Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

After all, they were still alive, hadn't lost their jobs, and although their savings had been exposed, the money was still there. Moreover, perhaps out of desperation, or perhaps realizing they could no longer maintain the facade of "frugal living," the Yan family's standard of living actually saw a slight, but real, improvement.

Occasionally, a little meat could be seen on the table—though it might just be a few extra slices of fatty meat in the stir-fry, or a small dish of peanuts that no longer needed to be portioned out individually. The porridge in the children's bowls also seemed a little thicker.

A few smiles, a rare sight for the Yan brothers, finally appeared on their faces. Yan Bugui and his third aunt were still very frugal, stretching every penny to its limit, but at least they weren't as stingy as before.

As the three aunties said in private: "Now that everyone knows about your money, who are you trying to fool by pretending to be poor? Eat and drink as you please, don't let the kids suffer."

Although Yan Bugui still felt the pinch of money, seeing the satisfied expressions on the children's faces while they ate, his stubborn streak seemed to soften slightly. Of course, his nature remained unchanged; his habits of scheming and taking advantage of others persisted, only no longer as blatant or excessive.

Wei Chen watched all of this with a cold eye. He was initially quite surprised that Yan Bugui's family had been "accidentally" targeted. His original intention was only to give Yi Zhonghai and the Jia family a warning, but he didn't expect Da Huang to have such a keen sense of smell, uncovering Yan Bugui's "treasure trove" as well.

However, seeing the Yan family's current situation, it seemed that they had turned misfortune into blessing, and their lives had actually improved. The children were also able to eat their fill, so Wei Chen's slight sense of guilt dissipated.

Although Yan Bugui was stingy and calculating, he was not inherently evil. Moreover, he was always quite polite to me and my mother, and would occasionally help me deliver messages or something.

One evening, Wei Chen returned home from get off work and saw Yan Bugui listlessly sweeping a small patch of ground in front of his own house with a large broom, raising dust everywhere and doing a perfunctory job. Wei Chen's heart stirred, and he led Da Huang over.

"Teacher Yan, are you sweeping?" Wei Chen greeted her.

Yan Bugui looked up and saw Wei Chen. He forced a complicated smile, a mix of embarrassment and lingering awe. After all, Wei Chen and Da Huang had played a significant role in exposing his gold bars: "Ah, it's Wei Chen. You're off work? I... I'm just sweeping here. The area in front of my house is too dirty."

Wei Chen smiled, his gaze sweeping over the common path leading from the front yard to the back, where fallen leaves and dust were plentiful. "Teacher Yan, how's your learning reflection coming along?"

Mentioning this, Yan Bugui's face showed even more bitterness: "Sigh, I have to write every week. My recent studies have helped me grow a lot! I've realized there are many areas where my thinking needs improvement, and I'm working hard to learn and grow!"

Wei Chen said casually, "Labor is glorious, but writing it on paper isn't enough. Our compound's public areas, especially the main gate and the front yard passageway, are bustling with people. If we keep them clean, everyone will feel more comfortable walking around, and the neighbors will see it clearly. Isn't that real 'serving the people'? It's worth writing down concrete examples in my reflections, isn't it?"

Yan Bugui paused, his hand holding the broom still, and blinked. He was a smart man; he understood immediately. Wei Chen's words, seemingly casual conversation, were actually pointing him in the right direction!

Yes, what's the use of just writing empty self-criticisms? If you can do something tangible and visible, something that's reflected in your actions, then your self-criticism will have substance. The neighborhood committee will see that you're genuinely repentant and working hard! Besides, cleaning public areas is effortless, free, and you can even gain a good reputation!

The more he thought about it, the more sense it made. A glimmer of light returned to his cloudy eyes, and he nodded hurriedly, "Yes, yes, yes! Wei Chen, you're right! Labor can't just be talk! I... I'll take over the sanitation of our front yard and the main gate starting tomorrow! It'll be something practical I can do for the yard and make up for my mistake!"

Wei Chen nodded: "That's the right way to think, Teacher Yan. If we start with small things and persevere, everyone will see the results." After saying that, he led Da Huang back to the east courtyard.

Yan Bugui stood there, pondering Wei Chen's words, and the more he thought about it, the better it seemed. His originally gloomy mood was lifted by finding a clear path to "reform." He straightened his back, picked up the broom again, and this time swept much more carefully, even sweeping up the old fallen leaves in the corners.

Starting the next day, the neighbors in the courtyard were surprised to find that "Uncle Yan Bugui," the "Third Uncle" in the front yard, had changed. Every day at the crack of dawn, they could see him carrying a large broom, diligently sweeping the blue brick ground in the front yard, collecting fallen leaves, scraps of paper, and dust into a dustpan, and then dumping it into the garbage heap.

He not only swept his own front door, but also cleaned the area near the moon gate leading to the middle courtyard and the stone steps at the entrance of the main courtyard.

At first, people whispered among themselves, thinking he was just putting on an act or trying to pass the neighborhood committee's training session. But one day, two days, one week, two weeks... Yan Bugui actually persisted, rain or shine. After sweeping the floor, he would even use a rag to polish the brass rings on the gate until they shone.

Gradually, the tone of the discussion shifted. "Hey, Uncle San, sweeping again? So diligent!" "Teacher Yan, take a break, the floor is clean enough!"

"You know what, ever since Uncle San started sweeping, the area in front of our courtyard is so much cleaner!" "It seems the neighborhood committee's training really worked; Uncle San has genuinely changed his ways."

"Labor is the most glorious thing! This action by Uncle San is better than writing ten self-criticisms!"

Hearing these comments, Yan Bugui felt a surge of satisfaction and swept even more diligently. He wrote down the small acts of neighborly assistance he witnessed while sweeping, as well as the positive discussions he heard, in his weekly study notes. He particularly emphasized how he transformed his thinking through labor, experienced the joy of serving the people, and his journey of improving the compound's environment by starting with small things. His writing was sincere and heartfelt, incorporating concrete examples, and far surpassed his previous dry self-criticisms.

The news quickly reached the ears of Director Wang of the neighborhood office. At first, she didn't believe that the shrewd and calculating Yan Laoxi could genuinely do voluntary work. So she sent an officer to secretly observe the area around No. 95 Nanluoguxiang for a few days. The result was that Yan Bugui did indeed clean every day without fail, and he cleaned quite diligently, not just for show.

Director Wang held Yan Bugui's latest insightful and practical reflections and listened to the staff member's report, a smile spreading across his face.

This is a classic case of "successful transformation"! A pedantic old scholar who hoarded gold and held outdated views, through criticism and education from the neighborhood office and his own efforts, deeply reflected on his actions, served the people with practical actions, improved the neighborhood environment, and won the praise of the masses! If this were reported, wouldn't it be clear proof of Director Wang's effective work and successful transformation? A definite achievement!

Soon, the subdistrict office issued a commendation notice, establishing Yan Bugui as an advanced model of "acknowledging mistakes and correcting them, honoring labor, and serving the people," and reported it to the district. The district also felt that this model was very educational and recognized it.

One morning more than a month later, Director Wang from the neighborhood office came to the courtyard again, but this time not to hold a criticism meeting. Instead, he brought a letter of praise written on red paper and a big red flower!

The entire staff was summoned to the intermediate court again. Yan Bugui stood at the front, flustered, his face a mixture of excitement and fear. Director Wang read aloud a letter of commendation, affirming Comrade Yan Bugui's actions in actively reforming his thinking, persisting in voluntary labor, and improving the courtyard environment after recognizing his mistakes. He called on everyone to learn from Comrade Yan Bugui, learning from his attitude of admitting and correcting his errors and his down-to-earth and hardworking spirit. Finally, Director Wang personally announced that, given Comrade Yan Bugui's serious attitude towards reform and outstanding performance, his study session at the street office was terminated immediately!

Amidst enthusiastic applause from the neighbors, Director Wang personally pinned a large red flower to Yan Bugui's chest. Yan Bugui was so moved that his lips trembled, his eyes reddened, and he repeatedly said, "Thank you, organization! Thank you, Director Wang! I will definitely continue to work hard!"

He never dreamed that being criticized and fined for hiding gold bars would turn out to be a blessing in disguise, making him a model citizen praised by the neighborhood! Although he was heartbroken about losing the gold bars, the "honor" and the "freedom" of ending the training course early made him feel a bit more upright as he walked in the courtyard, accepting the complex gazes of his neighbors! Envy, jealousy, disdain, and admiration were all mixed together, and he seemed to have regained a lot of the "face" he had lost due to the exposure.

Looking at Yan Bugui, who was wearing a big red flower on his chest, Liu Haizhong felt a little uneasy. How come this old Yan has risen again so quickly? Although he's lost the gold bars, this "model" title is sometimes more effective than money! He secretly wondered if he should also create some "deeds" of his own.

Yi Zhonghai hid behind his window, watching the lively scene in the courtyard and listening to the applause outside, his face growing even more somber. Everyone else was moving forward, but he seemed forever trapped in that morning when he lost everything. He glanced at the empty corner by his bedside, where once a heavy wooden box had stood, now only a suffocating void remained.

Wei Chen stood at his front door, watching this scene from afar, a faint smile playing on his lips. Giving Yan Bugui some pointers was just a casual gesture. Seeing even a little positive change was always a good thing.

As for whether Yan Bugui would revert to his old ways, that was no longer his concern. His gaze swept across the middle courtyard, then the backyard, finally settling on his own quiet little courtyard.

Life in the courtyard house continues. Beneath the surface calm, some are disappointed, some are triumphant, some struggle, and some have found a new way of living. The real storm, perhaps, is brewing in a more distant place. But for Wei Chen, protecting this hard-won peace and ensuring his mother's comfort is paramount.

He turned and went back into the house, gently closing the door. Outside, there was the hustle and bustle of the world; inside, there was a peaceful haven he had created for himself and his mother.