He Yuyang: The tough eldest brother of the courtyard house

On the evening of the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, the alley was filled with the faint aroma of meat and firewood. According to old customs, the residents of the courtyard would gather together for a New Year's Eve dinner. Each family would contribute some ingredients, and they would gather in the open space of the central courtyard, set up a stove, and celebrate the "Little New Year" in a lively manner.

The He family contributed a string of cured pork and ten catties of white flour—both taken out of He Yuyang's spatial storage, which they only said to outsiders were "thank-you gifts from Master Zhou." He Daqing and Liu Yan were busy at the stove, while He Yuyang helped move the table and set the table. He Yuzhu had already run off to play wildly with several teenagers, and the yard was filled with noise.

Yi Zhonghai, dressed in a brand-new cotton robe and carrying a wine pot, strolled leisurely in the courtyard, occasionally exchanging auspicious greetings with the neighbors, appearing as a highly respected figure. He glanced at the busy He family, a subtle calculation flashing in his eyes, before smiling and walking over.

"Daqing, your family really put in a lot of effort for this year's New Year's Eve dinner." Yi Zhonghai patted He Daqing on the shoulder, his voice neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for everyone around to hear. "This cured meat looks authentic; you must have asked someone to buy it for you, right?"

He Daqing paused in his work, then smiled and said, "It was a gift from Master Zhou, who said it was for the children to have some nourishing food."

"Master Zhou, you're really amazing." Yi Zhonghai sighed, then changed the subject, "Speaking of which, at this time of year in previous years, you were the manager of the restaurant, busy buying New Year's goods, right? I heard that this year the restaurant is going to hold a New Year's banquet for Japanese chicken, and the amount of things they're buying is several times more than in previous years. I'm afraid that being the manager is not an easy job."

His words seemed casual, but to those who were paying attention, they took on a different meaning. Several neighbors from the outer courtyard exchanged glances, their eyes gleaming—with grain prices soaring and Japanese brothels being heavily inspected, anyone handling large-scale New Year's purchases must be making a considerable profit. Although He Daqing had been dismissed, who knew if he still had connections in purchasing, or even…had some unsold New Year's goods hidden away?

He Yuyang was setting the table when he heard this and stopped. He looked up at Yi Zhonghai, who was smiling and clinking glasses with a neighbor, as if the previous remark was just a casual greeting. But the provocation and probing hidden in that seemingly unintentional tone were like needles pricking him.

"Master Yi, you're joking." He Yuyang put down his bowl, walked over, and said calmly, "My father stopped working at the restaurant a long time ago. How could he possibly be involved in purchasing? Besides, who would dare to take on the job of preparing a banquet for Japanese chicken? Wouldn't they be afraid of being drowned in spit?"

His voice was clear and loud, and many people in the courtyard heard it. Several neighbors from the outer courtyard, whose eyes were darting around, changed their expressions slightly, lowered their heads and pretended to drink, but inwardly cursed themselves for being foolish—anything related to Japanese chicken, even if there was profit involved, was a hot potato, and could easily cost them their lives.

Yi Zhonghai's smile froze. He hadn't expected He Yuyang to respond so openly, and so bluntly at that. He coughed lightly, "Yangyang, that kid, he's so straightforward. I was just mentioning it casually. After all, I used to do this in the Qing Dynasty, so I'm quite familiar with it."

"Even if you know the ropes, you can't do something illegal." He Yuyang picked up a freshly steamed bun, broke it in half, and handed it to the child next to her. "My dad always says, 'A gentleman loves money, but he earns it in a proper way. You can't even touch ill-gotten gains.'"

These words left Yi Zhonghai speechless. He could only give an awkward laugh and turn to drink with others. He Daqing looked at his son with a complicated expression—this child, though young, was more insightful than anyone else. His words just now had both cleared up the suspicion and subtly mocked Yi Zhonghai's ill intentions, just right.

"Don't take it to heart," He Yuyang whispered to her father. "He just wants to stir up trouble and get others to target our family."

He Daqing nodded, his heart heavy: "I know. That old man, really..."

"Let's eat, don't let it affect your mood." Liu Yan came over with a bowl of stewed meat and put a piece of rib into He Yuyang's bowl. "No matter what he says, it's better for our family to be safe and sound."

The New Year's Eve dinner was lively and cheerful, with children chasing and playing, and adults drinking and chatting, seemingly a harmonious scene. But He Yuyang knew in his heart that beneath the calm surface, undercurrents were already surging. Yi Zhonghai's words were like a pebble, creating ripples in the alley, and those who were already envious of the He family's life were likely to start plotting something sinister.

As night fell, the noise subsided, and the courtyard gradually quieted down. He Yuyang lay in bed, barely sleeping, listening intently to the sounds outside. He knew that since Yi Zhonghai had made his statement, he wouldn't let it go easily, and tonight was likely to be anything but peaceful.

Sure enough, in the middle of the night, a faint creaking sound came from outside the courtyard wall. The sound was very soft, like someone was trying to pry open the bolt on the gate, with the rough smell of rust.

He Yuyang suddenly opened his eyes, silently got up, and touched the slingshot under his pillow—this slingshot was made by him from hardwood in his space, the bow arm was tough, and the rubber band was made from several bicycle inner tubes, so it was extremely powerful and could leave a bruise on a person's body.

He tiptoed to the window, peeked out from behind a corner of the curtain. In the moonlight, a dark figure was crouching outside the courtyard wall, holding an iron crowbar and struggling to pry open the bolt. The figure looked somewhat familiar, like that lazy good-for-nothing from the outer courtyard.

He Yuyang's eyes turned cold. He returned to the table, took a smooth pebble from the jar, put it into the slingshot pouch, quietly pushed open the door, and went around to the other side of the courtyard to the base of the wall.

The shadowy figure was still focused on prying open the door, panting heavily, clearly having expended considerable effort. He Yuyang raised his slingshot, aimed at the shadowy figure's wrist gripping the crowbar, took a deep breath, and abruptly released the leather pouch.

"Whoosh—"

The pebble whistled through the air and struck the shadowy figure's wrist with pinpoint accuracy.

"Ouch!" The dark figure screamed, the crowbar in his hand clattered to the ground, and he clutched his wrist as he dashed into the depths of the alley, panting heavily, not even bothering to pick up the crowbar that had fallen to the ground.

He Yuyang didn't chase after him. He walked to the courtyard gate, picked up the iron crowbar on the ground—it was a rusty iron bar with one end sharpened, obviously prepared on purpose.

He gripped the crowbar, his fingertips rubbing the rust on it, a chill running through him. This wasn't the first time someone had tried to break into his house; the previous times he had only shouted at them, not actually hurting them, but the other party had become increasingly audacious.

"Who is it?" He Daqing was awakened by the commotion outside. He came out wearing a cotton-padded coat and holding a wood-chopping knife. "Is there a thief?"

"They got away." He Yuyang handed the crowbar to his father. "Dad, look at this."

He Daqing took the crowbar, weighed it in his hand, and his face turned ashen: "This is... that scoundrel Er Laizi's stuff! I saw him wandering around the alley with this iron bar a few days ago!"

"He wasn't the only one." He Yuyang looked in the direction the dark figure fled. "He wouldn't have dared to do it without someone instigating him."

Neither of them said it outright, but they both knew in their hearts that Yi Zhonghai was most likely involved. The seemingly unintentional remark during the day was a way of "passing on a message" to these people, implying that there was "profit" to be made in the He family.

"That old bastard, he's truly vicious!" He Daqing trembled with rage, the veins on his hand gripping the woodcutter's knife bulging. "I'm going to confront him!"

"Dad, don't go." He Yuyang pulled him back. "Without evidence, going will be pointless and will only make us look guilty."

"What can we do? Just endure it like this?" He Daqing gritted his teeth. "If they succeed, all our family's possessions..."

"We definitely can't tolerate this," He Yuyang's eyes darkened. "But we have to have a plan. If they want to steal, we'll defend ourselves. If they dare to come, we'll fight them. This courtyard is our family's root; we absolutely cannot let others desecrate it."

He turned and went back into the house, dragging a thick wooden stick from the corner of the wall. He handed it to his father: "Dad, you rest tonight, I'll keep watch. Tomorrow we'll reinforce the gate and scatter some broken glass on the wall. Let's see who dares to come!"

Looking into his son's determined eyes, He Daqing's anger gradually subsided, replaced by a heavy sense of responsibility. He took the wooden stick and nodded: "Let's guard it together. Your mother is pregnant, and Zhuzi is still young. The two of us have to protect this family."

The father and son sat on the steps at the entrance of the courtyard. By the moonlight, they could see the determination in each other's eyes. The cold wind blew through the alley, carrying the dampness of melting snow, icy and biting, but a fire burned in both of their hearts.

"Yangyang," He Daqing suddenly spoke, his voice a little hoarse, "I always thought you were still a child, but now I see you are much more promising than your father."

He Yuyang smiled and said, "Dad, I'm your son. I remember everything you taught me."

"Just remember that." He Daqing sighed. "We won't cause trouble, but we shouldn't be afraid of trouble either. If anyone dares to bully our family, we'll make them pay the price, even if it costs us our lives."

"Um."

The two didn't say anything more, just sat quietly, listening to the wind blowing through the alley and the occasional barking of dogs in the distance. The rusty iron crowbar lay in the corner, gleaming coldly in the moonlight, like a silent warning.

As dawn approached, He Yuyang went to the kitchen to boil a pot of water and poured a bowl for his father. He Daqing drank the hot water, watching the sky gradually brighten outside the window, and suddenly said, "After the New Year, I'll go learn a few moves from your Master Zhou. I don't need to be able to fight, at least I can protect myself and you all."

He Yuyang was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "Okay, I'll learn with you then."

He knew that his father's decision was not just about learning martial arts, but also about regaining the confidence that life had worn away. In this chaotic world, honesty and integrity alone were not enough; one also needed the courage and strength to protect oneself and one's family.

As soon as it was light, He Yuyang and He Daqing began to reinforce the courtyard gate. They found some thick wooden planks, nailed them to the gate, and added a large padlock to the bolt. He Yuyang even climbed onto the wall and scattered the broken glass he had collected over the past few days onto it; it glittered and shone coldly in the sunlight.

The neighbors passing by were all curious and asked what had happened. He Daqing didn't hide anything and said directly that a thief had broken into the house last night, and they had to be careful. Everyone sighed upon hearing this; some felt sympathy, while others' eyes darted around, clearly knowing something.

Standing at her own doorway, Jia Zhangshi watched the He family bustling about, a smirk playing on her lips. She muttered under her breath, "They must have done something wrong to be afraid of theft!"

He Yuzhu overheard this and clenched his fists in anger: "You're talking nonsense! My family hasn't done anything wrong!"

"Oh, little brat, you dare talk back?" Madam Jia put her hands on her hips. "If it's nothing wrong, why are so many thieves eyeing it? I bet you're hiding something unclean!"

"Try saying that again!" He Yuzhu stiffened his neck and assumed a horse stance—a stance he learned from the martial arts school. Although it wasn't perfect, it showed a serious attitude.

"Zhu Zi, come back." He Yuyang jumped down from the wall, glanced at Jia Zhangshi with icy eyes, and said, "Don't get angry with a mad dog, or you'll get bitten."

Feeling uneasy under his gaze, Jia Zhangshi opened her mouth but didn't dare to curse again, and sullenly went back into the house. He Yuzhu said angrily, "Brother, she cursed at us!"

"Let her curse," He Yuyang said, brushing the dust off his clothes. "She has a mouth, she can say whatever she wants. But if she dares to lay a hand on us, we won't hold back."

He pointed to the broken glass on the wall: "See? These are the rules. If you follow the rules, we'll be polite. If you don't, don't blame us for being rude."

He Yuzhu nodded as if he understood, looked at the broken glass on the wall, and then at his brother's determined eyes. He suddenly felt much more at ease.

Around noon, Zhou Zhengguo suddenly arrived. He frowned as he looked at the reinforced gate and broken glass on the wall of the He family's courtyard: "What happened? Something went wrong?"

He Yuyang recounted what happened last night without mentioning Yi Zhonghai, but Zhou Zhengguo, being a shrewd man, understood immediately.

"These bastards," Zhou Zhengguo cursed, his eyes darkening. "It seems I've been too low-key lately, making some people forget the rules."

He looked at He Daqing: "Daqing, I've already inquired about the grain shop. You can start working there after the New Year. I'll have someone come and reinforce this courtyard for you, and also install a bell at the gate so it rings whenever someone touches it."

"I can't accept this..." He Daqing said somewhat embarrassed.

"What's there to be embarrassed about?" Zhou Zhengguo waved his hand. "We're all on the same side. In this alley, we don't cause trouble, but we can't let anyone bully us either. Don't worry, with me here, no one will dare to lay a finger on your family."

His words were firm and resolute, carrying an undeniable air of authority. He Yuyang felt a warmth in her heart, knowing that Zhou Zhengguo was standing up for her family. With his words, those who harbored wicked intentions would have to think twice.

Zhou Zhengguo didn't stay long, leaving behind a few words of advice before departing. Watching his retreating figure, He Daqing remarked with emotion, "Master Zhou is truly a good man."

"Hmm." He Yuyang nodded, but knew in his heart that this was only temporary. Yi Zhonghai's scheming and Er Laizi's theft were just the beginning. As the war intensified and supplies became increasingly scarce, the greed and evil in human nature would only be exposed more and more.

He looked up at the sky; the December sun was still pale and weak, offering little warmth. The end of the year was drawing near, but he knew the real battle was yet to come.

During dinner that evening, Liu Yan touched her belly and said softly, "After the New Year, once the baby is born, our lives will definitely get better and better."

He Daqing nodded with a smile: "That's right. Once I start working and earn money, I'll buy you a good piece of cloth and make you a new set of clothes."

He Yuzhu also said, "Once I've mastered martial arts, I'll protect my mother and sister!"

Looking at the smiles on his family's faces, He Yuyang clenched his fists inwardly. No matter how much wind and rain, how much scheming lay ahead, he would do everything in his power to protect this warmth and this family.

Night deepened, and the alley was quiet. The bell at the entrance of the He family's courtyard swayed gently in the wind, making a crisp sound, as if guarding this small patch of peace. He Yuyang lay on the bed, holding the hardwood slingshot in his hand, his eyes resolute.

He waited. He waited for those with ill intentions to come again, and he waited for spring to arrive. He believed that as long as he held onto this home and the light in his heart, even the coldest winter would eventually pass.