Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

The next day, just as dawn was breaking and the morning star was still hanging in the sky, Xu Damao had already ridden his "Forever" brand bicycle out of Nanluoguxiang.

A bulging canvas bag hung from the handlebars, containing dry food, a water bottle, and two packs of "Daqianmen" cigarettes—this was for "building rapport" with Wei Chen; he had already sensed the extraordinary nature of this country boy. Although he had played a role in the introduction, the relationship still needed to be maintained; perhaps his future success would depend on this kid.

He pedaled incredibly fast, the wheels rolling over the bumpy dirt road, making his buttocks numb, but he didn't care at all.

"A thousand catties of wild boar... a permanent employee... Director Li's trust..." These keywords swirled in his mind, filling him with energy. He could almost see the bright future ahead: after accomplishing this great task, his status in the factory would rise, and his words would carry more weight with the leaders.

"Wei Chen, Wei Chen, you better not let me down!" Xu Damao muttered to himself as he looked at the dirt road leading to the West Mountain, which was faintly visible in the morning mist, and pedaled harder.

The bicycle chain made a cheerful and rapid "click" sound, carrying Xu Damao and a major transaction about to take place in Baoyuquan Village, concerning "wild boar" and "future", speeding towards the distant mountain village.

The sun climbed high into the sky, turning the fields outside Baoyuquan Village a dazzling golden hue. The wheat had long been harvested, leaving only neat rows of stubble in the fields, reflecting the bright sunlight in the gentle breeze.

Wang Xiulan, bent over and wearing an old straw hat with frayed edges, was wielding a hoe, carefully clearing the weeds between the furrows in preparation for the next autumn harvest.

Sweat streamed down her tanned face, dripping into the dry soil and disappearing instantly. Beside her, Wei Chen was also sweating profusely, his movements swift and precise; with each swing of his hoe, weeds fell to the ground.

He was young and strong, and possessed internal energy. The lingering aura from the "Nine Heavens Sun-Shooting Technique" made him far more capable of farm work than ordinary people, yet he remained meticulous, cleaning every furrow of the land thoroughly. Reborn, he especially cherished this simple labor and the time spent working together with his mother.

Just as Wei Chen straightened up, preparing to wipe the sweat from his brow with the old towel draped around his neck, a figure hurried along the path at the edge of the field. It was his uncle, Wei Changsheng. He was running rather fast, and sweat was beading on his forehead. His dark blue old jacket was open, revealing a faded undershirt underneath.

"Chenzi! Chenzi!" Wei Changsheng called out from afar, his voice slightly breathless and filled with obvious doubt.

"Uncle? What's wrong?" Wei Chen put down his hoe and went to greet him. Wang Xiulan also stopped what she was doing, straightened up, and looked at her brother-in-law with some concern.

Wei Changsheng ran over, wiped his sweat, lowered his voice, and frowned slightly: "Chenzi, that... Comrade Xu from Dongying Village, Xu Damao, is here! He's waiting at our house, specifically asking for you! I told him to have some tea inside and wait, but he's coming over to call you right away."

He paused, lowered his voice even further, and said with a hint of inquiry, "This... I just saw him a few days ago. Why is he rushing to my door like this today? He seemed restless in the yard and didn't even have the appetite to drink his tea."

Wei Chen understood that Xu Damao had received confirmation from Deputy Factory Director Li and was eager to confirm the batch of "wild boars".

He subtly revealed a hint of realization and embarrassment on his face, then turned to his mother, Wang Xiulan, and said, "Mom, please rest for a while. It's like this, a few days ago when we were watching a movie, I mentioned it to the projectionist, Xu..."

He scratched his head, his face bearing the typical "reckless" yet "embarrassed" expression of a young man. "Actually, it wasn't my idea; it was my master's."

"Master Zhao?" Wang Xiulan and her uncle Wei Changsheng both looked at him. Zhao Gensheng was a well-known old hunter in the village and Wei Chen's real master. Although he was aloof, he had indeed taken good care of their family.

"Yes," Wei Chen nodded, speaking steadily as he recounted the reasons he had already woven, "My master said I'm not young anymore and can't stay cooped up in the mountains all my life, dealing with dirt and clods of earth. He knows I'm strong, so I've learned some hunting skills from him."

A few months ago, he set several large traps in the mountains and, luckily, managed to catch several wild boars, both large and small, all still alive. My master kept these wild boars in a secret cave in the mountains and told me to find an opportunity to go to Beijing and ask which factory needed them and if I could exchange them for a proper job.

That day, I ran into projectionist Xu at the movies. I figured he worked in a factory in the city and had connections, so I casually asked him to help me inquire. I guess he must have made a good call, because he made a special trip for me.

These words were perfectly reasonable, explaining the origin of the wild boar (attributing it to his master), clarifying his purpose (changing jobs), and portraying himself as a young man who obeyed his master's arrangements and worked hard. Wei Chen had thought about this reasoning for a long time before coming up with it. Sure enough, after listening, Wang Xiulan and her uncle Wei Changsheng's doubts disappeared, replaced by feelings of gratitude and relief.

"Oh dear, so it was Master Zhao's idea! He really... really worries about you so much, Chenzi!" Wang Xiulan's eyes were a little moist as she wiped her eyes with the back of her rough hand. "It's time to go out and make a name for yourself! Learning skills from Master Zhao is a way out!" She was always grateful for Zhao Gensheng's care and guidance for her son.

Uncle Wei Changsheng nodded repeatedly, patting Wei Chen heavily on the shoulder: "Master Zhao is so generous! He treats you like his own son! Chenzi, you must remember this kindness! When you become successful in the future, you must take good care of your master!" His gaze towards Wei Chen was full of encouragement and expectation, "This is a good thing! A great thing! Let's go, hurry back! Don't keep Comrade Xu waiting!"

"Okay!" Wei Chen responded, then said to his mother, "Mom, don't overwork yourself, I'll just go back and check on things."

"Go on, go on, Mother knows." Wang Xiulan waved her hand, a smile on her face, and bent down to weed again, but her movements were noticeably lighter, as if the road leading to the city under her son's feet had already been laid out before her eyes.

Wei Chen followed his uncle, hurrying towards the village. Along the way, Wei Changsheng kept praising Master Zhao and urging Wei Chen to be grateful. Wei Chen responded politely, but his mind was already on the upcoming transaction.

In his uncle's courtyard, Xu Damao couldn't sit still. He had already drunk the cheap tea in the rough porcelain bowl until it lost its color, but it couldn't suppress the anxiety and eagerness in his heart.

He paced back and forth in the small courtyard, where a few strings of red peppers were drying in the sun, his brand-new leather shoes treading on the compacted earth, oblivious to the dust that got on them.

The sunlight was a bit blinding, and he kept glancing at his gleaming Shanghai brand watch, his brow furrowed. With each passing second, his anxiety grew: Was Wei Chen playing a trick on me? Did that thousand-pound wild boar... really exist?

The courtyard gate creaked open, and Wei Chen and his uncle appeared in the doorway. Xu Damao's eyes lit up, like a drowning man grasping at a straw, and he rushed forward in one stride, completely abandoning the "reserve" he had shown in the factory manager's office.

"Brother Wei Chen! You're finally back!" Xu Damao's voice was clearly anxious, and he forced an overly enthusiastic smile. He reached out to pat Wei Chen's shoulder, but Wei Chen subtly stepped aside half an inch.

He didn't care and asked eagerly, "What we talked about that night... the wild boars! What's the latest news on that batch of wild boars? Do you have any definite answer? When can we get them? Director Li is waiting!" He asked in one breath, his eyes fixed on Wei Chen's face, afraid of missing the slightest change in expression.

Wei Chen gave a calm smile, meeting Xu Damao's burning gaze, and said in a calm and confident tone, "Brother Xu, don't worry. My master has everything ready. Two large and five small, seven heads, all lively and fresh, are kept in a cave. We can kill them whenever we need them, otherwise they'll have bad luck coming down the mountain. If the factory really wants them, we can hand them over this afternoon."

"This afternoon?!" Xu Damao's voice suddenly rose, filled with unbelievable elation, but he quickly suppressed it, urgently asking, "Are you sure? We can get it this afternoon? Where? How do we hand it over?"

He felt his heart pounding wildly in his chest, as if he could already see Deputy Director Li's approving gaze and his own rising status in the factory.

"Of course, I'm sure." Wei Chen nodded and explained clearly, "Around 3 PM, have the factory send a truck to pick it up. As for the location..."

He paused for a moment, then pointed to the road leading out of the village towards Dongying Village. "Go out of the village and follow this road for about two kilometers. There's an abandoned, dilapidated stone house at the foot of the mountain by the roadside. Half of the walls have collapsed, and the roof is gone. It seems to have been used for sentry duty. The handover will take place there." He described it in detail to ensure that Xu Damao could convey the message accurately.

"A dilapidated stone house? Okay! I remember that place!" Xu Damao nodded repeatedly. He had seen that place many times in movies and remembered it.

He rubbed his hands together, his face beaming with undisguised excitement: "Great! Brother Wei Chen, you really are something!" He gave a thumbs up. "Director Li has spoken. As long as you deliver the wild boar safely, he'll personally handle the paperwork for you! He'll get you a job at the steel rolling mill as a purchasing agent! A permanent employee! With government-supplied grain rations!"