The sky collapsed, and in the blink of an eye, I found myself transported to Nanluoguxiang.

Devil

Early morning

Inside an office building, 28-year-old bald Li Kaixin is diligently typing code.

"Kaixin is still modifying code? What they say online is really true: if you get used to hardship, there will be endless hardship to endure," Li Shangming complained from the next workstation.

While typing code, Li Kaixin said, "You should think about how to finish the task assigned by the supervisor before 8 o'clock today."

"Hey, stop talking. I've been working overtime for almost two days now. The boss above me is a real beast!" Li Shangming's face first showed anger and then quickly showed signs of fatigue.

Li Kaixin put down his coding hand, rubbed his forehead, and silently thought about "car loan, mortgage, no girlfriend, and parents urging him to go on blind dates."

"Sigh," Li Kaixin sighed deeply.

suddenly

Rumble!

Thunder rumbled outside the window, followed by a bolt of lightning that ripped across the sky, illuminating the office building as if it were daytime.

Li Kaixin was caught off guard by the thunder and lightning, which gave him a sharp pain in his heart. He fell from his workstation to the floor, his body instantly straightening. (This is reminiscent of the video of "Brother Dao" circulating online.) Everyone working at the workstation gathered around.

"Quick! Quick! Call 120!" Li Shangming shouted anxiously, holding Li Kaixin's head with one hand.

Li Kaixin felt his eyelids getting heavier and heavier, his consciousness becoming increasingly blurred, and the sounds around him gradually decreasing until they disappeared.

......

When consciousness returned, Li Kaixin opened his eyes again, feeling pain all over his body, especially his head, which made him unable to scream for a moment.

About ten minutes later, I finally came to my senses.

It is now autumn of 1959, the first year of the three-year period of hardship, in Beijing.

The original owner was also named Li Kaixin. She was 16 years old this year and had just graduated from junior high school. She failed to get into high school (let alone vocational school).

While trying to collect bird eggs from a tree, the original owner lost his footing and fell, hitting his head. That one blow killed him instantly.

In this era, Li Kaixin's family consisted of his parents, his two siblings, and a large group of relatives and friends from the countryside.

Li Kaixin's father came to Beijing in 1952 and became a temporary worker at the well-known Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill, working as a fitter.

In 1956, the state implemented a joint public-private partnership. Li Kaixin's father, Li Mingde, was promoted to the fourth level due to his fitter skills. The steel rolling mill then gave Li Kaixin's father, Li Mingde, a permanent position, and his household registration was transferred to the city.

"Gurgle." The rumbling of her stomach broke Li Kaixin's reverie.

Li Kaixin looked at his faded clothes and the three bird eggs in the nest beside him, and gave a bitter smile.

He slowly got up, took the bird eggs from the nest and the ones he had taken earlier, a total of nine eggs, and wobbled towards home.

..........

As soon as you turn into the blue brick gate of No. 93 Nanluoguxiang, your eyes are involuntarily drawn to the scene at the entrance of No. 95 across the street.

Yan Bugui and Xu Damao, the two iconic figures of Qinman Courtyard, were huddled together, whispering something.

Separated by a small alley, Li Kaixin couldn't hear what was being said, but he could see Yan Bugui's shrewd face beaming with a smile as he casually snatched two scallions from Xu Damao's hand.

Withdrawing his gaze, Li Kaixin stepped into the gate of his No. 93 courtyard.

This courtyard is smaller than the famous "Qinman Courtyard", with a total of two sections.

Based on memory, I walked familiarly through the front yard. To my left, the curtain of the Sun family's house was half-rolled up, and to my right, several potted plants sat on the windowsill of the Zhao family's house. Without stopping, I went straight into the inner courtyard.

As soon as I stepped onto the bluestone pavement of the inner courtyard, I spotted my younger sister, Li Xiaoxiao, with a sallow complexion. She had moved a small stool and was sitting by the familiar doorway of our house.

Li Kaixin looked around the backyard. In the main house of the backyard lived Wang Xiong, the "manager" of the courtyard. To the left was the Liu family's house, and to the right were his own three small houses facing west.

There are five households in total, exuding the unique atmosphere of old Beijing hutongs.

The two side rooms of Li Kaixin's house were divided into four small rooms: one for Li Kaixin, one for her younger brother Li Kai, one for her younger sister Li Xiaoxiao, one for the kitchen, and the main room where her parents slept.

Suddenly, a crisp sound broke the tranquility of the courtyard.

"Big brother! You're back! Are you carrying bird eggs?" The little sister jumped up from the small stool by the door and excitedly greeted him.

"Okay, take it and cook it. We'll add another dish tonight. Big brother's a bit tired, he should go back to his room and rest for a while." Li Kaixin's voice was full of weariness.

"Okay! I'll call you for dinner when Mom and Dad come back!" the little sister replied cheerfully, carefully taking the handful of bird eggs.

Li Kaixin dragged her weary steps slowly toward the room she remembered. The door closed softly, and she almost stumbled onto the bed, her body feeling as heavy as lead.

My gaze drifted unfocused to the old beams on the roof, my thoughts wandering uncontrollably.

How heartbroken must the parents in their past life have been upon hearing the devastating news of their son's death? Fortunately, they still have a younger brother in college. Fortunately, the workers' compensation and insurance money should be enough to ensure they have enough to eat and wear for the rest of their lives.

Time flowed by quietly, and Li Kaixin, lost in thought, drifted off to sleep.

Time passed quietly before we knew it, and the outside gradually became lively. The sounds of people returning home from get off work and footsteps broke the tranquility of the evening.

at this time

"Squeak—"

The door was gently pushed open, and Li Xiaoxiao and her younger brother Li Kai walked in one after the other.

The twins, who had just graduated from elementary school, spotted their older brother sleeping soundly on the kang (a heated brick bed).

Li Kai's eyes darted around, he quietly nudged Li Xiaoxiao, gestured towards Li Kaixin with his lips, and then made a gesture of scratching an itch with his hair, his face full of a sly grin.

Li Xiaoxiao understood, tiptoed closer, picked up a strand of her hair, and gently brushed it across Li Kaixin's nose.

Li Kaixin, who was fast asleep, suddenly felt an unbearable itch on the tip of her nose. Almost instinctively, she slapped her unruly hair aside with her right hand. She woke up instantly, feeling dazed.

"Big brother, wake up! Mom and Dad are home from get off work, it's time for dinner." Li Xiaoxiao quickly stepped back and called out in a clear voice.

"Huh?" Li Kaixin rubbed her eyes, recognized the person in front of her, and pretended to put on a stern face. "Well, Xiaoxiao, you've got some nerve, daring to tease your older brother?"

"Big brother! It wasn't me! It was... it was Li Kai who made me do it!" As soon as Li Xiaoxiao saw that her older brother was "angry," she immediately pointed to her younger brother and hurriedly tried to clear her name.

Upon hearing that Li Xiaoxiao had "betrayed" him, Li Kai knew something was wrong. He didn't even bother to argue who was the older sister and who was the younger brother. He turned around and ran out, disappearing faster than a rabbit.

"Hey! You...!" Li Xiaoxiao was both angry and anxious when she saw her only accomplice abandon her and run away. Her face turned red and she hurriedly made an excuse.

"Um... Big brother, I... I'll go to the kitchen to get the dishes!" Before he could finish speaking, he had already dashed out of the house like a startled deer.

Li Kaixin watched her younger siblings disappear into the distance, shaking her head with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. She threw off the thin quilt, nimbly rolled off the kang (heated brick bed), and walked towards the main room with a helpless smile.