Courtyard Houses: Longevity Since the War of Resistance

The tutoring center run by the third uncle was finally set up, and it opened in a lively and bustling manner in the unused empty room in the front yard.

When the news spread throughout the courtyard, each household reacted differently.

When the old man went door-to-door to inform everyone, he still mentioned Li Feng, saying, "Section Chief Li is thinking about the next generation in our compound. He paid out of his own pocket to have me tutor the children, without charging a penny!"

The parents were overjoyed when they heard this.

Free! That's great!!

Who wouldn't want their child to learn more? Old Wang's wife from the front yard immediately decided, "Go! You must go! My girl is terrible at math, it'll be perfect for Uncle San to tutor her."

When the children first heard that they would have to attend extra classes, they all pouted and were very unhappy. After school, who wouldn't want to run around outside?

But the old man smiled and took out a few fruit candies, shaking them in his hand with a clattering sound: "Those who listen attentively will be rewarded with two candies every day."

This made the children very hungry.

Those fruit-flavored hard candies wrapped in clear wrappers were something we only got to eat once or twice during the Lunar New Year. Xiao Dang and Huaihua's eyes widened as they circled around the old man, asking, "Really? They really give us candy?"

"Third Uncle keeps his word!" Third Uncle pushed up his glasses and smiled like an old fox.

Banggeng was dragged here by his grandmother, Jia Zhangshi.

The boy hid inside and refused to come out. Madam Jia yelled, "You little brat, are you trying to kill your grandma? Li Shan gave the order, do you dare disobey?"

Banggeng shuffled to the front yard, head drooping, and was the last to slip into the tutoring class. He was scared; Li Feng's face was stuck in his mind.

But what could he do?

Those few bright red marks on the report card were like a death knell. If he didn't come for extra lessons and didn't get good grades on the final exam, Li Feng would definitely make him sweep through the entire steel rolling mill.

He found a spot in the very corner and sat down, slamming his book down with a loud thud. The third uncle glanced at him, saying nothing, but knew perfectly well: "This kid still needs more work."

If we're talking about the biggest changes in the courtyard, it has to be Qin Huairu.

She actually went to report to the Women Workers' Committee, and the first few days were incredibly hectic. Before, in the workshop, she just had to focus on her work. Now, however, she had to organize female workers to study new policies, mediate disputes between couples, and write reports. Just recognizing all the words on those documents was enough to give her a headache.

One evening, Li Feng passed by the Intermediate People's Court and saw that the light was still on in Qin Huairu's room. Upon closer inspection, he saw Qin Huairu frowning at a document, pointing at each word with her finger as she read it aloud, her brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly.

"Are you having some trouble?" Li Feng knocked on the door.

Qin Huairu was startled and quickly stood up: "Section Chief Li, this...this report...there are a few words I don't recognize..."

Li Feng took the document and glanced at it; it was a promotional material about women's rights. He casually picked up a pencil and wrote the pinyin next to the unfamiliar words: "Take your time, nobody's born knowing everything."

Qin Huairu nodded gratefully. As she sat down again, she unconsciously tried to turn slightly to the side, adopting that delicate posture she used to have. But as soon as she turned halfway, she suddenly remembered what Li Feng had said: "Parents are the best teachers for their children."

I jolted awake and quickly sat up straight, my back ramrod straight.

Li Feng noticed these subtle changes. He knew it wouldn't be easy to break the long-standing habit of drinking green tea, but at least Qin Huairu was making an effort.

At first, Jia Zhangshi was extremely unwilling.

My daughter-in-law is always out, so who will do the housework?

Where does her authority lie?

One evening, Qin Huairu came home late from work, and Jia Zhangshi deliberately bolted the door from the inside. Qin Huairu knocked on the door for a long time before Jia Zhangshi slowly opened it, saying sarcastically, "Oh, so the busy lady finally knows how to come home?"

Upon hearing this, Li Feng said casually, "It seems that cleaning the toilets is still too easy."

Jia Zhangshi immediately wilted, shrank back into her room, and dared not cause any more trouble.

Qin Huairu has become more assertive in her speech, and occasionally even dares to retort. Although Jia Zhangshi still curses and grumbles behind her back, she no longer dares to manipulate her daughter-in-law openly.

The most frustrated one is Sha Zhu, who feels uncomfortable all over.

Security guards were watching the cafeteria entrance every day, so there was no way he could take the lunchbox out. That wasn't so bad, though. What bothered him the most was that it seemed his Sister Qin really didn't need him anymore.

How wonderful it used to be! Whenever Qin Huairu needed to change a lightbulb or move a lump of coal, she would always softly ask him, "Zhu Zi, can you help me with something?"

Now, things have gotten even worse. Several times he's seen Qin Huairu changing light bulbs by herself, standing on a stool, and carrying coal baskets with Xiao Dang. He eagerly went over to help, but Qin Huairu politely smiled and said, "No need, Zhuzi, I can manage by myself."

That smile, though polite, lacked the reliance of the past; only estrangement remained.

That evening, Sha Zhu specially bought half a pound of pork, wanting to show off in front of Qin Huairu. He wandered around the courtyard with the meat, waiting for Qin Huairu to come and talk to him.

When Qin Huairu came home from get off work and saw the meat in his hand, she simply nodded and went inside.

Sha Zhu stood there, stunned, and even the meat in his hand no longer tasted good.

What made him even more heartbroken was that Qin Huairu once came home from get off work with a young staff member from the Women's Committee. That person was a high school graduate, and the two of them were chatting and laughing, which made Sha Zhu grind his teeth.

Even Yi Zhonghai, whom he had always regarded as a powerful patron, always seemed to be in a hurry whenever he saw him.

A couple of days ago, Sha Zhu wanted to talk to an old man about Qin Huairu's changes, but the old man waved his hand and said, "Zhu Zi, I'm busy right now, let's talk another day."

Before he could finish speaking, he went to Li Feng's room. Sha Zhu felt so frustrated!

When the old man was with Li Feng, his face was all smiles, like a chrysanthemum. I even saw him see Li Feng off at the door with a smile on his face, so respectful.

How could an old man not be happy?

Li Feng has been giving him acupuncture for three days. Strangely enough, after each acupuncture session, he felt a warm sensation in his lower abdomen and felt much more energetic.

After finishing the acupuncture treatment that day, Li Feng put away the silver needles and said, "Four more treatments, along with a few doses of medicine, and that should be about right."

An elderly man, his hands trembling with excitement, exclaimed, "Section Chief Li, you are my great benefactor, Yi Zhonghai!"

An older woman stood nearby, wiping away tears: "Old Yi, are we... are we really going to have our happy ending?"

Yi Zhonghai nodded emphatically, his eyes filled with gratitude as he looked at Li Feng. Now, Li Feng told him to abstain from sex and take his medication without hesitation, without any compromise.

As for Sha Zhu's trivial matters, compared to the biological children he has longed for for half his life, are they even a big deal?

That evening, the tutoring class ended.

The children ran outside chattering, each clutching a piece of candy. Xiao Dang and Huaihua ran to their mother, proudly displaying their candies: "Mom, look! Uncle gave them to us!"

Qin Huairu smiled and patted her two daughters' heads: "Keep these safe. Pay attention in class tomorrow, and you'll get candy."

Banggeng was the last to dawdle out, clutching a piece of candy in his hand. Jia Zhangshi snatched it away: "Grandma will keep it for you!"

In the past, Bang Geng would have definitely made a scene. But today he just pursed his lips and didn't say a word.

By the sink in the middle courtyard, Sha Zhu was washing vegetables. He watched Qin Huairu lead the two children home, chatting and laughing, and watched Bang Geng obediently move a small stool to do his homework. He also caught a glimpse of the light shining from the old man's house. He felt a sense of emptiness in his heart.

Why does this courtyard suddenly feel so unfamiliar?

In the tutoring center in the front yard, the old man was tidying up the desks and chairs. Looking at the homework left by the children, he pushed up his glasses with satisfaction. Li Feng came in from outside, and the old man quickly went to greet him: "Section Chief Li, look how diligent the children are today!"

Li Feng nodded, his gaze sweeping over the tidy classroom. The windows were bright and clean, the desks and chairs were neatly arranged, and there was even a literacy chart on the wall. It was clear that Uncle San had put a lot of effort into it.

"Thank you for your hard work, Uncle San."

"It's not hard work at all!" The third uncle waved his hands repeatedly. "It's just that Banggeng is a bit of a loner."

"Okay, I'll take care of the stick."

As the two walked out, talking, they ran into Yi Zhonghai coming out of the house. An old man saw Li Feng and immediately smiled broadly: "Section Chief Li, taking a walk?"

Seeing Yi Zhonghai's obsequious manner, the Third Uncle secretly clicked his tongue in amazement; it had only been a few days.

The next day after get off work, Li Feng didn't go straight back to the backyard. He leaned against the wall not far from the factory gate, lit a cigarette, and waited for someone. Not long after, Bang Geng came out of the factory area with his head drooping and a schoolbag on his back, looking like he had just finished cleaning.

"Come here." Li Feng beckoned to him.

Banggeng shuddered in fright, thinking he was about to be scolded again. His little face turned pale, and he shuffled over in small steps.

"Come with me." Li Feng stubbed out his cigarette, offered no further explanation, and turned to leave. Bang Geng was filled with anxiety, not daring to ask any questions, much less refuse to go, and could only follow behind dejectedly.

Li Feng didn't take him home. Instead, he took a winding route and arrived near the row of bungalows where the factory's women's federation office was located. It was already getting dark, but a light was still on in one of the office windows. He gestured for Bang Geng to come closer and look inside through the window.

Qin Huairu was hunched over her desk, the light from the desk lamp illuminating her profile. Her brows were slightly furrowed, and she was holding a pen, diligently writing and drawing on a document.

There were also many documents and newspapers piled up next to it.

She would sometimes pause to think, sometimes flip through a book, her focused expression a look Banggeng had never seen on his mother's face before. His mother used to be either washing dishes, sighing with his grandmother, or forcing a smile for Uncle Shazhu and the others.

"Mom..." Bang Geng murmured unconsciously, then froze.

Li Feng didn't say anything, but quietly pulled him away.

They then walked through two more alleys and arrived at an even more dilapidated area of ​​single-story houses. Li Feng pointed to one of the windows, which was emitting a faint kerosene lamp light.

Inside the window, a boy about the same age as Banggeng was sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed). His cotton-padded jacket was patched in several places, and the sleeves were worn shiny. His little face was red from the cold. But he seemed not to feel the cold. In front of him was a tattered book, and he was reading it softly, word by word, by the dim light of the lamp. His fingers were also gesturing and writing characters on the kang table.

"Did you see it clearly?" Li Feng asked Bang Geng, looking down at him.

Bang Geng nodded blankly, not understanding what Li Feng meant by showing him these things.

Looking at his blank expression, Li Feng spoke calmly but with weight: "I won't explain the logic behind what I've shown you today. You're not a child anymore; you should be able to use your own brain. Do you want to continue wasting your life, relying on others for support when your mother gets old, and having people gossip about you behind your back? Or what? You decide for yourself."

After saying that, Li Feng turned around, put his hands in his pockets, and strolled away, with Bang Geng following behind in a daze.

Once they reached the familiar streets, Li Feng disappeared from sight.

Bang Geng's mind was in a mess. The image of his mother working at her desk and the boy in the tattered cotton-padded jacket studying diligently flashed before his eyes like two paintings.

For the first time, he vaguely sensed that there seemed to be another way of living that he had never thought of before.

Li Feng didn't go straight back to the courtyard house. Instead, he went to a nearby traditional Chinese medicine clinic with a good reputation and got some medicine for Yi Zhonghai. As he walked out carrying the bundled medicine, he overheard two doctors who had just finished their shift chatting at the clinic entrance.

A younger doctor shook his head as he spoke: "Master Liu, I've encountered a strange thing today."

The old doctor, known as Master Liu, carrying a cloth bag, asked, "What strange thing? Can it be even more bizarre than that light bulb swallowing incident from last week?"

"No, not really, but it's still pretty strange!" the young doctor exclaimed, getting excited. "This afternoon, a man in his thirties came in, looking like a cultured person, saying he was a university professor. He came for a routine checkup, and guess what!

"What's wrong?"

"He has a clearly visible old gunshot wound near his heart! That's not all; the imaging also shows signs of damage to the internal structure of his heart. Normally, someone with this kind of injury wouldn't survive! But he's still alive and kicking, just a bit weak!"

"Is that so?" The old doctor was also surprised. "A medical miracle? Does the hospital director know about it?"

"The dean was naturally alarmed and came to see for himself! He asked which miracle worker had pulled him back from the brink of death. Guess what he said?"

"How so? Don't keep me in suspense!"

The young doctor lowered his voice, his tone incredulous: "He said the person who saved him was the God of War."

"God of War? What kind of title is that?" The old doctor was both amused and exasperated.

"Yes, we were wondering the same thing. But he spoke very seriously, it didn't sound like he was talking nonsense."

Li Feng stood in the shadows at the clinic entrance, smiling as he looked into the distance. The children who love reading are giving back to the world by teaching more children to read.