Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

Xu Damao curled up on the ground, his hands tightly covering his head and face, letting out pig-like screams: "Ouch! Someone's been killed! Sha Zhu killed someone! Help! Grandpa, help me! I'm calling the police! I'm going to sue him! I'll make him get shot!"

His half-new woolen Zhongshan suit was covered in dust, his hair was disheveled, his face was bruised and swollen, and blood was seeping from the corner of his mouth; he looked utterly wretched. Beside him lay his pair of gleaming leather shoes, one heel bent askew.

"Zhu Zi! Stop!" Yi Zhonghai stepped forward and, together with Liu Haizhong, grabbed Sha Zhu's raised arm tightly on each side.

Sha Zhu was incredibly strong, struggling to keep slamming down. Yi Zhonghai used almost all his strength, the veins on his arms bulging, and shouted sternly, "He Yuzhu! Don't you have any respect for me, your elder?! Don't you know any of the rules of this place?!"

Yan Bugui quickly stepped forward, blocking Xu Damao, afraid that Sha Zhu would break free and kick him a couple more times. "Let's talk this out! Let's talk this out! We're all neighbors in the same compound, we see each other all the time, how can you resort to violence!"

Sha Zhu was held up by the two men, panting heavily, his chest heaving violently, his eyes fixed on Xu Damao on the ground, as if he wanted to devour him alive.

When Xu Damao saw his savior arrive, he immediately perked up. Ignoring his pain, he scrambled to his feet, pointed at Sha Zhu's nose, and accused him in a shrill voice: "Uncle! Uncle! Uncle! You all saw it! It was He Yuzhu who started it! For no reason at all! He just came up and hit me! You have to stand up for me! I'm going to the police station! I'm going to report him for assault! I want him to be locked up in jail!" As he spoke, he grimaced and rubbed the wound on his face, wincing in pain.

"What are you suing for! Call a general meeting!" Yi Zhonghai waved his hand sharply, his voice carrying an undeniable authority, his face as black as the bottom of a pot. "You two are a disgrace! You've completely tarnished the reputation of our entire compound! You've ruined all the face we've worked so hard to build! Go to the Intermediate People's Court right now! Call a general meeting for the entire court! Explain the problem clearly in front of all the neighbors! If you can't resolve it, then we can talk about calling the police!"

His gaze swept over Sha Zhu and Xu Damao with lightning speed, then sternly surveyed the surrounding neighbors: "Disperse! Those who need to cook, cook! Those who need to take care of their children, take care of their children! In ten minutes, assemble at the Central Court! A court-wide meeting will be held! Every household must send someone! Anyone who doesn't come will face the consequences!"

Yi Zhonghai held considerable power in the courtyard, and his words carried a resounding weight and an unassailable aura. The neighbors, who had initially wanted to watch the commotion, immediately fell silent, shrinking back and heading towards the central courtyard.

Although Sha Zhu was still fuming, under Yi Zhonghai's stern gaze and with Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui holding him up, he could only snort unwillingly and stop struggling.

Seeing that Yi Zhonghai was truly enraged and had mentioned "a hospital-wide meeting to resolve the matter," Xu Damao knew that going to the police now would not bring any good, so he temporarily backed down, only covering his swollen cheek and staring at Sha Zhu with resentment.

The farce was temporarily brought to a halt thanks to the forceful intervention of the three elderly men. However, the tension in the air only intensified.

The atmosphere in the open space of the Intermediate Court was solemn and dignified.

Uncle Liu Haizhong had already assigned his two sons, Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu, to carry an old, square, eight-immortal table out of Sha Zhu's house. This table, left by Sha Zhu's father He Daqing, had a peeling paint but was sturdy and heavy; it was the "official" platform for holding assemblies throughout the compound. Sha Zhu was quite happy with this, as it made him appear to have made a "significant contribution."

Three long benches were also brought out from the three old men's homes and lined up behind the eight-immortal table. Liu Haizhong, with his hands behind his back and his belly sticking out, directed his sons to arrange the table and benches neatly, as if he were setting up some important meeting.

Once everything was arranged, the three old men, each carrying their own enamel teacup, arrived late, walking with steady steps as if they were leaders.

Yi Zhonghai walked in front, his expression still solemn; Liu Haizhong followed closely behind, trying his best to imitate the leader's demeanor; Yan Bugui carefully protected his tea mug, which contained a few of the cheapest jasmine tea stems.

By this time, the courtyard was already packed with people. Most of the men returning from get off work carried their own small stools or folding stools, while the women mostly carried small stools, or simply squatted at their own doorways or against the walls.

Some teenagers squeezed through the gaps in the crowd, looking around in bewilderment, not understanding what was happening, only feeling a sense of tension and novelty. Other boys were chasing and playing on the outskirts of the crowd, only calming down slightly after being quietly scolded by their parents.

A dim, yellowish light bulb hung from the clothesline in the center of the yard. The light was not bright, casting flickering shadows on people's faces, adding to the somber and oppressive atmosphere. The air was filled with the smell of coal smoke, the bland aroma of each family's dinner, and an invisible, tense tension.

Wei Chen remained seated in his usual spot against the wall, his small stool sturdy. He leisurely cracked sunflower seeds, the crisp "crack" sounds jarring in the gradually quieting courtyard, drawing the attention of several people nearby.

But he didn't care at all. His gaze calmly swept across the crowd, over the three old men, and finally landed on Sha Zhu and Xu Damao, who had been ordered to stand in front of the octagonal table as if awaiting judgment. Xu Damao's face was bruised and swollen, his clothes were disheveled, and his eyes were filled with resentment; Sha Zhu, on the other hand, had his neck stiff and looked defiant, but deep in his eyes was a trace of lingering fear.

Yi Zhonghai looked around and, seeing that most of the people had arrived, picked up the enamel mug lid from the table and slammed the bottom of the mug against the table three times.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" The crisp knocking sound carried a strange penetrating power, instantly silencing all the whispers and children's playful noise.

Throughout the entire courtyard, hundreds of people focused their attention on the three old men; the silence was so profound you could hear a pin drop. This was the prestige Yi Zhonghai had cultivated over the years in the courtyard; he needed no words, a single gesture was enough to control the situation.

"Ahem," Yi Zhonghai cleared his throat, his voice loud and steady, "Everyone's here. Now, let's hold a general meeting of all residents of the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill's residential compound, at No. 95 Nanluoguxiang!"

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room with an air of authority, before continuing, "First, let's have Uncle Yan Bugui convey the spirit of the recent meeting of the Subdistrict Office."

Yan Bugui quickly put down his teacup, stood up, habitually adjusted his glasses, and forced a solemn expression before beginning his flowery opening remarks: "Fellow neighbors and comrades! Currently, under the wise leadership of our great leader, the whole country is experiencing a vibrant and energetic period! Each of us must keep pace with the times, raise our ideological awareness, strengthen our self-cultivation, and contribute to the construction of our great socialist motherland..."

He rambled on and on about empty platitudes, nothing more than the same old clichés about neighborly harmony, fire prevention, theft prevention, and hygiene.

The people below were getting drowsy, many starting to whisper among themselves or impatiently shifting their stools. Finally, Yan Bugui finished his lengthy introduction and said, "Next, please welcome our highly respected elder, Comrade Yi Zhonghai, to convey the important instructions personally given by Director Wang of the Subdistrict Office!"

Everyone perked up and turned their attention back to Yi Zhonghai.

Yi Zhonghai stood up again, pressing his hands down slightly to signal for silence. His expression became exceptionally solemn, and his voice rose a few decibels: "Comrades! Neighbors! This afternoon, Lao Liu, Lao Yan, and I, representing our courtyard, attended an important meeting held by the street office! Director Wang conveyed some very exciting news to us at the meeting!"

He paused deliberately, whetting everyone's appetite. Sure enough, the courtyard instantly fell silent, with only the sound of breathing remaining.

"According to the report from higher authorities," Yi Zhonghai said with a sense of pride, "our country, through the joint efforts of all its people, has successfully completed this year's ambitious steel production target of 1070 million tons! This is a great victory! It is a testament to the strength of our working class! It is an indelible contribution made by all of us to the nation's development!"

Wow! A thunderous applause erupted instantly! It was enthusiastic, sincere, and heartfelt!

People of this era have a deep-seated sense of collective honor. Every participant felt genuine pride and excitement as the nation accomplished such a daunting task.

The men clapped their hands vigorously, their faces beaming with excitement; the women clapped along, exchanging joyful glances; even the innocent children were caught up in the atmosphere and joined in the clapping. The entire courtyard was instantly filled with a vibrant and uplifting atmosphere because of this news.

Yi Zhonghai looked at the crowd's reaction with satisfaction, pressed his hands down again, and waited for the applause to subside before continuing: "Director Wang specifically pointed out that our street office performed outstandingly in this nationwide steelmaking campaign and received special praise from higher-level leaders!"

Our courtyard house at No. 95 Nanluoguxiang was mentioned many times in Director Wang's speech!

Director Wang said, "Our institute has played an exemplary role in supporting production, helping neighbors, and abiding by discipline! It is a crucial supporting force for our subdistrict office to win the title of 'Outstanding Subdistrict Office' this year!"

He deliberately emphasized the words "Outstanding Subdistrict Office," his eyes gleaming as he looked intently at the crowd: "Comrades! What does this mean? It means that our courtyard house has a very good chance of being selected as an 'Outstanding Courtyard House' this year! This is an unparalleled honor! It belongs to every one of us!"

"Great!" "That's wonderful!" "Our department is going to be recognized as an advanced unit!" Even more enthusiastic applause and cheers erupted! Everyone's face was filled with excitement and anticipation.

The title of "Outstanding Courtyard House" is more than just a banner; it represents tangible benefits—material rewards from the neighborhood committee, higher social recognition, and even the possibility of influencing the factory's evaluation of the residents. In this era where collective honor is paramount, this is undoubtedly a tremendous incentive.