Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

Wei Chen's patrolling footsteps stopped a few meters behind her. He was silent for a moment, then stepped forward and asked in a low but clear voice, "Director Wang, are you... having some kind of trouble? I've seen you looking worried all day."

Director Wang turned around abruptly upon hearing the voice. Seeing it was Wei Chen, he instinctively tried to force a reassuring smile, but the smile froze on his lips, ultimately turning into a deeper bitterness: "It's Comrade Wei Chen. Difficulties..."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over the huddled figures in the shed, like withered leaves, her voice hoarse and weary, "There are too many difficulties. Right now, the most pressing issue isn't food."

Wei Chen paused slightly, his brows furrowing. "Not food? But everyone..." He pointed to the empty bowls and the emaciated people.

"Food is fundamental, that's right." Director Wang nodded, took a deep breath as if to draw strength from it, "The higher-ups have tried everything, and people all over the country are tightening their belts to provide support. With the previous grain reserves... the current meager amount of food and porridge is barely enough to keep us going. The situation of people starving to death... is under control for the time being."

She abruptly changed the subject, pointing to a child in the corner, his belly swollen and unconscious, and several elderly people nearby with similarly sallow complexions, vacant, dull eyes, and loose, wrinkled skin. "Do you see them? Edema, night blindness, and those who can't breathe after just a few steps... there are more and more of them! This is caused by a long-term lack of oil and nutrients! They're lucky if this little bit of gruel can keep them alive, their bodies are completely ruined! Especially the elderly and children, they... they can't hold on much longer!"

Her voice suddenly rose, filled with an almost desperate anxiety: "What we lack now is not food to fill our stomachs! What we lack is a little bit of oil that can nourish the body and save lives! Meat that can build strength! Liver that can nourish the eyes! Oil that can stave off hunger! Eggs? Meat? Oil? Those are things I wouldn't even dare to dream of!"

Even the most decent, edible wild vegetables and tree bark have been stripped bare! A skilled cook can't cook without rice… My heart… feels like it's being roasted over a fire! The higher-ups are trying their best to transfer supplies from other places, but where can we get them now? Where can we get them?! She pounded her chest hard, as if a huge rock was blocking it, and her eyes instantly reddened.

"Lack of oil and water...lack of nutrition..." Wei Chen repeated in a low voice, his gaze once again fixed on the child with a swollen belly, struggling on the brink of life and death. That small body, ravaged by hunger and illness, was like a poisoned dagger, stabbing viciously into his heart, stirring within him.

He remembered the food, meat, eggs, and grease he had stockpiled in his space, and a strong urge almost burst from his throat—take it out! Save them! But reason, like a cold shackle, instantly locked him in place.

Every husband is not guilty, and he is guilty of his crime.

In this era of extreme scarcity and widespread fear, providing supplies far exceeding what is reasonable is tantamount to digging one's own grave, and could even bring unimaginable annihilation to the entire relief station.

A thought, like a lightning bolt piercing the dark night sky, suddenly illuminated his chaotic thoughts. He abruptly raised his head, his eyes sharp as an eagle's, carrying a resolute determination: "Director Wang, what do you think of this?"

Director Wang looked at him with bloodshot eyes, a hint of doubt tinged with a hope she herself didn't believe: "Comrade Wei Chen, you...you have a way?"

"I dare not say what the solution is," Wei Chen's voice was steady and powerful, each word like a wooden stake driven into the ground. "I am a purchasing agent for the factory. I used to go to the countryside a lot and know a few old hunters who make a living from the mountains. We have a decent relationship. Now the city is in short supply, but in the mountains... there are always some live animals and mountain products."

I'd like to ask for a few days off to go into the mountains! Maybe I can hunt some pheasants or rabbits, trap some wild chickens, or collect some bird eggs and edible mushrooms! I don't dare say a lot, but if I bring back a little, I can at least make a few pots of oily soup for these elderly people and children… especially those kids with edema. If I force-feed them that, maybe… maybe they'll survive!

He subconsciously patted the gun-shaped outline wrapped tightly in old clothes at his waist. "I've got the gun with me. I know the place well, so don't worry about my safety. I'll just wander around the perimeter and look for those old acquaintances."

"Going into the mountains to hunt?!" Director Wang was taken aback at first, then her eyes lit up with unbelievable joy, but that light was instantly covered by a deeper worry. She grabbed Wei Chen's arm with such force that Wei Chen felt pain. "Comrade Wei Chen! This...this is too risky! What's the situation in the mountains right now? The wild animals are starving! Hunting? That's a life-threatening job! What if...what if something goes wrong? How will I explain it to the organization?" Her voice trembled slightly with excitement and worry.

"Director Wang!" Wei Chen interrupted her, his tone resolute, filled with unwavering confidence and an almost tragic determination. "Trust me! I've been exploring the mountains with my master since I was a child; I know every nook and cranny of the forest like the back of my hand! I won't go too deep; I'll just stay in the outer, old forests I used to frequent and try to find some hunters to help me get some fish, or maybe find a partner. It's better than just standing here watching them..."

He pointed in that direction, the words stuck in his throat, but his gaze hardened with determination. "Every little bit counts! It's always a way to survive!"

Looking at Wei Chen's young yet angular face, filled with determination, and at the genuine, pure enthusiasm and sense of responsibility in his eyes that warmed one's heart, Director Wang felt as if his heart had been gripped by a burning hand.

In this difficult time when everyone was in danger and resources were extremely scarce, this young man, who was not related to her at all, was willing to take such a great risk for these complete strangers... This sentiment and spirit weighed heavily on her heart, making her choke up and her eyes instantly well up with tears.

She sniffed hard, suppressing the surging tears and turbulent emotions, and stepped forward, tightly grasping Wei Chen's hands. Those hands, calloused from years of hard work, now conveyed a heavy sense of entrustment and unspoken gratitude: "Comrade Wei Chen! I... I represent the street office, and the more than three hundred affected villagers in our station, thank you! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kindness! But..."

She emphasized her words, her gaze fixed intently on Wei Chen's eyes, "You must promise me! Safety first! Safety absolutely is the top priority! Whether we get the goods or not is secondary, the person! You must come back safe and sound, without a single hair missing! Do you hear me?! This is an order!" Her voice carried an unquestionable authority and deep concern.

"Don't worry!" Wei Chen felt the strength in Director Wang's hand and the heavy, almost overwhelming trust in him. He nodded solemnly and firmly. "I promise!"

Without delay, Wei Chen comforted Director Wang and immediately found Deputy Section Chief Jin Aimin, who was frantically arranging night patrols under the dim kerosene lamp at the entrance of the rescue station, looking at the roster.

"Jin Ke, I'd like to ask you for a few days off." Wei Chen walked up to him, getting straight to the point, his voice not loud but exceptionally clear.

Jin Aimin, already troubled by the manpower shortage, didn't even look up when he heard this, and waved his hand impatiently: "Take leave? Don't you know what the situation is like at the station right now? We're so short-staffed we're practically begging for our lives! Don't you dare..."

Before he could finish speaking, he looked up and saw the unusual seriousness on Wei Chen's face and the unwavering determination deep in his eyes. He swallowed the rest of his words, frowned, and asked, "What happened?"

Wei Chen briefly and clearly recounted Director Wang's concerns, the increasingly serious edema situation at the rescue station, and his own idea of ​​going into the mountains to hunt.

"...That's the situation. With just this gruel, those children with edema probably won't last more than a few days. I was thinking of going into the mountains to try my luck, maybe I could catch a pheasant, make some soup, and that might be enough to save their lives."

As Jin Aimin listened, the impatience on his face gradually disappeared, replaced by a solemn respect. He looked Wei Chen up and down, as if he were truly getting to know this usually taciturn but exceptionally steady and reliable young man for the first time.

He suddenly raised his large, fan-like hand and slammed it heavily on Wei Chen's shoulder, the force so great that Wei Chen's body swayed.

"Good lad! You've got guts! You've got real guts! You've got guts!" Jin Aimin's voice boomed like a bell, carrying far into the quiet night, filled with undisguised admiration and a touch of chivalrous spirit. "For these fellow villagers in distress, you dared to venture into those man-eating ravines! You're a real man! You're a true hero of our security department! This leave, I approve! No, it doesn't count as a leave request!"

He waved his hand dismissively, his tone resolute, "You're on official business! You're working to provide a livelihood for the people at our relief station! It's an honorable mission! If the factory asks, I, Jin Aimin, will take the blame for you! I'll handle anything! Go ahead and do your job with confidence!" He paused, his large, bell-like eyes fixed on Wei Chen, "Need any manpower? I can pick out two quick-witted and capable fighters for you?"

Wei Chen felt a surge of warmth in his heart and quickly shook his head: "Thank you, Director Jin! There's really no need. Too many people will make a big splash and attract attention. I can go alone, be more agile, and be a smaller target. I can go and come back quickly."

"Alright! I'll do as you say!" Jin Aimin didn't waste any words; he was a straightforward man. "Bring enough gear! Keep your eyes peeled! Listen carefully! Go and come back as soon as possible!"

He took a step closer, lowered his voice, and said with unprecedented seriousness, "Remember my words: life is more precious than anything! It doesn't matter if we can't find the stuff, the mountain is still there! But you! You have to come back to me safe and sound! If even a single hair is missing, I'll skin you alive! You hear me?"

"Understood!" Wei Chen straightened his back, stood at attention perfectly, and raised his right hand to salute the respectable man. Under the dim light, the two shadows were stretched long.

When I came out of the shelter, it was completely dark. The biting autumn wind carried the chill of late autumn, swirling up the withered leaves on the ground.

Back in the courtyard, in the main room, Wang Xiulan, the mother, sat on a small stool, mending an old jacket with worn-out cuffs, using the last bit of daylight. The dim light outlined her hunched and focused profile.