He Yuyang: The tough eldest brother of the courtyard house

Winter came exceptionally early in 1959. A north wind whipped up sand and dust, rattling the paper windows of the courtyard houses. The firewood piles in each yard dwindled, and the smoke from the chimneys became sparse, unlike the constant billowing smoke of previous years. Liu Yan sat on the kang (heated brick bed), mending He Yushui's old cotton-padded jacket by the dim light of an oil lamp. Her stitches were crooked and uneven—she had been feeling dizzy these past few days, probably from hunger.

"Mom, I'm not cold, don't sew anymore." He Yushui huddled under the covers, peeking out her little head. "There's a stove at school, it's warmer than at home."

"Silly girl, can that stove compare to the one at home?" Liu Yan put down her needlework, touched her daughter's hand, which was icy cold. "I'll have your brother bring you some charcoal tomorrow, and we'll make a small charcoal brazier too." Although she said that, she felt bitter inside—charcoal was more precious than grain these days, and He Yuzhu could only get five catties of charcoal a month even though he worked himself to the bone at the factory.

Just then, a commotion erupted outside the courtyard gate, a mixture of a woman's cries and a man's shouts. Liu Yan quickly threw on a cotton-padded coat and went out to see what was happening. She saw Jia Zhangshi being held aloft by two men wearing red armbands, her hair disheveled, her face covered in mud, and she kept cursing, "Why are you arresting me? It's just a few sweet potatoes! Are you starving and you won't even let me have a bite to eat?"

"Stealing food from the communal canteen and still dare to talk back!" a man in a red armband shouted sternly. "Come with us! We'll parade you through the streets and let everyone see your true colors!"

Jia Dongxu stood at the door, head drooping, hands tucked into his sleeves, acting as if nothing had happened. A neighbor advised him, "Dongxu, quickly beg for mercy, that's your mother!" He rolled his eyes, spat, and said, "She won't die, let her do what she wants!" He then turned and went inside, slamming the door shut, and never came out again.

Liu Yan felt a lump in her throat and pulled the third aunt aside to ask, "What's wrong with Aunt Zhang? Did she really steal sweet potatoes?"

The old woman sighed, her voice barely audible. "That's right. The canteen was steaming sweet potatoes, and she sneaked home with a bagful when the head chef wasn't looking, only to be caught red-handed. And now, during this crackdown, this just happened..." She glanced at Jia Dongxu's doorway. "That Dongxu kid, even with his mother like this, he acts like nothing's wrong. He lost his job and spends all his time fooling around outside, neglecting everything at home. It's a real tragedy."

The procession marched away, cursing and swearing, leaving behind a mess. Jia Zhangshi's cries faded into the distance, like needles piercing everyone's hearts. Liu Yan returned home, her heart heavy. She found the grain coupons He Yuyang had sent a few days ago and carefully counted them—ten jin of national grain coupons, and a small bottle of spiritual spring water. Her son had specifically instructed her to mix this water into the porridge to stave off hunger.

"Mom, did my brother send something again?" He Yushui leaned over to look, her eyes sparkling.

"Yeah, your brother's thinking about us." Liu Yan hid the food coupons under her pillow. "Don't tell anyone about this water. We'll secretly mix it into our porridge." She poured half a capful of spiritual spring water into the thin porridge in the pot. The originally clear and watery rice soup instantly became thicker and had a faint aroma of rice.

The next morning, Liu Yan quietly went to the east wing with a bowl of thick porridge mixed with spiritual spring water. He Yuzhu and Qin Huairu had just taken down the door panel and were preparing to go to the factory when they saw her come in. They quickly went to greet her: "Mother, what brings you here?"

"Here's some food for you." Liu Yan handed a bowl to Qin Huairu. "Drink it while it's hot. Zhu Zi, have a sip too. Working at the factory is tiring."

Qin Huairu looked at the thick porridge in the bowl, her eyes reddening: "Auntie, this...this is too precious, please save it for Yushui to drink." She knew that being able to drink thick porridge now was even rarer than eating meat.

"Just drink it when I tell you to." Liu Yan said sternly. "Yu Shui and I also have some. Your brother specially brought this to help you nourish yourselves." She lowered her voice, "There's something good mixed in here to stave off hunger. Don't let anyone else see it."

He Yuzhu scratched his head and chuckled, "My brother still loves me the most. Sister Qin, drink it quickly, it won't taste good if it gets cold." He knew his brother's abilities; this porridge must have been made with spiritual spring water. Last time, his sister-in-law gave birth to Yuanchao, and she recovered thanks to this water.

Qin Huairu sipped her porridge, the warmth sliding down her throat, instantly making her stomach feel much better. She looked at Liu Yan, her eyes full of gratitude: "Auntie, thank you and Brother Yuyang. After this period is over, I will definitely make a few more pairs of shoes and send them to Jianguo and Yuanchao."

"Silly girl, don't thank me." Liu Yan patted her hand. "Living a good life with Zhuzi is better than anything else."

As Liu Yan emerged from the east wing and reached the central courtyard, she heard arguing coming from Yan Bugui's house. The third aunt was wiping away tears, complaining, "Can't you let the children eat more? They're only drinking thin porridge every day, they're getting so thin! How can you, as their father, be so heartless?"

"Heartless? I'm doing this so my whole family can survive!" Yan Bugui's voice was urgent and hoarse. "With this little food, if we eat dry food every meal, we'll run out of food in less than half a month! Thin porridge will last us a little longer, do you understand?"

"You can't just let the kids drink thin porridge!" the third aunt cried. "The third child fainted at school yesterday, and the teacher said it was from hunger! Don't you, as his father, feel any pain in your heart?"

Liu Yan felt a pang of sadness. She quietly took out two jin of grain coupons from under her pillow, walked to Yan Bugui's door, and gently knocked: "Third Uncle, are you home?"

Yan Bugui opened the door and saw Liu Yan. He looked a little embarrassed and said, "Oh, it's Aunt Liu. Is something the matter?"

"I have two jin of grain coupons here, take them." Liu Yan stuffed the grain coupons into his hand, "Buy some cornmeal for the child, steam some cornbread, don't always drink thin porridge."

Yan Bugui froze, staring at the grain coupons, his lips moving, unable to utter a word for a long time. The third aunt rushed out of the house, grabbing Liu Yan's hand and crying, "Aunt Liu, you're truly a living Bodhisattva... Our family has wronged you, we always argued with your son Zhuzi..."

"Let's not talk about the past." Liu Yan sighed. "We're all neighbors, everyone has their difficulties. Quickly get the child something to eat, don't let him go hungry." She didn't say that the food coupons were brought by He Yuyang, only that she had saved them herself, so as not to make Yan Bugui feel uneasy.

After seeing Liu Yan off, Yan Bugui clutched his grain coupons, his eyes reddening. The third aunt wiped away her tears and said, "Look at Aunt Liu, how kind she is. Don't always be so stingy with that little bit of grain; the child is the most important thing."

Yan Bugui sighed heavily and tucked the grain coupons into his pocket: "I understand. I'll go to the grain station now and buy ten catties of cornmeal to make steamed buns for the children today."

Days passed slowly, and the chimneys of the courtyard house emitted less and less smoke. Yi Zhonghai shared half of his food rations with the elderly widows and widows in the courtyard, while he himself ate only wild vegetable soup at every meal, becoming thin and frail. Liu Haizhong, on the other hand, wasn't short of food—he was a minor official in the neighborhood office and could benefit from some of the food, but seeing his neighbors go hungry made him feel ashamed, so he would occasionally secretly bring Yi Zhonghai a small meal.

One day in December, He Yuyang suddenly received a telegram from He Yuzhu with only six words: "Mother is sick, return immediately." His heart tightened, and he immediately asked for leave from the army, taking Xu Xiuli with him to Beijing. The train was crowded with people, and the air was filled with the smell of sweat and cheap tobacco. Xu Xiuli didn't say much the whole way, her face was a little pale, and she would occasionally press her lower abdomen with a slight frown.

"Are you feeling unwell?" He Yuyang held her hand. "I should have let you stay home and rest; I could have come back by myself."

"It's nothing, just a little tired." Xu Xiuli smiled. "My mother is sick, so I had to come back to see her. Besides, I should also get some thick cotton-padded coats for Jian Guo and Yuan Chao; Beijing is colder than Baoding."

Upon arriving at the courtyard house, the first thing they saw upon entering was Liu Yan lying on the kang (a heated brick bed), her face sallow and her lips chapped. He Yuzhu stood guard beside her, his eyes red-rimmed: "Brother, you're finally back! Mother has been feeling dizzy these past few days, and yesterday she fainted. The doctor said it was due to malnutrition."

He Yuyang touched his mother's forehead; she didn't have a fever, which relieved him somewhat. He took out some spiritual spring water from his bag, mixed it with warm water, and fed Liu Yan a few sips. Before long, Liu Yan's complexion improved, and she was able to open her eyes and speak: "Yuyang, why are you back? Isn't the army busy?"

"No matter how busy I am, I have to come back to see you." He Yuyang sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed). "You're just too frugal. Why didn't you eat more of the food coupons and other things I brought?"

"I ate it, I really ate it." Liu Yan held his hand. "I shared some of that water with Yushui and Zhuzi. They're young people who work hard and need to replenish their energy."

He Yuyang felt a pang of sadness and said nothing more. He took out the fine grains and a few pieces of cured meat he had brought, and gave He Yuzhu five jin of national grain coupons: "Give some to Sister Qin too, so she won't suffer any injustice."

"Brother, don't worry." He Yuzhu nodded. "I've discussed it with Sister Qin. We'll hold the wedding after the New Year. We'll keep it simple and just invite the neighbors in the courtyard for a meal to make it more lively."

As they were talking, Xu Xiuli suddenly covered her mouth and gagged, her face turning as white as paper. He Yuyang quickly supported her: "What's wrong? Are you still feeling carsick?"

Xu Xiuli shook her head, and after a long pause, she said, "I...I think I'm pregnant again."

The room fell silent instantly upon hearing this. Liu Yan sat bolt upright, her eyes wide with surprise: "Really? When did this happen?"

"I felt nauseous and wanted to vomit a few days ago, so I saw a doctor. They said it's been over a month." Xu Xiuli touched her lower abdomen, a little embarrassed. "I was planning to wait until you were done with your work, but I didn't expect..."

"Great! Great!" Liu Yan clapped her hands excitedly, forgetting that she was still sick. "This is such a joyous occasion! I'm going to hold my grandson again!"

He Yuyang felt a mix of joy and worry. He was happy that there would be another person in the family, but worried because with the current situation, each additional mouth to feed meant more difficulties. He looked at Xu Xiuli's pale face and held her hand tightly: "Don't be afraid, I'm here. No matter how hard it is, I can't let you and the baby suffer."

That evening, He Yuyang went to check on Jia Dongxu's house. The door was ajar, and a foul stench hit him as soon as he pushed it open. The house was dark; Jia Dongxu wasn't home. A pile of dirty clothes lay on the kang (heated brick bed), and the jar in the corner was empty, without a trace of grain. Jia Zhangshi had fallen ill after returning from her public parade; she was huddled in the corner of the kang, covered with a tattered cotton-padded coat. When she saw someone enter, her cloudy eyes flickered, but she didn't speak.

He Yuyang sighed, took out two jin of grain coupons from his bag and put them on the table: "Aunt Zhang, take these and buy some food. If Dongxu comes back, let him find some work to do. It's not a good way to just drift along like this."

Looking at the grain coupons, Jia Zhangshi suddenly burst into tears, not the usual tantrums, but suppressed sobs: "I'm so sorry to Dongxu... I'm the one who ruined him..."

He Yuyang didn't say anything more and quietly left. The courtyard was quiet, with only the howling of the north wind whistling through the treetops. The light in Yan Bugui's house was still on, and the faint sound of children's laughter could be heard, probably from having cornmeal porridge. The light in Yi Zhonghai's house was also on; he was probably sewing clothes for the elderly woman living alone again.

Back in the room, Xu Xiuli was already asleep, her brows still slightly furrowed. He Yuyang sat by the bed, looking at his wife's sleeping face, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He redeemed some nutritional supplements needed during her pregnancy from the system, and took out a few cloth coupons—he needed to make Xu Xiuli a thick cotton-padded coat, and also prepare small blankets for their future child.

"Don't worry." Xu Xiuli woke up at some point and took his hand. "Things will get better. Look, although the people in the courtyard are having a hard time, no one has given up. Even Grandpa Yan's children can still laugh out loud. That's something to look forward to."

He Yuyang nodded, leaned over and kissed her forehead: "Yes, there's hope. When spring comes, the vegetables in our yard will grow, and the rice seeds in the system should be ready for harvest. Then everyone will be able to have enough to eat."

The north wind was still blowing outside the window, but the oil lamp inside seemed exceptionally bright. Liu Yan was snoring softly on the kang (heated brick bed) next door, while He Yushui's gentle snores were like those of a kitten. He Yuyang knew that the hardships of this courtyard house were not yet over, and the days ahead might be even harder, but as long as the family stayed together and helped each other, there was no winter they couldn't get through.

He touched Xu Xiuli's lower abdomen, where a new life was growing. This child came during the most difficult days, as if reminding everyone—no matter how bitter or difficult, life must go on, and hope will always grow, just like the grass sprouts that emerge from the corner of the yard after spring, breaking through the frozen soil, reaching for the sun, and growing vigorously.

The next morning, He Yuyang went to the grain station to buy twenty jin of fine grain for Liu Yan, and then went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy a few feet of cotton cloth. Passing by the steel rolling mill, he went in to see He Yuzhu, who was busy distributing thin porridge to the workers. Although he was sweating profusely, he had a smile on his face. Qin Huairu was helping him, adding wild vegetables to the porridge with practiced ease.

"Brother, what brings you here?" He Yuzhu quickly wiped his sweat when he saw him come in.

"I'm bringing you something." He Yuyang handed the cloth coupons to Qin Huairu, "Make a new cotton-padded jacket for your wedding." He then stuffed a cloth bag into He Yuzhu's hand, which contained spring water and a few pounds of cured meat, "Stew some meat for your mother to help her recover."

Qin Huairu blushed as she accepted the cloth coupons: "Thank you, brother."

He Yuzhu chuckled, "Brother, don't worry, I'll definitely take good care of Mom and Sister Qin. When you come back next time, I promise you'll have some of my stewed meat!"

He Yuyang patted his shoulder without saying much. He knew his younger brother had grown up and could shoulder responsibilities. No matter how many difficulties this courtyard house faced, as long as there was this warm spirit of mutual support, they could always get through it.

The day they left Beijing, the sky cleared, and sunlight shone on the roof of the courtyard house, reflecting a faint light off the snow. Liu Yan looked much better and was standing at the door seeing them off, holding the little shoes she had made for her unborn child. He Yuzhu and Qin Huairu also came; Qin Huairu had knitted a pair of thick gloves for Xu Xiuli, the stitches dense and precise.

"Be careful on the road." Liu Yan held Xu Xiuli's hand. "Let me know when you get to Baoding, so I don't worry about you."

"Mother, please take good care of yourself." Xu Xiuli's eyes reddened. "I'll come to see you again when spring comes."

As the train started moving, He Yuyang looked back. The gray walls of the courtyard house grew smaller and smaller in his vision, eventually becoming a blurry black dot. Xu Xiuli leaned on his shoulder and whispered, "What should we name the baby after it's born?"

He Yuyang thought for a moment, looked at the poplar trees flashing past the window, and said in a deep voice, "Let's name him He Shouye. To protect the family business, to protect our lives, and to protect the warmth in our hearts."

"He Shouye..." Xu Xiuli murmured the name, then smiled, "A good name."

The train headed towards Baoding, carrying new hope and also the longing for the courtyard house. He Yuyang knew that his connection with this courtyard house would never be severed in this lifetime. His roots were there, his attachments were there, and no matter how far he went, no matter how difficult things became, he would stay there, guarding those neighbors, guarding that little bit of light in his days.