Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

The happiest person was Wei Ran! She had always envied other people who had dogs. Before, her family was poor, and her mother always said, "We can't even feed ourselves, let alone have enough to raise a dog." Now, she finally had her own magnificent big dog. Her face flushed with excitement as she circled around Big Yellow, shouting, "Big Yellow! Big Yellow! From now on, you're my best friend! My name is Xiao Ran!"

Dahuang seemed to understand, wagging its fluffy tail at Wei Ran and licking her little hand with its tongue, making Wei Ran giggle. Seeing her daughter playing happily with the dog, Wang Xiulan also showed a relieved smile, and the sadness brought by the old house was diluted a lot by this heartwarming scene.

After locking the door of the old house, the three of them and the dog returned to their uncle's house. Another round of farewells ensued. Grandpa and Grandma held Wei Chen's hands, giving him countless instructions and reminders. Aunt Zhao Jinhua insisted on giving him a large bag of dried black fungus, enoki mushrooms, and other mountain produce. Third Aunt Li Xiuzhi also thanked them gratefully once more.

Amidst the reluctant gazes of their loved ones, Wei Chen, Wang Xiulan, and Wei Ran, along with their newest member, Da Huang, left the warm and welcoming Baoyuquan Village.

The three arrived at the commune's bus station. A dilapidated bus, its body covered in mud, was waiting there, billowing black smoke.

Wang Xiulan and Wei Ran got into the car carrying their things. Wei Ran clung to the car window, waving vigorously at Wei Chen and Da Huang, "Brother! Hurry up and take Da Huang home! Be careful on the road!"

"Got it! Sit up straight!" Wei Chen replied loudly.

Watching the shuttle bus sway and drive away, Wei Chen finally hopped on his old-fashioned bicycle. Without needing to be told, Da Huang immediately and instinctively trotted alongside the bicycle.

Its steps were nimble and light, and its speed was not slow at all. Its strong limbs left clear claw marks on the snow, and its golden-brown fur flew in the rising cold wind like a flowing flame.

A man and his dog, braving the increasingly gloomy sky and the biting north wind, embarked on their journey home. The presence of their dog, Dahuang, made the journey of several dozen miles less lonely.

Sometimes it would run ahead to scout the way, and sometimes it would return to Wei Chen's side and walk alongside him, its wary eyes scanning the open fields.

As the familiar outline of Beijing finally appeared in the leaden twilight, fine snowflakes began to fall from the sky.

Wei Chen increased his pedaling speed, and Da Huang also sped up in unison. Finally, as the streetlights came on one by one and the sky became completely dark, they returned to No. 95 Nanluoguxiang.

Pushing the bicycle and leading Dahuang into the front yard, they immediately attracted the attention of the neighbors who hadn't all returned home yet.

"Hey! Wei Chen's back! The year's been flying by!" Uncle Yan Bugui, standing at the door, adjusted his glasses, his gaze immediately drawn to the exceptionally large, yellow dog beside Wei Chen. "Wow! This...you brought this? Good heavens! This dog...it's really something!"

"My goodness! Such a big dog!" The young women who were getting water from the tap were startled and shrank back, but couldn't help but look at it curiously.

"Brother Chenzi, your dog is so majestic! Can we pet it?" The teenagers Liu Guangfu, Yan Jiekuang, and others looked on with admiration and eagerness.

Wei Chen greeted everyone with a smile: "Hello, Uncle San, hello, ladies. Happy New Year! I just got back from the countryside. This dog was a gift from my hunting mentor in the countryside. His name is Da Huang, and he's a great guard dog. He's calm and collected; if you don't bother him, you'll be fine."

He patted Big Yellow's head, and Big Yellow immediately sat down obediently, but its amber eyes calmly scanned the crowd of onlookers with a scrutinizing look.

The neighbors marveled, gathering around Big Yellow and commenting—some envious, some curious, and some simply there for the spectacle. Just then, the curtain to the main house in the middle courtyard was lifted, and an elderly man named Yi Zhonghai, dressed in a dark blue cotton-padded jacket and trousers, emerged. His face bore the usual composed expression of a senior official, and his gaze fell on Wei Chen. He nodded: "Wei Chen's back?"

But when his gaze fell upon Big Yellow, a large, burly dog ​​crouching at Wei Chen's feet with sharp eyes, his brows furrowed imperceptibly, and a hint of seriousness and doubt flashed deep in his eyes. The presence of such a fierce dog in the densely populated courtyard instinctively made him feel uneasy and threatened.

Wei Chen keenly noticed the change in Yi Zhonghai's eyes, but his expression remained unchanged, and he simply replied politely, "Uncle, Happy New Year. I just got back."

Without lingering, he pushed the cart, with Big Yellow in tow, and amidst the astonished and complex gazes of his neighbors, walked straight through the hanging flower gate and returned to their family's east courtyard. As soon as he entered the small courtyard, he saw that his mother, Wang Xiulan, and his younger sister, Wei Ran, had already returned and were standing at the door looking out.

"Brother! Big Yellow!" Wei Ran cheered and rushed over, hugging Big Yellow's neck. Big Yellow affectionately licked her cheek.

"Why did it take you so long to get here? Did something happen on the way?" Wang Xiulan breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that her son and dog had returned safely. Then she noticed that Da Huang was covered in snow. "Come inside and warm up."

"It's alright, Mom. Dahuang runs very steadily and can keep up with me on my bike." Wei Chen propped up the bicycle. "You guys cook first. I'm going to Third Uncle's house to pick up the couplets I asked him to write before the New Year. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and we need to put them up."

"Okay, hurry back, I'll be waiting for you to eat," Wang Xiulan replied, turning and going into the kitchen to start busying herself. Wei Ran, meanwhile, excitedly strolled around the small yard with Da Huang, chattering away to it.

After settling Dahuang in, Wei Chen gestured for it to stay in the yard to familiarize itself with the environment before walking out of the small gate of the east courtyard again.

The snowflakes had become denser, and the lights in each household of the courtyard were gradually turned on. The dim light reflected the falling snowflakes, casting shimmering shadows on the blue brick ground. The smell of coal smoke rising from the chimneys mingled with the faint aromas of cooking food wafting from each house, creating the unique atmosphere of life in the large courtyard.

However, as Wei Chen passed through the courtyard, he clearly sensed that behind the windows of the Jia family's house, a pair of eyes filled with resentment and scheming were staring intently at him, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows.

He could even picture Jia Zhangshi's mean face and the silent curses escaping her lips. The lights were on in Yi Zhonghai's house, and his figure, pacing thoughtfully in the window, was clearly still pondering the sudden appearance of the ferocious dog.

Wei Chen's lips curled into a barely perceptible, cold smile. The warmth and tenderness of the countryside were a thing of the past, and with the arrival of Da Huang, the "battlefield" in this courtyard house in Beijing seemed to have gained even more uncertainty.

He straightened his back, braving the wind and snow, and strode towards the house of the third uncle in the front yard. The New Year's couplets were about to be put up, and the "show" of the new year was just beginning.

It's the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, and there are only two days left until the Lunar New Year.

The entire capital was immersed in a cold yet expectant atmosphere of the New Year. The northwest wind felt like a knife on the face, cutting painfully, but the festive spirit in the streets and alleys was still strong.

Long queues formed outside the supply and marketing cooperative, with adults and children clutching various coupons and waiting on tiptoe to buy New Year's goods, cut pork, and weigh candy. Occasionally, a few firecrackers would explode, adding a touch of liveliness to the cold winter.

The courtyard houses near the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill were already looking like they were celebrating the Lunar New Year. Every household was sweeping their houses, putting up paper-cut window decorations, and chopping dumpling filling. The air was filled with the aroma of noodles, vegetables, and a rare, delightful smell of meat.

However, the aroma of meat usually only lingers for a short while before fading away. After all, resources were scarce in those days. For an ordinary family, even half a pound of fatty pork was considered the best New Year's treat. There were very few households in the entire compound that could afford meat at every meal.

The east courtyard where Wei Chen's family lived presented a completely different scene.

At this moment, in the kitchen, Mother Wang Xiulan and her younger sister Wei Ran were busy together. Fragrant pheasant meat was stewing on the stove, white flour buns were steaming in the pot, and cut pieces of wild boar meat were laid out on the cutting board. Oil was sizzling out, and the rich aroma of meat wafted out through the cracks in the door and windows, swirling around the entire courtyard, making people's mouths water.

Wei Chen leaned against the porch of the main house, wearing a clean and thick cotton-padded coat, his posture upright. He had just come out of the game world, still carrying a trace of the crisp air of the mountains and forests, and the fingertips still felt the touch of arrows.

He is no longer the poor boy who came to the capital from Baoyuquan Village. Relying on his hunting skills in the game world, he has a steady stream of wild game that not only feeds himself, his mother, and his sister, but also allows him to establish himself in the purchasing department of the steel mill. He has even bought this east wing of the house and is living a prosperous life.

The powerful physique he gained from cultivating the "Nine Heavens Sun Shooting Technique" made him feel no cold in the dead of winter. His eyes were calm and sharp, and he exuded a confidence that others lacked.

Looking at the cured meat drying in the yard, the wild rabbits and pheasants being air-dried, and the rice, flour, and cooking oil piled up in the corner, he felt a sense of peace.

This is the first time in this world that he has truly prepared for the New Year, with family by his side, no worries about food and clothing, no longer having to struggle for a bite to eat like he did in the village, and no longer having to suffer from hunger and cold.

However, this peace was destined to be shattered by the unpleasant things that happened in the courtyard house.

Not long after, a shout came from the front yard. It was the voice of Uncle Yi Zhonghai, loud and clear, with an undeniable air of authority: "Attention everyone in the courtyard! Come to the middle courtyard for a general meeting to discuss New Year's arrangements. Every household must send someone; not a single one can be missing!"

The shouts echoed repeatedly through the courtyard.

Originally, everyone was busy with their own New Year's goods. When they heard Yi Zhonghai call for a general meeting of the whole court, although they were unwilling, they had no choice but to put down their work and walk towards the court one after another.

Yi Zhonghai stood by the stone table in the central courtyard, his hands behind his back, looking dignified and self-righteous. He was wearing faded work clothes, and his hair was neatly combed, making him look like a fair and selfless patriarch who was wholeheartedly concerned for the benefit of the compound.

In recent years, Yi Zhonghai has relied on his status as an "old man" to control the discourse in the courtyard. He likes to stand on moral high ground in everything, using the guise of neighborly harmony and mutual help to pursue his own selfish interests.

He had his eye on the wild game that Wei Chen had been holding for a long time. For the past two weeks, the aroma of meat had filled Wei Chen's house every day. Everyone knew that he had wild boar meat and all kinds of wild game. If he could get a piece of it, he would have a very enjoyable New Year.

Yi Zhonghai had a clear plan in mind. Wei Chen was young, concerned about his reputation, and had moved into the compound later. As long as he brought it up in front of everyone in the compound, using neighborly relations and the harmony of the compound to blackmail him, even if he was unwilling, he would be too embarrassed to refuse. In that case, he could get a share of the wild game, gain a good reputation, and further solidify his position in the compound.