Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

These words were almost a blatant insinuation and accusation, practically saying that Wei Chen was "opportunistic" and "abusing his power for personal gain."

The three members of the Wei family felt their hearts leap into their throats. They looked at Wang Laizi with a mixture of tension and anger, and then at Wei Chen with worry. Little Tiger seemed to sense the tense atmosphere as well, and snuggled closer to his mother.

Wei Chen suddenly laughed, this time the smile was a little more obvious, but the smile did not reach the depths of his eyes. Instead, his calm eyes revealed a faint, condescending coldness.

He calmly reached for the worn canvas satchel on the chair next to him. Under Wang Laizi's watchful gaze, he took out a kraft paper envelope with a prominent red heading that read "Red Star Steel Rolling Mill." The envelope was sealed with glue and stamped with a seal across the seam.

He slowly opened the envelope and pulled out several neatly folded official papers, also printed with red headers, as well as a small notebook with a dark red plastic cover.

He gently spread the items out on the octagonal table, his finger landing on the bright red official seal and key text lines at the bottom of one of the official documents. Only then did he raise his head, his gaze returning to Wang Laizi's face. His tone remained steady, but carried an air of businesslike detachment and invisible pressure.

"Comrade Wang seems quite concerned about the operation of our state-owned factory and relevant national policies," Wei Chen said, his tone carrying a subtle scrutiny. "Perfect timing. I'd like to take this opportunity to explain this to those who are interested. This is my unit's letter of introduction, and this is a 'Certificate for Outbound Material Allocation and Emergency Procurement' issued by the factory and approved and filed by the superior authority. The travel route, time limit, and authority are all clearly written here. Would you like to take a look?"

His finger moved to another document: "According to relevant regulations, it is permissible to obtain a small number of wild animals for personal use in non-prohibited hunting areas and during non-prohibited hunting seasons, as long as it does not involve buying and selling for profit. Do you want to go ask the factory's security department?"

I visited my sister, bringing a small amount of wild game I had hunted that complied with regulations. There was nothing wrong with that, neither morally, logically, nor legally. Does this comrade have any further questions?

These words were clear, logical, and well-founded. More importantly, the official documents and certificates bearing bright red seals, under the dim light, exuded an aura of unquestionable authority unique to those within the system.

Wang Laizi was just a scoundrel in the commune who made a living by spreading rumors and bullying the weak. He could usually scare honest farmers, but he had never seen anything like this before.

His original plan was simple: take advantage of the fact that a "relative from the city" had come to the Wei family, bringing rare wild game, to bluff them, either to extort some benefits, or at least to show off his power and satisfy his dark voyeuristic desires and sense of superiority.

He never expected that this seemingly young and even somewhat refined "relative" would not only be completely unfazed by him, but would also immediately present "official documents" and a series of "policy regulations" that were watertight, effectively blocking all his little schemes and subtly placing him in the unfavorable position of "potentially making false accusations."

A fine layer of cold sweat instantly beaded on Wang Laizi's forehead. His fake smile was stiffer than a grimace, and his eyes darted around, avoiding Wei Chen's gaze. He stammered, "Ah... well... so that's what happened! The comrades sent by the government are here for important matters at the factory!"

"Misunderstanding! Huge misunderstanding! Look at my mouth, I just can't keep it shut, asking around and talking nonsense! Comrade, please don't take it to heart! I was just... just curious, asking around, just asking around..." As he spoke, he unconsciously shrank back, as if trying to get away from the "frightening" documents on the table.

"A misunderstanding?" Wei Chen's voice rose slightly, the last trace of a smile vanishing from his face, replaced by a cold, solemn expression. His entire demeanor shifted abruptly; he was no longer the calm, explaining staff member from before, but rather like a sharp sword slowly being drawn from its sheath, its edge subtly revealed.

"Comrade Wang, the word 'misunderstanding' cannot be used lightly. In public, making statements that are clearly misleading and defamatory towards state personnel, interfering with their normal official duties, or even attempting extortion—you should be very clear about the nature of these actions. At best, it's disrupting social order; at worst, it's sabotaging production and construction, and falsely accusing revolutionary comrades!"

As he spoke, he continued his unhurried movements, taking out a small, dark brown hardcover booklet with the national emblem and the words "gun license" printed on the cover from the inside pocket of his canvas satchel—or rather, from his storage space—and gently placing it next to the stack of documents.

Then, under the sudden breath-holding of the Wei family and the abruptly contracting gaze of Wang Laizi, his hand reached deep into his satchel and once again used the space to take out...

He steadily placed a jet-black, gleaming Type 54 pistol, meticulously maintained and radiating a cold, metallic sheen, next to his gun license, with the muzzle pointing in a safe direction!

"Click." The pistol struck the wooden tabletop, producing a soft yet crisp sound. In the quiet hall, it was nothing short of a thunderclap!

The gun's sharp lines reflected a cold, dangerous sheen under the dim light of a fifteen-watt bulb. Although the safety was on and the muzzle was pointed towards the uninhabited, the sheer metal and the chilling, murderous aura emanating from it instantly shattered Wang Laizi's last shred of hope and bluff!

"I am entrusted by the state and the organization to perform important official duties. To ensure the safety of my journey and the completion of my tasks, I have been issued the necessary defensive equipment, and all procedures are complete and legal." Wei Chen's voice was not loud, but every word was like iron, striking Wang Laizi's fragile heart. "All my actions are traceable and subject to supervision. However, if someone deliberately creates trouble and spreads rumors, it will not only interfere with my work but may also threaten the safety of myself and my family..."

He paused briefly, his icy gaze like a sharp blade scraping across Wang Laizi's pale, sweat-drenched face: "Then, I don't mind taking all necessary measures to protect my rights and the safety of the mission. At that point, it won't be as simple as just asking you to come to our factory's security department to 'explain the situation.' You need to weigh the consequences carefully."

He spoke the last few words softly and slowly, yet with immense force.

Wang Laizi was utterly terrified! This guy, all bluster and no substance, only bullies his own kind, usually just talks a big game when he bullies honest people, when has he ever seen him actually fight?

What's more, the other party wasn't just brandishing a gun, but also a stack of red documents representing "official" and "organizational" authority! This wasn't some "city relative" who could be manipulated at will; this was clearly a "killer star" carrying an "imperial sword," ready to take lives at any moment! He could almost see himself being taken to the police station, or the terrifying scene of that dark gun barrel pointed at him.

"No! No! Comrade Wei! Leader! I was wrong! I really know I was wrong!" Wang Laizi couldn't sit still any longer. He jumped up from the stool as if his butt had been burned. The movement was so violent that he almost knocked the stool over.

His body trembled like an autumn leaf, he bowed repeatedly, his back bent so low it almost touched his knees, his voice trembling with sobs, incoherent, "It was my fault for being so talkative! I was lying! I didn't recognize your greatness! I didn't see anything! I didn't hear anything! Please, have mercy on me, a worthless person! I'll leave right now! Right away! Brother Wei, Sister-in-law Wei, Old Master Wei, I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! I've disturbed you! You two talk! You're busy!"

As he spoke, he scrambled towards the door, running for his life. He didn't care about the pain when his shoulder slammed against the doorframe. He stumbled and crawled out of the main room, forgetting to close the courtyard gate. His disheveled figure disappeared into the thick night and cold wind, as if a deadly ghost was truly chasing after him.

An eerie silence fell over the room, broken only by the occasional crackling of the fire in the stove and the heavy breathing of the group.

Wei Changshuan let out a long, deep breath, his tense shoulders relaxing. His eyes were filled with complex emotions as he looked at Wei Chen: lingering fear, shock, relief, and even a hint of envy.

Wei Qiang stared wide-eyed, his face filled with disbelief and heartfelt admiration. This honest man was witnessing for the first time that problem-solving could be done in such a "tough" and "powerful" way.

Wei Zhenzhen was even more excited. She watched as Wei Chen calmly put away his pistol and carefully placed his documents back into the brown paper envelope. His movements were steady and his expression was composed, as if he had just casually shooed away a buzzing fly.

She held Tiger tightly in her arms, her palms sweating, but her heart was filled with an unprecedented sense of security. She truly felt that the younger brother she remembered, who needed her protection and whose food she had to secretly save to help him, had really grown into a towering tree, not only able to shelter himself from the wind and rain, but also able to extend his shade to the family members around him.

"Xiao Chen...you...are you...alright?" Wei Zhenzhen's voice was still trembling, whether from fright or excitement, it was hard to tell.

"Sis, it's alright now." Wei Chen regained his previous gentle demeanor, as if the imposing, sharp young man from before was just an illusion. "Dealing with this kind of scoundrel, reasoning with him is often useless. The more you back down, the more he'll take advantage. Show him your bottom line once and for all, let him know what's what, let him know what he can't touch, and he'll naturally behave himself from now on. You, brother-in-law, and Uncle Wei, from now on, he'll probably have to avoid you when he sees you."