He Yuyang: The tough eldest brother of the courtyard house

Snowflakes tapped against the windowpane, making a soft "rustling" sound, like countless tiny hands gently knocking on the door. The first snowy night of 1942 came earlier than usual, with the north wind whipping up heavy snowflakes and enveloping the entire city of Beiping in a white, chaotic blanket.

The courtyard house was long since quieted down from the daytime hustle and bustle. Only the occasional snowflake blown down by the wind slid down from the eaves and landed on the ground with a "plop," breaking the silence for a moment. He Yuyang lay on the outermost side of the kang (a heated brick bed), listening to He Yuzhu's even breathing beside him. From time to time, soft snores would come from his little nose, like a contented kitten.

At the other end of the kang (a heated brick bed), Liu Yan, the mother, was still awake. A dim oil lamp sat on the corner of the kang table, its wick flickering and casting a long shadow of hers on the wall. In her hands, she held an old cotton-padded coat belonging to He Daqing, and by the faint light, she was mending the worn cuffs stitch by stitch. The cotton thread pierced through the thick fabric with a soft "shh" sound, particularly clear in the quiet snowy night.

"Mother, go to sleep, we'll sew again tomorrow," He Yuyang said softly. The smoke from the oil lamp was a bit pungent, and he was worried that his mother would ruin her eyes from staying up too late.

Liu Yan looked up, rubbed her sore eyes, and smiled: "Just a few more stitches left. Once it's finished, your dad can wear it tomorrow. It's snowing heavily, so don't catch a cold when you go to work in the morning."

Her fingers were a little stiff from the cold, but her stitches remained fine and tight. She had worn this cotton-padded coat for three years; the cuffs and elbows were worn shiny and had several patches, but she kept it clean and tidy, showing a meticulous attention to detail in her daily life.

He Yuyang didn't try to persuade her further. He knew his mother's temperament; once she made up her mind, she would see it through. He turned his head and looked out the window. The window paper was whitened by the snow, and he could vaguely see the scene in the yard—his father, He Daqing, was chopping firewood.

"Click—click—"

The sound of the axe striking the wood was dull and powerful, each strike like a blow to the heart. To save coal, this winter, my father would chop firewood every night for the next day and pile it at the kitchen door, so that starting a fire in the morning wouldn't be a hassle.

He Yuyang quietly began circulating the "Basic Internal Energy Cultivation Method." The warm current in his dantian seemed to sense his intention, slowly awakening and flowing along his meridians. After these days of cultivation, this warm current was much stronger than before, and its circulation speed was also faster. Wherever it passed, his limbs and bones felt a warm and comfortable sensation, dispelling the chill of the winter night.

His hearing became exceptionally sharp with the help of his internal energy cultivation. He could clearly hear his father's breathing as he chopped wood, the angle at which the axe fell, and even the subtle sound of the wood fibers breaking as it cracked. He could "hear" that his father's shoulder would sway slightly with each chop—a result of years of wear and tear from tossing the wok in front of the stove, which would always ache faintly on rainy days.

"I must protect my father's culinary skills," He Yuyang silently vowed. His father's Tan family cuisine was the foundation of their livelihood, and also the target of countless people's covetousness. Yi Zhonghai's probing, Liu Haizhong's scheming, and those eyes lurking in the shadows were all eyeing this prize like hungry wolves. He had to become stronger, not only in strength but also in mind, to help his father shield himself from these open and hidden attacks.

A warm current flowed to his chest, and He Yuyang subconsciously held his breath. He "saw" that although his mother's cough had mostly subsided, there was still some slight congestion in her lungs, a lingering ailment from her early years that required gradual treatment. While the effects of the spiritual spring water were significant, they couldn't be achieved overnight; it needed to be combined with the herbs grown in his space to completely eradicate the problem.

"Mother's health needs to be improved." He clenched his fist secretly. His mother had suffered too much in her life. After marrying his father, she had hardly enjoyed any happiness. She had been busy with housework and raising children, which had made her sickly. The spiritual spring and herbs in his space were the best medicine for his mother, but he couldn't take them out openly yet. He could only let them seep in little by little, like spring rain nourishing the earth, so that her body could slowly become stronger.

He Yuzhu, sitting next to him, rolled over, muttering, "Brother... candy..."

He Yuyang chuckled softly and reached out to tuck the blanket around her younger brother. Little Zhuzi was still young and naive, believing that life was simply about having enough to eat and wear, and being happy with candy. But he couldn't live under his brother's protection forever; this chaotic world showed no mercy to anyone.

"You must teach your younger brother well," He Yuyang said firmly. He wanted to teach his brother to read, to distinguish right from wrong, to protect himself, and most importantly, to stay true to himself. He didn't want his brother to end up like in the original story, ensnared by the machinations of the courtyard, becoming a tool in someone else's hands, and ultimately suffering a life of toil with no one truly caring for him. He wanted his brother to live with clarity, strength, and dignity.

After circulating his internal energy for one cycle, He Yuyang slowly finished, feeling refreshed and invigorated. He didn't open his eyes, but his consciousness sank into the sign-in system in his mind.

A pale blue virtual panel appeared in my consciousness, clearly displaying:

[Host: He Yuyang]

Age: 8

[Internal Skills: Basic Internal Skills Cultivation Method (Minor Success)]

[Space: Unlocked (100㎡)]

[Check-in Rewards: Daily Check-in (Completed), Monthly Rewards (Unclaimed)]

[Monthly Reward: Basic Wound Medicine Recipe x1]

He Yuyang's gaze fell on the "Basic External Injury Medicine Formula". In winter, the roads are slippery, and his father is bound to bump into things when he goes to work. His mother is also prone to pricking her hands when she does needlework. With this formula, he can use the herbs in his space to make his own medicine, which is much more effective than those ointments mixed with talcum powder that are bought outside.

"Remember to collect it first thing tomorrow morning," he thought to himself. The system's rewards always came at the right time, as if silently supporting his determination to protect his family.

His consciousness withdrew from the system, and he "looked" at the space again. The spiritual spring was still bubbling and steaming, the misty air moistening the surrounding land, turning it a dark, rich color. The newly harvested wheat was piled up in the corner, neatly stacked in sacks; the sweet potatoes and potatoes in the cellar were covered with moist sand, each one plump and full; the cabbages and radishes in the vegetable garden were covered with a thin layer of white frost, their vibrant green color radiating vitality.

This small space is his greatest source of confidence in this chaotic world.

The wind and snow outside the window intensified, the gale howling through the alley like the roar of wild beasts. A few distant barks of dogs could be faintly heard, quickly swallowed by the snow. Winters in this era always carried an unsettling sense of desolation; no one knew what tomorrow would bring—whether it would be even more biting cold, a food shortage crisis, or sudden turmoil.

He Yuyang recalled the scene he saw at the entrance of the alley during the day: several beggars huddled against the wall, wrapped in tattered burlap sacks, shivering from the cold; a long queue stretched out in front of the grain shop, each person's face showing anxiety and exhaustion; and uniformed people patrolled the streets, their leather boots crunching on the snow, making a chilling sound.

This is a chaotic world where human life is as worthless as grass, and basic sustenance is a luxury.

But he wasn't afraid.

He has internal energy to protect him, a spatial storage for food, and a system to assist him. More importantly, he has a family to protect. His father's silent responsibility, his mother's gentle resilience, and his younger brother's innocent naiveté are all sources of his courage to fight against this chaotic world.

"Being low-key isn't cowardice; it's for better protection," He Yuyang murmured to himself repeatedly. He didn't cause trouble, but he was absolutely not afraid of it either. He would thwart anyone who tried to scheme against his family or bully them. Just like dealing with Xu Damao's provocations, just like responding to Yi Zhonghai's tests, he would use the safest methods to protect the peace and stability of his family.

The oil lamp on the kang (a heated brick bed) crackled as its wick burned out and gradually dimmed. Liu Yan put down her cotton-padded coat and gently blew out the lamp. Darkness instantly enveloped the room, leaving only a sliver of gray-white light filtering in from the snow outside the window.

"Yangyang, are you asleep?" Liu Yan's voice was heavy with sleepiness.

"Okay, Mother, go to sleep now," He Yuyang replied.

Soon, the sound of my mother's even breathing came from the other end of the kang (a heated brick bed). The sound of chopping wood in the yard also stopped; my father had probably finished chopping and gone to sleep in the outer room. The whole world seemed to have fallen asleep, with only the wind and snow still howling tirelessly.

He Yuyang opened his eyes. In the darkness, his gaze was exceptionally bright, filled with a determination beyond his years. He looked at the rafters on the roof, those blackened woods that had withstood the wind and rain of this home, and also witnessed his vow.

"I, He Yuyang, will make sure my family gets through every winter safely!"

These words echoed in my heart, resounding with conviction, as if they could penetrate the thick walls, the wind and snow outside the window, the gloom of this chaotic world, and reach the spring of the future.

He didn't know how many hardships and obstacles the future held, or how many schemes and provocations he would encounter, but he knew that as long as he was there, this family would remain; as long as he protected it, this peace would not be broken.

His inner energy flowed slowly through his dantian, carrying a warm power, like a mother's hand gently caressing him. He Yuyang closed his eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips.

When he wakes up tomorrow, the snow might stop, the sun might come out, his father might go to work as usual, his mother might make hot sweet potato porridge, and his younger brother might pester him for candy. As for him, he will continue to fetch water, chop wood, practice his inner strength, and manage his space, protecting these ordinary yet precious days in his own way.

The wind and snow continued to howl outside the window, but inside this small house, there was peace and hope. Because here were his family, whom he would protect with his whole life, and the warmth he would fight with all his might to safeguard in this chaotic world.

The night was still long. But He Yuyang knew that as long as the vow in his heart remained, dawn would eventually come.