Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

Yi Zhonghai came in from the backyard carrying a small bowl of minced meat porridge that he had carefully skimmed off the surface oil from, stewed until very tender, along with a small piece of pastry.

The old lady was leaning against the headboard, dozing with her eyes half-closed. "Grandma, wake up, have something to eat," Yi Zhonghai said gently. The deaf old lady opened her cloudy eyes, saw Yi Zhonghai, and grinned, revealing her few remaining teeth: "Zhonghai... thank you again..."

She took the bowl and sipped the porridge slowly, a look of contentment and peace on her face. For her, whether it was the New Year or not didn't matter much; having a hot, delicious meal and someone who cared about her was a blessing.

As dusk fell, the air in the courtyard was completely filled with the aromas of various cooking dishes. There was the strong, caramelized scent of rendered pork fat, the pungent aroma of scallions and ginger, and the delicate fragrance of stewed radishes and cabbages. Of course, the most enticing of all was the occasional, incredibly overpowering aroma of meat!

Although most families are frugal and reluctant to cook all the meat at once, cutting off a little bit of fat to render oil in the pan and stir-frying a dish, the aroma is enough to invigorate everyone in the yard.

The children, like little gluttons, gathered at the entrances of each family's kitchen, sniffing the air, only to be chased away by the adults with laughter and scolding.

Dusk completely enveloped the courtyard. Dim yellow light shone from the windows of each house, and the sounds of pots and pans clattering, chopping meat, adults scolding, children playing, and the tantalizing aroma of meat... all intertwined to create a unique New Year's Eve scene in the courtyard houses of this era.

In the afternoon, the bustling rush of people heading home from the steel rolling mill had long since subsided. The alley leading to Nanluoguxiang was dimly lit, and few people were visible. Wei Chen slowly pedaled his bicycle out of the factory's back gate. He had deliberately lingered for over half an hour to avoid the neighbors in the courtyard houses during rush hour. Now, the wheels crunched monotonously on the cobblestones, the sound particularly clear in the quiet alley.

The biting wind felt like knives against his face. Wei Chen pulled his cotton-padded coat collar tighter, his breath instantly dissipating into the icy air. As he pedaled, he focused his mind, immersing himself in the vast, boundless "space backpack" that only he could perceive. This space backpack, originating from the game world, became increasingly easy to control with his frequent use.

"Ten catties of wild boar meat..." he thought slightly. Almost simultaneously, a large piece of dark red, well-defined wild boar meat, exuding a rugged, mountain-forest feel, silently appeared in the previously empty willow basket tied to the side of the bicycle. Its heavy weight caused the handlebars to wobble slightly.

"Let's add some snacks..." A small bag of plump peanuts, fragrant with the scent of earth, and a packet of roasted sunflower seeds appeared in the corner of the basket.

"And... apples." The thought shifted again, and a dozen or so round, plump apples, their color as red as jewels, exuding a refreshing fruity aroma, were steadily stacked in the basket.

These apples were carefully cultivated by him using "cultivation techniques" on that magical game space land. They were large, thin-skinned, and juicy, making them a rare commodity in this era.

Wei Chen glanced at the basket with satisfaction out of the corner of his eye. 'It still needs some covering.' Several worn-out, patched work jackets appeared out of nowhere, skillfully covering the 'treasures' in the basket completely.

The entire process was seamless; he didn't even slow down. His mental energy, like invisible tentacles, precisely completed everything while he was riding. This exquisite control over spatial power brought a smug smile to his lips.

They were almost at the familiar vermilion gate of the courtyard house. From afar, Wei Chen saw a tall, thin figure standing like a statue waiting for its owner, stamping his feet and rubbing his hands, craning his neck to look towards the alley entrance. Who else could it be but Uncle Yan Bugui, the Third Uncle?

Yan Bugui spotted Wei Chen immediately. In the dim light, his face, which was slightly bluish from the cold wind, instantly erupted with barely suppressed excitement. He raised his foot to greet him, calling out, "Wei..."

Wei Chen's heart skipped a beat; he didn't want to cause a commotion at the door. He quickly waved his hand forcefully from the car, signaling Yan Bugui not to come over.

At the same time, he pointed with his other hand to the part of his bicycle basket covered by his clothes, then quickly and clearly pointed towards the inconspicuous south gate of his small courtyard. The movements were fluid and carried an undeniable implication.

Yan Bugui's words caught in his throat. He was first taken aback, his cloudy old eyes quickly scanning between Wei Chen's bicycle basket and the south gate, then he suddenly realized! That basket must contain wild boar meat!

This kid is cautious! Too cautious! Recalling Wei Chen's instructions—not to make a fuss, never to admit to switching meat, and to conduct the transaction at night when everyone was quiet—Yan Bugui's heart, which had been hanging on for almost a day because of a pound of meat, finally settled back into his stomach, and was immediately filled with immense joy.

He immediately put on an "I understand, I understand" expression, nodded vigorously at Wei Chen, and forced a fake smile that said "I'm just taking a walk and enjoying the scenery." Then, very "sensibly," he turned around as if nothing had happened, put his hands behind his back, and slowly strolled back to his front door. His steps were so light that he almost floated.

Seeing his reaction, Wei Chen chuckled inwardly: This third uncle, though scheming, is quick-witted when it matters, he's a smart man.

Wei Chen didn't go through the main gate, but instead went around to the south gate of his own courtyard, a secluded spot rarely frequented by people. He took out his key, quietly unlocked the slightly rusty lock, pushed the wooden door open with a creak, pushed his bicycle inside, and quickly turned back to bolt the door shut.

"Chen'er? Is that you? Why are you coming from the south gate?" Wang Xiulan's voice came from the kitchen, tinged with doubt. She was wearing an apron and busy at the stove, the unique aroma of cornmeal wafting from the pot.

"Mom, it's me." Wei Chen responded, propped up the car, and lifted the old clothes covering the basket.

When Wang Xiulan peeked out from the kitchen and saw what her son was taking out of the basket, she was completely stunned.

The heavy, ruggedly textured piece of wild boar meat had already surprised her, but when Wei Chen presented her with a dozen or so large, red apples that exuded an enticing fragrance, her eyes widened instantly, her mouth agape, and she remained speechless for a long time.

These apples are so beautiful! They're a deep, glossy red, and plump. She'd never seen such good-looking fruit in her life! The ones the supply and marketing cooperative occasionally sells are always wilted, small, and expensive—nothing compares to this.

"Chen...Chen'er? This...this meat...and this apple? Where...where did you get these?" Wang Xiulan's voice trembled slightly as she quickly walked over and carefully picked up an apple. The cool, smooth texture made her love it. She brought it to her nose and took a deep breath, the sweet taste refreshing her heart.

"How much money did this cost? We can't even finish all the meat we have now, why did you bring back so much? This wild boar meat... and these apples... it's such a waste of money!" She looked at her son with heartache, her voice full of worry.

Wei Chen had already prepared his explanation. He lowered his voice and said with a hint of "secret" pride, "Mom, don't worry, it didn't cost any money! I hunted this wild boar meat in the woods outside the city a few days ago when I had some free time. I just happened to be lucky enough to find it."

The pig's head and pork belly I brought back yesterday were traded for this, and I even kept this piece. As for the apples," he paused, pointing to the peanuts and melon seeds in the basket, "and these snacks, they were all traded with a fellow villager I know. He has connections and knows I like hunting, so it's a thank you for getting him some game. See, these come in handy? We can keep some of the apples for ourselves to enjoy."

Grandma Li's family in the backyard and Aunt Liu's family in the middle yard are both struggling financially, especially Aunt Liu's children, Xiaocao and her siblings. Their faces are sallow, and they didn't have much to eat for the New Year. Giving them some wild boar meat is a way of helping them out. As for Uncle San, I promised to trade some wild boar meat for him. This is perfect; everyone will assume I hunted it myself and won't suspect anything.

Listening to her son's explanation and seeing his calm and determined eyes, Wang Xiulan's doubts slowly dissipated, replaced by a warm feeling. Her son had grown up; he was methodical in his actions and even knew how to consider the feelings of his neighbors.

Especially when Grandma Li and Xiaocao's family were mentioned, Wang Xiulan nodded, her tone softening with relief: "My son is so thoughtful. Okay, Mom understands. This wild boar meat has a strong flavor, and it will be fragrant when stewed. Giving them some is just right, it won't attract attention." She didn't ask for more details, carefully placed the apples in a clean bowl, and then carried the wild boar meat to the cutting board.

"Oh, right," Wang Xiulan said, her face lighting up again as she recalled the results in the kitchen, "I rendered the lard, it's all white and there's a good sixteen or seventeen pounds of it! I've put it all in jars, enough to last a long time!"

The braised pig's head was thoroughly cooked and smelled delicious. That piece of pork belly, as you said, was first braised and then stewed; it's glossy and will keep well. We kept about five pounds of raw meat, a good mix of fat and lean, to make dumplings for New Year's Eve!" Her tone carried a hint of pride, as if she had accomplished a major feat.

Wei Chen exclaimed sincerely, "Mom, you're so efficient! No wonder you were a key member of the village canteen back in the day. Your efficiency is phenomenal!"

Wang Xiulan was a little embarrassed by her son's praise, and waved her hand with a smile: "Alright, alright, stop being so cheeky. Oh, and also, for that pot of meat soup at noon, I added carrots, cabbage, and dried kelp that Wei Chen got, and stewed a big pot of stew! We'll have stew with steamed buns for dinner tonight, and I also made some cornmeal soup, it'll be nice and warm."

"It smells delicious!" Wei Chen swallowed, feeling genuinely hungry. "Mom, I'll go to the courtyard and call Xiao Ran back for dinner. I'll also invite Xiao Shitou, Xiao Cao, and Dali. You cooked such a big pot of stew, we can't finish it all, so let them come over for a hot meal. These kids are so kind and thoughtful, it's heartbreaking to see them like this. Xiao Shitou and Dali are always running to our courtyard to help chop firewood and carry water, they're so diligent."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Wang Xiulan nodded repeatedly. She genuinely liked these unfortunate but sensible children. "Go and call them! Invite more children over to make it lively! Tell them there's plenty of stew at home!"