Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

When they returned to the steel rolling mill, it was nearing the end of the workday. The factory gate was gradually becoming lively, with some workers who had finished their tasks early beginning to leave. Seeing the two enormous buckets of fish on the back of Wei Chen's bicycle, the crowd stirred.

"Wow! Wei Chen! It's you again! Such a huge haul!" "So many fish! Goodness, this must weigh over a hundred pounds!" "Wei Chen, have you found the Dragon King's treasure trove? How come you never come empty-handed?" "These fish are so fat! They look so tempting!"

Envy, amazement, and teasing voices rose and fell. Wei Chen simply smiled and nodded in response, continuing to ride straight towards the small warehouse behind the canteen—the place where the logistics department temporarily received "unplanned supplementary food."

Before I even reached the warehouse, someone called out to me.

"Wei Chen! Comrade Wei Chen! Wait!" Wei Chen turned around and saw a clerk from the logistics department, surnamed Wang, running over breathlessly, his face beaming with joy: "Oh! Comrade Wei Chen! You're finally back! Director Li was just talking about you! Quickly, take the fish to the small warehouse to be weighed, Director Li wants to see you!"

Sure enough, just as the fish was unloaded and weighed—153.7 jin—the bookkeeper's pen trembled as Deputy Factory Director Li Huaide strode over with his hands behind his back.

Li Huaide was in his forties, well-maintained, with a slightly puffy belly. He wore a dark blue Zhongshan suit, and his hair was neatly combed. He was the deputy factory director in charge of logistics, a position that carried immense pressure but also considerable power in those days. Seeing the large pile of still-jumping fresh fish on the ground, Li Huaide's eyes lit up, and his smile became much more genuine.

"Great! Great job, Comrade Wei Chen!" Li Huaide stepped forward, patted Wei Chen's shoulder forcefully, and, feeling the strong muscles, nodded inwardly. "Another great success! You've solved a huge problem for our factory! On behalf of all the factory workers, I thank you!"

"Director Li, you're too kind. I was just lucky to run into a school of fish," Wei Chen said modestly, his face showing a hint of shyness and excitement at being praised by his superior.

"Good luck is also a skill!" Li Huaide waved his hand, glanced around at the workers who were gradually gathering to watch the excitement, and raised his voice, "Comrades! Do you see him? This is our factory's Comrade Wei Chen! Not only is he good at security work, but he's also a master at producing side dishes and improving the lives of the workers! Everyone should learn from his spirit of not being afraid of hardship or fatigue and actively contributing to the collective!"

A round of applause and cheers erupted from the crowd. Li Huaide was very satisfied with the effect, gave Wei Chen a few more words of encouragement, and then winked at him, signaling Wei Chen to come aside and talk to him.

The two walked to a quiet spot next to the warehouse. Li Huaide's smile faded, replaced by a sincere expression. He lowered his voice and said, "Xiao Wei, you did a really good job! This fish came just in time! The canteen was worried about not having anything to add to the workers' diet with meat."

"Of course, Director Li," Wei Chen replied respectfully.

"However," Li Huaide changed the subject, his brow furrowing slightly, his voice lowering, "just having fish isn't enough. The Lunar New Year is next month! This year's situation is even worse than last year! The higher-ups are facing even greater difficulties this year, demanding that each factory find ways to be self-reliant, while still ensuring that employees have a good New Year—at least some oily food and substantial dishes on the New Year's Eve dinner table! As the deputy director of logistics, I'm under a lot of pressure!"

Wei Chen understood that this was about to be a new demand, and he put on a troubled expression: "Director Li, what do you mean...?"

"You understand what I mean." Li Huaide looked at him, his eyes filled with expectation and a hint of unyielding resolve. "Fish is good, but for the New Year, we need some meat to make it proper, to reassure people, and to show the factory's care and strength! You see, could we... try going into the mountains again? Like last year, and bring back a few wild boars! If we could also find deer like last year... that would be even better!" When he mentioned "deer," Li Huaide's eyes flickered, hinting at something.

Wei Chen chuckled inwardly. Just as he suspected. Wild boar meat was coarse, but plentiful and filling—it was for the workers' benefit. Deer, especially sika deer, had tender meat, a delicacy among "hard currencies," and a rare commodity needed on certain occasions by certain people. Li Huaide wanted to fulfill his "political mission"—ensuring the workers had meat for the New Year—while also securing some "special resources" for himself.

He looked thoughtful, rubbing his hands together, appearing somewhat troubled: "Director Li, well... wild boar is an option. However, the situation in the mountains isn't great this year. I heard that several communes nearby have organized hunting expeditions, and the wild animals have been frightened and run deeper into the mountains. Finding one will probably take more time and involve traveling much further. Besides, I can't guarantee anything; last year we were lucky, but this year might be different. As for deer... those creatures are very wary, and you can't expect to find one by chance."

Upon hearing this, Li Huaide's eyes lit up even more, far from being disappointed. "I'm not afraid of you needing time, I'm not afraid of you going far, I'm only afraid you lack ability and connections!" He immediately waved his hand decisively, "Time is not a problem! Distance doesn't matter! From today onwards—no, from this moment on—you don't need to come to the factory every day! I'll give you a month, no, a month and a half! You can arrange it yourself, even if you have to go deep into the mountains! Whatever equipment you need, the factory will provide it! Travel and accommodation expenses will be reimbursed! Do your best, do your best! I believe in you!"

He leaned forward, his voice so low that only the two of them could hear, and subtly gestured with his hand: "Xiao Wei, you're a smart man. Wild boar, we want it. But that deer... if you get it, you absolutely, absolutely have to send it to me first! Understand? You'll get your share of the benefits!" He patted Wei Chen's pocket, his words dripping with ambiguity.

Wei Chen understood immediately, his face showing a mixture of "sudden realization" and "flattered" expression. He quickly nodded, "I understand, Director Li! Don't worry, I'll do my best! Even if I have to run my legs off, I'll try to bring back a few wild boars to add a nice dish for our factory workers during the New Year! If I'm lucky enough to encounter a deer... I'll let you know first!"

"Good! Good! Good!" Li Huaide said "good" three times in a row, his smile spreading across his face again. He patted Wei Chen's shoulder forcefully, "I knew you were reliable! Keep up the good work! The factory won't mistreat those who have made contributions! If you need a letter of introduction or anything like that, just come to me!"

After giving a few more polite reminders about safety and to return early, Li Huaide left with his hands behind his back, satisfied. Before leaving, he called out to the warehouse, "Officer Wang! Record these fish for Comrade Wei Chen at the highest standard! Also, from my special approval slip, give Comrade Wei Chen five jin of flour and two jin of soybean oil! Consider it a subsidy from the factory for his hard work on the job!"

"Yes, Director Li!" Officer Wang replied loudly, his gaze toward Wei Chen becoming even more eager.

Wei Chen stood there, watching Li Huaide walk away. The perfectly measured excitement and respect on his face gradually faded, and he returned to his usual calm.

A month and a half of free time, reimbursed travel expenses, plus extra "subsidies"... Li Huaide really went all out for his "New Year's goods," giving him a huge amount of room to maneuver. Wild boars? Deer? To him, they were just ordinary things in the game world. In fact, he could use this opportunity to "legitimately" bring back even more things.

Wei Chen pushed his bicycle and slowly walked out of the factory area. The afterglow of the setting sun cast a long shadow of him. He had just received some flour and soybean oil coupons in his pocket. Although he didn't need them, he was already planning his next "go into the mountains" trip.

The oil press at the hunter's cabin was a success, solving the cooking oil problem. Li Huaide's side also received the green light. It was time to use this "vacation" to make some proper plans. Having come to this world and been influenced by the times, he hadn't been anywhere. Taking advantage of this opportunity, with the permit from the steel mill, he could go "playing" for a while—a vacation, after all!

As for the hustle and bustle in the courtyard, Yi Zhonghai's scheming, Sha Zhu's lunchbox, and the Jia family's predicament... at this moment, they all seem distant and insignificant.

His path lies in a wider world, in a more hidden realm, and in a more distant future. And this seemingly difficult era may well be the perfect stage for him to quietly accumulate experience and rise to prominence.

The autumn wind blew by, carrying a biting chill, but it also stirred the vast plains of ambition in Wei Chen's heart.

In the late autumn evenings, darkness falls early. Just past five o'clock, the sun is already setting in the west, casting long, hazy gray shadows across the courtyard. The cold wind swirls along the ground, whipping up withered leaves and dust, making a howling sound as if telling of how difficult this winter has been.

Wei Chen pushed his slightly worn "Forever" brand bicycle, creaking and groaning as he turned into Nanluoguxiang. Today, unlike usual, he didn't hang his conspicuous catch on the back seat; he only carried his canvas satchel and fishing rod.

However, upon closer inspection, one would notice that in each of the bamboo baskets hanging on either side of the bicycle, there was a bulging earthenware jar wrapped tightly in an old cotton-padded coat. The mouths of the jars were tied tightly with oiled paper and hemp rope, obscuring the contents. Only occasionally, a slight sloshing sound of liquid could be heard as the bicycle bumped along.

Workers were already walking briskly down the alley, their cotton-padded coats pulled tighter around their necks to ward off the cold wind. When they saw Wei Chen, those who knew him would nod and greet him, their gazes lingering for a moment on his bulging bicycle basket, a mixture of curiosity and numbness—in these days, any unusual noises from someone's house were mostly related to food, and after seeing it so often, one became too lazy to investigate further, leaving only a sliver of instinctive envy.

"Brother Wei, off fishing again?" Yan Jiefang from the Yan family in the front yard was carrying out a basket of coal ash when he casually asked. "Yeah, just went for a walk by the river," Wei Chen replied with a smile, without stopping.

"It must be hard to catch fish in this weather, right?" Yan Jiefang glanced at the heavy-looking basket on the bicycle. "Let's try our luck," Wei Chen mumbled, pushing the bicycle into the front yard.