He Yuyang: The tough eldest brother of the courtyard house

The early winter sun, like a sleepy old man, hung lazily in the sky, making the snow in the alleyway steam. He Yuyang was squatting at the gate of the courtyard chopping wood. The force of the axe falling was even and steady, and the sound of the wood cracking was crisp and clean—this was a byproduct of his practice of "Basic External Kung Fu," which not only strengthened his body but also added firewood to the house, killing two birds with one stone.

"Yangyang, take a break, your hands are all red from the cold." Liu Yan brought out a bowl of hot ginger soup, her cotton-padded jacket bulging from her belly, her face showing the gentle warmth of pregnancy. "Your father said that Uncle Yi is coming today, and he wants you to tidy up the main room."

He Yuyang took the ginger soup and drank a sip. The warmth slid down his throat, dispelling the chill from his fingertips. "Uncle Yi? What's he doing here?" He frowned, a sudden thought crossing his face. Yi Zhonghai was a "capable man" in the alley, working as an accountant at a foreign firm. He was literate and knew how to get along with people; the neighbors all flattered him, calling him "fair" and "helpful." But He Yuyang knew that this man, though kind-faced, was more shrewd than anyone else, especially his eyes, which always seemed to be calculating something.

"He said he came to ask your father about the restaurant's purchasing." Liu Yan wiped the sawdust that had splashed onto his sleeve. "Your father is now the manager, and he handles a lot of money when buying dried goods for the winter. Uncle Yi said he knows the business well and wants to help out."

"Help me?" He Yuyang sneered, nearly missing his target with the axe in his hand. "I think you're just trying to get involved."

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the courtyard gate, accompanied by Yi Zhonghai's distinctive, slightly smug laugh: "Is Da Qing at home? I've come to drop by!"

He Daqing came out of the house to greet him, his face beaming with smiles: "Brother Yi, please come in and sit down! Wife, make some tea!"

Yi Zhonghai, dressed in a dark blue cotton robe with a crisply starched collar and cuffs, carrying a paper package, sat down on the kang (a heated brick bed) as soon as he entered the house. "Look at your yard, the firewood is neatly stacked, and you have plenty of coal. Your life is getting more and more prosperous." His eyes swept over the coal pile in the corner of the yard, then glanced at the cured meat hanging on the wall of the main room (cured by He Yuyang using pork from his spatial storage), and a barely perceptible glint flashed in his eyes.

"Thanks to Brother Yi, I'm just making a living." He Daqing handed over his pipe. "What brings you here today?"

"The winter solstice is almost here," Yi Zhonghai said, taking the pipe but not smoking it, just fiddling with it in his hand. "I heard the restaurant is going to buy a lot of dried goods for the winter—black fungus, shiitake mushrooms, kelp, and stuff like that. It must be a large quantity, right?"

He Daqing nodded: "Yes, the manager instructed that enough supplies should be prepared for the whole winter, and some good ones should be reserved for the kitchen. He said that the Japanese chicken restaurant will occasionally come to 'inspect' the place, so it can't be too shabby." When he said the words "Japanese chicken restaurant," his voice lowered a little, and a hint of unease flashed across his face.

He Yuyang brought in tea and overheard this conversation, which only intensified his alarm bells. Japanese brothels were rampant in the city, and many shops, in order to protect themselves, had to deal with their "inspections," which were in reality a form of extortion. The restaurant owner's request for "good stuff" was probably an attempt to curry favor with those wolves in sheep's clothing.

Yi Zhonghai's eyes lit up, and he leaned forward: "Daqing, I'm not trying to be mean, but this purchasing job isn't easy. The dried goods market is murky; shortchanging is common, and it's impossible to guard against inferior goods being passed off as superior ones. If you buy the wrong things or fail to please those 'important people,' you might not be able to keep your position in charge."

He Daqing's expression changed, and he rubbed his hands, saying, "I'm also worried about this. I'm just a rough man, how would I know about these things? Brother Yi, you're knowledgeable and experienced, could you give me some advice?"

"Well, I do have an idea," Yi Zhonghai said slowly, taking a sip of tea. "I know the owner of a dried goods store; he's a distant cousin of mine, a very honest man. Give me your purchase list, and I'll keep an eye on things for you. I guarantee good quality at low prices, and it'll save the restaurant some money. What do you think?"

Here it comes. He Yuyang sneered inwardly. After going through all this trouble, it turns out he wanted to interfere with the purchasing power. The purchase of dried goods is very lucrative, and Yi Zhonghai has probably been eyeing this piece of fat for a long time, not to mention that it also involves "tribute" to the Japanese—if he gets involved, and something really goes wrong in the future, his father will definitely be the one to take the blame.

"We appreciate Uncle Yi's kindness," He Yuyang suddenly said, her voice clear and childlike in earnest. "But my dad said that the restaurant has a rule that purchasing must be checked by two people; one person handling it doesn't count. The manager specifically instructed that my dad and Chef Wang from the kitchen go together, saying it's for 'mutual supervision'."

He deliberately emphasized the words "rules" and "supervision," staring intently at Yi Zhonghai like an ignorant child who insisted on interrupting.

Yi Zhonghai's smile froze for a moment. He glanced at He Yuyang, then turned to He Daqing: "Rules are rules, but people are flexible. Master Wang is old and his eyesight isn't good. I'll lend a hand, isn't that the same?"

"This..." He Daqing hesitated. He was honest by nature and couldn't resist Yi Zhonghai's "enthusiasm".

"Dad, the shopkeeper said the rules can't be broken." He Yuyang tugged at her father's sleeve, her tone a mix of pouting and stubbornness. "Last time, when Shop Assistant Li secretly brought back two jin of wood ear mushrooms for someone, the shopkeeper docked his wages. Have you forgotten?"

This was half true and half false. Li, the shop assistant, had indeed had his wages docked, but not for bringing in dried mushrooms; it was because he hadn't been honest. He Yuyang brought this up deliberately to give his father a wake-up call.

He Daqing immediately snapped to attention, remembering the shopkeeper's sternness, and quickly waved his hand, "Brother Yi, I'm so sorry, it's really not that I'm not giving you face, it's just that..."

"Alright, alright," Yi Zhonghai interrupted him, a smile spreading across his face, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Since there are rules, I won't interfere. I mean well; I'm afraid you're young and might not be careful enough, giving others something to hold against you."

As he spoke, his gaze turned to He Yuyang, and his tone suddenly became earnest: "Yangyang, you're a smart kid, but some things can't be handled with mere cleverness. Your father is young, and it's not easy being the manager of the restaurant. You have to be careful and steady, and don't let anyone find fault with you, especially..." He paused, lowered his voice, "especially when dealing with those 'important people.' Saying the wrong thing or doing the wrong thing can get you into trouble."

These words sound like a reminder, but they are actually an implication: He Daqing is stepping on a landmine by cooking for Japanese chicken, and if he is not careful, he will be doomed.

He Yuyang's inward sneer deepened. Was this a threat? He tilted his head back, smiling innocently, "Thank you for your concern, Uncle Yi! My dad is so meticulous. Every time he prepares food for those 'distinguished guests,' he washes his hands three times, and even the scallions and cilantro are picked out perfectly. The shopkeeper said my dad is the most reliable person!"

He deliberately spoke the words "distinguished person" in a light and casual tone, as if he were referring to an ordinary guest, while subtly praising his father, leaving Yi Zhonghai speechless.

Yi Zhonghai didn't say anything more and took his leave after sitting for a short while. As he reached the door, he glanced back at He Yuyang, his eyes dark and gloomy, like frozen water. He Yuyang looked back at him without flinching, her face still bearing that innocent and carefree expression.

"Why is this child talking to Uncle Yi like that?" He Daqing complained after Yi Zhonghai left. "He meant well..."

"Father, he doesn't mean any harm." He Yuyang's smile faded, and his face darkened. "He wants to get involved in the purchasing to take advantage of you. More importantly, he knows the restaurant is preparing supplies for the Japanese chicken, and he wants to use that as an excuse to manipulate you."

Liu Yan also realized what was happening, her face turning pale: "What should we do? Will Yi Zhonghai hold a grudge against us?"

“There’s nothing we can do about holding a grudge.” He Yuyang shook his head. “If you go along with this kind of person once, he’ll take advantage of you. We shouldn’t cause trouble, but we can’t be afraid of trouble either.” He turned to his father. “Dad, from today onwards, you need to keep the purchase ledgers safe. Write down every single item clearly: who bought it, how much it cost, how many kilograms, and have Chef Wang sign it. Also, avoid anything related to ‘foot-basin chicken’ if you can. If you really can’t avoid it, just do your job and don’t say a word more.”

He Daqing felt a tightness in his chest after his son's words and nodded repeatedly: "I understand. I've locked the account book in the cabinet, so no one can get it."

"Hmm," He Yuyang nodded, then remembered something, "By the way, He Yuzhu will be back soon, right? When he comes back, tell him to ask Master Zhou if he knows any traditional Chinese medicine doctors. I want to get some more medicine for my mother to help with her pregnancy."

When her youngest son was mentioned, Liu Yan's expression softened a bit: "He'll be back the day after tomorrow. He said Master Zhou asked him to go home and get some warm clothes. The cotton-padded jacket I made for him is just finished, and he can wear it right away."

What He Yuyang didn't say was that he asked He Yuzhu to ask Master Zhou not just to find a traditional Chinese medicine doctor. Master Zhou was one of their own and knew the situation in the city better than they did. Perhaps they could get some information from him, especially about Yi Zhonghai's background—why would an accountant be so concerned about the restaurant's procurement and the preparation of ingredients for the Japanese chicken? There must be more to it than meets the eye.

In the afternoon, He Yuyang went to the restaurant to deliver lunch to his father, and made a special detour to the back kitchen. Chef Wang was tidying up the dried goods, and smiled when he saw him: "Yangyang's here? Your dad was just talking about the pickled vegetables your mom made."

"Grandpa Wang, my dad said he wants to go shopping with you?" He Yuyang handed over a basket.

"Yes, the manager gave the order," Chef Wang sighed. "Isn't it because of those 'foot-boiled chickens'? Last month, the silk shop next door got its shop smashed up just because the tea they served was a little too hot. Our restaurant is living on tenterhooks every day."

"Did you know that Uncle Yi wants to help with the shopping?"

Master Wang spat, "That old fox, do you think he has any good intentions? He's been colluding with the owner of the dried goods store to try and skim some profits for a long time. Last time he tried to help the steamed bun shop across the street buy flour, the owner yelled at him and kicked him out. Your dad just doesn't know."

He Yuyang understood, thanked Master Wang, and walked back with his empty basket. Sunlight shone through the snow on the street, reflecting a dazzling light, but he felt a sense of clarity in his heart.

Back home, he took out the shopping ledger and checked it page by page—something he did every day. He made a backup copy using paper and pen from his storage space, just in case. When he got to the ingredients prepared for the "special guests," he made a special mark and secretly resolved: he absolutely could not let his father get bogged down in these things.

As evening fell, He Yuyang was feeding the chickens in the yard (the chicks hatched in his spatial dimension were kept in the yard as a cover) when he heard He Yuzhu's loud voice coming from the alley: "Brother! I'm back!"

He looked up and saw his younger brother wearing a new cotton-padded jacket, carrying a cloth bag, running and sweating profusely, with Zhou Zhengguo's apprentice following behind, saying that he was "giving him a ride along the way".

"You're back just in time," He Yuyang greeted her, taking the cloth bag from her. "Your mother saved some meat buns for you."

He Yuzhu wolfed down his steamed buns, mumbling, "My master asked me to ask you if you found the 'folk remedy' I asked you to find last time?"

This was their agreed-upon code; "folk remedy" referred to medicine. He Yuyang's heart skipped a beat, and she pulled him into the house: "I found some. Take them with you when you go back tomorrow. By the way, did Master say that things aren't very peaceful in the city lately, and that we should be careful? Especially... those busybodies."

He emphasized the words "meddlesome" while staring at He Yuzhu.

He Yuzhu thought for a moment and nodded: "I told him! Master said that some people seem kind, but they actually have bad intentions. He told me not to get too close to them, and also said... he also told you to be careful, brother, and not to be used as a pawn."

Master Zhou was reminding him to be wary of Yi Zhonghai! He Yuyang felt a chill; it seemed that Master Zhou had also noticed that something was wrong with Yi Zhonghai.

"I understand." He patted He Yuzhu on the shoulder. "Eat up, and go to bed early. We have to go back to the martial arts school tomorrow."

Looking at his younger brother's honest smile, He Yuyang felt a heavy weight in his heart. Yi Zhonghai's "goodwill" was just the beginning. As winter approached, the control over the "Japanese chickens" would only tighten, and the undercurrents in the alley would become even more turbulent. But he wasn't afraid. His father had his reminders, his brother had Master Zhou's protection, his mother had the protection of the spiritual spring water, and he himself had his own space and martial arts skills. Plus, there were those people like Master Zhou lurking in the shadows…

He looked up at the window; the setting sun had dyed the sky a golden-red, like a burning fire. Though this chaotic world was cold, there were always people lighting flames in the shadows, and he was willing to be one of those adding fuel to the fire.

In the cabinet in the main room, the purchasing ledger lay quietly, each entry meticulously written, as if silently proclaiming: some bottom lines must never be crossed; some schemes will never succeed.