humming a tune, which made Luo Ge quite curious.
"Sister-in-law, did you have luck opening clams yesterday?"
Seeing Wang Sister-in-Law's demeanor, Luo Ge suddenly remembered the clams they brought back yesterday and asked out of curiosity.
As she spoke, she put away the little belly band she had just finished and took out another piece of pre-cut fabric for another belly band.
These were for the babies in her belly.
She wanted to make the children's things herself. The pieces weren't too big to handle, so Gu Jinchen didn't stop her.
Hearing Luo Ge's question, Wang Sister-in-Law grinned, not intending to hide anything.
"Yes, indeed! We had good luck this year. Two of the clams we brought back yesterday had pearls in them."
"They look quite nice. Her man took them to exchange for silver today. We can have a more prosperous year this time."
As it happens, their village had great luck this year. Besides her, several other families also found pearls in their clams.
In the past, at most only one family would be so lucky.
"Ge, did your family's clams open yet?" Wang Sister-in-Law asked casually.
Luo Ge shook her head, "Not yet, but hearing you say this makes me eager. I also want to open them quickly and see."
The joy of opening clams was like opening blind boxes. Hearing Wang Sister-in-Law's words, she suddenly felt excited about the clams they brought back.
"Then let your Second Brother open them when he's free. The clams are good this year, you might have some too," Wang Sister-in-Law said with a smile.
"Mmm." Luo Ge nodded with a smile.
Because she had things to do at home, Wang Sister-in-Law didn't chat with Luo Ge for long before heading back.
Luo Ge made two little belly bands for each of the three babies in her belly. It wasn't a difficult task, and she finished soon after Wang Sister-in-Law left.
After putting things away, she went to the adjacent courtyard to check on Gu Jinchen and the two little ones.
This courtyard was now their training room, plus a woodworking shop.
Gu Jinchen often made small wooden things here. Today, for some reason, he brought the two little ones over, saying they were learning to carve.
"Uncle, look, is it like this? Am I doing it right?"
Luo Ge heard the conversation before she even entered the door.
Gu Jinchen put down the wood he had just sketched on and nodded after looking at Yun Mu.
"Mm, but you can press a bit harder."
"Okay."
Hearing the activity inside, Luo Ge stood at the door without making a sound. She peeked in and found everyone inside was incredibly focused.
The two little ones were concentrating on their small wood carvings with utmost seriousness. Even Ze Han, who had come along, was standing aside, learning with great attentiveness.
Gu Jinchen was also bowing his head, looking at what was in his hands.
Seeing this, Luo Ge pinched her nose. They were so focused that she was reluctant to disturb them.
Just as she was about to turn and leave, she saw Gu Jinchen suddenly look over. Upon seeing her, he put down what he was holding without hesitation and walked towards her.
"Wife, why did you come over? Did Wang Sister-in-Law leave? Do you want to go out for some air?"
He asked in a low voice, glancing at the focused children inside.
Usually at this time, she liked to go for a walk. But today, since Wang Sister-in-Law came to keep her company, he thought the timing might change.
Women have their own conversations and need their own space. He was considerate enough not to 'get in the way', so he brought the kids here.
Seeing Luo Ge come over, he guessed that Wang Sister-in-Law must have left, so he asked.
Luo Ge nodded at his words and led him a few steps outside, not disturbing the children inside.
"Sister-in-law just left, so I thought I'd come and see."
She said, glancing at what he had left on the table, "Are you still busy?"
Gu Jinchen shook his head firmly, "Just passing time, not busy. Shall we go for a walk then?"
"Sure."
Taking a daily walk after pregnancy had become her habit.
"Sister-in-law said the clams are good this year. Several families in the village found pearls," she mentioned, remembering what Wang Sister-in-Law had said.
By now, Gu Jinchen understood her nature thoroughly. Hearing this, he knew it was her curiosity at work and nodded with an amused smile.
"We'll open ours when we get back."
"Good."
.....True to his word, they opened all the clams they brought back upon returning. The clam meat was used to make porridge.
However, their luck was average. They only found two small white pearls in two of the largest clams.
"We really found some!"
Although the pearls were average, not very good, she was still happy to have found them.
Even though they were small, she really liked how round and smooth they were.
"They're a bit small, but they can be made into earrings for you to wear. I'll have someone make them for you another day."
Seeing her expression, Gu Jinchen knew she liked them. Pearls they found themselves had a different meaning. It wouldn't be bad to make them into jewelry to keep.
Hearing this, Luo Ge's eyes lit up, "Great."
..............
Leisure time always passes quickly. In the blink of an eye, it was New Year's Eve.
Village families had already taken advantage of these few days to buy what they needed and clean their homes.
The Gu family had a new house, so there wasn't much cleaning to do, but they still needed to put up red couplets.
"Wife, look, how's my writing this time?"
Originally, Luo Ge was planning to buy some couplets to put up, but Gu Jinchen was eager to try his hand at it, so she let him.
His handwriting wasn't bad, but it was his first time writing couplets, so he wasn't quite sure. He wasted several sheets of red paper at first.
Now, he finally wrote one that satisfied him and quickly brought it over to share with Luo Ge.
Hearing his words, Luo Ge turned to look at the couplet he wrote and immediately gave a thumbs up.
"Excellent! My husband is indeed amazing."
The two little ones beside also nodded, "Uncle is awesome."
Hearing their praise, Gu Jinchen smiled shyly.
"Then you guys put these up first, I'll continue writing," he said, handing the couplets to the two little ones for them to put up with Ning Xing.
Luo Ge, however, was pulled to his side. He said he wanted her to keep an eye on him.
Besides the couplets on either side of the door, they also needed to put up small red strips in the middle above the door of each room in the house.
Four-character idioms were pasted up to bless the room's occupants.
For the two little ones, Yun Mu and Yun Yi, he wrote eight characters: "Peace, joy, and success in all endeavors."
Common words, but they truly reflected their most heartfelt wishes.
They loved these two children as their own, not expecting them to achieve greatness or bring them glory in the future.
They only hoped for them to grow up safely, happily, and live a life of contentment.
Luo Ge felt he had captured their sentiments perfectly.
For Qiu Niang, Ze Han, and Uncle Song, she also thought the writings were quite lovely.
However, when she saw what he wrote for their own room, she fell silent instantly.
"Darling, look, don't you think I've written these well for our room?" he had the nerve to ask her.
Luo Ge remained silent.
"To respect each other as equals, to grow old together" - although it was uncommon to see such a phrase on red couplets, it was still passable.
But what on earth was this: "Inseparable as glue, harmonious as lute and zither, singing together like phoenixes"?
"Can't you write something more... proper?" Not this suggestive nonsense.
After a long silence, she finally muttered, her cheeks flushed.
Hearing this, Gu Jinchen's face feigned innocence: "But I think I've written it quite well. Doesn't my wife like it?"
He felt it perfectly expressed his feelings.
Luo Ge: "........."
Seeing her reaction, Gu Jinchen finally reined in his smile. He reached out to gather up the written pieces, leaving only the one that said 'grow old together.'
"Then we'll keep this one. We won't paste up the others," he said. He wouldn't put it by the door, but inside their room.
"Mm." Hearing this, Luo Ge finally nodded.
The meaning behind his latter words, of course, remained unknown to Luo Ge.