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

Liu Erhe snapped out of his shock, stepped forward, looked at Liu Yuheng, and after his lips moved several times, finally called out, "Big Brother."

The little girl next to him, who was gnawing on a chicken leg, also called out, "Big Brother."

Liu Yuheng's heart melted when he looked at the little girl. The girl, about seven or eight years old, had two little braids and wore a slightly oversized but very clean red jacket. Her face was smeared with oil and rice grains, and she had big eyes that looked a lot like his mother when she was young.

He reached out and ruffled the little girl's hair, his voice softening unconsciously: "Tingting, right? Come here, let your big brother take a look."

Liu Tingting tilted her head and looked at him for a while, then giggled and held up the half-eaten chicken leg in front of him: "Big brother, have a chicken leg!"

Everyone in the room laughed; the little girl's innocence had dispelled much of the tense atmosphere from before.

Liu Yuheng gently pinched the little girl's cheek and said, "Tingting, eat by yourself, your big brother isn't hungry."

He turned around and waved to the few people still standing: "Sit down, everyone sit down. Don't stand just because I'm here. Eat and drink as you please."

The Liang family of three exchanged a glance, all somewhat awkward. Liang Cheng was an honest man who had worked in the steel rolling mill for most of his life. He was skilled but not particularly cunning. Looking at the young man in military uniform in front of him, he pondered repeatedly: Liu's eldest son was serving in the army, and judging by this, he must be of a high rank.

He glanced furtively at Liu Yuheng's military uniform and the pistol at his waist, secretly rejoicing that this marriage was a good one.

Liu Yuheng noticed Liang Cheng staring at him, but didn't pay it any mind. He turned to Liu Erhe and said, "Erhe, aren't you going to introduce him to me?"

Liu Erhe snapped out of his daze and quickly introduced, "Brother, this is my master, Liang Cheng. I learned to be a fitter from him at the factory. This is my master's wife, and this is..." He paused, glanced at Liang Fangfang, his face slightly flushed, and his voice lowered a few decibels, "This is my girlfriend, Liang Fangfang."

Liang Fangfang's face flushed red instantly. She lowered her head, clutching the end of her braid, too ashamed to look up at anyone.

Liu Yuheng nodded, giving a slight nod to Liang Cheng and his family of three, his tone neither humble nor arrogant: "Hello, I am Liu Erhe's older brother, Liu Yuheng."

Liang Cheng quickly waved his hand, saying somewhat nervously, "Hello, hello, you're too kind."

Wang Xiuhe finally finished crying. She wiped her tears with her sleeve, grabbed Liu Yuheng's arm, and looked him up and down, muttering, "You've lost weight, you've lost weight. You've suffered so much out there..." She then touched his face, "You still have scars on your face. How did you get that?"

Liu Yuheng smiled and gently took Wang Xiuhe's hand: "Mother, I'm fine. I can eat, sleep, and fight. Don't worry."

Wang Xiuhe wiped away her tears and said, "After you left, I couldn't sleep every night thinking about you, afraid that something might happen to you out there. You didn't even send a message home, and I didn't even know if you were alive or dead..."

Liu Yuheng felt a pang of sadness and lowered his voice, "Mother, I'm sorry for making you worry."

Liu Shuanzhu coughed, interrupting Wang Xiuhe, "Alright, alright, the child just got back, don't say these things."

He turned to look at Liu Yuheng, "Big Dog, where have you been all these years? You haven't sent a single message home."

Liu Yuheng's lips twitched again.

Big dog. Here it comes again.

He took a deep breath and decided to resolve the matter now.

He cleared his throat and said earnestly to Liu Shuanzhu and Wang Xiuhe, "Dad, Mom, I'm not called Big Dog anymore. My name is Liu Yuheng. Just call me by my name from now on, don't call me Big Dog anymore."

Upon hearing this, Liu Shuanzhu's eyes widened. His instinctive reaction was, "You unfilial son, you don't even want the name your parents gave you?" He opened his mouth as if to say something, but when his gaze swept over Xiao Sun standing behind Liu Yuheng and saw the shiny black pistol at Xiao Sun's waist, and then saw Liu Yuheng's crisp military uniform, he swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

He opened his mouth, then closed it again, his expression changing several times before finally uttering a mumbled "Fine... Liu Yuheng it is then."

Liu Yuheng knew his father was unhappy, but there was no room for discussion.

Wang Xiuhe didn't mind. She just held Liu Yuheng's hand and looked him up and down, tears on her face but a smile on her lips: "Yuheng, this name is good, better than 'Big Dog'."

Liu Yuheng breathed a sigh of relief; at least he had someone who supported him.

Liu Erhe poured Liu Yuheng a cup of tea, his hand trembling slightly as he handed it to him.

Wang Xiuhe finally calmed down a bit. She wiped her tears with her sleeve, her voice still trembling with sobs, "Yuheng, where have you been all these years? I haven't heard a word from you!"

"Mother, after I left, I went to the Holy Land, then fought the Japanese, and later the Grassroots. I've been fighting in the north and south all these years and haven't had a chance to come back. I was just transferred back to the capital yesterday, and I came to find you today."

He spoke casually, but everyone present could hear the countless battles and near-death experiences behind those few light words. Wang

Xiuhe's tears fell again. Holding his hand, she said, "You've suffered so much..."

Liu Yuheng shook his head and smiled, "Mother, nothing like that. I eat and live well in the army, even more comfortably than at home. Don't worry."

That was obviously a lie, but he couldn't possibly tell his mother about what happened on the battlefield. Wang Xiuhe's health didn't look good, and he didn't want her to worry anymore.

Liu Shuanzhu remained silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke, pointing to the young man standing behind Liu Yuheng and asking, "Who is this?"

Liu Yuheng turned slightly to the side: "This is Sun Xin, my bodyguard."

Xiao Sun took a step forward, snapped to attention, and gave Liu Shuanzhu and Wang Xiuhe a crisp military salute. His voice booming, "Hello, Uncle! Hello, Aunt! I am Commander Liu's bodyguard, Sun Xin!"

The cry of "Commander Liu" silenced the room for a moment.

Liu Shuanzhu was stunned for a moment, then turned to look at Liu Yuheng, and then at Xiao Sun, his face filled with confusion and shock. Commander? His eldest son is a commander? He didn't know much about military ranks, but he knew the weight of the word "commander"—it was a high-ranking officer, one who commanded a great many soldiers.

Wang Xiuhe didn't understand any of this. She just looked at Xiao Sun and said, "Sit down, sit down. What are you standing for? Sit down and eat."

Little Sun quickly waved her hand, her face turning red: "No, no, no, Auntie, I can stand, I'm not hungry."

Liu Shuanzhu also said, "Sit down, there's no need to be so polite now that we're at home."

Xiao Sun glanced at Liu Yuheng, who nodded slightly. Only then did Xiao Sun sit down near the door, but he sat up straight, occupying about a third of the chair, as if he were ready to stand up at any moment.

Liu Shuanzhu turned to Liu Yuheng, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "B-Boss, what are you doing now? Why are you bringing bodyguards with you?"

Liu Yuheng glanced at him and said casually, "What else can I do? Lead troops, of course."

Liu Erhe interjected, "Brother, how many people do you manage? Do you have a thousand?"

A thousand people? In Liu Erhe's mind, a thousand people was already a very large number. The Lou's Steel Rolling Mill where he worked only had a few hundred workers in total. A team of a thousand people—that would be quite a sight!

Liu Yuheng shook his head.

Disappointment was evident on everyone's faces at the dinner table. Liang Cheng thought to himself, "Less than a thousand people? Does that mean my position as 'commander' is a bit less prestigious?" Liu Shuanzhu also muttered to himself, "If he can't even manage a thousand people, then his official rank isn't that high."

Looking at the expressions on everyone's faces, Liu Yuheng's lips curled up slightly. Without keeping them in suspense any longer, he casually said, "About forty thousand people."

It was as if someone had pressed the pause button on the room.

Liu Tingting was the only one unaffected; she was busy with her second chicken leg and completely oblivious to everything else.

Liu Shuanzhu was the first to recover, his voice trembling slightly: "How much? Forty thousand? Say it again?"

"Forty thousand." Liu Yuheng repeated, picked up his teacup, and took another sip.

Liu Shuanzhu slammed his teacup down on the table with a dull thud: "Really? Are you kidding me?"

Liu Yuheng glanced at him and said unhurriedly, "Father, when have I ever lied to you? Forty thousand men, all equipped with American weapons."

The room was quiet for a few more seconds.

Liu Shuanzhu leaned back in his chair, looking up at the ceiling, muttering to himself as if he were doing some calculations: "Forty thousand men... My goodness, forty thousand men... What a high-ranking official that must be... Even the generals under the emperor in the past didn't command more than that many soldiers..."

Liang Cheng whispered, "Master Liu, judging from what your eldest son is saying, he's not leading ordinary soldiers; this must be the main force."

He had worked in the steel rolling mill for most of his life. Although he didn't understand military affairs, he had learned a lot from newspapers and radio over the years. "40,000 men, that's at least officers at the deputy corps level or above."

Deputy military rank. These three words exploded like a bomb at the dinner table.

Liu Shuanzhu gasped. He wasn't completely ignorant of these things; he had listened to a lot of news about the People's Liberation Army over the years and knew what a corps-level officer meant. They were people who could speak directly with high-ranking officials; they were truly important figures.

Liu Erhe was stunned for a long time, then suddenly came to his senses and slapped his thigh: "Brother! You're too awesome! Forty thousand people! The highest-ranking official we've ever seen in our factory is the factory director, who manages less than a thousand people. You manage forty thousand people, isn't that even higher than the factory director?"

Liu Yuheng smiled but didn't respond to the question.

Wang Xiuhe didn't really grasp the concept of 40,000 men. She was more concerned about something else: "Yuheng, isn't it dangerous for you to command so many soldiers? Will you be going to the front lines during battle?"

Liu Yuheng held her hand and comforted her, "Mother, don't worry, I've been transferred back to the capital. There's no more fighting. I'll be working in the capital from now on and will be able to come back to see you often."

Wang Xiuhe was relieved.

Liu Yuheng turned his gaze to Liu Erhe and patted his younger brother on the shoulder.

"Erhe, I heard from that old man at the door that you're getting engaged today?" Liu Yuheng asked, a slight smile on his lips.

Liu Erhe's face flushed again. He nodded and scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, big brother, I... I'm engaged to Fangfang. We're getting married next weekend."

Liu Yuheng's gaze swept between Liu Erhe and Liang Fangfang, and he nodded slightly. Liang Fangfang seemed like a nice girl, with a round face and big eyes; she looked like the honest, reliable, and thrifty type.

He turned to Liu Shuanzhu and asked, "Dad, what exactly happened? When did Erhe start working at the factory? Tell me."

Liu Shuanzhu picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and began to explain to Liu Yuheng in detail: "Erhe entered Lou's Steel Rolling Mill three years ago. I asked someone to introduce him to the company. After entering, he became Master Liang's apprentice and learned to be a fitter. This kid is down-to-earth and hardworking. After learning from Master Liang for two years, his skills are almost there."

He glanced at Liang Cheng, his tone filled with gratitude: "Master Liang treats Erhe very well, like his own son. Now, while teaching him his skills, he's even involved his daughter in the project."

Liang Cheng smiled and waved his hand: "Master Liu, please don't say that. I really like Erhe. He's hardworking, reliable, and doesn't cheat or shirk his duties. It's hard to find young men like that these days. I'm confident in marrying my daughter to him."

Liang Fangfang was embarrassed by what was said, so she lowered her head and tugged at the end of her braid, her ears turning red.

Liu Shuanzhu continued, "I proposed to Master Liang last month, and Master Liang's family came over today to discuss the wedding. The date is set for next Saturday. We'll have a small banquet in our courtyard to invite the neighbors, and that will be the end of it."

Liu Yuheng nodded, thought for a moment, and said, "Dad, I came back in a hurry this time and didn't bring much. I'll make up for it by giving Erhe and Fangfang a gift later, as a small token of my appreciation as their older brother."

Liu Erhe quickly waved his hand: "Brother, no need, no need, it's good that you're back."

Liu Yuheng waved his hand, ignoring the suggestion. As the eldest brother, how could he not offer a gift for his younger brother's wedding? As for what to give, he needed to think it over carefully. He would give money and a gift, but it couldn't be too ostentatious, lest the neighbors gossip. The Liu family lived in the courtyard; being too conspicuous wasn't a good thing.

"Is the banquet arranged?" Liu Yuheng asked Liu Shuanzhu.

Liu Shuanzhu said, "It's all arranged. I've invited He Daqing from the Intermediate People's Court to cook. We'll just set up a few tables in the courtyard. We'll have noodles with soybean paste, braised noodles, and a few stir-fried dishes, and that'll be it."

He Daqing. Liu Yuheng murmured the name to himself. He was a little curious about He Daqing's culinary skills; were they as good as portrayed in TV dramas?

He thought for a moment and said, "Dad, I'll have someone send some things over tomorrow. Cigarettes, alcohol, canned goods, meat—you can decide what to do."

Liu Shuanzhu opened his mouth, wanting to say no, but seeing Liu Yuheng's expression, he swallowed his words.

His eldest son is now a high-ranking official, so it's only right that he contributes something to his younger brother's wedding.

Liang Cheng and his wife exchanged a glance. Liang Cheng's wife tugged at Liang Cheng's sleeve and whispered something in his ear.

Liang Cheng nodded, then stood up and said to Liu Shuanzhu, "Master Liu, it's getting late. Since things are settled, we won't disturb you any longer. Your family has just reunited, so you must have a lot to talk about. We'll head back now."

Liu Shuanzhu also stood up: "Master Liang, please sit a while longer, we haven't finished our tea yet."

Liang Cheng waved his hand: "No, no, I'll come another day. Fangfang, I'm leaving."

Liu Yuheng turned to Xiao Sun and said, "Xiao Sun, drive Master Liang and the others home."

Xiao Sun stood up, hesitated for a moment, looked at Liu Yuheng, then at the door: "Commander, what about your safety...?"

Liu Yuheng waved his hand: "This is the capital, in my own home. What could be unsafe? Besides, I'm carrying a gun myself. Go ahead, deliver the person, and come back."

Xiao Sun opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but seeing Liu Yuheng's expression, he swallowed his words. He turned and went out the door, quickly catching up with Liang Cheng's family.

"Master Liang, wait a minute, the commander asked me to escort you."

Upon hearing this, Liang Cheng quickly waved his hand, "No need, no need, we can walk back, it's not far."

Xiao Sun had already opened the jeep door: "Master Liang, please don't be shy, get in."

Liang Cheng and his family of three boarded the jeep amidst the envious glances of their neighbors. In those days, not many people could afford to ride in a jeep; let alone ordinary citizens, even street-level officials rarely had the chance.

Liang Fangfang sat in the back seat, looking through the car window at the neighbors peeking around in the alley, feeling both nervous and smug.