He Yuyang: The tough eldest brother of the courtyard house

As autumn deepens, the locust leaves in Nanluoguxiang begin to turn yellow. A gust of wind blows, and the golden leaves flutter down, carpeting the bluestone pavement with a thick layer. Qin Huairu, carrying a blue cloth bundle, stands at the back door of No. 95 courtyard, looking up at the mottled wooden door, and takes a deep breath.

He Yuzhu helped her repair the door, replacing the hinges and applying a coat of clear varnish, making it look much brighter. The small house in the yard was small, just one room, which used to be used to store miscellaneous items. He Yuyang had someone help her paste new window paper, while He Yuzhu brought back some scraps from the factory to install half-glass windows, which could let in light while blocking the wind.

"Sister Qin, come in and take a look. I guarantee you'll be satisfied." He Yuzhu followed behind, carrying a wooden box containing old tables and chairs he had brought from home. "My brother said that although this house is small, it has its own courtyard and is quiet."

Qin Huairu nodded and pushed open the door. The room was spotless; freshly chopped firewood was piled in the corner, a new reed mat was laid on the kang (a heated brick bed), and two pots of cacti, gifts from He Yuyang, stood on the windowsill, lush and vibrant. Her household registration had been changed to an urban one. It was Yu Yang—the young man in charge of household registration at the street office—who reminded her that after the divorce, she must transfer her registration from the Jia family to the street's collective household registration for easier job hunting and grain rationing in the future.

"Thanks to you all." Qin Huairu's voice was choked with emotion. The divorce proceedings went smoothly. When the comrades from the street women's federation heard about her ordeal, they took the initiative to help her with everything. Although Jia Dongxu and Jia Zhangshi were unwilling, they dared not interfere anymore. After all, Jia Zhangshi had just been punished for "summoning the spirit," and if she continued to cause trouble, she might really be sent back to the countryside.

"No need to thank me, we're all neighbors." He Yuzhu put down the box, scratched his head, and said, "I work in the kitchen of the steel rolling mill now, cooking with my dad. If you don't mind, you can come and help in the kitchen. We're short-handed, and I know the factory manager, so I can ask around for you."

Qin Huairu's eyes lit up. She was worried about not having a way to earn money; although working in the kitchen was tiring, at least she could support herself. She nodded vigorously, "Thank you, Brother Zhu, I can endure any hardship."

He Yuzhu grinned: "That's right! Live a good life from now on, and no one will dare to bully you." The reason he closed the martial arts school and became a cook was entirely He Yuyang's idea. That day, his brother talked to him, saying, "Martial arts schools may seem glamorous, but these days, the nail that sticks out gets hammered down. It's better to learn a practical skill and live a stable life." Although he didn't quite understand the deeper meaning in his brother's words, he knew that his brother wouldn't harm him. The next day, he sold the martial arts school to a distant relative and got a job at the steel rolling mill through his father's connections.

Qin Huairu had just settled in when He Yuyang had already packed his bags. The military's transfer order was urgent; he needed to report to Baoding next week. Liu Yan, her eyes red, packed his luggage, stuffing his backpack with dried hawthorn slices and sweet potato chips—all his favorite foods.

"Eat well when you get there, don't always think about saving money." Liu Yan murmured while folding clothes. "Xiuli is a good girl. I'll discuss the wedding with her parents, so don't worry about it. Just focus on your work."

"I know, Mom," He Yuyang replied with a smile, wiping away her mother's tears. "It's not like I'm not coming back. I'll take leave at the end of the year to come back and get married, and then you can hold your daughter-in-law in your arms."

When the topic of marriage came up, Liu Yan's tears fell again, this time tears of joy: "Okay, okay, Mother is waiting."

On the day he went to the school to say goodbye to Xu Xiuli, she was teaching the children a music lesson, teaching them to sing "Let Us Row Our Boats." The clear, melodious singing drifted from the classroom, and He Yuyang stood outside the window listening, feeling a warm glow in his heart. When the bell rang, Xu Xiuli saw him, her eyes instantly lighting up. She quickly walked out, a lesson plan in her hand.

"When are you leaving?" she asked, her voice a little strained.

"Early the day after tomorrow." He Yuyang took a red booklet out of his bag and handed it to her. "Look, the political review is passed, and the army has approved it."

The red marriage certificate read "Marriage Political Review Passed" and was stamped with a bright red official seal. Xu Xiuli took it, her fingertips gently tracing the words, her cheeks as red as ripe apples.

"I told my parents, and they said they'd listen to you." She lowered her head, her voice barely audible. "The bride price doesn't need to be that much, just a token amount will do."

"That won't do," He Yuyang said seriously. "Three turns and one sound (bicycle, sewing machine, watch, radio), three golds (gold ring, gold earrings, gold necklace), and a dowry of 999 yuan—not a single one can be missing. I, He Yuyang, can't let you suffer when I get married." He had already planned it out while he was in Korea, saving up his allowances and bonuses from the army, plus the reward for this meritorious service, which would just be enough to cover these expenses.

Xu Xiuli's face turned even redder, and she lightly punched him: "Who asked you to spend so much money..." But she felt sweet inside, like she had drunk honey.

On the day she saw He Yuyang off at the train station, Xu Xiuli specially wore a newly made blue cotton cheongsam, her hair neatly combed and adorned with a pearl hair clip. The platform was bustling with people, train whistles rising and falling, but the two didn't exchange many words. They simply stood side by side, occasionally glancing at each other, their eyes conveying a thousand unspoken messages.

"Remember to write to me when you get there." Xu Xiuli handed her a cloth bag containing a navy blue sweater she had knitted overnight, with fine stitches. "It's cold there, wear it soon."

"Okay." He Yuyang took the sweater and tucked it into his arms as if it were a small stove. "Take care of yourself too, and wait for me to come back."

As the train started moving, He Yuyang leaned out of the window and saw Xu Xiuli standing on the platform, waving at him. The ribbon in her braid fluttered in the wind, like a butterfly reluctant to leave. A warm feeling suddenly welled up in his heart—this was the home he wanted to protect, the tomorrow he was heading towards.

Upon arriving at the Baoding military headquarters, He Yuyang quickly threw himself into his work. He was assigned to the operations department, responsible for organizing battle reports and archives from the front lines. Although the work was busy, it was well-organized. He could always quickly sort out the issues and file the documents neatly. The minister often said, "Xiao He is a good prospect; he is reliable and meticulous."

The first thing to do after settling in was to send a telegram to his family and Xu Xiuli's parents to discuss the wedding date. Xu Xiuli's father was a middle school teacher and her mother was a doctor; both were reasonable people. They replied, "Keep everything simple, and set the date for the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, for a joyous occasion."

He Yuyang held the telegram, his heart pounding with joy. He had long since set his sights on an apartment in the military family compound—a two-bedroom, one-living-room house with a balcony and good natural light. He had even submitted his application and was just waiting for approval. But Xu Xiuli wrote that "a single-story house is still more comfortable; I can grow some flowers, raise a chicken, and it's as lively as home." He pondered for two days, and then his eyes lit up—his old comrade-in-arms, Wang Qiang, had mentioned to him just a few days ago that he wanted to move to an apartment, saying his wife was pregnant and climbing stairs was inconvenient. His house happened to be a single-story house with a small yard, right behind the family compound, in a quiet and peaceful environment.

He Yuyang went to see Wang Qiang that very day, and the two hit it off immediately. Wang Qiang's wife was overjoyed to hear that they could exchange their property for an apartment, and she delivered the property certificate that same day. Holding the brand-new property certificate, He Yuyang was happier than if he had won a battle, and immediately wrote a letter to Xu Xiuli, filled with boasting.

Half a month later, Xu Xiuli received a letter with a photo inside: He Yuyang was standing at the gate of a small courtyard, holding up the property certificate, smiling and showing a set of white teeth. In the courtyard behind her, she could still see a few sunflowers that He Yuyang had planted. Although they had withered, they still exuded a vibrant energy.

"What are you showing off for?" Xu Xiuli said, looking at the photo with a hint of reproach, but a smile involuntarily crept onto her lips. She carefully tucked the photo into her diary, next to the star-shaped stone He Yuyang had given her.

November arrived in the blink of an eye, and He Yuyang took advantage of a business trip to return to Beijing. He didn't tell Xu Xiuli beforehand, wanting to surprise her. In the afternoon after school, he stood under the old locust tree at the entrance of Hongxing Elementary School, wearing his military uniform, and quickly went to greet Xu Xiuli as she walked out carrying her lesson plans.

"Teacher Xu, are you waiting for someone?" he asked with a smile, his voice full of teasing.

Xu Xiuli was startled. She looked up and saw it was him, her eyes instantly reddening, and the lesson plan in her hand fell to the ground with a "thud." She rushed over, gently punching his shoulder, and said in a tearful voice, "Why didn't you tell me you were coming back? You scared me to death..."

"Wouldn't it be a surprise to tell you?" He Yuyang grabbed her hand, pulled the property certificate from his pocket, and waved it in front of her. "Look, honey, the little courtyard you wanted is ours!"

"Ugh, who's your wife?" Xu Xiuli's face flushed red. She snatched the property certificate, flipped it open, and saw that the address inside was indeed Wang Qiang's small courtyard. Her fingers traced the three characters "He Yuyang," and tears fell down her face, but they were tears of joy.

"Do you like it?" He Yuyang wiped away her tears, his voice so gentle it could melt your heart. "I planted some spinach and radishes in the yard, and I'll plant some tomatoes that you like next spring. The pomegranate tree by the door will definitely bear fruit next year."

Xu Xiuli nodded vigorously, clutching the property certificate tightly to her chest as if it were the most precious treasure in the world. She remembered that when she was little, her grandmother's house also had a small courtyard like this, planted with various vegetables and fruit trees. Every summer, she would sit under the grape trellis and read books, living a leisurely life. She never expected that He Yuyang would remember what she had casually said.

"Oh, right, I've ordered all the 'three turns and one sound' (referring to a bicycle, a sewing machine, and a radio). The bicycle is a 'Flying Pigeon' brand, the sewing machine is a 'Bee' brand, and the watch and radio will arrive next week. I also had my mother get the three gold pieces made at the jewelry store. I'm sure you'll like the styles." He Yuyang proudly showed her all the prepared items one by one.

"You really are..." Xu Xiuli looked at him, her eyes full of laughter, "I told you there was no need to spend so much money."

"It's worth it for you." He Yuyang looked at her, his eyes serious and firm. "Xiuli, after we get married, quit your job at the school and come with me to Baoding. The elementary schools there are hiring, and with your abilities, you'll definitely get in."

Xu Xiuli nodded: "I've already spoken to the principal, and he said he supports me joining the army. He even said he'll write me a letter of recommendation once I get to Baoding."

The two walked side by side through the alley, their shadows stretched long by the setting sun, nestled close together. The aroma of food wafted through the alley, mingled with children's laughter and neighbors' chatter—a scene of warmth and peace. Qin Huairu returned from get off work at the steel mill. Seeing them, she smiled and nodded, her eyes less timid and more composed and resolute—she now worked as a kitchen helper in the canteen. Although it was tiring, she received a monthly salary and food coupons, enough to support herself, and her life was secure.

He Yuzhu also returned from the factory, carrying a fish. Seeing them, he grinned and said, "Brother, you're finally back! Dad and I made fish soup today, let's go home and have some!"

"Okay." He Yuyang took Xu Xiuli's hand and followed He Yuzhu home. "I can talk to you about the wedding."

In the yard, Liu Yan was watering the roses when she saw He Yuyang, nearly dropping the watering can. He Daqing came out of the house, still holding a spatula, his face full of surprise: "Yuyang? You're back?"

"I came back to see you all, and also to discuss our family's big event—the wedding—with Xiuli!" He Yuyang said with a smile, gently pulling Xu Xiuli forward before turning to his mother and calling out, "Mom, look, Xiuli's here!"

Hearing her son's call, Liu Yan, who was busy in the kitchen, was overjoyed and immediately put down her work to greet him at the door. Her face was beaming with a kind and warm smile, her mouth stretched to her ears; her eyes were practically slits from laughing, as if they couldn't close. Then, Liu Yan tightly grasped Xu Xiuli's soft, delicate hand, refusing to let go, and enthusiastically invited, "Oh my, this is wonderful! Please come in and sit down. I'll peel you a big, red, juicy apple right away!"

The room quickly became lively. He Daqing went to the kitchen to work, Liu Yan pulled Xu Xiuli aside to ask her all sorts of questions, and He Yuzhu told He Yuyang about the interesting things that happened at the factory, saying that even the factory director loved the dishes he cooked now, and that he had been praised by name several times.

Looking at the lively scene before him, He Yuyang felt a sense of peace. He knew that the road ahead might not be smooth sailing, just as his brother had said, there might be storms, but as long as he had these relatives and this family by his side, he could overcome any difficulty.

He looked out the window; the setting sun was slowly sinking, painting the sky a warm orange-red. In the distance, factory whistles wailed, as if heralding the approaching good days. He Yuyang gripped Xu Xiuli's hand tightly; her hand was warm, carrying a faint scent of chalk dust—his favorite smell.

"After we get married, let's plant some flowers in the courtyard," Xu Xiuli said softly, her eyes sparkling.

"Okay." He Yuyang nodded with a smile, "Let's get another cat and a dog, just like you said, it'll be lively and bustling."

As night deepened, lights came on in the courtyard house, casting a warm glow through the windows. He Yuyang knew that their new life was about to begin. They would set off towards tomorrow, carrying love and hope, taking each step steadily forward.