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

Several people stood up upon hearing the sound. Liu Erhe quickly got up and went to the kitchen to help serve the dishes, one steaming plate after another being placed on the round table in the dining room.

Wang Xiuhe placed a plate of food on the table and greeted everyone, "You all eat first, don't wait for us. There are two soups in the kitchen, they'll be ready soon."

Liu Yuheng shook his head, pulled up a chair for Wang Xiuhe to sit down, and said with a hint of insistence, "Mother, the dishes are almost all served, please sit down and eat too, don't bother." He then invited Liu Shuanzhu and Liu Erhe to sit down as well, and the family sat around the round table.

Liu Yuheng took out two bottles of Fenjiu liquor from the cabinet, unscrewed the caps, poured a glass for Li Yunlong, Kong Jie, and Ding Wei, and then poured one for himself. He then stood up, his gaze sweeping over his three old comrades-in-arms: "Old Li, Old Kong, Old Ding, this glass today is a farewell toast. Leaving Beijing this time, we'll be scattered again, and I don't know when we'll be able to get together again. I wish you three old brothers a safe journey, and wherever you go, may you be safe and sound."

Li Yunlong and the other two also stood up and raised their glasses. Li Yunlong, unusually, was not joking around. He solemnly clinked glasses with Liu Yuheng, his voice much more composed than usual: "Old Liu, enough said, it's all in the wine."

The four of them tilted their heads back and downed their glasses of wine. The spicy liquid slid down their throats, and a warm feeling spread from their stomachs to their limbs.

The meal lasted nearly two hours. The people at the table talked about their experiences during the war years, their current experiences, and their future plans. The conversation flowed back and forth like an endless river.

Liu Shuanzhu was initially a bit reserved, but after a few drinks, he gradually became more talkative, chatting with Li Yunlong about the various kinds of customers he had encountered in restaurants during his time. Li Yunlong listened with great interest, occasionally chiming in, and the atmosphere became much more relaxed than at the beginning.

Wang Xiuhe sat to one side, whispering something to Yao Qingwan and Liang Fangfang. Her gaze occasionally swept over the men in military uniforms on the table, a smile on her lips that was hard to tell whether it was relief or pride.

By nine o'clock in the evening, the food on the table was almost gone, and two bottles of liquor were empty. Li Yunlong's cheeks were flushed with the effects of the alcohol, but he still spoke clearly. He glanced at the clock on the wall, then at Kong Jie and Ding Wei, stood up, and said, "Alright, it's getting late, we should go."

Liu Yuheng didn't try to keep them any longer, and stood up to see them to the door.

The three got into the car, started the engine, and the taillights gradually disappeared into the night, vanishing around the corner of the courtyard gate. Liu Yuheng stood at the gate for a few more seconds, the wind making the hem of his coat flutter slightly, before turning around and going back inside.

Liu Yuheng glanced at his family members inside and said, "It's getting late, why don't you stay here tonight? There are enough rooms, several empty upstairs and downstairs."

Liu Shuanzhu and Wang Xiuhe exchanged a glance. Wang Xiuhe spoke first, her tone hesitant: "Is...this convenient?"

Yao Qingwan chimed in from the side: "It's convenient, what's inconvenient about it?"

Wang Xiuhe nodded, a relieved smile on her face.

Liu Shuanzhu also relented: "Then let's stay one night and go back first thing tomorrow morning."

Yao Qingwan led the elderly couple upstairs to make the bed.

Liu Erhe, sitting in the corner, said with some worry, "Brother, Uncle Xu's bicycle is still with me."

Liu Yuheng waved his hand: "Why don't you just ride back earlier tomorrow? It's not a big deal."

Hearing this, Liu Erhe breathed a sigh of relief, nodded, and turned to look at Liu Yuheng with a slightly embarrassed smile: "Brother, shall we stay here too?"

Liu Yuheng gestured towards the upstairs room: "The sheets and blankets in the guest room on the right upstairs are clean. Go up and tidy up yourself."

Liu Erhe immediately pulled Liang Fangfang upstairs, his steps light as if he had just gotten a great deal. Liang Fangfang, being dragged along, glanced back downstairs with a smile on her lips, and followed him up the stairs.

Night deepened, and the small building gradually quieted down. In the guest room on the right upstairs, Liu Erhe tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep. Liang Fangfang, who was also awake, turned to look at him and asked softly, "Why aren't you asleep yet? You have to get up early tomorrow to ride your bike back to return it."

Liu Erhe rolled over, facing the ceiling, his voice trembling with barely suppressed excitement: "I can't sleep. Just now downstairs, when my brother was chatting with his comrades, what they said... my mind keeps racing." He paused, as if to replay those words in his mind, "What about the Northwest and Southwest, what about Big Brother and India, and the border conflict... I've never heard of any of that before. All I know is how many parts the steel mill made today and what they had for lunch."

A hint of surprise flashed in Liang Fangfang's eyes. She thought for a moment and said, "This shows that my brother is now considering national affairs, and he's not on the same level as us." She paused, her gaze falling on Liu Yixuan, who was sleeping soundly on the small bed next to her. Her voice softened a bit, "In the future, let Yixuan learn from his uncle and grow up to be a successful person."

Liu Erhe turned his head to look at his son. The little guy's cheeks were rosy from sleeping, his little mouth was slightly open, and his breathing was even and long. He nodded, then remained silent for a while, as if he was thinking about something.

After a while, Liang Fangfang brought up the story of the military parade that Yao Qingwan had told her earlier that day. She said that Yao Qingwan was standing in the viewing area on the other side of the square with the wife of the old brigade commander. They were surrounded by veteran revolutionaries who had lived through the war years. Yao Qingwan said that she didn't dare to say much while standing among them.

After listening, Liu Erhe suddenly sighed and remained silent for a few seconds before speaking: "I just feel... it's a bit unreal."

Liang Fangfang paused for a moment, waiting for him to continue.

Liu Erhe stared at the ceiling, his voice filled with complex emotions: "Four days ago, I was just a lowly fitter at the steel mill. After work, I'd pick you up, go home, eat, and sleep—life was uneventful. But suddenly, my brother was promoted to lieutenant general, and today he brought back a bunch of generals with stars on their shoulders to sit in front of me for dinner and drinks. It seems like overnight, our Liu family has become different." He paused for a moment after speaking, "I still haven't fully recovered."

Hearing this, Liang Fangfang nodded in agreement, her voice low: "I feel the same way. After the news of my brother's conferment of his rank spread throughout the supply and marketing cooperative, Sister Zhang and Sister Wang looked at me differently, and their tone of voice was much more polite than before. Director Li is even more so. He used to take good care of me, but now when we meet, he's all smiles, as if I were some kind of honored guest."

The two remained silent for a while. A gentle night breeze blew through the window, causing the edges of the curtains to billow slightly before falling back down. Liu Erhe turned over, placed his hand on Liang Fangfang's, and whispered, "Go to sleep. We have to get up early tomorrow."

Liang Fangfang responded and reached out to turn off the bedside lamp, plunging the room into quiet darkness.