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

On the morning of Lunar New Year's Eve, just as dawn was breaking, the lights in the east wing were turned on.

Wang Xiuhe was the first to get up. She put on her cotton-padded coat and got off the kang (a heated brick bed). She first added a few pieces of coal to the stove to make the fire burn brightly. Then, she tiptoed down from the top of the cabinet and took down several neatly folded cloth bundles, spreading them out on the edge of the kang to check them one by one.

This box contains the things she's made in her spare time lately: a thick stack of snow-white diapers, two new cotton-padded jackets with red floral patterns that feel soft to the touch, and several pairs of small crocheted socks, each the size of a palm, so delicate that you almost don't want to put them on.

"Mother, you brought way too much!" Liu Tingting yawned as she came out of the inner room. Her eyes widened when she saw the bundles piled up like a small mountain on the kang (a heated brick bed). "Even Yixuan didn't have this much stuff."

Wang Xiuhe didn't even look up, her hands still folding diapers: "What do you know? Babies grow so fast, we need to prepare a few extra to change them all. Besides, this is Qingwan's first pregnancy, she has no experience. We should prepare more so she won't be caught off guard."

As she spoke, she pulled out another small quilt, shook it to make sure the edges were sewn tight, and then folded it neatly and put it into the bundle.

Liu Shuanzhu had also gotten up and was brushing his teeth in the yard. He gulped down a mouthful of cold water, spat it out, and wiped his face with a towel.

Footsteps came from the courtyard gate, and Yan Bugui came out carrying a teacup. He was wearing a slightly worn gray cotton-padded jacket with a frayed collar, and his hair was a bit messy, indicating that he had just gotten up.

When he saw Liu Shuanzhu standing in the courtyard, and then peeked into the open door of the east wing, he saw Wang Xiuhe stuffing things into a large bundle. He immediately became interested and came over with his teacup.

"Old Liu, where are you guys planning to go so early in the morning packing your things?" Yan Bugui forced a smile, then casually pulled a cigarette from his pocket and handed it to him, "Here, have one."

Liu Shuanzhu took the cigarette, tucked it behind his ear, and smiled. "Yuheng said that our whole family should go to his place for the New Year. That's why we're packing, bringing all the New Year's goods we need."

Upon hearing this, Yan Bugui's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed "Wow!" with a hint of exaggeration, "The whole family is going? Your eldest son's place is big enough! So you won't be coming back for the next few days?"

Liu Shuanzhu waved his hand: "Come back. If it gets late tonight, I might not come back. I'll stay there for the night. Yu Heng said there's plenty of room. But it's hard to say, we'll see."

Upon hearing this, Yan Bugui couldn't hide the envy on his face. He clicked his tongue and sighed, "Old Liu, you're truly blessed. Your son is successful, you live in a big house, and he even invited your whole family to reunite for the New Year. Who in our compound doesn't envy you?"

Liu Shuanzhu smiled and said "Not at all," but his back straightened up unconsciously. He glanced back at the east wing. Wang Xiuhe had already packed all the bundles, and Liang Fangfang had changed her clothes. Wearing her new blue cotton-padded jacket that she only wore during the New Year, she walked out of the inner room with her more than seven months pregnant belly.

Liu Tingting was frantically helping Liu Yixuan put on his cotton shoes. The little guy squirmed and wouldn't cooperate, only settling down after she gently patted his bottom. Liu Erhe carried the last bag of New Year's goods to the door, dusted off his hands, and called out into the yard, "Dad, everything's ready!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than the sound of a car engine came from outside the courtyard gate, growing louder as it approached, before stopping right there at the gate. The sound was steady and deep, quite different from the usual sound of Liu Yuheng's Jeep.

Liu Shuanzhu quickly stuffed the unsmoked cigarette back into his pocket, turned around and shouted into the house, "The car's here! Everyone come out!"

The east wing immediately became lively. Wang Xiuhe carried the largest bundle and walked in front, followed by Liang Fangfang carrying a cloth bag. Liu Tingting held Liu Yixuan's hand in one hand and carried a bag of snacks in the other. The group filed out, crossed the courtyard, pushed open the gate, and walked to the entrance of the alley.

Then everyone was stunned.

Instead of the familiar green Jeep, a black sedan was parked at the entrance. Its body was gleaming and shone with a deep, dark light in the winter morning sun. Its lines were smooth, and its shape was much longer and more imposing than that of the Jeep.

The glass on the car door was wiped clean, reflecting the bare shadow of the old locust tree at the entrance of the alley.

Just as the group was still in a daze, the driver's side door opened from the inside. A young driver in a Zhongshan suit quickly walked around to the car, bowed slightly to Liu Shuanzhu and Wang Xiuhe, and said in a polite yet efficient tone, "Uncle Liu, Aunt Wang, Minister Liu sent me to pick you up. Is everything packed? Let me help you put it in the trunk."

Liu Shuanzhu then came to his senses and nodded hurriedly: "Yes, yes, it's all done, all packed up. Thank you for your trouble, comrade."

As he spoke, he couldn't help but glance at the black sedan again, hesitated for a moment before asking, "Comrade, this car... why was it changed? Didn't Yuheng used to drive that green Jeep?"

The driver smiled, took the bundle from Wang Xiuhe's hand and put it in the trunk, explaining, "The vehicles in the ministry have been standardized. The jeeps have all been transferred to the military. Our ministry is now uniformly equipped with these sedans. Minister Liu has official business to attend to this morning and specifically asked me to pick you up. He'll go straight home after he's done."

Liu Shuanzhu and Wang Xiuhe seemed to understand but didn't ask too many questions, only nodding repeatedly.

The group of people hurriedly put all the bags and packages into the trunk, and the driver then opened the car door for them.

Liu Shuanzhu was seated in the front passenger seat. He was a little stiff when he got in the car, unsure of what to do with his hands and feet, afraid of getting the clean seat dirty.

Wang Xiuhe, Liang Fangfang, Liu Tingting, and Liu Yixuan squeezed into the back seat. As soon as Liu Tingting got in the car, she looked around curiously, touched the leather of the seat, and peered out the window, muttering to herself, "This car is so nice... much nicer than my brother's Jeep."

Liu Yixuan was squeezed among the adults, but he didn't make a fuss. He blinked and looked at the scene outside the window.

Liu Shuanzhu turned his head and glanced out the car window. Liu Erhe was pushing his Phoenix brand bicycle out of the courtyard gate, propping it up at the entrance of the alley, and craning his neck to look in this direction, looking at the car with envy on his face.

He leaned out of the car window and shouted, "Erhe! Hurry up and ride your bike to pick up your father-in-law and mother-in-law!"

Liu Erhe quickly replied, "Okay! Got it!", but his eyes couldn't help but linger on the gleaming Volga a few more times.