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

As they passed through the gate, Li Kaixin's parents thanked the neighbors repeatedly while leading her through the front yard.

The younger brother and sister stood close to their older brother, one on each side.

Only after returning to their main house in the backyard and closing the door did the family finally breathe a sigh of relief.

The mother pulled Li Kaixin to sit on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), first looking him up and down to make sure he hadn't been taken advantage of, before finally focusing on the bag in Li Kaixin's hand.

Her tone carried a hint of lingering fear and doubt: "Kaixin, tell Mom the truth, did you really do all that? Did you encounter any danger?"

Yesterday her son brought home wild boar meat, saying it was distributed by the village. Today, there are pheasants and rabbits. She can't help but wonder.

The father sat beside him, his brows furrowed, silently smoking, waiting for Li Kaixin's explanation.

Knowing her parents were worried, Li Kaixin had already prepared her explanation.

A smile, a mixture of luck and shyness, appeared on her face as she said in a relaxed tone, "Dad, Mom, don't worry."

"Actually, I originally went to the transportation station today to familiarize myself with the environment, but I happened to run into the station organizing people to go to the mountains outside the city to make some money."

"Director Xie saw that I was quick-witted and was about to start as an apprentice, so he asked me if I dared to go with him and gave me a certificate. I thought this was an opportunity to get closer to my mentors, so I went along."

Li Kaixin paused for a moment, then continued weaving a white lie: "I just did what the hunters in the village used to do, set a few traps, and tried my luck. I didn't go deep into the mountains."

"I didn't expect to be so lucky; I managed to catch these. Otherwise, how could I have gotten the transport station's permit by myself, and how would I dare to venture into the mountains?"

After this explanation...

The parents exchanged a glance; although there was still a hint of doubt in their eyes, their tense expressions visibly relaxed.

The father said in a deep voice, "Yes, just stick with the group. Try not to go to dangerous places alone in the future."

"Okay, Dad," Li Kaixin replied obediently.

Seeing that her parents were no longer pressing the issue, Li Kaixin seized the opportunity to express her own thoughts.

"Dad, Mom, look how helpful our neighbors are to us today. They lent us money before, and now I'm starting work at the transportation station. This is wonderful news!"

"I was thinking, tonight we'll use these wild game to treat everyone in the yard to a meal, partly to express our gratitude and partly to celebrate. What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, the mother's face immediately showed heartache, but she still nodded.

The father hesitated for a moment, looked at the sincere light in his son's eyes, and finally nodded.

"Oh! Great! We'll have meat tonight!" The younger brother and sister cheered, their little faces full of excitement.

Without further ado, Li Kaixin and his mother first went to the house of Uncle Wang, the person in charge.

Aunt Wang greeted them warmly when she saw them.

The mother smiled and explained her purpose: "Sister Wang, I need to discuss something with you. Tonight, our family would like to invite everyone in the neighborhood for a casual meal, using the wild game that Kaixin brought back today. We'd like to trouble you and Brother Wang to help with the arrangements."

Upon hearing this, Aunt Wang immediately waved her hand, her face full of disapproval: "Oh, Xiuli! This won't do! Your family just finished paying off the debts, and things have only just gotten a little easier. How can you spend so much! We haven't even finished the meat that was delivered yesterday. This is unacceptable!"

Li Kaixin quickly stepped forward, a sincere smile on her face: "Aunt Wang, please don't refuse."

"Firstly, to thank you for speaking to me today, and secondly, to celebrate finding a job. It's a double celebration, so I'm treating everyone to a lively meal. I'm truly happy!"

Upon hearing the joyous news of the job celebration, Aunt Wang's face lit up with a smile. She exclaimed excitedly, "Oh my! I'm so happy I found a job! This is something to celebrate! Absolutely something to celebrate! Okay, leave it to your Uncle Wang and me! I'll go tell everyone right away!"

With that, he rushed out the door and began calling out loudly in the yard.

The news spread like wildfire throughout the courtyard.

When Li Kaixin and his mother brought the three pheasants and two rabbits to the communal water trough in the backyard, several kind-hearted aunties from the neighborhood had already arrived after hearing the news.

Aunt Zhao and Aunt Sun in the front yard, and Aunt Wang and Aunt Liu in the back yard, all had joy and enthusiasm on their faces.

"Come on, Xiuli, Kaixin, let us handle this!"

"These chicken feathers need to be scalded with boiling water to be easily removed!"

"Leave the rabbit to me, I can handle it quickly!"

Without a word, the aunts took the game and started working with my mother, their movements swift and their conversation lively.

Before long, the men from each family arrived at the backyard one after another, bringing their heartfelt wishes.

No one came empty-handed. Uncle Zhao brought a small basket of potatoes, Uncle Sun brought two large cabbages, and Uncle Liu brought several green radishes.

Even more practically, each family brought their own food rations, cornmeal in cloth bags.

The most eye-catching thing was what the steward, Uncle Wang, was carrying: a small bag of peanuts and two bottles of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor) with red labels!

In this day and age, it is absolutely precious!

He laughed heartily, "Mingde, Xiuli, Kaixin! Congratulations! Tonight, we men must have a good drink to celebrate Kaixin's success!"

Looking at the pile of potatoes, cabbage, radishes, and cornmeal, along with the precious peanuts and Erguotou liquor, Li Kaixin felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

This is the neighborly affection of our time: simple, sincere, and profound.

Unlike the backstabbing and infighting I remember in the courtyard across the street at No. 95, this place is more about mutual support and getting through tough times together.

Soon, several old iron pot stoves that had been temporarily found were set up in the backyard, and the charcoal fire ignited a warm flame.

The prepared pheasant and rabbit meat, mixed with cabbage, radish, and potatoes brought by the neighbors, were stewed in several large pots.

The rich aroma of meat mingled with the fresh scent of vegetables, filling the entire courtyard and whetting one's appetite.

The children, unable to contain themselves any longer, gathered around the fire, their eyes fixed on the bubbling meat in the pot. They inhaled the aroma with their little noses, chattering excitedly about which piece of meat was the biggest, their laughter filling the entire backyard.

As darkness fell, the courtyard was much brighter than usual, the firelight illuminating smiling faces.

Once the food was ready, everyone spontaneously put together tables and chairs and set up their table in the courtyard.

Li Kaixin was specially seated at the head table by the adults.

This table is occupied by the heads of the five families in the courtyard, plus Uncle Wang's eldest son who has already started working and Uncle Zhao's eldest son who has recently joined the factory, making a total of eight people.

The other children who were still in school sat at other tables with their mothers, brothers, and sisters.

Without much formality, Uncle Wang called out, "Everyone, start eating! Don't be shy!"

Dinner officially began.

The men drank spicy Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor) with crunchy peanuts, while the women and children ate cornbread mixed with cornmeal and steaming hot pot dishes. The scene was lively and warm.

"Great news! Congratulations! You've got a job at the transport station as a driver; your future is bright!"

"Mingde, Xiuli, you've raised a wonderful son!"

"Happy! Work hard at your workplace and bring honor to our institute!"

"If you encounter anyone as unreasonable as you did today in the future, don't be afraid. Just come back and let us know, and the whole hospital will back you up!"

The clinking of glasses, blessings, and words of concern mingled together.

Li Kaixin was deeply moved by this sincere enthusiasm.

He stood up, picked up a glass of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor) that Uncle Wang had poured for him, faced the crowd, and spoke clearly and forcefully.

"Thank you everyone! I, Li Kaixin, wouldn't be where I am today without the help and care of all the elders in the compound! This toast is for you all! I will definitely work hard in the future and never bring shame to our No. 93 compound!"

"good!"

"Cheers!"

The dinner party didn't end until the moon was high in the sky.

.......