He Yuyang: The tough eldest brother of the courtyard house

Another Mid-Autumn Festival has arrived in the blink of an eye. The locust trees in Nanluoguxiang have shed all their leaves, leaving only a few dried locust pods hanging from their bare branches, swaying gently in the breeze. But the atmosphere in the alley is more lively than usual, with mooncakes displayed on the windowsills of every household, their sweet aroma mingling with the scent of cooked food, spreading in the slightly cool air.

The He family's courtyard had been tidied up cleanly long ago. Liu Yan had been busy in the kitchen since early morning. On the cutting board were sliced ​​pork belly, soaked wood ear mushrooms, and washed green vegetables. Something was simmering in the pot, and the aroma wafted out through the window cracks, making the passersby smack their lips.

"Mom, let me start the fire." He Yushui came back from school with her schoolbag slung over her shoulder, put down her books, and went straight to the kitchen. She had grown quite a bit in the past year, with two small braids, and the childishness in her eyes had faded, replaced by a more demure and gentle demeanor.

"No need, no need. Go tell your brother to wipe the tables in the yard clean. The neighbors will be coming over soon." Liu Yan was reducing the sauce for the braised pork, gently turning it with a spatula. Oil splattered up, making her face flushed.

He Yushui responded and ran into the yard, where she saw He Yuyang standing under the pomegranate tree, wiping the stone table with a cloth in his hand. He had recently bought the stone table from the secondhand market; it was very sturdy, and after wiping it clean, it was placed in the yard, just enough to hold a whole table of dishes.

"Brother, Mom asked you to wipe the table." Yu Shui leaned closer, looking up at him. "Is Teacher Xu really coming?"

He Yuyang paused in her work, a barely perceptible smile crossing her face: "Yes, she said she'll come over this afternoon and bring you a new workbook."

Since he last saw Xu Xiuli in the park, he had "bumped into" her a few more times—sometimes on his way to the army base, sometimes at the entrance of the supply and marketing cooperative. She was still teaching the children to read, still wearing that faded blue cotton jacket, but when she saw him, she was no longer as reserved as when they first met. She would greet him with a smile, and they could even chat for a few words occasionally.

A while ago, Yu Shui was struggling with math, so He Yu Yang asked Xu Xiuli to tutor her. She readily agreed and came twice a week, teaching patiently and meticulously. Yu Shui's grades improved rapidly. Over time, she also became familiar with the He family. Liu Yan often said, "This girl is kind-hearted and cares for you more than a biological sister."

"Great!" Yu Shui cheered and skipped off to tidy her desk, her mind preoccupied with the workbooks Teacher Xu had brought—but what she was really looking forward to was that her brother was always gentler than usual when Teacher Xu was around.

After wiping the table, He Yuyang brought out several long benches from the house and arranged them neatly. Sunlight filtered through the branches of the pomegranate tree, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The air was filled with the aroma of braised pork and the refreshing scent of osmanthus wine that he had secretly taken out from his spatial storage. This wine was brewed by him using osmanthus flowers and spiritual spring water from his spatial storage, and it had been buried underground for almost a year. Today was the perfect day to open it.

"Brother, are Grandpa Yan and Uncle Liu almost here?" He Yuzhu returned from the martial arts school carrying a paper bag. "I just bought some roasted chestnuts from the market, they're still warm."

"It should be ready soon. Go check on your dad and tell him not to stay indoors all the time, but to come out and get some fresh air." He Yuyang took the paper package, peeled open a chestnut, and found it to be sweet, soft, and delicious.

He Daqing's health has improved considerably this year, but he doesn't like to go out and prefers to stay indoors weaving bamboo baskets. He was pulled out by He Yuzhu and sat on a bamboo chair under the eaves, watching his children busy in the yard with a smile on his lips, while he rubbed a bamboo basket that was only half-finished in his hand.

Not long after, Yan Bugui's voice came from the alley: "Brother He, we're here!"

Yan Bugui arrived with his wife and children, carrying two bags of mooncakes and a small bag of homemade pickled vegetables. Yang Shi held Yan Jiefang in her arms, while Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiekuang followed behind, each carrying a small cloth bag—wild hawthorns for Yushui, picked outside the city yesterday.

"Come in and sit down!" Liu Yan poked her head out from the kitchen, greeting her with a smile. "Sister-in-law Yan, could you help me take that plate of edamame out?"

"Yes, coming!" Yang replied, handing the child to Yan Bugui before rolling up her sleeves and going into the kitchen. The two women bustled about inside, occasionally exchanging a few words of laughter, like sisters.

Following closely behind, Liu Haizhong and Zhang Guifen arrived. Liu Haizhong wore a newly made Zhongshan suit, his hair neatly combed, and held a large bowl containing steamed pork prepared by Zhang Guifen. "Brother He, try my Guifen's cooking; it's just as good as what you get in a restaurant!"

Zhang Guifen laughed and nudged him, "You're such a braggart! Go and give the children some candy." The candy she brought was wrapped in red paper and distributed to Yushui and the Yan family's children, which drew cheers.

The courtyard suddenly became lively. The men gathered around He Daqing, chatting about this year's harvest and the latest happenings in the alley; the women moved between the kitchen and the courtyard, serving dishes and setting out bowls; while the children gathered under the pomegranate tree, sharing candies and chestnuts, occasionally bursting into laughter.

He Yuyang was pouring tea for everyone when he suddenly heard Xu Xiuli's voice from the alley entrance: "Yushui, are you home?"

A thought struck him, and he looked up to see Xu Xiuli standing at the door, wearing a light gray Lenin suit, her hair neatly combed into a bun, carrying a cloth bag in her hand, and following behind her a boy who was about half a year old—her younger brother Xu Jianguo, wearing a faded school uniform, timidly hiding behind her.

"Teacher Xu!" Yu Shui rushed over first, grabbing her hand and leading her inside. "My brother said you'd come!"

"Teacher Xu, please come in and sit down." Liu Yan also came out to greet her, her eyes crinkling with a smile. "I was just talking about you. Come and try my braised pork."

Xu Xiuli was a little embarrassed by the enthusiastic welcome, her cheeks flushing slightly: "Aunt He, I'm troubling you again. This is a workbook I brought for Yushui, and a few vegetables my brother planted, they're not worth much..."

"You're always so polite, child." Liu Yan took the cloth bag and handed her a freshly baked mooncake. "Eat it quickly, it's still warm."

Xu Xiuli took the mooncake, took a small bite, and felt the sweet red bean paste melt in her mouth, warming her heart. She looked up at He Yuyang and met his gaze. They both paused for a moment, then smiled at each other, as if they understood each other perfectly.

"Jianguo, go play with your older brothers and sisters." Xu Xiuli patted her younger brother's shoulder. Xu Jianguo looked at He Yuyang, then at the children in the yard, hesitated for a moment, and was pulled away by the rain.

Once everyone was present, He Yuyang brought out the last dish—a braised fish, made from crucian carp raised in his spatial dimension, with tender and juicy flesh. The table was laden with dishes: glistening braised pork, fragrant steamed meat, vibrant green stir-fried vegetables, pickled vegetables brought by Yan Bugui, and cold lotus root salad made by Zhang Guifen. The table was overflowing with food, creating a festive atmosphere.

"Come, come, sit down!" He Daqing was helped to the head seat. Looking at the table full of dishes and then at the neighbors sitting around, his eyes suddenly reddened. "In my whole life, I never dared to imagine that I could live such a life. Back in the countryside, let alone eating fish or meat, we were lucky to even have a cornbread..."

He paused, picked up the wine glass He Yuyang handed him, and said in a slightly choked voice, "Our family is able to gather together, be safe and sound, and celebrate the festival with our neighbors, all thanks to Yuyang. That child has been sensible since she was little. She endured hardship and toil in the army and never enjoyed a single day of happiness..."

"Dad, why are you saying all this?" He Yuyang held his hand and said softly, "The good days are yet to come."

"That's right, Brother He," Yan Bugui quickly smoothed things over, raising his glass. "We've weathered the tough times of the past, we have to look forward! I'd like to toast you, and also Yu Yang, to thank him for taking care of our Jiecheng!"

"Yes, I'd also like to toast Yu Yang!" Liu Haizhong raised his glass as well. "Thanks to you for handling that land issue last time, otherwise I, as a mediator, would have been completely humiliated!"

He Yuyang smiled and raised his glass, saying to everyone, "This glass is for everyone. It's not just my achievement; it's because we all got through this together. Before, on the battlefield, all we thought about was coming back alive; now, being able to sit together and have a hot meal, watching the children grow up safely, is the greatest blessing. The days ahead will only get better."

"Well said!" Everyone echoed in unison, their glasses clinking together with a crisp sound. The wine, as it went down their throats, carried the sweet fragrance of osmanthus and the warmth of a life that was getting better and better.

During the meal, Liu Yan kept putting food on Xu Xiuli's plate, placing the largest piece of braised pork in her bowl: "Girl, eat more. Look how thin you are. Teaching must be so mentally taxing."

Xu Xiuli blushed with embarrassment and said softly, "Thank you, Aunt He, I can do it myself."

He Yuyang saw this and felt a warmth in his heart. He knew what his mother was thinking—ever since she learned about Xu Xiuli's background, his mother had always been saying, "This girl has suffered too much," and she looked at her as if she were her own daughter.

"Teacher Xu, how's my brother's boxing practice going?" He Yuzhu asked, leaning over. Xu Jianguo was also learning boxing, and although he was young, he was more serious than anyone else.

"That's great, she can endure more hardship than other kids her age," Xu Xiuli said with a smile. "She's just shy and doesn't like to talk much."

"Boys need to train, they'll get the hang of it!" He Yuzhu patted his chest confidently. "Next time, I'll have him learn a few sets of boxing from me, and I guarantee he'll be the 'King of the Kids' in six months!"

Everyone laughed. Yan Bugui took the opportunity to ask He Daqing for tips on weaving bamboo baskets, saying, "I have nothing to do in winter, so I want to weave a few to sell." Zhang Guifen pulled Liu Yan aside and asked her how to make braised pork, saying, "My husband loves this." After the children finished eating, they ran to the yard to play "cops and robbers." Xu Jianguo was pushed to the front by the rain to be the "general." His little face turned bright red, but he puffed out his little chest, looking quite the part.

He Yuyang, holding a wine glass, sat under the pomegranate tree, watching the lively scene before him, feeling a sense of peace. He recalled when he first arrived in Beijing, the courtyard was empty, with only the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves; he remembered his mother secretly wiping away tears at night, worrying about him far away in the army; he remembered when He Yuzhu first opened his martial arts school, they didn't even have a decent punching bag…

What a transformation in just one year! Family members are healthy and well, neighbors live in harmony, and even the air is filled with a sense of peace. He quietly took out another plate of pastries from his spatial storage, made with flour and spiritual spring water from there, and handed them to Xu Xiuli beside him: "Try these, they're made by my mother, sweet but not cloying."

Xu Xiuli took the piece, popped it into her mouth, and found it delicious, with a subtle wheat aroma. She looked up at him; the moonlight shone on his face, illuminating his gentle gaze and the smile on his lips. Her heart suddenly raced, and she quickly lowered her head, pretending to focus on eating, but her ears quietly turned red.

After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Yan Bugui suggested, "How about we solve some riddles? I specially prepared a few yesterday!" As he spoke, he took out several slips of paper with riddles written on them from his pocket and pasted them one by one on the pomegranate tree.

"Let me guess!" Rainwater was the first to raise her hand, pointing to a slip of paper. "'Wears black when young, wears green when grown, lives in the water, sleeps on the shore'—it's a frog! Right?"

"You guessed right! Here's a chestnut for you!" Yan Bugui laughed and tossed her a chestnut.

The children gathered around, guessing riddles, while the adults sat watching, occasionally bursting into laughter. He Daqing, observing this scene, said to He Yuyang beside him, "Look, this is what it means to live a good life. Before, I always thought about saving more money and buying more land, but now I understand that having everyone together, and hearts warmed, is better than anything else."

He Yuyang nodded and looked at everyone in the courtyard—Yan Bugui was being pestered by the children for riddles, Liu Haizhong was sparring with He Yuzhu, Liu Yan, Zhang Guifen, and Yang Shi were whispering together, Xu Xiuli was helping Yushui remove leaves stuck to her hair... Everyone had a smile on their face, a smile that came from the heart, clean and reassuring.

As night deepened, the neighbors gradually took their leave. When Yan Bugui left, he didn't forget to pack up the remaining bones on the table, saying, "I'll take them home for the dog; we can't waste them." Zhang Guifen held Liu Yan's hand, saying she would come again tomorrow to learn how to make braised pork. Xu Xiuli took Xu Jianguo's leave, and as she reached the door, she turned back to look at He Yuyang and whispered, "Thank you for the osmanthus wine; it was very delicious."

"You're welcome. Come again anytime." He Yuyang looked into her eyes and said earnestly.

After seeing off the last guest, the courtyard quieted down, leaving only the leftover food on the table and the faint aroma of wine in the air. He Yuzhu yawned as he cleared away the dishes, Liu Yan washed the dishes in the kitchen, and He Daqing sat on a bamboo chair, humming a tune from his youth.

He Yuyang stood in the courtyard, looking up at the moon in the sky. It was big and round, like a silver plate, its clear light bathing the earth. Nanluoguxiang was quiet, with only the occasional bark of a dog, which made the night seem even more peaceful.

He knew that such days were bought with the blood and sacrifice of countless people. All he could do was protect this peace and protect the people around him—his parents, his younger siblings, his neighbors, and… the girl who stirred his heart.

"Brother, come in quickly, it's chilly outside," Yu Shui called out, poking her head out.

"Coming," He Yuyang replied, turning to walk into the house. Moonlight fell behind him, lengthening his shadow and illuminating the path leading into the house from the courtyard, warm and reassuring.

He knew that when he woke up tomorrow, the sun would still rise, the alley would still be filled with the sounds of daily life, the laughter of children, the greetings of neighbors, and the shouts from the martial arts school would all arrive as scheduled. And these days would continue, getting better and better, like the moon in the sky, full and bright.