Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

The dishes in the kitchen were washed and put away, and the stove was polished to a shine by Wang Xiulan. The last trace of water evaporated quietly in the residual heat of the stove. Wang Xiulan carefully checked everything to make sure nothing was missed before she breathed a sigh of relief.

She walked to the small stove connected to the main house's fireplace, picked up the stove hook and fire tongs, and carefully poked at the embers still remaining in the firebox. Several red-hot coal nuggets were moved to the center, covered with a thin layer of fresh coal dust, and then the gaps were carefully filled with ash, leaving only a small vent.

After doing all this, the fire in the stove is effectively "sealed," which not only prevents the indoor temperature from dropping suddenly, but also allows the coal to burn slowly, saving fuel.

"Chen'er, the stove is sealed up, you should rest early too." Wang Xiulan called out to the main room, her voice carrying the weariness of labor, but even more so, satisfaction.

Today, her son brought home his salary and New Year's goods, especially that piece of oily pork weighing about a pound. It was like a reassuring pill, making her feel that she had truly settled down in the city and had something to look forward to.

"Okay, Mom. You should go to bed early too." Wei Chen's voice came from the main room. He was flipping through a car repair manual under the lamp. He had borrowed it from the factory library during his break time to prepare for future "technology".

Although I am a purchasing agent, in this era without entertainment, I want to learn something to pass the time. I can drive in modern times, but in this era, drivers not only need to know how to drive, but also how to repair cars, so I'm looking for some books to read.

The courtyard was enveloped in the tranquility unique to a winter night. A few distant barks of dogs echoed, further emphasizing the secluded atmosphere of the courtyard. The cool moonlight shone on the blue brick floor, illuminating the icicles hanging from the eaves, which shimmered with a frosty light.

Just then, a gentle knocking sound pierced the silent night sky, coming from the direction of the moon gate.

"Tap, tap tap."

The sound wasn't loud, but it was enough to startle the family who were just about to rest.

Wang Xiulan's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively looked towards the main house. Who could it be so late? Wei Chen had already put down his book, his brows furrowed, a hint of wariness flashing in his eyes. He stood up and casually switched on the dim yellow light under the eaves—he had installed the wiring himself for easy access at night. The orange glow dispelled a small patch of darkness near the doorway.

"Mom, I'll go take a look." Wei Chen said, picking up a thick cotton-padded coat and putting it on before walking out of the main room. Wang Xiulan quickly followed, unconsciously clutching the corner of her apron in her hand, showing a hint of caution as she faced an unknown guest.

The mother and son walked to the moon gate. Wei Chen took a deep breath and pulled open the heavy bolt.

Two people stood outside the door. The one in front was Xu Damao, with his usual slightly exaggerated smile on his face. Half a step behind him stood a man who looked about six or seven parts similar to him, about forty years old, slightly shorter than Xu Damao, and also slightly thinner, wearing a worn dark blue Zhongshan suit with a similarly worn cotton overcoat over it.

The man's face was more square than Xu Damao's, with deep wrinkles around his eyes and mouth, but his gaze was more composed and... shrewd than Xu Damao's. He was slightly squinting, subtly observing the layout of the courtyard inside the moon gate by the light Wei Chen had turned on.

"Hey! Brother Wei Chen, Auntie, still awake? Sorry to bother you!" As soon as the door opened, Xu Damao immediately put on a smile, deliberately raising his voice a few notches, with a hint of enthusiasm.

"Brother Da Mao? And who is this?" Wei Chen asked calmly, his gaze falling on the unfamiliar man.

"Hey, look at my memory!" Xu Damao slapped his forehead, stepped aside to make room, and enthusiastically introduced, "This is my dad, Xu Wude! Dad, this is the neighbor I mentioned to you, Wei Chen from the purchasing department of the steel rolling mill, and this is Aunt Wang."

Xu Wude immediately flashed a perfectly timed, gentle smile, like that of an elder. He stepped forward and extended his hand, saying, "Comrade Wei Chen, right? Hello, hello! I've heard Da Mao mention you before; you're young and promising! Is this Wei's wife? I'm so sorry to disturb your rest." His voice was soft and steady, carrying the politeness of an old man. However, his gaze swept quickly across Wei Chen's face, his clothes, and the courtyard behind him, like a searchlight, finally landing on Wang Xiulan, where he nodded slightly in greeting.

"Hello, Uncle Xu." Wei Chen extended his hand and shook hands with him, feeling that the other man's palm was a little rough, but very strong. "Please come in quickly, it's cold outside." He stepped aside to make way for him.

"Okay, okay," Xu Wude replied, stepping through the moon gate. As soon as he entered the courtyard, his gaze became even more unrestrained as he looked around.

By the light shining through the windows of the main house and the streetlights under the eaves, he could clearly see the layout of this small courtyard: two rows of houses, the main house and the east wing. The courtyard was not small and was kept exceptionally clean and tidy.

The ground was paved with blue bricks, and in one corner there was even a small chicken coop enclosed with broken bricks. Several trees were planted in the yard, and although there were only bare branches at the moment, one could imagine what it would be like in the spring. On the south side of the yard, a large open space had been turned into a vegetable garden.

The windows were sparkling clean, and strings of golden corn and bright red dried chilies hung under the eaves, exuding a strong sense of daily life and a rare sense of neatness.

"Wow!" Xu Wood couldn't help but exclaim sincerely, his voice particularly clear in the quiet courtyard. "This yard... it's so beautifully maintained! Neat and tidy! It's clearly the home of someone who appreciates quality!"

He walked with his hands behind his back, looking around with admiration and a hint of barely perceptible... assessment in his eyes. "Much better than those houses in our backyard! Comrade Wei Chen, you and your mother really know how to manage a household!"

Wang Xiulan was a little embarrassed by the praise and quickly said, "Comrade Xu, you flatter me. It was just tidying up haphazardly. It's just how country people are; they can't stand mess."

"This isn't just haphazard tidying up," Xu Wude shook his head, his tone certain. "This is skillful housekeeping! Sister-in-law, you're too modest." As he spoke, his gaze swept over Wei Chen's heavy-duty 28-inch bicycle parked under the eaves. The wheels and frame were spotless, without a speck of mud.

As they spoke, the group reached the door of the main house. Wei Chen pushed open the door, and a warm aroma, a mixture of the warmth of the stove fire and the faint scent of wood, wafted out, instantly dispelling the chill from everyone's bodies.

"Please come in." Wei Chen ushered the Xu family father and son into the living room.

The living room wasn't large, and its furnishings were simple, yet thoughtfully designed. It had a 1990s feel to it, with a long solid wood table and cabinets, and a wooden sofa. The most striking feature was the fireplace built against the wall, currently radiating a stable and comfortable warmth, making the entire room feel like springtime. A makeshift stove made from a tin bucket sat in the corner, adding even more coziness.

"Wow! It's so warm!" Xu Damao exclaimed dramatically as he entered, rubbing his hands together and stamping his feet. He then plopped down unceremoniously in the chair closest to the fireplace, letting out a comfortable sigh. "Brother Wei Chen, your room is like springtime! It's so much better than our broken stove!"

Xu Wude also took off his cotton-padded coat and draped it over the back of the chair, feeling the temperature in the room. A glint of light flashed in his eyes as he praised, "Yes, this temperature is so comfortable! There's not a trace of coal smoke. Comrade Wei Chen, you have a knack for keeping warm, don't you?" He looked at Wei Chen with a curious expression.

Wei Chen poured hot water for the two of them and explained, "When the house was built, a fire wall was specially added. The flues for the stove and this small furnace both go through the wall before going out, so the heat can be retained. It's just..." He paused, a helpless smile appearing on his face, "...it uses too much coal. In winter, we burn a lot more coal than other people."

"It's worth the extra coal!" Xu Damao exclaimed. "This comfort is unbearable, what's a little extra coal cost? Right, Dad?" Xu Wude nodded in agreement: "That's right. A warm body is better than anything else. Comrade Wei Chen has good judgment; this investment is worthwhile."

He picked up the white porcelain mug, blew on the steam, took a small sip, and then glanced around the room. It was clean and tidy; although there weren't many valuable decorations, the cabinets and wooden sofas were not something the average person could afford, but the whole house exuded a sense of down-to-earth living.

His opinion of Wei Chen silently rose a few points: This young man is no ordinary person. The fact that he could hunt so many wild boars shows that he has the ability and connections; the house is well-built, which shows that he is smart and resourceful; the house is so tidy, and his mother seems to be a decent person, which shows that she has a good upbringing.

After exchanging a few pleasantries about the weather and work, Xu Damao got to the point: "Brother Weichen, Auntie, my dad is coming back this time mainly to stay with my mom in the yard for a while." He looked at Xu Wude.

Xu Wude put down his teacup and took over the conversation, explaining calmly, "Yes. Don't laugh at me, but my wife and I used to live in this backyard. Later, I was transferred to a movie theater in the east of the city, which was too far from here, and it was really inconvenient to travel back and forth. So we gave the two rooms in the backyard to Damao, thinking it would be convenient for him to get married and start a family in the future. My wife and I found a small room near the movie theater to live in."

He sighed, a perfectly measured look of homesickness on his face. "When people get old, they become nostalgic. The movie theater hasn't been too busy lately, and Da Mao's mother keeps talking about our old neighbors, so we thought we might as well move back for a while and get to know our neighbors again."

He paused, then looked sincerely at Wei Chen and Wang Xiulan: "You two are new residents, we didn't know each other before. So, since we just got back, we're visiting each other's homes to get acquainted. A close neighbor is worse than a distant relative, right? We'll be living in the same courtyard from now on, so we'll need to look after each other. We're only visiting you now, so please don't think we're bothering you." His words were impeccable, sincere, and he presented the reason of "visiting new neighbors" as perfectly reasonable.

Wei Chen understood. Although he didn't participate in the calculations of each household in this courtyard, he saw them clearly. Xu Wude's words sounded reasonable, but he keenly sensed a deliberate observation deep in the other's eyes.