Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

Jin Aimin's office was small, but it was clean and tidy, with military maps and banners hanging on the walls. He was sitting behind his desk, holding a document in his hand, but he was clearly absent-minded, with an undisguised look of joy on his face.

Upon seeing Wei Chen enter, he immediately put down the documents, stood up with a beaming smile, and greeted him with even greater enthusiasm than when he borrowed the gun last time.

"Wei Chen! Hahaha! Please sit down! You've worked so hard! You've done a tremendous service to our steel rolling mill this time!" Jin Aimin gripped Wei Chen's hand tightly and shook it up and down.

"When we were unloading the truck just now, a few of the guys in our department went to see it, and they all came back incredibly excited! Good heavens, those wild boars were like small mountains! I heard you shot eight of them with your own bow and arrow? Amazing! Truly amazing!" He looked at Wei Chen with admiration and a sense of pride that "I was right about the person I chose."

"Vice Chairman Jin, you flatter me. It was just good luck." Wei Chen smiled modestly, untied the long, oilcloth-covered bag from his shoulder, and handed it over with both hands. "Vice Chairman Jin, the gun is intact and returned to its rightful owner. Thank you for your trust!"

Jin Aimin took the gun case; it felt heavy in his hand. He didn't open it immediately to check, but casually placed it on his desk, clearly trusting Wei Chen completely. He asked with interest, "How is it? Is this gun easy to use? How does it compare to your bow and arrow?"

Wei Chen timely revealed a hint of "shame" and "awkwardness" on his face, scratching his head: "Deputy Jin, to be honest... this gun is a good gun, with strong firepower and long range. But... maybe it's because I'm used to using bows and arrows, this iron thing just feels... a bit awkward in my hands. After firing a few shots, I feel like I can't aim as accurately as I do with my bow and arrows."

He was half telling the truth. He was certainly aware of the power of firearms, but at this moment he needed to emphasize his "sharp archer" persona and downplay his familiarity with firearms, especially in front of an expert like Jin Aimin.

Furthermore, his bow and arrows were not like ordinary bows and arrows; he could be considered an "arrow master"! Their power was certainly greater than that of a gun! Of course, this was something he couldn't reveal to others.

"Hahaha!" Jin Aimin burst into laughter upon hearing this, pointing at Wei Chen, "You little brat! You've got some nerve! This Type 56 semi-automatic is proper standard equipment! But..."

He changed the subject, adding an encouraging tone, "Don't worry if you don't know how to use it! Just practice more! You're a registered militia member now! You'll have plenty of opportunities in the future!"

He walked up to Wei Chen, his tone friendly and conciliatory, and whispered, "Come see me whenever you have time! I'll personally take you to our militia training! Target practice, grenade throwing, tactical maneuvers—I'll teach you everything! Sharpshooters are made by firing bullets! Our steel mill's militia training has plenty of ammunition! With enough practice, you'll be better than with your bow and arrow!"

Wei Chen's heart stirred slightly. Jin Aimin's words were both a gesture of goodwill and a demonstration of the resources and strength of the security department, or rather the militia system, subtly implying that he wanted to be recruited into this circle. This suited him perfectly.

"That's wonderful! Thank you for your guidance, Vice President Jin!" Wei Chen immediately showed a look of gratitude and admiration. Then, he changed the subject, lowering his voice even further, with a tacit hint, "Vice President Jin, besides completing the factory's task this time in the mountains, I also managed to hunt two wild boars myself. They were about the same quality as the ones we brought back, quite plump. You see... the security personnel work very hard in their training and duty. With the New Year approaching, would you like to... improve their meals a bit?"

Jin Aimin's eyes lit up instantly! Like searchlights! His smile became even brighter, even carrying a hint of barely perceptible excitement.

Two wild boars! And they were as big as the "small mountains" that were brought back to the factory! That means at least three or four hundred pounds of meat! In previous years, the security department had more than a hundred people, and each person was already considered to be treated exceptionally well by the factory if they could get two pounds of pork during the Spring Festival.

If he could suddenly have a few hundred more pounds of wild boar meat... how prosperous would that year be? How much would his prestige in the security department soar? How secure would his position as deputy section chief be?

"We need it! We absolutely need it!" Jin Aimin blurted out, slapping Wei Chen's shoulder hard with such force that it showed his excitement. "Brother Wei Chen! You're so thoughtful! I... I don't even know what to say!"

At this moment, he had quietly changed his way of addressing Wei Chen from "Comrade Wei Chen" to the more intimate "Brother".

He quickly opened a drawer, took out a notepad and a pen, scribbled down an address, and stuffed it into Wei Chen's hand: "Here! This is a... um... supply storage point in the suburbs of our security department. It's very safe and secluded. Just drop it off here tonight! When you get there, just say that Deputy Jin sent you. The people on duty inside are our own people!" He specifically emphasized the words "our own people."

Wei Chen took the note and glanced at it. The address was very specific: a house in a place called Liulin Hutong near the southwest of the steel rolling mill. He nodded knowingly, "Understood, Deputy Jin. I'll deliver it on time tonight."

"Good! Good! Good brother!" Jin Aimin's smile was practically overflowing. He felt that his return on investment this time was ridiculously high! He led Wei Chen to the gun storage room next door and watched Wei Chen sign the register to complete the gun return procedure.

After the formalities were completed, Jin Aimin personally escorted Wei Chen to the security office. Before parting, he put his arm around Wei Chen's shoulder, his voice low but full of strength: "Brother, in the future, if anything happens at the factory, no matter how big or small, just come to me! As long as we're in the right, we have nothing to fear from anyone! The security office is our backbone!"

This promise carried immense weight. It meant that, within the territory of the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill, Wei Chen now officially had the powerful backing of the deputy head of the security department.

"Thank you, Brother Jin!" Wei Chen also changed his form of address at the right time and thanked him solemnly. This "Brother Jin" made Jin Aimin even more pleased, and he patted him on the back forcefully.

After leaving the security office, Wei Chen didn't go to the purchasing office. Carrying his empty canvas satchel, he walked alone towards the huge gate of the steel rolling mill, braving the biting evening wind.

The afterglow of the setting sun cast a long shadow of him. Behind him, the factory was still bustling and busy, immersed in the joy of "mountains of meat"; in front of him, the city of Beijing was gradually darkening and the city lights were beginning to come on.

He squeezed the slip of paper with the address of Liulin Hutong written on it in his pocket, and then felt the heavy sum of more than five thousand yuan, a thick stack of receipts, two precious deer antlers, and the two wild boars that he was about to deliver under the cover of night in his backpack.

Upgraded salary and benefits, Li Huaide's reliance on him, Jin Aimin's promise, and the resources in the space that could change the fate of many people... A net woven from interests, human relationships, and power is slowly unfolding beneath his feet.

A calm yet profound smile curved Wei Chen's lips. He tightened the collar of his old cotton-padded coat, took a step forward, and his figure quickly disappeared into the vast winter twilight of the capital. His path, nestled between power and the mundane, at the boundary between light and darkness, was clearly stretching forward.

The biting north wind swirled the last few withered leaves in the alley, whipping them around and stinging his face with a chilling, knife-like touch. Wei Chen tightened the collar of his old cotton-padded coat, buried his chin in the raised fur collar, and stepped lightly into the familiar, brightly painted gate of No. 95 Nanluoguxiang.

The front yard was quiet, except at the door of the west wing, where Aunt Yan Bugui's husband was hunched over, laboriously pouring water he had just gotten from the public tap into a large water vat that was about half a person's height.

The heavy iron bucket made her arms tremble slightly, and the icy water splashed out, wetting the cuffs of her cotton trousers, instantly forming a thin layer of white frost.

Hearing footsteps, she looked up and saw Wei Chen, forcing a smile: "Oh, Wei Chen's back? It's been so long since I've seen you!"

"Auntie." Wei Chen stopped and nodded politely. "I had some tasks at the factory and went out to run them. I just got back today."

"Oh dear, running around in this freezing weather must have been exhausting!" The third auntie put down her bucket, leaned against the edge of the water vat to catch her breath, and her shrewd eyes swept over Wei Chen with the scrutinizing look typical of alleyway aunties. "Look at you, all travel-worn. Did you get the job done? Did you catch a chill?"

"It's alright, everything's going smoothly." Wei Chen didn't want to say more and replied vaguely, "You're busy, I'll go back to my room first."

"Alright, alright, hurry back inside and warm up!" The third aunt waved her hand, but her gaze was still fixed on Wei Chen's seemingly empty old satchel, as if she was wondering what he had brought back from this "mission".

Passing through the hanging flower gate between the front and middle courtyards, a richer sense of daily life washes over you. At the entrance to Yi Zhonghai's main house in the middle courtyard, an older woman is carrying a winnowing basket filled with freshly picked, slightly wilted cabbage stalks. Seeing Wei Chen, her face immediately lights up with a warm smile: "Little Wei's back? You've been gone quite a while, have you done everything at home?"

"Auntie," Wei Chen said with a genuine smile. This auntie was known in the neighborhood for her kindness and generosity. "I'm all right, thank you for thinking of me. I just got back from a long trip."

"It's good that you're back safe and sound. Go back inside and rest. The stove is probably out, so we need to get it going quickly," an older woman said with concern.

Just then, the curtain of the Jia family's door was lifted with a "whoosh." Qin Huairu came out carrying a steaming enamel basin, clearly heading towards the communal water basin.

She stopped in her tracks the moment she saw Wei Chen, her face instantly breaking into a perfectly timed smile tinged with surprise. Her voice rose slightly, radiating familiarity: "Oh! Brother Wei Chen! You're finally back! How many days has it been? It must have been two weeks, right? My mother-in-law was just talking about it the other day, wondering if Little Wei from the East Courtyard had been transferred?"