Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

The 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, Lunar New Year's Eve.

As soon as it was light, Wang Xiulan, the mother, woke up. She had barely slept all night, her heart filled with joy and excitement, and she tossed and turned, unable to fall back asleep.

Wang Xiulan had a very hard life. When she was young, she married Wei Chen's father, and they lived a very frugal life. Her husband was honest and hardworking, but he couldn't earn much money. She finally managed to raise her two children, but her husband died young, leaving her alone to struggle to support herself and Wei Chen and Wei Ran in the countryside.

Every year during the Lunar New Year was the hardest time for her. There wasn't enough grain or meat, and no matter what she tried, she could only manage to cobble together a meal of coarse grains. White flour dumplings were a luxury she couldn't even dream of. Her children couldn't even get a new set of clothes for the New Year; they always wore faded old clothes covered in patches.

She thought she would spend her whole life in poverty, and her children would suffer with her for the rest of their lives. But everything changed when her son, Wei Chen, suddenly seemed to grow up and become capable.

They came from the countryside to the capital, living in a spacious and bright courtyard, where they could eat their fill every meal, and had meat every few days. Now, with so many abundant New Year's goods prepared, the whole family could have a decent and happy New Year. Whenever Wang Xiulan thought about it, it felt like a dream, and her eyes would always well up with tears. Her heart was filled with pride and gratitude for her son.

She got up and put on the new cotton-padded coat her son had bought for her. It was soft and warm. Wang Xiulan gently touched the fabric and a gentle smile appeared on her face. She tiptoed to the outer room, afraid of waking Wei Chen and Wei Ran who were still sleeping. Then she went into the kitchen and began to prepare the first meal of the new year, as well as the reunion dinner for the whole day.

The kitchen was spotless, the stove was gleaming, and hot water was boiling in a pot, steam rising gently and dispelling the winter chill. Wang Xiulan added two bundles of firewood to the stove, and the flames roared, making her face feel especially warm. As she tended the fire, she looked at the various ingredients laid out in the kitchen, a smile never fading from her lips.

Not long after, Wei Chen also woke up.

He got up from the kang (a heated brick bed), put on his brand-new cotton-padded clothes, and pushed open the door. The crisp morning air hit him, but he didn't feel cold at all. In the courtyard, the bright red Spring Festival couplets hadn't been pasted up yet, and the character "福" (fortune) sat quietly on the windowsill. The smoke from the firewood mixed with the faint aroma of meat wafted through the courtyard—the unique scent of home.

Watching his mother bustling about in the kitchen, Wei Chen felt a sense of peace.

In his past life, he was all alone, struggling in a bustling city. He had no attachments, and the Lunar New Year was just an ordinary holiday for him, quiet and lonely.

At the beginning of his transmigration, he endured hunger and poverty in the countryside. He never dared to hope that he could have such a warm home, a loving mother, an obedient younger sister, and a prosperous and happy New Year.

It was his family, this small courtyard, that allowed him to fully integrate into this world, giving him something to care about, a vulnerability, and the confidence to overcome all obstacles. He walked to the kitchen doorway, watching his mother's busy figure, and softly said, "Mom, up so early, why don't you rest a little longer?"

Wang Xiulan turned around and saw Wei Chen. Her smile widened. "I couldn't sleep, but I'm so happy. Get up early and get busy. It's New Year's Day, so there's a lot to do. Go wash up. I've made millet porridge, steamed white flour buns, and some pickled vegetables. Have some to tide you over."

"Sigh." Wei Chen nodded and turned to wash up.

Having just finished washing up, her younger sister, Wei Ran, rubbed her sleepy eyes and came out of the east wing.

The nine-year-old girl, who had been malnourished for a long time and looked much thinner than her peers, came to the capital with Wei Chen. She ate her fill every meal and had meat every few days. In just a few months, she blossomed. Her face had a rosy glow, her eyebrows and eyes were delicate, her skin was fair, and her big eyes were bright and lively.

At that moment, she was wearing a brand-new pink floral cotton-padded jacket, her hair neatly combed and tied into two small braids, looking adorable and energetic. Perhaps because it was the New Year, the little girl was exceptionally excited, showing no signs of morning grumpiness. Upon seeing Wei Chen, her eyes lit up, and she called out in a clear voice, "Brother! Happy New Year!"

"Happy New Year, Ranran. Go wash up and we'll have breakfast." Wei Chen smiled and ruffled his sister's hair, his tone full of affection.

"Okay!" Wei Ran nodded obediently, skipped off to wash up, her little face full of anticipation for the New Year.

The family sat around the small dining table in the kitchen, eating their first meal of the new year.

Steaming hot millet porridge, sweet and soft, nourishing and warming; plump white steamed buns, fluffy and chewy, are the most precious staple food of this era; and crisp and refreshing pickled vegetables, all together, make for a simple yet satisfying meal.

In the past, Wei Ran wouldn't have dared to even dream of having a breakfast like this, but now, she's gotten used to it and can even enjoy it to her heart's content every time. The little girl held the steamed bun, taking small bites, her eyes curving into crescents, eating with exceptional relish.

Wang Xiulan kept adding porridge to Wei Chen and Wei Ran's bowls. Seeing the two children eating so heartily made her feel sweeter than if she had eaten honey.

After breakfast, it was already bright outside, and the sound of firecrackers outside was getting more and more frequent. It was time for the formal New Year's customs activities to begin.

"Xiao Chen, it's getting late. Let's put up the Spring Festival couplets and the character '福' (good fortune) to bring joy for the New Year, ward off evil spirits and disasters, and bless our family with peace and safety," Wang Xiulan said to Wei Chen with a smile after wiping the table.

"Okay, Mom, I'll get ready right away."

Wei Chen turned around and went into the main room, taking out the Spring Festival couplets, the character "福" (fortune), and the cooked paste that he had prepared in advance.

The Spring Festival couplets were written by my third uncle a couple of days ago. They were on the best red paper, written in neat regular script. The first line reads "Welcoming joy, welcoming spring, welcoming wealth and prosperity," and the second line reads "Receiving wealth, receiving blessings, receiving peace." The horizontal scroll reads "Good fortune and auspiciousness." Every character conveys a beautiful expectation for the New Year. There are also various sizes of the character "福" (fortune/blessing), some square and upright, some round and cute, all specially prepared for the New Year.

He moved a clean wooden stool over, placed it at the entrance of the main room, and began to paste up the Spring Festival couplets.

Wei Ran instantly became interested and forgot about playing. She stayed by Wei Chen's side, becoming his little helper. Sometimes she would tiptoe to hand the Spring Festival couplets to her brother, sometimes she would use a small brush to help spread the paste, and sometimes she would tilt her little head and carefully look at the words on the couplets, softly reciting them. Although she couldn't recognize all the words, she knew that they were auspicious words.

"Brother, these Spring Festival couplets are so beautiful, so bright red! They've made our yard so lively all of a sudden!"

"Brother, Grandma said that the character '福' (fortune) should be pasted upside down, so that it means 'fortune has arrived,' and our family's good fortune will come!"

"Brother, look! It's a little crooked here. Just move it to the left!"

Wei Ran's voice was clear and melodious, like a lark echoing in the courtyard, adding more joy to the New Year.

Wei Chen listened patiently to his sister's words and followed her instructions to carefully paste the Spring Festival couplets. The main door of the main house, the door of the east wing, the small door of the kitchen, and the door of the bathroom were all covered with bright red Spring Festival couplets and upside-down "Fu" characters.

In less than half an hour, the originally elegant and tidy east courtyard was transformed into a festive space, adorned with vibrant red decorations, exuding the liveliness and joy of the New Year. Sunlight pierced through the clouds, illuminating the bright red couplets with a warm glow; a single glance filled one's heart with warmth and happiness.

Wang Xiulan stood in the center of the courtyard, looking at the festive atmosphere and the busy, happy figures of her two children. Her eyes welled up with tears, but an unstoppable smile played on her lips. She had lived most of her life and had never seen her own courtyard so joyous and lively. She had never imagined that her family could live such a decent and prosperous life.

After pasting up the Spring Festival couplets and the character "福" (good fortune), the next step is to prepare the New Year's Eve dinner.

Eating dumplings during the Lunar New Year is an indispensable custom in northern China, symbolizing family reunion and good fortune, and it's a food that every household values ​​most. In previous years, the family was poor, and the dumplings could only be made with a little bit of minced meat mixed with most of a basket of cabbage stalks. The filling was bland, and the dumpling wrappers were made from a mixture of coarse grains and white flour, resulting in a rough texture. But this year, Wei Chen prepared the best ingredients early on, determined to make the most sumptuous dumpling feast ever.

Wei Chen went into the kitchen and helped his mother with the cooking.

Wang Xiulan was in charge of kneading the dough. She scooped out a full bowl of snow-white refined flour, poured in warm water, and kneaded it little by little with skillful technique. Soon, she had kneaded it into a smooth and elastic dough and placed it in the bowl to rest.

Wei Chen was in charge of preparing the dumpling filling. He used fresh pork belly from the game world, paired with tender pheasant meat. The two were perfectly balanced in terms of fat and lean meat, and the filling was incredibly flavorful.

He minced the meat into a fine paste, added chopped scallions and ginger, drizzled with fragrant peanut oil and a little soy sauce, and seasoned with a pinch of salt. He stirred it continuously in one direction, making the filling more and more fragrant. The rich aroma of meat filled the kitchen, making Wei Ran so tempted that she kept leaning against the kitchen door frame, peering inside, sniffing and swallowing hard.

"Brother, this dumpling filling smells so good! It must be delicious!" Wei Ran said with anticipation in her eyes.

"Once it's all wrapped up, I'll cook a big bowl for Ranran so you can eat your fill," Wei Chen said with a smile, his hands moving without stopping.

After the dough had rested, Wang Xiulan kneaded it into a long strip, cut it into even pieces, and began rolling out dumpling wrappers. Wei Chen sat to the side, responsible for making dumplings. He had large hands and nimble fingers, and although he wasn't particularly skilled at making dumplings, he still managed to make them quite well. Each dumpling was plump and round, and they were neatly arranged on the bamboo mat.

Wei Ran was not to be outdone. She washed her little hands and, imitating her mother and brother, picked up a dumpling wrapper, put on the filling, and carefully pinched it closed.

But she was too young and not strong enough, so she always made them wrong. Either she put too much filling in and broke the dumpling skin, or she made them crooked and irregular. Before long, her face, nose, and clothes were covered with flour, and she looked like a little cat.

"Oh dear, Ranran, take your time wrapping. Don't rush. Put in less filling and pinch the edges tightly." Wang Xiulan looked at her daughter's clumsy yet earnest expression and couldn't help but smile as she gave her instructions, reaching out to wipe the flour off her nose.

"Okay, Mom!" Wei Ran nodded and made dumplings even more seriously. Although the dumplings she made didn't look very nice, she was still very happy to do it, her face full of focus and joy.