Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

"Quiet! Shut up, all of you! What's all the noise about?! Huh?!" Uncle Liu Haizhong slammed his hand on the small square table next to him, which served as a podium, making a loud "bang"!

The table legs shook violently, and the enamel mug on it jumped up. He struggled to straighten his back, trying to drown out all the groans and rage with his voice. The veins on his forehead throbbed, his fat face flushed red, and his voice was unusually sharp due to agitation and bluster, "Have you gone too far?! What do you want to do? Are you trying to rebel?! Huh?!"

He waved his short, thick arms, spitting as he spoke, trying to quell the surging public resentment with political rhetoric: "This is national policy! It's an official document from higher authorities! Do you understand?! It's in black and white! It's stamped with the official seal! The whole country is working together! Do you understand?! What time is it now? It's a natural disaster! It's a national crisis! Do you understand?!"

Our courtyard is a model compound registered by the neighborhood! We must take the lead in responding! Take the lead in overcoming difficulties! Anyone who dares to shout nonsense or cause trouble is undermining unity! They are going against the country! They have a problem with their ideological awareness! You can weigh the consequences yourselves!" He shouted hoarsely, trying to overwhelm everyone with his momentum, but the effect was obviously the opposite, only attracting more angry and contemptuous looks.

Seeing the situation on the verge of spiraling out of control, Yan Bugui, suppressing his despair and the excruciating pain of losing his family's twelve jin of grain, stood up shakily to lend a voice. His voice was dry and weak, like a leaf falling in the autumn wind: "Old Liu... Old Liu is right... Everyone... everyone calm down... Please... please don't act impulsively... Difficulties... difficulties are temporary... the country... the country is definitely trying to find a solution... We... we have to trust the organization... tighten our belts... grit our teeth... endure it... we can... we can get through this..." His words were devoid of confidence, hollow and pale, even he himself didn't believe them, more like a desperate soliloquy.

The entire courthouse was in complete chaos! The cries of women, the roars of men, the sighs of the elderly, and the screams of children mingled together, creating a despairing sea of ​​noise. A gloomy atmosphere descended as if it were a tangible force, suffocating everyone.

Yi Zhonghai frowned as he watched the chaotic and out-of-control scene. His gaze anxiously swept across the agitated crowd, trying to find someone who could help him stabilize the situation and share the pressure. His gaze finally settled on the figure leaning quietly against the shadows by the moon gate leading from the middle courtyard to the back courtyard—Wei Chen.

Wei Chen's figure almost blended into the darkness of the moon gate. He lowered his head slightly, the brim of his faded work uniform hat pulled low, obscuring most of his face, revealing only his sharply defined jawline. He crossed his arms, his posture relaxed, completely out of place with the surrounding atmosphere of indignation and gloom, exuding an almost indifferent calm.

The rice jar at home was full, and the reserves in the space were piled up like mountains. For him, the reduction in rations was just a change in numbers on paper, and it might even increase the value of his "hidden wealth" due to the rise in black market grain prices.

He understood his neighbors' panic; it was an instinctive reaction to a direct threat to their survival. But he also knew that in such a situation, any untimely outspokenness could make them a target of public criticism and bring endless trouble.

Making a fortune quietly and keeping a low profile are the ironclad rules for survival in chaotic times.

He could even clearly "sense" the intense anxiety, fear, and... ferocity about to be ignited by hunger permeating the air.

However, in the chaos, the shrewd, bloodshot eyes of the old man Yi Zhonghai, like searchlights, precisely locked onto his inconspicuous corner.

Seeing Wei Chen's detached and calm demeanor, Yi Zhonghai felt a complex mix of emotions. There was a hint of resentment—why was the whole hospital shrouded in gloom while Wei Chen remained unscathed? But more than anything, there was a sense of urgent calculation.

He needs a powerful figure to endorse and justify the policy as "unavoidable" and "for the greater good."

Wei Chen, this young man who was rising in the factory, had just helped solve a major case, and was said to be highly regarded by the factory leaders, was undoubtedly the best candidate! His words were more convincing than the empty preaching of himself, Liu Haizhong, and Yan Bugui.

Moreover… Yi Zhonghai's mind raced. Didn't he have connections to occasionally bring back some pheasants and rabbits? He could flatter him, make him acknowledge the severity of the disaster, and then subtly hint or even implore him to find a way to get some meat for the people in the compound to eat and replenish their energy…

This would appease people, make him appear responsible and capable as the person in charge, and also put Wei Chen in a position of gratitude towards the hospital, or rather, place him on a moral high ground! A triple win!

"Quiet down, everyone! Listen to me! Listen to me!" Yi Zhonghai suddenly raised his voice, pressing down hard with both hands, almost roaring.

He forcefully suppressed the metallic taste in his throat, his gaze fixed intently on Wei Chen. His tone suddenly became unusually "earnest" and "admiring," carrying an undeniable guiding force: "I know everyone is suffering! You have grievances! Huge grievances! Anyone would be anxious! But policies are not child's play! They weren't decided by me, Yi Zhonghai! Nor can Director Wang of the neighborhood committee change them! This is a national decision! It's about the bigger picture!"

He abruptly changed the subject, raising his arm sharply, his index finger piercing the shadow beneath the moon gate like a javelin. His voice rose even higher, carrying a deliberate air of "trust" and "reliance": "You don't believe my old face, Yi Zhonghai! You don't believe the neighborhood committee! But you should believe the facts, right? Believe what you've seen with your own eyes, right? Wei Chen! Comrade Wei Chen is standing right here!"

He tried his best to make his expression appear extremely sincere, his gaze sweeping over the indignant crowd: "Wei Chen is a promising young man we've watched grow up! He's a legitimate purchasing agent at Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill! He even holds a position in the security department! He's the most promising young man in our institute!"

He was recently seconded by the neighborhood committee and the factory to help with disaster relief at the shelter! He saw the situation outside with his own eyes! If you don't believe me, just ask Wei Chen! Let him tell you himself what the situation is like outside right now!

Ask him what kind of lives those villagers who fled from the disaster area with their families are living! What kind of suffering they are enduring! Even if we city dwellers have our rations reduced, compared to them, aren't we still living in paradise?! Huh?! Ask Wei Chen!

Swish! Dozens of gazes, like searchlights, instantly focused on Wei Chen, filled with a complex mix of emotions! Doubt, scrutiny, expectation, and a sliver of hope amidst despair…

There were also those naked, greedy eyes like Jia Zhangshi's, like a hungry wolf eyeing fat meat—as if Wei Chen had a life-saving sack of grain hanging on him! Qin Huairu, holding the struggling Jia Zhangshi, also looked over with teary eyes, her gaze filled with pleading.

Sha Zhu stared wide-eyed at Wei Chen, as if trying to pry out some "miserable" details from him that would allow him to accept reality.

Wei Chen's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, and his eyes beneath the brim of his hat instantly turned icy cold. That old fox, Yi Zhonghai! He was definitely up to no good! He'd dragged him out of the corner and placed him on the hot stove of the entire hospital's anger and expectations!

They wanted to use him as a tool to divert attention, quell public anger, and even extract value from him! He clearly felt the scorching pressure from those dozens of gazes, and his sneer intensified. Trying to use me? Then don't blame me for thwarting your plans!

He slowly raised his head, his calm and expressionless face under the brim of his hat exposed in the dim light. He didn't speak immediately, but calmly met Yi Zhonghai's "eager" gaze with his overly calm eyes, then slowly swept over the anxious faces, some familiar and some unfamiliar.

The entire courtroom fell silent instantly. Even Jia Zhangshi temporarily stopped struggling and cursing. Everyone held their breath, waiting for Wei Chen's "testimony".

Wei Chen took two steps forward, stepping completely out of the shadows and onto the edge of the light. He wasn't impassioned or sentimental; his voice, though not loud, reached everyone's ears with exceptional clarity, carrying a thoughtful, almost rigid, simplicity:

"You flatter me, sir." He first dismissed Yi Zhonghai's "praise" lightly, distancing himself from the situation. "I'm just a small purchasing agent in the factory, running errands and contacting suppliers for supplies that aren't part of the plan. I'm also temporarily assigned to the security department to stand guard and maintain order. I don't have access to or know anything about national affairs, the specific severity of disasters in other areas, or core secrets like grain allocation."

These words were like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the flames of hope that had just been ignited in the eyes of some. Yi Zhonghai's expression also stiffened slightly.

But Wei Chen subtly changed the subject, his tone carrying a hint of seriousness from witnessing it firsthand, just right: "However, it's true that I was recently seconded to help out at the street shelter. I spent... a few days there."

He paused, as if recalling something or carefully choosing his words, and described a scene that was simple yet extremely impactful: "That place... was crowded with people. A huge throng, all coming from Henan and Hebei, following the railway and the highway, step by step. Families with young children and elderly relatives. They were all pale and thin."

Many people were so unsteady on their feet that they could be blown over by a gust of wind. The makeshift reed sheds were packed so tightly that there was barely any room to step. The weather was hot, and the smell... sigh." He shook his head slightly, without elaborating, but the word "smell" was enough to conjure up images of that foul air mixed with the stench of sweat, excrement, and despair.

"I heard Director Wang from the neighborhood committee mention that... there might be even more people coming from other places. The situation," he concluded, his voice still steady but carrying an undeniable heaviness, "is indeed not optimistic."