He Yuyang: The tough eldest brother of the courtyard house

The Spring Festival of 1975 came exceptionally early. On the morning of the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, the military family compound was still shrouded in a light blue mist, but He Yuyang was already standing at the gate, his feet treading on the thin frost. He held a large red Spring Festival couplet in his hand, written by the old academician in the compound who had been exonerated. The first line read, "A heart as firm as iron guards the border and defends the country," and the second line read, "A heart as warm as a spring protects the home and the compound." The words carried a strong warmth between the lines.

"Dad, let me put it up!" He Shouye stood on a stool, his arm raised high, the paste smeared crookedly on the door frame. He had a new buzz cut, revealing a smooth forehead, and a small red flower was pinned to his cotton-padded jacket, a "Three Good Student" award from the school. He Yuanchao stood beside him, holding onto a stool, a piece of fruit candy dangling from his mouth, which Xu Xiuli had taken from the space warehouse yesterday; the wrapper gleamed in the morning light.

Just as He Yuyang was about to lend a hand, he suddenly caught a glimpse of the peach tree in the yard—the peach sapling transplanted from the space had actually blossomed in the dead of winter. The pink and white petals adorned the bare branches, like half a tree covered in snow, with a layer of fine frost clinging to the edges of the petals, making it look unreal, like a painting.

"Mom! The peach tree is blooming!" Xiaoxuan, holding a small red velvet lantern, stumbled into the yard, her cotton shoes leaving a trail of tiny footprints in the thin snow. Her new tiger-head shoes, made by Aunt Zhang, had a round-eyed tiger embroidered on the toe, and they creaked as she walked. "The teacher said they only bloom in spring, how come they're blooming now?"

Xu Xiuli was carrying dumpling filling from inside the house when she heard this and peeked out, almost dropping the porcelain bowl in her hand. "This...this is truly strange!" She quickly walked to the peach tree, her fingertips gently touching the petals. The cool touch had a slight resilience, indicating that it wasn't an artificial flower. "It must have absorbed the spiritual energy of the spring water, disregarding the season." She remembered that she had poured half a ladle of spring water from her space onto the tree roots yesterday, hoping it would grow stronger in the spring, but unexpectedly it had forced it to bloom.

Looking at the tree full of blossoms, He Yuyang suddenly remembered how it looked five years ago when he first planted the sapling. Back then, it was as thin as a chopstick, its leaves withered, and Xu Xiuli always said, "It probably won't survive." But he managed to get it to take root using the spring water and soil in the space. Now, it's lush and vibrant, blooming even in the cold winter, as if in response to something.

"These flowers are so beautiful." He Shouye jumped off the bench, caught a falling petal, and carefully tucked it into his textbook. "When they bear fruit, they'll definitely be sweeter than the peaches sold at the supply and marketing cooperative."

"Of course," He Yuyang patted his head, "the water and fertilizer this tree drinks are very precious." He didn't say that the mother peach tree in the space was now full of fist-sized peaches, pink like they had been rouged, treasures created by spiritual spring water and a time flow rate of five thousand times.

Just then, there was a knock at the courtyard gate. Staff Officer Wang's wife walked in carrying a cloth bag. Her blue cotton-padded jacket was speckled with flour, as if she had just finished steaming buns. "Beautiful girl, I've brought you some treats!" She placed the bag on the stone table, and two pounds of fruit candy rolled out, along with a brand-new movie ticket. "The factory's doing well this year, so everyone gets two pounds of candy, and a ticket to 'The Battle of the South and North,' which is showing on New Year's Day. Who in your family is going to see it?"

Xu Xiuli quickly stuffed a plate of freshly fried dough into her hands. It was golden and crispy, fried in rapeseed oil from her spatial storage. "I can't accept this. You think about this every year." She handed the movie tickets to He Shouye. "Let the kids go. Shouye loves war movies."

"Oh! Thank you, Aunt Wang!" Shouye jumped for joy, clutching the movie ticket. The smell of ink on the ticket stub mixed with the aroma of sugar, just like the smell of the New Year.

As soon as Staff Officer Wang's wife left, Aunt Zhang came in carrying a bamboo basket. Inside the basket were a pair of tiger-head shoes, even more exquisite than the pair Xiaoxuan wore, with strings of copper coins embroidered on the uppers. "A New Year's gift for Xiaoxuan," Aunt Zhang said, her eyes crinkling with laughter. She held a needle in her hand, with a piece of red cloth hanging from the thread. "I sewed them until late last night. Look at these stitches, they're guaranteed to be sturdy."

Xiaoxuan immediately put on the new shoes, took a couple of steps, and the tiger-headed dog's eyes swayed with her movements, making everyone laugh. "Thank you, Grandma Zhang!" she said in a childish voice, taking out a piece of fruit candy from her pocket and giving it to Aunt Zhang. It was a milk candy that she had saved up for several days and couldn't bear to eat.

Aunt Zhang unwrapped the candy, giving half to Xiaoxuan and keeping the other half in her mouth, her eyes squinting with sweetness. "Your peach tree is truly amazing," she exclaimed, gazing at the tree full of blossoms. "I've lived for over fifty years, and this is the first time I've ever seen a peach tree bloom in winter. They say a good snowfall promises a bountiful harvest, so these blossoms are probably a good omen too."

Xu Xiuli smiled and handed Aunt Zhang a bag of millet from her spatial storage. The millet was golden and plump; she had specially packed it in an old cloth bag, making it look like ordinary grain. "Take this home and cook it into porridge; it's good for your stomach." She knew Aunt Zhang had a chronic stomach ailment; last winter, the pain was so severe she couldn't straighten her back, and it was He Yuyang who cured her with medicinal herbs from her spatial storage.

Aunt Zhang couldn't refuse, so she had to accept it. Before leaving, she reminded her, "Don't forget to set off firecrackers on the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year to drive away evil spirits and ensure a smooth and prosperous year ahead."

After seeing Aunt Zhang off, Xu Xiuli began pasting up the character "福" (Fu, meaning good fortune), placing an upside-down "福" on the door panel, symbolizing "good fortune arrives." He Yuyang set up an offering table in the courtyard, on which were placed a plate of apples (picked from his space, large and red), a bowl of dumplings, and a cup of rice wine brewed with spiritual spring water. The wine had a clear and refreshing aroma and was brewed by him last autumn in his small villa in his space.

"Dad, when is my eldest brother coming back?" He Yuanchao peered out from the door frame, hoping to see his eldest brother before the New Year's Eve dinner. He Jianguo had been granted permission to visit his family, but two days ago he sent a telegram saying that there was an urgent mission at the border and he couldn't come back for the time being. He only sent back a wolf skin given to him by a herdsman, saying it was for his father to make knee pads.

"Your older brother is guarding the border," He Yuyang said, spreading the wolf skin on the kang (a heated brick bed). It was fluffy and warm. "He spends the New Year there, and it's even more lively than here. His comrades make dumplings together, and maybe they can even hunt a gazelle to improve their meals." He spoke casually, but he was worried about his son—the winters at the border are ten times colder than in Baoding. He wondered if his son was warm enough and if he had enough frostbite cream.

Around noon, the residential compound gradually became lively. Some families started setting off firecrackers, the "crackling" sounds mingling with the joyful shouts of children; white smoke billowed from the chimneys of each house, and the aroma of food wafted through the alleyways—the rich, dark sauce of braised pork, the doughy fragrance of dumplings, and the crispy scent of fried meatballs.

Xu Xiuli was busy in the kitchen, spinning like a top. She skillfully manipulated the spatula, stirring the stewing pork ribs in the pot evenly. The pork chunks from the mysterious space tumbled and jumped in the boiling water, making "bubbling" sounds, and steaming bubbles rose continuously, filling the entire kitchen.

Meanwhile, the steamed buns in the steamer were also undergoing a subtle transformation. These buns were made using high-quality flour from the space, and each one became fluffy and soft, as light as a cloud. They lay quietly in the steamer, emitting an enticing aroma that made one's mouth water.

In addition, a plate of carefully prepared cold black fungus salad was placed on the table. This black fungus was no ordinary stuff; it grew on linden wood within the space, its color dark and glossy. After simple processing, it was mixed with a suitable amount of vinegar and sesame oil, resulting in a smooth, refreshing, and delicious dish that could quench thirst and aid digestion. The photo above was a family portrait. It was taken last autumn; Xiaoxuan sat on his lap, holding an apple that had grown in the space, her smile revealing two small teeth; Shouye and Yuanchao stood beside him, wearing newly made blue cotton jackets; Xu Xiuli sat next to him, a small chrysanthemum tucked behind her ear, which he had picked from the space. The edges of the photo were somewhat worn, but he had carefully framed it with glass.

"Dinner's ready!" Xu Xiuli brought in the last dish, a braised fish stuffed with mushrooms from her spatial storage, the aroma filling the air. She took off her apron, sweat still glistening on her forehead. "Eat it while it's hot, it won't taste good when it's cold."

Xiaoxuan was the first to pick up her chopsticks, grabbing a piece of pork rib. It was so hot it made her stick out her tongue, but she couldn't bear to put it down. "Mom's meat is so delicious!" she mumbled, her little face smeared with sauce, making her look like a little kitten.

Shouye poured He Yuyang a cup of rice wine. The wine was clear and had a pale yellow hue. "Dad, try this. It's sweeter than the wine you buy at the supply and marketing cooperative." He knew that his father brewed this in his spatial dimension, but he had never told anyone outside the family. It was a secret between them.

He Yuyang took a sip of wine, the warmth flowing from his throat to his heart. Looking at the table full of dishes, watching the children wolf down their food, and seeing Xu Xiuli's smiling face, he suddenly felt that this was the life he had wanted most since he transmigrated—no lingering ghosts of spies, no fear of being criticized, only family gathered around, the aroma of food filling the air, and the peach tree outside the courtyard gate that bloomed out of season but with great effort.

After dinner, He Shouye took the movie tickets to the military auditorium, while He Yuanchao took Xiaoxuan to the courtyard to build a snowman. They used carrots for the snowman's nose and coal briquettes for its eyes. They also wrapped Xiaoxuan's red scarf around the snowman, making it look like a small red dot standing under a peach tree from a distance.

After Xu Xiuli finished cleaning up the dishes, she sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) mending clothes, holding an old military uniform belonging to He Jianguo, intending to alter it for Yuan Chao. He Yuyang walked over and sat beside her, watching her nimble fingers dance as she sewed.

"Look," he suddenly said, looking out the window, "the peach trees are in bloom."

Xu Xiuli followed his gaze and saw pink and white petals swaying gently in the breeze, a few falling onto the snow like scattered silver. "Yes," she paused in her needlework, "it probably knew it was almost New Year's and specially opened it for us to see."

"It's not just for us to see," He Yuyang said softly, but with a firm conviction. "It's saying that life is like this flower. No matter how cold the weather, as long as the roots are deep, there will always be a time to bloom and a time to bear fruit." He recalled the past few years, from the grain coupon crisis to the capture of spies, from flood relief to the advent of frostbite cream. Step by step, despite the twists and turns, they had always been moving forward.

Xu Xiuli put down her needlework and leaned on his shoulder, able to hear his steady heartbeat. "I know," she whispered, "with you here, with this tree here, we can overcome any obstacle." She recalled the shock she felt when she first entered the space, the trust He Yuyang placed in her when he granted her access, and how they had helped so many people together with the resources in the space. Suddenly, she felt that this space was not their private property, but a responsibility given to them by God, allowing them to help more people and bring more warmth during these special times.

In the distance, the whistle of the tractor factory suddenly rang out, long and loud, as if adding color to the New Year. Before the whistle had even faded, Xiaoxuan and Yuanchao's laughter, clear and melodious like silver bells, came from the courtyard. He Yuyang looked up and saw Xiaoxuan standing on tiptoe, trying to reach the petals on the peach tree branch, while Yuanchao supported her waist beside her. The two of them were laughing so hard that they were doubled over, and petals fell all over them.

He suddenly stood up, took Xu Xiuli's hand, and said, "Come on, let's build a snowman and have some fun with the children."

Xu Xiuli followed with a smile, her cotton shoes crunching on the snow covered with petals, like humming a lighthearted song. He Yuyang walked beside her, a pink and white petal on his military green uniform. He didn't brush it off, letting it stay there like a small medal.

Outside the courtyard gate, someone started setting off fireworks. Multicolored flames exploded in the night sky, illuminating the peach blossoms in the yard and the windows of every household in the compound. Gazing at the dazzling light, He Yuyang suddenly felt a sense of peace—he knew that no matter how much hardship lay ahead, as long as the peach tree remained, as long as his family remained, as long as that warmth in his heart remained, life would surely continue steadily, like the blooming peach blossoms, towards fruition.