Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

Lin Wanqiu snapped back to reality, her long eyelashes trembling violently. Looking at Wei Chen's handsome face, which was covered in dust but still looked dashing, and at the large wrench in his hand that had just been a weapon but now brought her a sense of security, a huge, belated sense of fear and grievance rushed to her nose, and her eyes instantly reddened.

She sniffed hard, fighting back tears, her voice hoarse and choked with emotion, as if she had just survived a traumatic ordeal:

"Thank you... thank you so much, comrade! Thank you so much!" She bowed deeply, her two black braids slipping down her shoulders.

"It was nothing." Wei Chen turned slightly to avoid her bow, his voice calm. "Don't walk alone in these secluded alleys in the future; it's not safe."

Upon seeing the girl clearly, Wei Chen's first impression was one of amazement. Such a small girl, with a face that looked only thirteen or fourteen. Her bright, clear eyes were truly stunning.

"Mmm...mmm!" Lin Wanqiu nodded vigorously, her voice thick with a nasal tone. She raised her head, mustered her courage, and looked into Wei Chen's eyes, which appeared exceptionally deep in the dim twilight.

"I...I was in a hurry today and wanted to take a shortcut to deliver something to Uncle Zhang..." she explained softly, with regret, "I...I won't do it again."

She paused, as if remembering something, and quickly added, "Oh, right, my name is Lin Wanqiu. Wan as in graceful and gentle, Qiu as in autumn. Comrade, what... what is your surname?"

"Wei Chen. Wei as in 'protect,' Chen as in 'stars,'" Wei Chen replied. He glanced at the two thugs still groaning in pain on the ground, frowned, and said, "We can't stay here any longer. Where do you live? I'll take you out."

"No...no need! Thank you, Comrade Wei!" Lin Wanqiu quickly waved her hand, a hint of urgency on her face. "I can walk by myself! Really! Uncle Zhang's house is not far from the alley entrance ahead, I can run there very quickly!" She seemed very afraid of causing Wei Chen any more trouble.

Seeing her resolute attitude, though her eyes still held a hint of shock, she had regained her composure and determination, so Wei Chen didn't press the matter further. He nodded, "Alright. Go quickly then, be careful on the road."

"Yes! Comrade Wei Chen, thank you! Goodbye!" Lin Wanqiu looked at Wei Chen gratefully again, as if she wanted to etch the figure who had descended like a god in her heart during this crisis.

She tightened her grip on her schoolbag, like a startled bird eager to return to its nest. Head down, she quickly ran past Wei Chen, jogging towards the light at the alley entrance. Her slender figure soon disappeared into the twilight at the alley entrance, leaving only a faint, youthful fragrance and the sweet scent of locust blossoms lingering in the air for a fleeting moment.

Wei Chen stood there, watching her disappear. Only the suppressed groans of the two thugs on the ground and the smell of blood remained in the alley. He looked down at the wrench in his hand, which was stained with blood, walked to the wall, casually tore off a handful of half-withered vine leaves, and vigorously wiped it clean.

The rough blades rubbed against the cold metal, making a soft, rustling sound. Then, he picked up the wrench, turned around, stepped over the obstacle on the ground that looked like a dead dog, and walked steadily toward where his cart was parked.

In a little while, I'll have to go to the police station and tell them that these people need to be sent in so they can learn a lesson.

The sun sank completely below the horizon, the last rays of light swallowed by the bluish-gray twilight. Locust Blossom Lane fell into complete darkness, the evening wind whipping up dust and scattered white locust petals, swirling and brushing past the cold walls and the sounds of pain.

Wei Chen pulled the heavy cart, the creaking sound echoing again. It rolled over the bluestone road, carrying a full load of "harvest," as well as the mark of an unexpected first encounter, tinged with blood and fragrance, slowly heading towards the steel mill where the lights were gradually coming on.

Deep in the alley, only the painful groans of the two thugs echoed intermittently in the increasingly dark night, like the chirping of dying insects.

The girl named Lin Wanqiu, with her black grape-like eyes that seemed to be immersed in clear water, and her choked words, "Thank you, Comrade Wei Chen," were like a pebble thrown into a lake, creating subtle yet clear ripples in Wei Chen's calm mind.

Time flies like water.

In June, Beijing resembles a fully fired brick kiln.

The scorching June sun mercilessly baked the city of Beijing. The sky was a blinding, faded blue, without a single cloud. The air was distorted and deformed by the heat, and breathing it into the lungs carried a fiery, dry heat.

The locust tree leaves by the roadside were covered with a thick layer of dust, and the cicadas chirped weakly, adding to the suffocating sense of unease.

The atmosphere in the security department of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill was even more somber than the sweltering heat. Department head Zhou Jianjun stood in the center of his office, holding an urgent notice just issued by his superiors, his brows furrowed deeply. Deputy department heads Jin Aimin and Wei Chen, along with several other key personnel who had been seconded to the department, surrounded him, all with solemn expressions.

"...Everyone knows the situation." Zhou Jianjun's voice was low and hoarse, carrying the exhaustion of a sleepless night. "Henan, Hebei, Shandong... several major grain-producing areas are so dry that the ground is cracked like a tortoise shell! The summer grain harvest is a foregone conclusion! Now, a large number of disaster victims, cut off from their livelihoods, are flooding into Beijing like a tide! The higher-ups have ordered us to fully cooperate with the public security departments and street offices to do a good job in receiving and resettling the disaster victims and maintaining order!"

He shook the paper in his hand, the rustling sound particularly jarring in the stuffy room: "The task is very important! Director Wang of the Nanluoguxiang Subdistrict Office has already set up a temporary shelter, right in that abandoned warehouse area east of our factory!"

We are severely understaffed! Police Chief Zhang personally selected our security department! He ordered us to immediately dispatch our best personnel, led by Deputy Section Chief Jin, to provide full support! Our primary task is to maintain order and prevent chaos and stampedes! At the same time, we must be highly vigilant and strictly prevent a very small number of bad elements from taking the opportunity to incite riots, theft, or robbery!

Jin Aimin snapped to attention, his chest ramrod straight, and his voice booming: "I guarantee to complete the mission!" His dark face was taut, and his eyes were sharp as an eagle's.

Zhou Jianjun's gaze swept over everyone, finally landing on Wei Chen: "Wei Chen, although you haven't been here long, you're skilled and quick-witted. This mission is tough and dangerous; what are your thoughts?"

All eyes were on Wei Chen. He was dressed in dark blue overalls, his posture upright, and despite the stuffy room, only fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead; his expression remained calm. Without the slightest hesitation, he met Zhou Jianjun's scrutinizing gaze, his voice clear and firm:

"Reporting, Section Chief! I'm fine! The factory trained me, and now is exactly when they need manpower. Maintaining order and protecting public safety is the duty of the Security Section, and I have no choice but to do it! I request to join the support team!"

"Good!" A hint of approval flashed in Zhou Jianjun's eyes. "Deputy Section Chief Jin, Wei Chen is assigned to your team! The rest of you, strengthen patrols and security within the factory area according to the areas you were just assigned! Meeting adjourned! Deputy Section Chief Jin, you all set off immediately! Report to Director Wang at the street office!"

"Yes!" Jin Aimin, Wei Chen, and the others responded in unison, quickly organizing their equipment—mainly batons, whistles, and water bottles.

The makeshift shelter in the abandoned warehouse area was a shocking sight.

Before you even get close, an indescribable odor hits you – a suffocating, sour smell of sweat, dust, excrement, cheap tobacco, and moldy food mixed together, fermenting and evaporating in the scorching air.

The huge, once empty warehouse was now a surging sea of ​​people. The densely packed crowd resembled a swarm of weary and desperate ants in their migration.

Several long lines stretched as far as the eye could see at the warehouse entrance, the crowd moving slowly and heavily forward like crops wilted by the scorching sun.

Men, women, and children, all were emaciated, dressed in rags, with cloudy eyes, their faces filled with the exhaustion of a long journey and a deep-seated despair.

Many people had chapped, cracked lips, like parched earth. Babies cried weakly, like kittens, in their mothers' parched arms. Old people leaned on canes made of branches, their backs hunched, looking as if a gust of wind could knock them over.

"Water... comrade... give me some water..." A woman holding a child asked in a hoarse voice, like sandpaper scraping, her outstretched hand trembling, her fingernails filled with black dirt.

"Is there anything to eat? The child hasn't eaten for two days..." A man next to him had murky tears mixed with the dust on his face, which streamed down his face into deep furrows.

"Don't push! Don't push! Line up! Follow the order!" The street office staff had already shouted themselves hoarse, waving their arms and futilely trying to maintain order at the edge of the crowd, their light gray uniforms soaked with sweat.

An invisible, immense pressure permeated the air—a heavy weight of hunger, thirst, heat, and the fear of no hope, pressing down on everyone's hearts and pushing the nerves that maintained order to their limit.

Jin Aimin, along with Wei Chen and two other team members, found Director Wang of the street office, who was frantically directing operations under a makeshift shed at the warehouse entrance. Director Wang was a slightly overweight woman in her forties with short hair, which was now disheveled and plastered to her sweaty forehead. Her face revealed undisguised fatigue and anxiety.

"Director Wang!" Jin Aimin strode forward and reported in a loud voice, "Security Department of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill, Jin Aimin is leading the support team! We are at your command!"

"Oh! Deputy Section Chief Jin! You've finally arrived!" Director Wang exclaimed as if he had seen a savior, grabbing Jin Aimin's hand with surprising strength, his voice trembling with excitement.

"Quick! Help! There are too many people! We don't have enough manpower! The police officers inside are maintaining order during registration, and we're the only ones left at the entrance. We can't hold them up! Things could break out at any moment!"