Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

"Well done!"

"Well done, Wei Chen!"

"Buying three sets is excellent!"

A deafening roar of cheers and applause erupted from the crowd! Countless admiring, grateful, and excited gazes were focused on Wei Chen and Liu Yuan.

Factory Director Yang also stepped forward, a gentle and approving smile on his face, and nodded to Wei Chen: "Comrade Wei Chen, you've done a great job! You've shared the factory's burdens and solved its problems; your spirit is commendable! Your abilities are outstanding!" Although it was only a few short sentences, the affirmation from the top leader carried great weight.

Seizing the opportunity, Li Huaide immediately displayed his decisive and efficient side, yelling at the logistics director and the canteen manager, "Old Zhao! Old Wang! What are you all standing around for! Immediately organize people to unload the truck! Weigh it! All canteen chefs, assemble! Boil water tonight! Slaughter the pig! Clean it up thoroughly!"

He then turned to the excited crowd, his voice booming, and announced some explosive news: "Comrades! To celebrate the triumphant return of the third purchasing team, and to thank everyone for their hard work! I hereby announce that starting tomorrow, every employee in the factory will receive an extra three meat and vegetable coupons! From now on, all the factory canteens will guarantee one meat dish every other day! Let everyone have a good treat!"

"Oh—!!!" "Long live Factory Director Li!" "We'll get meat!" "Long live Wei Chen!"

The cheers reached their peak instantly! Like a tsunami, they swept across the entire factory area! The workers jumped, shouted, and pounded on each other excitedly, the joyful atmosphere boiling and burning in the cold winter night!

Nothing is more exhilarating than a real meal of meat! At this moment, Wei Chen's name, along with the labels of "meat" and "hero," was deeply imprinted in the hearts of every worker at the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill.

Li Huaide looked with satisfaction at the boisterous crowd and the mountain of flesh symbolizing victory, then glanced at Wei Chen beside him, who was as steady as a mountain and neither arrogant nor impatient. His evaluation and reliance on this young man reached an unprecedented height.

He whispered to his secretary, "Make a note of this. Comrade Wei Chen and the entire Third Group have made significant contributions and must be richly rewarded! Also, notify the Publicity Department to give this a proper report!"

Amidst deafening cheers and countless fervent gazes, Wei Chen stood calmly. He felt the surging internal energy within him, his gaze sweeping over the mountain of wild boar meat about to be dismembered, finally settling on the bright lights of the office building. He knew this was just the beginning. That magnificent tiger skin, that yellowed ancient prescription, and the tiger bone wine about to be brewed… his path was still long.

For him, an outsider from another world, the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill would be an important starting point and stage in this special era. Amidst the clamor and glory, his heart remained clear, filled only with unwavering determination for the future and a thirst for power.

The deafening cheers gradually subsided like the receding tide, but the clamor and fervor in the open space in front of the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill office building lingered for a long time.

The massive truck, like a conquered mountain of flesh, silently accepted the scrutiny of the crowd. The air was thick with the stench of blood, the savage smell of mutton, and a burning aura of "hope."

The strong men from the logistics department and canteen were already in action, surrounding the truck like ants carrying food. Thick ropes were swung up, the pulleys creaked, and the heavy wild boar carcass was carefully unloaded and slammed heavily onto the scales covered with thick tarpaulins. Each slam was accompanied by a dull thud and suppressed gasps from the onlookers.

"Wow! This one weighs 385 jin!"

"This one is even bigger! Four hundred and two!"

"Write it down quickly! Write it down quickly!"

The logistics officer in charge of recording was trembling slightly, and the numbers he wrote down were increasingly astonishing. Several head chefs from the canteen gathered around several wild boars with clean and neat wounds, marveling at their work.

"Old Zhang, look at this wound! Tsk tsk, an arrow through the heart! The accuracy, the power, amazing!" Fat Master Wang pointed at the wild boar that Wei Chen had hunted and exclaimed to another master.

"Indeed! Wei Chen is a real hidden talent!" Master Zhang stroked his chin, his eyes filled with curiosity and admiration.

Wei Chen, Liu Yuan, and the other members of the purchasing team were specially arranged by the logistics director to rest temporarily in an empty small conference room on the first floor of the office building. Here, far away from the noise of unloading and countless probing eyes, once the door was closed, it seemed to isolate them from the bustling world outside.

Liu Guoqing slumped unceremoniously in a hard wooden chair, feeling as if all the bones in his body had been removed, leaving only soreness and exhaustion.

He let out a long sigh of relief, filled with the joy of surviving a close call: "My god... I'm finally back... Brother Wei, next time there's a 'mountain of flesh' mission like this, give the brothers a heads-up beforehand so I can practice my weightlifting skills first..."

Hu Songnian rubbed his aching back and said with a wry smile, "Weightlifting? I think I should practice how to sit steadily on a pile of wild boars first! My butt is still numb from all the bumpy ride! But..."

He changed the subject, a satisfied smile spreading across his chubby face. "Worth it! Absolutely worth it! Just for that scene, I'd gladly endure ten more rides!"

Jin Dong was relatively calm, but his excitement was hard to hide. He looked at Wei Chen and said sincerely, "Comrade Wei Chen, we owe you so much this time. Without you, our Group Three... let alone receiving praise, we might not even have completed the mission!" Wu Xiaojun was so tired that he couldn't even speak, but he nodded vigorously at Wei Chen, his eyes filled with pure admiration and gratitude.

Liu Yuan poured himself a cup of hot water, the scalding steam blurring his bloodshot yet unusually bright eyes. He took a big gulp, feeling the warmth travel down his throat to his stomach, soothing the anxiety and tension of the past few days.

He walked over to Wei Chen, patted him heavily on the shoulder, his voice deep but full of weight: "Brother, there's nothing more to say. This merit, this favor, I'll remember it, and the entire Third Group will remember it!"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the others. "Wei Chen deserves the most credit for this mission! Without his infiltration of the enemy's lair, we wouldn't have achieved this victory today! Go back and keep your mouths shut. Don't ask what you shouldn't ask, and don't say what you shouldn't say! Understand?"

"Understood!" "Don't worry, team leader!" "Understood!"

The group spoke in unison, their expressions solemn.

They all knew that Wei Chen harbored secrets, and his "hunter friends" deep in the mountains were even more enigmatic. But in this era of extreme scarcity, where obtaining meat was a heroic act, delving into its source was foolish. Protecting Wei Chen meant protecting the meat supply chain for their group three and even the entire purchasing department.

There was a gentle knock on the conference room door, and a young officer from the logistics department poked his head in, his face beaming with barely suppressed excitement: "Team Leader Liu, Comrade Wei Chen! The statistics are in! The total... the total weight is in!"

All eyes immediately focused on him. "How much?" Liu Yuan's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible tension.

The young officer took a deep breath and announced a number that struck like a thunderbolt: "Twenty-eight wild boars, weighing a total of eight thousand seven hundred and thirty-six catties! The whole thing!" He almost shouted it out, his voice trembling.

"Over 8,700 jin?!" Liu Guoqing jumped up from his chair, his eyes wide open.

"My God..." Hu Songnian's mouth dropped open, and he almost dropped the enamel mug in his hand.

Jin Dong and Wu Xiaojun also gasped, their hearts pounding. Although they were somewhat prepared, hearing such a massive number, down to the pound, was still incredibly shocking!

Liu Yuan felt a surge of heat rush to his head. The pressure of the past few days and the immense joy at this moment intertwined, making even this tough man's eyes well up with tears.

He squeezed his eyes shut, and when he opened them again, his voice was much calmer, carrying a sense of relief and acceptance: "Good! Good! Thank you for your hard work! What about the price? As previously agreed?"

"Yes! According to the unplanned meat purchase price, it's six cents per pound!" the clerk said quickly. "The total amount is exactly five thousand two hundred and forty-one yuan and six cents! The invoice is already prepared, and the finance department is waiting for the signature and payment!"

Five thousand two hundred and forty-one yuan and sixty cents! This number was like a boulder crashing onto the lake of everyone's heart, creating towering waves! In an era when the average worker's monthly salary was only thirty or forty yuan, this amount of money was nothing short of astronomical! Enough to buy several decent courtyard houses in Beijing!

After a brief moment of shock and silence, Liu Yuan immediately resumed his decisive manner as team leader. He looked at Wei Chen, his tone filled with unwavering concern and resolve: "Wei Chen, the money is the most important thing! Take the slip to the finance department right away and collect the money! Leave immediately after you collect it; don't wait until the end of the workday!"

He leaned closer, lowered his voice, and said with an extremely serious expression, "So much money on you is like a ticking time bomb! Any delay could lead to something terrible! Go and deliver it to your 'friends' who are risking their lives in the mountains! They're definitely waiting for this money! We can't afford to waste a single moment!"

Wei Chen understood. Liu Yuan and his colleagues at the factory also believed that Wei Chen had contacted many hunters to buy these wild boars, because it was impossible for one person to hunt so many.

Liu Yuan had already given the perfect reason, explaining where the large sum of money had gone, emphasizing the urgency of the matter, and hinting at his "friend's" anxiety, thus preventing any possible covetousness or investigation from others. He nodded gratefully: "Understood, Brother Liu. I'll go right away."

"Okay, be careful on the road! Go straight to your business, don't delay! I'll give you a day off tomorrow! Take a good rest at home!" Liu Yuan solemnly reminded him again, and stuffed the receipt with the bright red logistics department stamp into Wei Chen's hand.

Wei Chen said nothing more, carefully folded the receipts, put them in the inside pocket of his cotton-padded coat, and got up to leave. The others in the meeting room also cast concerned glances at him. Hu Songnian even reminded him, "Wei Chen, bag! Take your bag! Put the money in it!"

Wei Chen then remembered that his faded military green canvas satchel was still hanging on the back of his chair. He picked it up, slung it over his shoulder, nodded to everyone, and quickly walked out of the conference room.

The finance department was located on the second floor of the factory building. An unusual atmosphere of excitement still permeated the corridor. Passing cadres invariably cast admiring, curious, or somewhat inquisitive glances at Wei Chen, with some even proactively greeting him with smiles: "Comrade Wei Chen, you've worked hard!" "Well done!"

Wei Chen simply nodded politely in response, continuing on his way. He arrived at the finance department; the heavy wooden door was wide open, and the interior was brightly lit. The department head and several accountants were clearly already on high alert.