Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

"Good! Very good! That's good!" The tense muscles on Li Huaide's face finally relaxed a little, revealing a relieved and satisfied expression.

He leaned back in his wide chair, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the smooth, cool tabletop, making a rhythmic "tap, tap" sound, as if he were thinking, or as if he were applying invisible pressure.

"Now, Comrade Wei Chen, the factory needs you! We need you to fully utilize your personal abilities and special connections to solve this urgent problem for our thousands of workers!"

This final month is crucial! We absolutely must get a large quantity of meat! Enough is essential! Any kind is fine, as long as it's edible! Pork is best, but if we can't get pork, wild boar, venison, roe deer, pheasant, rabbit, or even large fish will do!

The goal is singular: to ensure the canteen can genuinely improve the workers' meals twice during the last few days of the twentieth lunar month! To ensure everyone has a bite to eat, a little bit of oil in their stomachs, and a smile on their face, so they can happily and peacefully celebrate the New Year!

His fingers, which had been tapping the table, suddenly stopped. His gaze sharpened, focusing on Wei Chen's face like a searchlight. His voice lowered, carrying a tacit, almost whispered implication, full of trust and delegation: "Comrade Wei Chen, this matter is extremely important! It concerns the stability and overall production of the entire factory! The factory will give you its full support! Whatever procedures you need, whatever you require a letter of introduction from the factory, or whatever you need a vehicle to coordinate, just let me know!"

He leaned forward slightly again, lowered his voice, and gave a meaningful look. "As for the source of the meat... it's the same old rule! As long as we can get the meat, solve the problem, and let the workers eat meat, the process doesn't matter! The factory doesn't care where it comes from! It only cares about the result! You... understand what I mean, right?" The last question carried a strong implication and confirmation.

"Understood! Factory Manager, please rest assured!" Wei Chen replied resolutely, his voice steady and powerful, carrying the unwavering resolve of a military order. "I guarantee the mission will be completed! I, Wei Chen, will do everything in my power, mobilizing all available resources and exhausting every possible means to obtain enough meat as quickly and as thoroughly as possible, to alleviate the factory's burden and improve the welfare of our workers! We will not let anyone feel disheartened at the end of the year!"

His statement was forceful and resounding.

"Good! That's the kind of determination and responsibility I've been looking for!" Li Huaide finally showed a genuine and gratified smile, with undisguised admiration.

"I knew it! Comrade Wei Chen is a good comrade who can fight tough battles, tackle difficult problems, and be reliable in critical moments! I trust you with this task!"

He picked up the purple clay teacup on the table, took a big gulp of strong tea to moisten his slightly dry throat, and then, as if he had suddenly remembered something quite important, put down the teacup. His tone became more casual, but the eagerness and expectation in his eyes did not diminish at all; on the contrary, they seemed to grow even closer.

"Oh, right," Li Huaide leaned back in his chair, his fingers gently stroking the smooth surface of his teacup. A knowing, slightly secretive smile appeared on his face, and his voice returned to normal volume. "There's something else, a personal matter of mine, that I need to trouble you with again."

He paused, observing Wei Chen's reaction, "The sika deer you got for me last time, hey, the quality was truly top-notch! It was first-class stuff! My grandpa and grandma ate some venison and made some venison bone soup, and they both said they felt much lighter and had more energy in their legs. They keep talking about it and praising you for your skill!"

It's almost Chinese New Year, so... how about it, could you find me a couple more items? The quality just needs to be the same as last time! As for the price, it's totally negotiable, and we'll stick to our old deal—it'll only go up, never down! I guarantee you'll be satisfied!

He leaned forward slightly, lowered his voice, and said with a hint of sincerity, "Mainly because the elders in my family like it. Also, I wanted to give some to a few former leaders who have always cared about our factory to try, as a token of my appreciation. These days, this kind of thing is rare, and it's something I can show off!"

Wei Chen understood perfectly well. Official business was a task, a responsibility; this private matter was one of the core, and most shady, reasons why Li Huaide had sought him out today.

Top-quality venison, in this era of extreme scarcity, was an absolute must-have tonic and a hard currency for getting things done, its value far exceeding that of ordinary pork.

This is not only an important link in maintaining a personal relationship with this powerful deputy factory director, but also another test of the depth and reliability of my "ability" and "connections".

"Director Li, you're too kind." Wei Chen smiled appropriately, with a hint of "it's an honor to share the leader's burdens," his tone relaxed yet confident. "It's my honor that your elders like it. Don't worry, I've got it figured out. I'll take care of it. I'll definitely prepare it for you before the New Year, guaranteeing it's the same top-quality, authentic mountain produce as last time." He agreed readily, without the slightest hesitation or difficulty, fully demonstrating his "strength" and "ability to get things done."

"Good! Excellent! I like efficient and reliable young people like you!" Li Huaide slapped the table with delight, his smile widening, clearly very satisfied and pleased. "Alright! We've covered both business and personal matters. Time is tight and the task is heavy, so get to work! Report any progress or difficulties directly to me! Or you can contact Secretary Liu outside! Remember, the factory is your strongest support!"

He waved his hand and picked up another document, but the worry that had been weighing on his brow due to the meat shortage seemed to have dissipated considerably because of Wei Chen's decisive promise.

"Yes, Factory Manager. I'll head out now." Wei Chen stood up and said respectfully.

"Go! I'll be waiting for your good news!" Li Huaide didn't even look up, his gaze fixed on the documents, his tone regaining the authority of a deputy factory director.

Stepping out of Li Huaide's office, where the heating was so strong it made one sweat slightly, Wei Chen gently closed the heavy wooden door. The relatively cool air in the corridor invigorated him.

His secretary, Liu Aiguo, who was waiting at the door, gave him a smile that was noticeably more friendly than before, even carrying a hint of ingratiation, and nodded. Wei Chen returned the polite smile and then left the small building that symbolized the center of power without lingering.

Instead of going straight back to the warm office in Group Three, he turned a corner and walked steadily toward the purchasing department's office area, located at the other end of the corridor on the same floor. The door to Liu Yuan's office was ajar, and the sounds of rustling papers and pens scratching across paper could be heard from inside.

Wei Chen stopped in front of the door and knocked three times on the door panel, neither too hard nor too soft.

"Come in." Liu Yuan's slightly tired voice came from inside. Wei Chen pushed the door open and went in.

Liu Yuan was buried in a pile of reports and documents, his brows furrowed, his pen flying across the paper.

Seeing that it was Wei Chen, he put down his pen, rubbed his throbbing temples, and pointed to the chair opposite his desk: "Sit down. How is it? Director Li wanted to see you... was it about the meat?" His tone was certain, with a knowing and worried tone that seemed to confirm his suspicions.

Wei Chen sat down and, without beating around the bush, got straight to the point, his tone solemn: "Team Leader Liu, Factory Director Li has assigned us an urgent task."

He deliberately emphasized the word "urgent" to highlight the seriousness of the matter: "The meat supply shortage before the New Year is too great, and the pressure on workers' welfare is unprecedented. The canteen is in dire need. Director Li has given me a strict order: I must do everything I can to overcome all difficulties and get a considerable amount of meat before the New Year, of any kind. The goal is to ensure that the canteen can provide the workers with two better meals in the latter half of the twelfth lunar month, so that everyone can have some meat in their stomachs and have a peaceful New Year."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yuan's brows furrowed instantly, a bitter smile more painful than a grimace appearing on his face. His fingers unconsciously tapped the table. "Sigh, more meat! I knew I couldn't avoid it! This mission… sigh, only a hunting expert like you could possibly succeed!"

He sighed heavily, swallowing back the less-than-respectful words that followed. "It's freezing cold here, there's not a single green plant in the ground. Our people have practically worn down the thresholds of the supply and marketing cooperative and the meat processing plant. We can't squeeze any more oil out of them. Where are we supposed to conjure up so much meat? Even a skilled cook can't cook without rice!" He was so worried that he kept scratching his head, clearly feeling hopeless about the task.

Looking at Liu Yuan's gloomy expression, Wei Chen calmly said, "The factory director also knows that there are many difficulties, but these are hard targets, and there is no way out. He instructed me... to make use of my strengths and utilize some special connections." He left it at that, without saying it explicitly, but the meaning was very clear.

A glint suddenly flashed in Liu Yuan's eyes, like a drowning man grasping at a last straw. The distress on his face was instantly replaced by an expression that mixed surprise, ecstasy, and immense hope. His voice rose several decibels: "You mean... your... 'hunter friends'? You've got connections?" He immediately remembered the several batches of substantial wild boar meat that Wei Chen had secretly obtained before, which had solved his immediate crisis!

"Hmm." Wei Chen nodded affirmatively, reassuring Liu Yuan, "The factory manager gave clear instructions: don't ask about the process, just look at the result. As long as we can get the meat, how we get it doesn't matter. So, Team Leader Liu, in order to complete the task, I plan to ask for a few days off and go back to our village."

First, he planned to try his luck by visiting some old hunters he knew, to see if they had any stock or connections. Second, if all else failed, he would go into the mountains himself and try his luck. The mountains weren't snowed in yet, so this was his last chance. His plan was clear, logical, and reasonable.