Courtyard Houses: Starting with Li Yunlong's Comrades-in-Arms

Ten days later, in a county town in Northwest China.

Lunch had just been set on the table at Wang Sanyong's house. The room wasn't brightly lit, but the family sitting together felt warm and cozy.

On the table was a steaming bowl of potato soup, a dish of pickled radish strips, a plate of scrambled eggs, and several mixed flour buns.

Old Wang sat in the main seat, holding a rough porcelain bowl and slurping down his soup. He was in his early fifties, and the wrinkles on his face were like deep and shallow ravines carved by a knife, but his eyes were still bright, revealing the kind of solid and honest nature unique to farmers.

The Queen Mother sat beside him, tearing a piece of steamed bun into small pieces and soaking it in her bowl. Most of her hair was already gray, tied in a bun at the back of her head with a black hair tie, and the knuckles of her hands were large, marks left by years of farm work.

Li Caixia sat next to Wang Sanyong, sipping her soup with her head down. She was a girl from a neighboring village, just turned twenty this year, with a round face, dark red skin, and two braids hanging down in front of her chest. She was wearing a faded blue cotton jacket.

She and Wang Sanyong met in the middle of the year, got married after the autumn harvest, and had been married for only half a month.

Old Man Wang drank a few sips of soup, put down his bowl, glanced back and forth between Wang Sanyong and Li Caixia, then picked up his pipe, took a pinch of tobacco from his purse, lit it with a match, took a couple of puffs, and then spoke.

"Sanyong, Caixia, listen to me carefully. You two are doing well now, and Sanyong has a decent job. Your mother and I are happy for you. But I have to say this first: a couple should live a good life together. Sanyong, if you dare to act recklessly or bully Caixia, do you believe I'll beat you to death?"

Wang Sanyong paused, holding the bowl, and looked up at his father with a helpless smile. "Dad, what are you saying? When did I ever bully Caixia?"

"Not now, and who knows what the future holds," Old Man Wang said gruffly, exhaling a puff of smoke. "Men, sometimes they get carried away when they're successful. Your mother and I married Caixia so she could live a good life with you, not so she could suffer. If you dare to act recklessly, I'll be the first to punish you."

The Queen Mother nodded beside her, though she didn't say anything, her meaning was clear in her eyes.

Li Caixia sat to the side, a little embarrassed by this sudden display of protectiveness. She lowered her eyes, clutching half a steamed bun in her hand, and whispered, "Dad, Mom, don't worry... I understand."

Upon hearing his daughter-in-law's agreement, Old Wang's tense expression relaxed slightly, as if a weight had finally been lifted from his shoulders. He took a couple more puffs of his cigarette and changed the subject: "There's one more thing, I've discussed it with your mother. Tomorrow, we'll go back to the village."

Wang Sanyong was taken aback for a moment, then put down his bowl: "Dad, we've only been here a few days! Why are you leaving already?"

Old Wang waved his hand, tapped his pipe on the table leg, and said in a firm voice that left no room for argument: "The village land can't be left unattended for long. Relying on your two younger brothers... those two good-for-nothings, if we count on them, the land will go to waste. I'm worried, I have to go back and keep an eye on it."

Wang Sanyong opened his mouth, wanting to say a few more words of advice, but seeing the look on his father's face that indicated he had already made up his mind, he swallowed his words back.

He knew his father too well; once he made up his mind, nothing could change it. He paused for a moment, then nodded: "Okay, I'll go ask this afternoon if there are any buses back to town."

After he finished speaking, he turned to Li Caixia and said in a somewhat consultative tone, "Caixia, go buy some things for my parents to take back to the village. Also, bring some snacks and gifts for my two younger brothers and a few nephews and nieces. Don't go back empty-handed."

Li Caixia nodded and responded with an "Yes," then looked up at Old Man Wang and Mother Wang, her face showing the nervous expression typical of a new bride—wanting to perform well but afraid of doing something wrong: "Dad, Mom, what do you think is suitable to buy?"

The Queen Mother waved her hand, her tone softening slightly: "You don't need to buy anything. We have everything we need at home. Don't waste money."

Old Wang, however, took a puff of his cigarette and slowly added, "Let's buy some. Sanyong is working in the county now, earning money, so it's only right that he takes care of his two younger brothers. Besides, bringing some things for our grandchildren will make them happy, and it'll look better when we go back."

Hearing this, Wang's mother no longer refused. She glanced at Wang Sanyong with a mother's unique sense of satisfaction in her eyes. Her son had become successful and could take care of the family. Wasn't this the day a mother had been hoping for?

Seeing that his father had relented, Wang Sanyong turned to Li Caixia and said, "After dinner, go to the supply and marketing cooperative and buy two jin of pastries, a few packets of candy, and some cloth. There are several children in your two younger brothers' families, so give them all a little. Don't let anyone be neglected."

Li Caixia listened attentively, taking notes of everything, and nodded.

Just as the family was about to continue their meal, a shout suddenly came from outside the courtyard gate: "Wang Sanyong! Are you home? There's a letter for you!"

The sound came from outside the courtyard wall, carrying the booming voice characteristic of a postman.

Wang Sanyong immediately put down his bowl, stood up, strode to the door of the main room, lifted the curtain, and called out, "I'm here! I'm here!"

He pushed open the gate and went outside. There stood a postman in a green uniform, riding a bicycle with one foot on the ground. A bulging mailbag hung on the back of the bicycle, and he was holding a brown paper envelope in his hand.

The postman saw Wang Sanyong come out and handed him the envelope, his face showing the weariness of a traveler and a smile: "Here you go, your letter. The sender's address is from the capital."

Wang Sanyong took the envelope, glanced at it, and his gaze lingered on the sender's address. His heart skipped a beat. He turned the envelope over and examined it closely. The seal was tightly affixed, and the handwriting was indeed familiar—neat, strong, and every stroke exuding the robustness of a soldier. He thanked the postman and quickly returned to the courtyard.

When Old Man Wang saw Wang Sanyong come in with the letter, he casually asked, "What's up? Who sent it?"

Wang Sanyong did not answer immediately. He stood in the light at the entrance of the main room and quickly tore open the seal of the envelope.

After opening the envelope, he first pulled out a money order, the blue slip clearly showing the number: One Hundred Yuan.

His hand paused in mid-air, his gaze fixed on the remittance slip for two or three seconds before he placed it on the table beside him. Then he unfolded the letter inside and read it word by word from beginning to end.

The letter was short, but every sentence reflected Liu Yuheng's consistent style of not wasting words.

First, I congratulated him on his marriage and wished him and his bride a long and happy life together. Then I said that the hundred yuan was a gift for him and told him to keep it and not to be polite. Next, I said that I was also married and had found a good wife and was living a peaceful life. Finally, I said that if he had any difficulties in the future, he could write to me. My new address was attached to the end of the letter.