Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

The next day, at the crack of dawn, Wei Chen appeared in front of the hunter's hut in the game world. The morning mist had not yet completely dissipated, and glistening dewdrops clung to the grass in the woods. The air was as crisp as a mountain spring. Da Huang darted out happily from behind the hut, its tail wagging like a windmill, and affectionately rubbed against his trouser leg.

"Come on, Big Yellow, let's go see our 'experimental field'!" Wei Chen patted Big Yellow's head with barely suppressed anticipation, and the two of them walked quickly towards the open area near the river outside the small town.

Last night, he experimented with planting techniques in the game world, sowing plump wheat seeds on ten acres of land outside the city using the [Planting] spell and initiating initial growth. Now, as he parted the last patch of low bushes, the sight before him made his breath catch in his throat!

As dawn broke, the golden sun burst forth from the eastern mountain peaks, showering its golden rays upon this small plain!

The ten acres of land are no longer the dark brown of yesterday's planting. In their place lies an endless, heavy, golden expanse of wheat!

Each wheat stalk is tall and sturdy, more than half a person's height. The full ears of wheat bend the stalks over, and each grain of wheat is like solidified gold, shimmering with a captivating and abundant luster in the sunlight!

The rich, almost overwhelming aroma of new wheat, carrying the fragrance of earth and the scent of sunshine, wafted over Wei Chen as if it were real, instantly filling his entire lungs!

The wheat awns swayed gently in the morning breeze, making a soft, whispering rustling sound. This sound, when combined, became the most beautiful and comforting harvest symphony in the world! The golden luster flowed, as if the entire land was breathing, showing its "master" the most glorious peak of life.

"Overnight... ten acres... all ripe!" Wei Chen murmured to himself, his voice trembling with disbelief. Although he had expected it, the sheer scale of the harvest, so miraculous and unreserved, still left him reeling from the visual and emotional impact. The true energy he had expended last night had yielded its richest reward at this moment!

He reached out, his fingertips gently brushing against a plump ear of wheat, almost bursting with life. The grains were firm, full, carrying the warmth of the sun and the texture of life. This wasn't just virtual game data; this was real, sustenance! The strongest foundation in chaotic times!

"Great! That's wonderful!" Wei Chen's eyes shone with indescribable joy. The food problem that had plagued him for so long, and indeed the vast majority of people in this era, had now become a thing of the past for him! Four thousand kilograms! This was an astonishing number that would allow any family to stand tall even in times of famine! Not to mention, this was just the beginning!

He took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement. His mind calmed, and he focused his attention on the ten acres of rolling golden sea before him. A semi-transparent control panel instantly appeared in his vision:

[Crop: Wheat (mature)] [Estimated total yield: Approximately 4000 kg] [Will "one-click recycling" be implemented?]

"Yes!" Wei Chen confirmed without hesitation.

Buzz! An invisible, immense yet gentle force descended instantly! The magnificent golden waves of wheat before our eyes seemed to be gently brushed by an invisible giant hand! All the ears of wheat detached from the stalks at the same time, the plump grains like golden sand, lightly peeling away from the husks and rising! Then, the stalks, the leaves... all the matter in the entire field transformed into streams of pure and condensed golden light visible to the naked eye!

The bounty of ten acres of land collapsed and condensed in an instant! Like a golden torrent surging backward, it flowed towards Wei Chen silently yet with incredible speed!

Whoosh—! A flash of golden light disappeared in an instant!

The golden ocean that had just blanketed the earth, a breathtaking sight, vanished without a trace! Only ten acres of bare, soft, flat brown land remained, lying there quietly, as if the golden feast had never happened. Only the lingering, rich aroma of wheat in the air testified to the miracle that had just occurred.

Wei Chen's consciousness immediately sank into the game backpack space in his mind.

It takes up most of the backpack space, and at this time one compartment displays [Wheat: 4000 kg].

An unprecedented sense of security and pride instantly filled Wei Chen's heart! When the granaries are full, people know etiquette; when they are well-fed and clothed, they know honor and shame. With this inexhaustible supply of food, Wei Chen could finally say he had truly put down roots in this capital city!

"From now on, we'll never have to worry about food again!" he declared softly to the open field, his voice filled with strength. Big Yellow seemed to sense its master's joy, running happily around the barren land a few times, barking.

With this profound joy and confidence, Wei Chen exited the game world and greeted the new day in reality with renewed vigor.

December arrived, and the steel rolling mill's closing bell rang precisely at 5:30 PM, as usual, its metallic resonance echoing throughout the entire factory area. Inside the massive workshop, the roar of the machines gradually subsided, and workers poured out of the workshop gates like a receding tide, their faces bearing both weariness and the relief of a day's work coming to an end.

Wei Chen had no purchasing assignments today; he stayed in the purchasing department office organizing documents and familiarizing himself with the material needs of other departments within the factory. As soon as the bell rang, he followed the flow of people out of the office building. His dark blue work jacket looked somewhat thin in the chilly winter evening wind, but he walked briskly.

As I pushed my worn-out old bicycle out of the factory gate, I saw two familiar figures walking slowly ahead of me. It was none other than Yi Zhonghai, an old man from the courtyard house, and his apprentice, Jia Xudong.

Yi Zhonghai, dressed in faded work clothes, stood with his hands behind his back, his steps steady, his face bearing his usual kind and forgiving expression. Jia Xudong, on the other hand, followed behind with his head drooping and a listless expression, his work clothes stained with oil, carrying a deflated canvas tool bag.

"Uncle, Brother Jia, you're off work?" Wei Chen pushed his cart up and greeted him with a smile. He maintained basic respect for Yi Zhonghai, while keeping only superficial politeness towards Jia Xudong.

"Hey, it's Xiao Wei." Yi Zhonghai turned around at the sound of his voice, a warm smile on his face. "Didn't you go out for a run today?"

"Okay, I'll organize some materials in the department." Wei Chen nodded.

Jia Xudong also looked up and saw Wei Chen, especially when he saw the bicycle Wei Chen was pushing. A fleeting look of undisguised envy and bitterness flashed in his eyes. He forced a smile and said, "Brother Wei Chen... you... you get off work pretty quickly."

"It's more convenient to ride a bike." Wei Chen replied casually, noticing that Jia Xudong was in low spirits, and didn't bother with pleasantries. "Uncle, Brother Jia, I'll go first, I have some things to take care of at home." With that, he lifted his leg, nimbly straddled the bicycle, and pushed off with his foot. The wheels spun quickly, leaving Yi Zhonghai and his apprentice behind.

The cold wind stung his face, but Wei Chen felt exceptionally refreshed. He could clearly feel the gaze behind him—Jia Xudong's gaze, which followed his departing figure, filled with resentment and jealousy.

Sure enough, Jia Xudong's heavily nasal complaining voice drifted up from behind, clearly reaching Wei Chen's ears amidst the noisy flow of people leaving get off work: "Master, look at Wei Chen! We both work at the steel rolling mill, but he has it so easy in purchasing! He's sheltered from the wind and rain, just a few words and he gets the good stuff, and he can even ride a bicycle to show off! Unlike me, I'm working myself to the bone in the workshop, my bones are practically falling apart by the end of the day, and I only earn a pittance, not even enough to fill the gaps in my family's teeth..."

Yi Zhonghai's voice rang out immediately, deep and reassuring yet admonishing: "Xudong! What's the point of saying all this useless stuff? People are different! Weichen has his connections, and you have your responsibilities! You're the pillar of the family, Banggeng's father! Providing for the family is your duty! What's the use of being envious of others? Instead of wasting your time, you should focus on improving your skills! Put all your effort into your fitter work, work harder at the end of the year, and try to pass the exam to level one. Once you become a level two worker, your salary will increase! That's the right path!"

"A second-level worker... how easy is that, Master..." Jia Xudong's voice was filled with frustration and helplessness, and was gradually drowned out by the louder noise.

Wei Chen's lips curled into a faint smile, and he pedaled even faster. To him, Jia Xudong's sarcastic remarks and Yi Zhonghai's "righteous" motivational speeches were nothing more than background noise in the daily life of this courtyard house; he could just listen to them and leave them be.

Back in the east courtyard, Wei Chen parked the car neatly and bolted the south gate. Winter nights fall early, and the courtyard was already somewhat dim.

Last month, after moving in, Wei Chen planted cold-resistant autumn vegetables such as radishes, cabbages, onions, and garlic in the yard. He got the seeds from his village, and also dug up some chives his mother had grown from their family plot and planted a small patch there as well. There was also a patch of spinach next to it, all growing vigorously. Wei Chen was thinking of building a plastic greenhouse for them so he wouldn't lack green vegetables in the winter. The vegetables Wei Chen grew in his yard were the envy of everyone in the courtyard, especially his third uncle.

Back home, Wei Chen was too lazy to cook again, so he went straight to the kitchen. With a thought, he ladled out a large bowl of beef broth from the hunter's hut kitchen in the game world—a broth that had been stewing until tender and fragrant, with a layer of milky white fat on the surface. He also sliced ​​a thick half-pound of dark red, well-textured cooked beef. There were still embers left in the stove from the morning, so he stirred them, placed a small pot on it, and soon, the rich aroma of meat filled the air once more.

The soup was stewed by him a while ago in the modern kitchen of the hunter's cabin; it was a big pot, enough to last a long time.