Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

"Yo! Wei Chen's here!" Zhao Dashan's booming voice broke the office's silence first, carrying a familiar, older brother-like tone. "Quick, come in! Close the door tightly! This damn weather is blowing like a knife, it's seeping into your bones!"

As he called out, he casually picked up the stove hook and skillfully poked at the coal ash piled up in the furnace. A few tiny sparks flew up merrily with his movement, only to quickly disappear into the warm air.

Wei Chen smiled and replied, "Good morning, Master Zhao and Master Hu!" He then slammed the heavy wooden door shut, completely shutting out the biting wind that could freeze one's ears.

He walked to the stove, pulled over an empty wooden stool, also marked by the passage of time, and sat down, stretching his hands towards the scorching heat emanating from the stove wall. Although Wei Chen's body was no longer affected by such weather, he still retained his instinctive reaction.

"You two old masters really know how to enjoy life." Wei Chen looked at the two calm and composed old masters who seemed completely detached from the freezing weather outside, then glanced at the other empty, dusty desks in the office. "In this awful weather, Brother Wang and Brother Li are probably still out there like 'ice trapes,' their legs must be worn thin from running around."

"That's right!" Hu Songnian put down his newspaper, took off his glasses, and rubbed his nose, which was red from being pressed by the frames, with his rough fingers. His face showed the deep helplessness and emotion of someone who had been through it all, and his voice was also a few decibels lower.

"This month's targets, ugh, are incredibly heavy! Like a small mountain! We'll be entering the twelfth lunar month soon after this month, and there are only a few days left until the end of the year. The deadlines are coming one after another, as if they want us to have three heads and six arms in a day!"

But in the dead of winter, the fields are bare, even the mice are starving, and the villagers are broke and strapped for cash! The supply and marketing cooperative's quota is like a sardine field with too many cooks spoiling the broth—how much will our steel mill get? It's tough! Extremely tough!

He sighed, put his glasses back on, and looked tired in the eyes behind the lenses. "We two old guys, relying on the years we've been in the factory and our thick skin, we've figured out a few ways to get by. We've worked ourselves to the bone, begged and pleaded, and finally managed to barely get by this month's quota. Only now can we hide by this furnace and catch our breath, stealing a moment of peace."

Those few young people had no choice but to grit their teeth and brave the biting wind to try their luck! What a ordeal! These days, being a purchasing agent is no easy job for just anyone! His words were filled with a poignant understanding of the hardships of this profession.

Zhao Dashan took a big sip of strong tea, making a loud "slurp" sound. He put down the teacup, glanced at Wei Chen sideways, and said with a mix of joking and genuine envy, "Tsk, I have to say you're really capable and lucky! We old folks have to work our butts off, our legs are practically worn out, we've begged and pleaded, and we still can't get a decent amount of meat. It's not even enough for the cafeteria chef to fill his teeth!"

You're something else, appearing and disappearing like a ghost, bringing back pheasants and rabbits every few days, keeping us running around like crazy! Your hunting skills are truly amazing! A gift from God! In this freezing weather, you don't have to wander around outside like those unlucky guys, freezing like rag dolls, starving. Comparison is the thief of joy!

He shook his sparsely haired head, his large, fan-like hands warming over the fire. There was no jealousy or malice in his tone, only a sigh of admiration for Wei Chen's "special ability" and a sense of helplessness about his own job.

Wei Chen smiled but didn't respond. He knew the true extent of his "skills" better than anyone else, so he could only gloss over it.

At this moment, Hu Songnian, who was standing next to Wei Chen, seemed to suddenly remember something important. He put down the warm enamel mug in his hand, leaned forward slightly, and leaned closer to Wei Chen. He deliberately lowered his voice and spoke in a frank and consultative tone: "Wei Chen, speaking of wild game, Master Hu has a suggestion for you, how about it?"

He paused, observing Wei Chen's reaction. "It's almost December, just around the corner. Everyone's looking forward to a good meal of meat at the end of the year. If you ever have some free time to go back into the mountains, or if your 'old connections' there have any good finds—pheasants, rabbits, roe deer, anything—or even some dried mushrooms or hazelnuts, could you spare some for me?"

He emphasized the words "old relationship," his eyes carrying a knowing look. "Don't worry, Master Hu won't let you work for nothing! I'll settle you at the 'ghost market' rate, you definitely won't lose out!"

Hu Songnian has always been kind and gentle. When Wei Chen first joined the third group, he genuinely mentored him for a period of time, teaching him a lot about purchasing. The two have always gotten along well. He speaks directly, without any beating around the bush, carrying the honesty of an older generation.

"Ghost markets" are secret markets in Beijing that only open in the early hours of the morning and close at dawn. The goods traded there may not be of "honest and legitimate" origin, but they are often rare and expensive, especially meat, which is in high demand.

Hu Songnian's offer to pay the "ghost market" price demonstrates considerable sincerity and shows his trust in Wei Chen's "connections" and his urgent need for them.

Wei Chen quickly calculated in his mind. In the game world, all kinds of meat were piled up like mountains, of excellent quality; getting some would be a piece of cake.

He nodded readily, a sincere smile on his face: "Master Hu, you're too kind. Since you've asked, how could there be any problem? I'll definitely have to make a trip to the mountains before the New Year, or visit a few familiar villages. As for the harvest, there should be some; the mountain people rely on this to earn some money for oil and salt in the winter. But I really can't guarantee what I'll get. With wild animals, it depends on whether the mountain gods are on your side, it's all about luck."

"It's alright, it's alright! It's no big deal!" As soon as Hu Songnian heard Wei Chen agree, a relieved smile immediately appeared on his face. He waved his hands repeatedly, as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "Anything is fine! As long as it's meat that can be eaten! These days, if you can see a little bit of oil and smell a little bit of meat, that's what the New Year is all about! Just remember to save some for me! The amount doesn't matter!" He rubbed his hands together, as if he could already smell the aroma of meat on the New Year's Eve dinner table.

"Yes, yes, yes! Me too! Wei Chen, you can't be biased! You only have eyes for your Master Hu?" Upon hearing this, Zhao Dashan quickly pulled himself out of the rattan chair and moved closer. His large, fan-like hand, still warm from the stove fire, slapped heavily on Wei Chen's shoulder with a "smack," the force so strong that Wei Chen's body jolted.

"Give me one too, Old Zhao! Absolutely! Price's negotiable, same as Old Hu's, 'ghost market' price, no cheating! We're brothers, would I, Old Zhao, rip you off? Would I let you suffer a loss? Absolutely not!"

His voice was loud and clear, making the kettle on the stove, which was making a fuss, seem to fall silent for a moment. "You have no idea how eagerly the whole family, young and old, has been waiting! They're counting on this little bit of oil and meat during the New Year to satisfy their cravings! Your old face, Brother Zhao, is counting on you!" His words carried the boldness unique to northern men and a touch of warmth for their families.

Wei Chen pretended to wince from the slap, then rubbed his shoulder with a smile: "Master Zhao, your strength... be gentle, my little body can't take it. Okay, everyone gets a share, I'll remember. I'll let you two know as soon as I get it."

The three of them sat back around the warm stove, drinking coarse tea and chatting about factory gossip: whose child was getting married, which workshop had had a minor accident, and the potential difficulties they might face with the upcoming year-end bonus distribution.

The fire crackled, its orange glow dancing on the three people's faces. The rising steam blurred the windowpane. On this bitterly cold winter morning, the small office was filled with a rare sense of human warmth and comfort, a warmth that felt like home.

However, this brief tranquility was soon broken. The office's flimsy wooden door was pushed open with a bang, and a gust of cold wind carrying ice shards rushed in, instantly extinguishing the warmth in the room.

Group leader Liu Yuan, wrapped in a bulky, dark blue cotton coat with worn-out cuffs, poked his head in. His face was red from the cold, his nose was bright red, and his eyebrows and temples were covered with a thin layer of white frost, clearly indicating that he had just returned from outside.

"Wei Chen! You're here!" Liu Yuan's gaze, like a searchlight, precisely locked onto Wei Chen sitting by the stove. His tone was noticeably urgent, with a hint of barely perceptible tension. "Quick, get ready and go to Deputy Factory Director Li's office right now! Director Li's secretary, Comrade Liu Aiguo, personally came to inform you that you need to go immediately! Judging by his tone, it's quite urgent!"

The relaxed atmosphere in the office froze. The smiles on Zhao Dashan and Hu Songnian's faces also faded. Li Huaide, the deputy factory director, was in charge of the factory's logistics and employee welfare, wielding real power and being one of the core figures in the factory's leadership team. His personal request for Wei Chen—without a doubt, considering the meat shortage issue they had just discussed—made the answer seem obvious.

Wei Chen understood, but remained calm on the surface. He quickly stood up, straightened his collar and cuffs that had been wrinkled by Zhao Dashan, and said steadily, "Okay, Team Leader Liu, I'll go right away."

He nodded to Zhao Dashan and Hu Songnian, their eyes conveying the message "we'll talk about it later," and then, without further delay, strode out of the warm yet suddenly oppressive office.