Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

Wei Chen surveyed the entire scene, his gaze sharp as lightning. "The mountains are snowbound, the wind is biting cold, and the mountain roads are rugged. One wrong step and you're plunged into an abyss! Not to mention the hungry wolves, wild boars, or even bears you might encounter at any moment! Do you think this is like going to the market to buy vegetables? This is like putting your head on the line!"

"I, Wei Chen, am risking my life so that my mother and sister can have some meat to eat, and so that I can help the factory out of some difficulties. It's not so that some people who clearly have plenty of food at home, are well-fed and healthy, but only pretend to be poor and wait for others to give them things away, can reap the rewards without working!"

His gaze, as if it were tangible, pierced Jia Zhangshi and Banggeng, emphasizing the words "fair-skinned and plump." Jia Zhangshi's plump face instantly turned a deep purplish-red, and Banggeng instinctively tried to shrink back.

"I have no obligation!" Wei Chen's voice was resolute, echoing throughout the courtyard. "I, Wei Chen, have no obligation to support all the lazy people in this courtyard! Nor do I have an obligation to use what I earned with my life to fill those bottomless pits that will never be filled! My responsibility is to support my mother, provide for my sister, and complete the purchasing tasks assigned to me by the factory! Beyond that, no one can use 'morality,' 'reputation,' or so-called 'tradition' to bind me!"

The entire room fell silent. Wei Chen's words were clear, logical, and forceful, stripping away the hardships of personal struggle, the responsibilities of family, and the hypocritical demands of certain individuals.

Many neighbors who had initially been somewhat swayed by Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong now wore expressions of contemplation and shame. Indeed, why should they give you something they risked their lives for?

Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong were rendered speechless, their faces turning ashen. Seeing the situation turning sour, Xu Damao tried to fan the flames: "Brother Wei Chen, you can't say that. I'm only doing this for your own good, worried about your reputation..."

"For my own good?" Wei Chen whirled around, his gaze as cold as ice fixed on Xu Damao, a chilling smile playing on his lips. "Xu Damao, shut up! My reputation is none of your business. But do you need me to remind you of all those 'good deeds' you did while showing movies in the villages?"

Xu Damao's heart skipped a beat, a chill running from the soles of his feet to his head: "You... what do you mean?"

Wei Chen took a step forward, his eyes sharp as knives, his voice not loud, but loud enough for those in the front row to hear clearly: "What do you mean? Do I need to mention 'Xiaowangzhuang,' 'Liushutun,' or 'Kaoshantun'? You, Xu Damao, the projectionist, have you been visiting places particularly frequently lately?"

A string of place names was rattled off, like thunderclaps exploding in Xu Damao's ears! His face instantly turned deathly pale, and cold sweat poured down his back. He had kept these things a secret, thinking they were flawless; how could Wei Chen have known?!

And how did he know all this so clearly! He went to the countryside to buy supplies, could it be… could it be that he even found out about this kind of private matter?! A huge fear gripped Xu Damao. If this got out, he could forget about being a projectionist! And he could forget about being the Lou family's son-in-law!

"You...you're talking nonsense! You're spouting lies!" Xu Damao shouted, his voice trembling violently, his eyes darting away, not daring to meet Wei Chen's gaze.

"Whether I'm lying or not, you know best in your heart." Wei Chen looked at him coldly, saying nothing more. But that all-knowing gaze had already terrified Xu Damao.

"I...I...I suddenly remembered I still have water on the stove! I'm leaving now!" Xu Damao no longer cared about the cricket's supposed harm, and scrambled out of the crowd, fleeing back to the backyard like a stray dog, not daring to look back. A suppressed snicker and murmurs erupted throughout the room.

After dealing with the troublemaker Xu Damao, Wei Chen's gaze returned to Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong, whose faces were extremely grim. He knew it was time to unleash his final trump card.

"Uncle, Uncle," Wei Chen's voice returned to calm, even carrying a strange gentleness, "Since you two are so concerned about the distribution of my hunting and fishing catches, and so emphasize that the needs of our compound are above all else, then it's easy to arrange."

He paused, noticing the sudden tension in their expressions, and said, word by word: "My hunting and fishing aren't just personal hobbies; they're official procurement tasks assigned by the steel mill's logistics department! They were personally assigned by Deputy Director Li Huaide and Director Wang! Every pound of meat and every fish I get must first be supplied to the factory canteen to ensure the meals for thousands of workers! This is a political mission!"

"Since you two gentlemen feel that our compound should be given priority and that the difficulties of our neighbors should be taken care of first, fine! I have no objection! As long as you two can take our compound's opinion letter to Deputy Factory Director Li and Director Wang to explain the situation now, or first thing tomorrow morning, and as long as those two leaders agree..."

Tell me, "Okay, Wei Chen, from now on, whatever you hunt will be prioritized for your courtyard. The factory canteen can take a backseat!" Then I, Wei Chen, will not hesitate! I guarantee to distribute the best game to every household in our courtyard first! Absolutely fair and just! How about it? Gentlemen, for the sake of the 'warmth' and 'unity' of our courtyard, would you two be willing to make this trip? Now, or tomorrow?"

Boom! Wei Chen's words were like a bucket of cold water poured into boiling oil, instantly causing an uproar!

Find Deputy Factory Director Li? Find Director Wang? Get them to agree to prioritize the distribution of factory supplies to the courtyard houses? That's utterly absurd! A pipe dream! Who are Deputy Factory Director Li and Director Wang? They're powerful factory leaders! Even if Yi Zhonghai is only a level seven worker and Liu Haizhong a level six blacksmith, even the factory director wouldn't disregard the food needs of thousands of workers just for the sake of so-called "neighborly relations" with a courtyard house!

If they were to actually say that, at best they would be severely reprimanded, and at worst they would be labeled as "sabotaging production" and "having serious localist tendencies"! This responsibility is something that not only Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong, but the entire courtyard house could not bear!

Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong were instantly struck dumb, their faces turning from pale to ashen, cold sweat visibly beading on their foreheads. They never expected Wei Chen to bring up the factory leader, this powerful figure! And to do so with such confidence and impeccable authority!

"This...this..." Liu Haizhong's "leadership" demeanor vanished completely. His thick lips trembled, and he stammered, unable to utter a single word. Only large beads of sweat streamed down his chubby face.

Yi Zhonghai felt his vision blur and his heart pound. He knew that his meticulously planned "moral blackmail" had been utterly crushed by Wei Chen in the most upright and honorable way! Not only had he gained no advantage, but he and his second uncle had also lost face in front of all the neighbors! His retirement plan? His attempt to suppress Wei Chen? He now only wanted to end this farce that made him feel utterly humiliated as soon as possible!

"Cough cough... Wei Chen..." Yi Zhonghai forced a smile that looked more like a grimace, his voice dry and weak, "You...you misunderstood! We...we didn't mean that! The factory's tasks are of course the top priority! The most important thing! We...we were just making a suggestion, expressing our hope...thinking that you'd complete the factory's tasks,

If... if there really are any extras, within our capabilities, we can consider our compound... especially those neighbors who are truly in need... Of course, everything still has the factory's best interests at heart! The factory's best interests at heart!" He was incoherent, his words disjointed, just trying to find a way to save face.

"Yes, yes, yes! The old man is right! The factory is the priority! The factory is the priority!" Liu Haizhong nodded vigorously, as if he had been granted a pardon, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.

"Oh? Is that so?" Wei Chen looked at the two men with a half-smile. "Then it seems I misunderstood. Since you two gentlemen agree that the factory's tasks take priority, then I don't need to worry. As for any surplus?" He spread his hands. "There are thousands of mouths to feed in the factory, and those elderly people living alone in the neighborhood office. I'm afraid there won't be any 'surplus' left for the compound. Of course, if there really is, I'll handle it."

He looked at Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong, who were in such a disheveled state, wishing they could disappear into the ground, and sneered inwardly. He said nothing more, turning gently to his mother and sister, "Mom, Xiaoran, Xiaocao, it's getting late, let's go home. We have to get up early tomorrow."

After saying that, he ignored the various expressions on everyone's faces, helped his mother, and led his sister through the crowd, walking calmly towards the east courtyard.

A grand, attempted coercive meeting, intended to force the abdication of the leadership, ended abruptly and angrily with Wei Chen's well-reasoned and decisive counterattack. Watching Wei Chen and his family disappear behind the moon gate, and then glancing at the mocking, sympathetic, or gloating looks from his neighbors, Yi Zhonghai felt a surge of blood rush to his throat, and his vision blurred.

He forced himself to stay calm and said "Let's adjourn" to Liu Haizhong, who was equally distraught, before staggering back to his room, his back hunched, as if he had aged ten years in an instant.

Yan Bugui finally dared to put down the newspaper, letting out a long sigh of relief. His small eyes were filled with lingering fear and relief: "That was close! That was close! Luckily I pretended to be stupid and didn't say anything! Wei Chen... he's too amazing! Even Lao Yi and Lao Liu were completely subdued! From now on... from now on I have to stick close to him! Fishing! Fishing is the priority!" He made up his mind that tomorrow morning, he would have Yan Jiecheng go to Wei Chen's house to "help out," and his attitude would have to be even more attentive!

Madam Jia, on the other hand, looked resentful and bitter. Her plump face twisted in anger as she pinched the stalk of her grandson, who was still thinking about meat, hard: "What are you looking at! Go home and drink your porridge! You're all useless!" She cursed and dragged her grandson away.

Under the dim light of the bulbs, the crowd gradually dispersed. But Wei Chen's resounding words and his final, decisive use of the "factory leader" argument were deeply etched into everyone's hearts. The layout of the courtyard house underwent a quiet but profound transformation after that night. Wei Chen's prestige was quietly established amidst the silent shock. And Yi Zhonghai's seemingly unbreakable "authority" was now riddled with cracks.

Warm lights came on in the east courtyard. Soon after, a familiar, rich aroma of meat wafted out once again, filling the night sky above the courtyard.

This time, no one dared to knock on that moon door easily, and no one could easily sway that young figure with so-called "morality" and "sentiment".