He Yuyang: The tough eldest brother of the courtyard house

The winter of 1970 seemed to be holding back a fierce attack, with an unusually heavy snowfall just as the twelfth lunar month began. The goose-feather-like snowflakes fell for three days and three nights, covering Baoding City completely. The old locust trees in the military family compound were bent over under the weight, and the snow on the branches fell down with the slightest movement, making a soft thud as it hit the ground.

He Yuyang stood by the window of the military headquarters office building, gazing at the white expanse outside, his brow slightly furrowed. The broadcast said this was the heaviest snowfall in Baoding in fifty years, with temperatures plummeting to minus twenty degrees Celsius, and the roofs of many old houses collapsing under the weight. He was worried about the affiliated primary school—its classrooms were built in the early days of liberation, the windows were covered with paper, and it always let in drafts in winter; this would probably be even harder to endure.

"Deputy Commander, if this snow continues, it might affect the transport of supplies." Guard Xiao Wang came in, rubbing his hands, which were red from the cold, and carrying a document. "The logistics department just reported that the coal in the warehouse will only last for three days. Should we send a notice to all units to tell everyone to use it sparingly?"

"Don't rush into the coal issue." He Yuyang turned around, took the document but didn't look at it. "Go to the affiliated primary school and check on the situation there, especially the classroom windows and heating equipment. Come back and tell me in detail."

Xiao Wang was taken aback for a moment: "Deputy Commander, what's going on here...?"

"Go quickly." He Yuyang patted his shoulder. "The children can't get cold."

Xiao Wang answered and left, and He Yuyang looked out the window again. The snow was still falling, and the wind swirled the snowflakes against the glass, making a howling sound, just like the cold wind he had heard in the courtyard of Beiping when he was a child. He remembered how the three boys, He Jianguo and his brother, looked when they went to school. In the dead of winter, they would be wrapped in thick cotton-padded coats, their noses red from the cold, yet they would still run around wildly during breaks, and when they came back, their cotton-padded shoes would be full of snow water, and they would stamp their feet to keep warm.

My own child is in a military-affiliated school, where the conditions are better. However, there are many children of military families and local residents in the affiliated primary school whose families are not well-off. With such heavy snow, they may not even be able to afford decent cotton-padded clothes.

Half an hour later, Xiao Wang returned, covered in snow from head to toe. He shivered as he entered the house: "Deputy Commander, you didn't see it! The windows of that primary school are in terrible condition! The paper windows of several classrooms have been torn by the wind and snow, and the north wind is howling in. The children are hunched over during class. The boiler room stove is also old and worn out; it burns for ages but the rooms still aren't warm. The principal is frantic!"

He Yuyang's heart sank: "Didn't you think of any other solutions? Like patching the windows with plastic sheeting, or burning more coal?"

"The plastic sheeting has already been snapped up by various units, and there are only some old, worn-out sheets left in the warehouse, which can't block the wind at all." Xiao Wang sighed. "Coal is also in short supply. The school's quota has long been used up. The principal went to the Education Bureau twice, but they both said that they couldn't get any surplus coal for the time being."

He Yuyang didn't say anything more, picked up his military overcoat and put it on. Xiao Wang quickly asked, "Where are you going?"

"Go check on the primary school." He tightened his belt. "And while you're at it, go home and talk to your sister-in-law about something."

The car drove slowly through the snow, its tires leaving deep ruts as they crunched over the snow. Houses along the way were half-buried in snow, and occasionally someone could be seen shoveling snow off their roof, their breath instantly blown away by the wind. As they approached the affiliated primary school, He Yuyang asked the driver to stop and walked towards the school gate, his feet sinking into knee-deep snow.

The school gate consisted of two mottled wooden doors, the red paint long since peeled off, and the hinges frozen stiff, creaking loudly in the wind. Looking inside, the snow on the playground reached up to the calves, and several children in thin cotton-padded coats were sweeping it with brooms, their faces purple from the cold, their breath puffing out like little trains.

"Hello, Uncle!" A little girl with pigtails stopped what she was doing and greeted him timidly when she saw him. There was a hole in the front of her cotton shoes, revealing her toes, which were red from the cold, and a thin layer of ice had formed on the broom handle.

He Yuyang crouched down and patted her head. The snow on her gloves melted and clung to the stray hairs on her forehead. "It's so cold, why aren't you wearing more clothes?"

The little girl pursed her chapped lips and whispered, "Mom said to save these so my little brother can wear them in the spring."

He Yuyang felt a pang in his heart, and just as he was about to say something more, he heard someone behind him call out, "Comrade, who are you...?"

Turning around, I saw a middle-aged man wearing a faded blue cotton-padded jacket and a pair of glasses with a broken leg, tied with a rope and hanging from his ear. He must be the principal. He was holding a tin flashlight, the lampshade covered with a layer of snow, which looked somewhat comical, but his eyes were very bright.

"I am He Yuyang from the military." He Yuyang stood up, extended his hand, and said, "Come and check on the children."

The principal's eyes lit up, and he quickly grasped the man's hand. His palms were covered in chilblains, rough like old tree bark: "Deputy Commander He! Why did you come in person? Come inside, it's cold outside!"

The classroom wasn't much better off than outside. The walls were peeling and cracked, revealing the yellow earth underneath. Around the desks near the window, the children huddled together, some breathing on their numb hands to warm them, others burying their heads in their arms, probably too cold to concentrate on the lesson. The most conspicuous thing was the window—several holes in the paper covering allowed the wind to whip in snowflakes, leaving a thin layer of white on the windowsill.

"You see?" The principal rubbed his hands together, his face full of helplessness. "These windows have been patched and then broken, patched and then broken again. They're completely useless in this wind and snow. The boiler room's stove is also unreliable. No matter how much coal we burn, it won't get hot. Yesterday, a child even got a fever from the cold, and his parents took him home."

He Yuyang walked to the window and poked a hole in the paper covering with his finger. A gust of north wind rushed in, chilling his neck. He touched the window frame; it was made of wood, dilapidated from years of neglect, with many parts rotten. No wonder it couldn't keep out the wind.

"Principal, these windows need to be replaced," he said in a deep voice. "Just pasting paper on them won't do; we need to install glass. The boiler also needs to be repaired, or if all else fails, we'll replace it with a new one."

The principal gave a wry smile: "Deputy Commander He, I understand what you're saying, but glass and coal... our school really doesn't have the resources. The Education Bureau said that the whole district is in short supply, and they need to prioritize government agencies."

"I'll figure something out." He Yuyang patted his shoulder. "Have someone take a count of all the broken windows, make sure they're the right size, and get them delivered to the military headquarters before dark. Also, have the boiler room mechanic take a look at the boiler room and report what parts need replacing."

The principal was stunned, not even noticing his glasses had slipped down to the tip of his nose: "Deputy Commander He, are you... trying to help us?"

"I can't rest easy seeing the children freezing here," He Yuyang smiled. "Consider it a contribution to the revolutionary cause. If the children get sick from the cold, who will build the country in the future?"

After leaving school, He Yuyang went straight home. Xu Xiuli was teaching He Xiaoxuan to read. The little girl was wearing a red cotton-padded jacket, which Xu Xiuli had made from fabric from her spatial storage, making her rosy cheeks look even better. He Shouye was doing his homework on the kang table, his nose almost touching the paper. He kept glancing at his younger sister, probably sneaking a peek at the candy in her hand.

"Why are you back?" Xu Xiuli asked as she saw him come in. She quickly got up and brushed the snow off him. "You're freezing! Come on, get on the kang (heated brick bed) and warm up."

He Yuyang took off his military overcoat and told her about the affiliated primary school. At the end, he said, "Isn't there a batch of pine wood and glass in the space? It's leftover from the warehouse we were preparing to build for the family compound a while ago. It'll come in handy. There's also coal. We have quite a bit stored in the space. Pick out some of the good stuff and send it over."

"I thought it was something serious, it's not difficult at all," Xu Xiuli said with a smile. "I'll have Shouye help me move the pine wood and glass to the cellar this afternoon, and tonight, when the snow is heavy and no one is paying attention, you can haul them over in a truck. I'll pack the coal in sacks and say it's from the logistics department to the school, and I guarantee no one will suspect anything."

He Yuyang felt a warm glow in his heart as he watched her pack efficiently. After so many years of marriage, Xu Xiuli had long since figured out his temperament. Whenever he had an idea, she was always there to help, never asking why, only thinking about how to get things done. Like when he said he wanted to secretly help the people, she immediately helped pack the grain, keep accounts, and manage the space impeccably.

"Oh, right," Xu Xiuli took out a cloth bag from the cabinet, and inside were more than a dozen pairs of cotton gloves. "These are made from cotton wool from my space. I gave them to the elementary school children so their hands wouldn't get cold while shoveling snow."

The gloves were pieced together from scraps of fabric in various colors, with fine stitches and a small sun pattern embroidered on each finger; they looked warm. He Yuyang picked up a pair and put them on; they fit perfectly, and the palms were sewn with a layer of durable canvas.

"You always think of everything so carefully." He squeezed his wife's hand. Her knuckles were a little rough from years of doing needlework, but they were always warm.

"It breaks my heart to see the children suffer." Xu Xiuli wrapped her gloves up. "Jianguo and the others also had frostbite on their hands when they were little. They would turn red and swollen like carrots and cry if you touched them. Now that conditions are better, we should help them as much as we can."

As evening approached, the snow lessened slightly. He Yuyang found a military truck and, taking advantage of the darkness, led Xiao Wang and two soldiers to the cellar. The pine logs inside were neatly stacked, all of them dried and of good quality. The glass was clear, flat glass, cut to the right size, and there were also several boxes of brand-new hinges and nails.

"Deputy Commander, this timber and glass don't look like old materials from the warehouse," Xiao Wang muttered as he moved them. "It's even better than what the logistics department issued."

"Don't ask any questions." He Yuyang handed him a pair of gloves. "Be careful when you move it, don't break the glass."

After loading the timber and glass, they loaded coal onto the truck. The coal in the compartment was high-quality anthracite, large in size and burning brightly, packed in burlap sacks printed with the words "Military Logistics Department," looking no different from ordinary coal. Xu Xiuli stood beside them, counting the quantity, muttering, "Thirty sacks should be enough; if not, tell them to ask me for more."

The truck slowly drove towards the affiliated primary school. There were hardly any people in the snow, only the occasional bicycle passing by, its bells ringing out clearly in the quiet snowy night. When they arrived at the school gate, the principal and several teachers were already waiting there, holding flashlights, their beams flickering in the darkness.

"Deputy Commander He, you've finally arrived!" The principal rubbed his hands together as he greeted him. His eyes widened at the sight of the timber and coal on the trucks. "My God, so much good stuff!"

"Don't just stand there, hurry up and unload the truck." He Yuyang directed the soldiers to move the materials. "Pile the glass and wood behind the classroom first, and unload the coal next to the boiler room. Be careful not to get it wet."

The teachers also came to help. One young female teacher, carrying a stack of glass, was so excited that her eyes reddened: "Now the children won't have to freeze! Yesterday in class, I saw Xiaozhu in the back row shivering from the cold, and tears welled up in my eyes, but I didn't dare to cry."

He Yuyang felt even worse upon hearing this, and rolled up his sleeves to move pine wood: "Work hard tonight and try to fix the worst-damaged classrooms first, so that the children can have classes in a warm room tomorrow morning."

The principal quickly stopped him: "Deputy Commander He, you are the leader, how can we let you do it? Let us do it, let us do it!"

"Forget about leadership, it's all for the children." He Yuyang smiled as he picked up a pine log. "Let's get to work, the snow's going to get heavier soon."

The soldiers and teachers worked together, some unloading trucks, others cleaning classrooms. He Yuyang, along with two soldiers skilled in carpentry, picked up saws and hammers and started repairing the northernmost classroom—its windows were the most broken, and it was the most windy.

The saw cut into the pine wood, making a "shh-shh" sound, and sawdust fell down in a flurry. He Yuyang's movements were very skilled. He had learned carpentry at a martial arts school when he was young. His master said, "A martial artist must know some craftsmanship. Being able to repair and fix things is true skill." He measured the dimensions, sawed the wood, fixed the window frame with nails, installed the glass, and finally sealed the edges with putty. His movements were fluid and efficient, even more so than a professional carpenter.

"Deputy Commander He, your skills are amazing!" The teacher next to him exclaimed in amazement. "You're much better than my husband. He can smash his hand even when he's hammering a nail."

He Yuyang smiled but didn't say anything. Sweat was already beading on his forehead. He took off his hat and put it aside, revealing his forehead, which was red from the heat. Xiao Wang handed him a kettle, and he took a sip of hot water before picking up his tools to repair the next window.

Xu Xiuli arrived with He Shouye and Xiaoxuan, the three of them carrying a large thermos filled with piping hot ginger and brown sugar water. "Everyone, take a break and have some hot drinks," she said, handing each person an enamel mug. "Warm yourselves up so you don't catch a cold."

Xiaoxuan, dressed in a little red cotton-padded jacket, looked like a little lucky doll. She held up an enamel mug and handed it to the principal: "Grandpa, have some sweet water." The principal took the mug, his eyes crinkling with smiles. He drank it down in one gulp and said, "So sweet, so warm."

He Shouye wasn't idle either, helping to pass nails and hold the timber. Although he wasn't very strong, he ran around happily, his little face flushed red, and his cotton-padded coat was open. "Dad, do you think I passed them accurately?" he said proudly, raising his face.

"Accurate! Better than your brother was when he was a kid." He Yuyang patted his head, feeling gratified.

They worked until late into the night until the snow finally stopped, and stars appeared in the sky, sparkling like scattered silver. Most importantly, the windows of the three classrooms were repaired, the glass polished to a shine, gleaming in the moonlight. The boiler room stove was also fixed, and smokeless coal was burned, wisps of smoke rising from the chimney, gradually warming the room.

The principal held He Yuyang's hand, too excited to speak. His lips trembled for a long time before he finally managed to say, "Deputy Commander He, you are the children's second parents! On behalf of all the teachers and students, I bow to you!" He then began to bend over.

"Please stop," He Yuyang quickly helped him up. "I'm a parent too, and I can't bear to see my child suffer. This is what I should do."

Xu Xiuli added with a smile, "That's just how he is. He can't stand seeing children suffer from cold and hunger. A few years ago, when I went to the countryside for training, I saw that the children in the village had no shoes. When I came back, he talked about it to me for several days and insisted that I make more than a dozen pairs of cloth shoes for him to send over."

"Teacher Xu, your Deputy Commander He is such a good person!" the principal exclaimed. "These days, there aren't many leaders who genuinely care about the children."

As they walked back, dawn was breaking. A string of footprints stretched across the snow, like a long ribbon. He Xiaoxuan was asleep on He Yuyang's shoulder, her little face rosy, a smile playing on her lips; she was probably dreaming of something wonderful. He Shouye followed beside her, slipping and sliding in his brother's footprints, humming a tuneless song.

"Do you think the children will jump for joy when they see the new windows tomorrow morning?" Xu Xiuli asked, linking arms with He Yuyang, the snow crunching under their feet.

"Definitely." He Yuyang looked down at her little daughter on her shoulder. "She might even breathe on the glass and draw."

"Then I'll send some more paper window decorations over tomorrow, so the female teacher can guide the children to cut them out and add some festive cheer," Xu Xiuli said with a smile. "There's also some colored paper in the room; the colors are bright, and the children will definitely like it."

He Yuyang didn't speak, but simply tightened his grip on his wife's hand. The air after the snow was exceptionally fresh, carrying the scent of pine needles. The crowing of roosters echoed from afar, one after another, adding a touch of life to the quiet morning. He recalled the warm, bright light emanating from the classroom when he left, like stars in the night illuminating the sleeping faces of the children.

Back home, after settling the children in, He Yuyang sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), watching the sky gradually brighten outside the window. Snow.