I feel right at home in the world of the courtyard house.

Huairou, Zhangjia Village.

A grass-green jeep, kicking up yellow dust, slowly drove up the dirt road at the east end of the village. The sound of its engine broke the afternoon tranquility of the village, causing many villagers who were busy in their courtyards and alleyways to straighten up, look around, and discuss.

"Hey, where did this car come from?"

"Looks like an official's seat..."

"They went to Old Zhang's house!"

The car finally stopped in front of a slightly worn wooden gate. Hearing the noise, an old man with gray hair and wearing a faded white shirt leaned out; it was Li Jing'an's uncle. He squinted, and before he could see who it was, the car door opened.

"Big brother!" came a trembling voice.

Li Jing'an's mother, with red eyes, got out of the car and walked hurriedly, grabbing her uncle's calloused and cracked hands.

"Big brother... I've missed you so much!" Before she could finish speaking, tears streamed down her face. She looked her brother up and down, gently stroking his thin hand with her fingers, her voice choked with emotion: "It's only been two years, how come you've gotten so thin... you've become a little old man."

The uncle stood there stunned for a long while before recovering from his shock. He grabbed his sister's hand tightly, his lips trembling, "Sister? It really is you! You...you're back? This...this car is..."

At that moment, the driver's door opened, and a tall, well-dressed young man in a neat Zhongshan suit stepped out briskly. It was Li Jing'an. With a gentle smile, he strode forward and said, "Uncle, it's me, Jing'an. Are you still in good health?"

"Jing'an! Good lad!" Deep wrinkles instantly appeared at the corners of his eyes, and his smile blossomed, revealing genuine joy. "I saw you once when I returned from the Korean War, and it's been so many years since I last saw you! You look even more energetic."

Li's mother quickly wiped away her tears with her sleeve, but a smile had already appeared on her face. With a hint of pride, she interjected, "Brother, Jing'an has changed careers. He's now working at a steel rolling mill in Beijing and has become the director of a guesthouse!"

"The director? Oh my, incredible, incredible! You've made something of yourself!" My uncle nodded repeatedly, too excited to speak, just urging me into the yard, "Quick, come in! Don't stand outside!"

"Wait, brother," Mother Li pulled him back, pointing to the back of the car, "Jing'an specially brought you and his second uncle some things in the car. Jing'an, hurry up and unload them."

Li Jing'an responded and deftly opened the side door. First, he steadily carried a heavy burlap sack and gently placed it on the ground, followed by a smaller cloth bag.

Mother Li stroked the large sack and said softly, "Brother, this is a hundred catties of cornmeal." She then pointed to a cloth bag, "This is ten catties of wheat flour. It's not much, you can eat it first." She paused. "There's another portion in the cart, for Second Brother, it's the same."

The eldest uncle stared at the solid grain on the ground, his throat tightening as if something was blocking it, and his eyes instantly reddened. In these times, food was life! He waved his hands frantically, his voice strained, "This...this won't do! You all have it tough in the city, this would cost so many food coupons...you can't take it, you can't take it..."

"Brother!" Mother Li grasped his hand and pressed it firmly, her eyes resolute. "Don't worry, Jing'an got these through legitimate means. You can eat as you please. We won't go hungry." Her tone softened. "We're family, no need for formalities."

Li Jing'an then took out a piece of pork belly strung with straw rope and a large bundle of fresh vegetables from the car, and finally pulled out a heavy piece of pork fat. "Uncle, this pork fat is half for you and half for my second uncle's family," he said, then took out a small net bag containing a box of mooncakes wrapped in red paper, a carton of Daqianmen cigarettes, and four bottles of Erguotou liquor. "It's a little something for the festival."

Seeing these rare items he would never have dared to dream of in his daily life, the eldest uncle's lips moved, but in the end he only sighed heavily, turned his head and called out in a trembling voice into the yard, "Come quickly! Help your uncle get these things!"

Several teenagers ran out at the sound of their voices. Their eyes widened at the sight of all the things on the ground, and they carefully helped carry them into the yard. Then, remembering something, Li's mother quickly said, "Oh, right, eldest brother, we've also prepared fifty jin of cornmeal for each of Jing'an's aunts. We're in a hurry to get back today, and we don't know the way well. Could you please have your son deliver it to them when he has some free time in the next couple of days?"

"Don't worry, don't worry! We'll definitely deliver it!" the uncle replied repeatedly, his heart overflowing with warmth. His sister and nephew truly cared about all their relatives.

The group entered the courtyard, leaving behind a circle of villagers at the entrance, filled with envy, curiosity, and lively discussion. Several bolder children circled the jeep, wanting to touch it but too afraid to. Just then, a boy who had helped carry things earlier—puffing out his chest and looking smug—walked out of the courtyard: "Go away, don't touch it! This is the car my great-aunt and my uncle drove back from Beijing!" His manner made it seem as if the car belonged to him, eliciting good-natured laughter from the adults.

Inside the house, Li Jing'an greeted his aunt, cousins, and cousin's wives who had come out upon hearing the news, offering them cigarettes. His eldest uncle quickly instructed a child, "Go to the west end of the village and tell your second grandfather's family to come over! Tell them your great-aunt and Uncle Jing'an are back and will be having lunch here!"

The kitchen immediately buzzed with activity as the women busied themselves preparing. Seeing her sister-in-law about to pour out all ten jin of flour to steam buns, Li's mother quickly stopped her: "No! Just steam some cornbread. Save this flour for holidays, or if anyone in the family is unwell, you can make noodles—that would be perfect!"

The sister-in-law insisted on refusing, and the women pulled and pushed each other for a while. Li's mother almost "snatched" back most of the flour before the aunt finally gave up, her eyes red with tears. She felt a deep sense of gratitude.

Before long, the second uncle's family also rushed over. When Li's mother saw her second brother, she burst into tears again, as if she wanted to cry out all the worries of the past two years and the heartache for her family's difficult circumstances. The second uncle had also aged a lot, and his back was a little hunched. He just patted his sister's back to comfort her.

At lunchtime, there was only one eight-immortal table in the main room, around which the men sat. There was scrambled eggs, braised cabbage with pork belly (the pork slices were thinly cut, but very oily), shredded radish salad, and a rare sight of meat in the sauce bowl, along with golden cornbread. The aroma of wine, meat, and oil mingled and wafted out of the courtyard, making half the village take a deep breath.

Li Jing'an raised his glass to his eldest and second uncles, then took only a small sip before putting it down: "Uncle, I have to drive my mother home this afternoon, so I need to drive carefully. I won't drink any more." His eldest and second uncles nodded understandingly and told him to eat more.

Li's mother refused to sit at the table no matter what, and squeezed into the kitchen early. She sat on small stools with her sister-in-law and niece-in-law, eating and chatting, asking about the harvest, the children, and everyday matters. Laughter occasionally came from the kitchen.

The children each carried a large bowl filled with vegetables. Some squatted at the kitchen door, while others ate in the yard, their heads down, their mouths glistening with oil.

The boy who used to watch the cars slipped outside the gate with his bowl. In front of a group of friends who were sniffing the aroma and drooling, he deliberately pushed the meat slices on top of his bowl, making a particularly loud sound as he bit into his cornbread, smacking his lips and saying, "Delicious! So delicious! The meat my uncle brought is just different!" His smug and proud expression made it seem as if the New Year had arrived early for him.

After the meal, Li Jing'an delivered the food and supplies he had left for his second uncle to his second uncle's house by car. His second aunt held Li's mother's hand, wiping away tears several times.

As the sun began to set, it was time to return to the city. After repeatedly declining his uncles' invitation to stay the night, the jeep slowly drove away from Zhangjia Village amidst the reluctant farewells of his relatives.

The car traveled along the bumpy dirt road, kicking up a light dust. Li's mother sat in the passenger seat, watching the village silhouette gradually recede into the distance, silent for a long time. After a while, she finally sighed softly, turned back, and a warm, genuine smile spread across her face.

"Your eldest uncle's grandson is a bit mischievous, but he's very clever... Your second uncle's chronic leg pain doesn't seem to be acting up much this year... Your aunt's pickled vegetables are still as delicious as ever; she insisted on giving me a jar before I left..."

She talked on and on, her eyes sparkling, and the corners of her mouth constantly curving upwards.

Li Jing'an focused on driving, listening to his mother's gentle nagging, occasionally responding with a word of agreement.

The car moved forward, leaving the fields and villages behind.