Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

All of this was brought back by a young purchasing agent who was only nineteen years old and had been working at the factory for a year, all by himself, traveling thousands of miles to the grasslands of Inner Mongolia! This was not just a simple task; it was a miracle!

Looking at the enthusiastic workers and the impressive numbers on the blackboard, Li Huaide felt an indescribable sense of joy and pride. This tremendous achievement would undoubtedly be credited to him, and his prestige in the factory would reach a new peak.

He patted Wei Chen on the shoulder forcefully and shouted into the loudspeaker, "Comrades! This is the backbone of our Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill! This is the spirit of serving the people! Comrade Wei Chen is a role model for the entire mill! The mill's Party Committee and management will certainly give Comrade Wei Chen a grand commendation and reward!"

"Good!!" "Director Li is brilliant!" "Let's learn from Comrade Wei Chen!"

Cheers erupted once again. Countless eyes were fixed on Wei Chen, filled with admiration, gratitude, envy, and even a hint of reverence. This usually quiet and unassuming young man in the factory seemed to be radiating light at this moment.

The news spread like wildfire throughout the steel rolling mill at an alarming speed, quickly reaching the residential area. In every workshop, every work group, every office, people were once again enthusiastically discussing the name "Wei Chen." The last time was last year during the Spring Festival when Wei Chen brought in wild boars; this year, he was even more impressive, bringing in over 20,000 jin (approximately 10,000 kg) of meat! Didn't you see the warehouse overflowing with it?!

But the feelings of those familiar faces from the courtyard houses of Nanluoguxiang who work at the steel rolling mill are the most complicated at this moment.

In the canteen kitchen, Sha Zhu was holding a large ladle, listening to his apprentice Ma Hua and the other kitchen helpers excitedly discussing something.

"Master, have you heard? Wei Chen! The Wei Chen who lives in your courtyard! He brought back over 20,000 jin of meat from Inner Mongolia! Wild donkeys! Yellow sheep! Good heavens, it's piled up like a small mountain!" Ma Hua clicked his tongue, looking incredulous.

Sha Zhu's wrist jerked, nearly spilling the food from the pot. His eyes widened. "Who? Wei Chen? That kid? He managed to get over 20,000 jin of meat? You're kidding me!"

"It's absolutely true! The logistics warehouse is in an uproar! So many people went to see it! Deputy Factory Director Li personally oversaw the inventory!" another kitchen helper said confidently.

Sha Zhu stood there stunned for a long time, his heart filled with mixed emotions. On one hand, he found it hard to believe that Wei Chen had become so capable. On the other hand, he felt a vague sense of frustration and jealousy.

Sha Zhu was the factory's head chef; everyone looked up to him normally. But now, that kid had stolen all the limelight! And... thinking back to his past distance from Wei Chen's family and his occasional cold remarks in the courtyard, he felt a little embarrassed.

In the fitter's workshop, Yi Zhonghai was guiding Jia Dongxu through a workstation. The workshop foreman approached with a broad smile: "Old Yi, Dongxu, you're doing great! Your compound is truly full of hidden talents! That young man Wei Chen really made our factory director proud this time! Everyone says your compound has a great atmosphere and produces many talented people!"

Yi Zhonghai paused slightly in his file, forcing a smile: "Director, you flatter me. It's all thanks to the factory's excellent training and Wei Chen's hard work." Though he smiled, his heart was far from calm.

Previously, Wei Chen was only perceived as taciturn, his mother as hardworking and capable, and his younger sister as still young, having only moved in a little over a year ago, so their relationship wasn't particularly close.

Who could have imagined that he would quietly achieve such a monumental feat? His future position in the factory… Yi Zhonghai's eyes flickered as he began to reassess Wei Chen's importance. Meanwhile, Jia Dongxu, unable to conceal his shock and a hint of envy, muttered, "He's really lucky…"

In the forging workshop, Uncle Liu Haizhong, the second oldest, was inspecting the workshop with his hands behind his back, enjoying the prestige of being a seventh-level forger and the foreman. Several familiar workers surrounded him, chattering: "Uncle Liu, Wei Chen in your yard is quite something!" "You, the foreman of this yard, are really proud this time!" "Wei Chen's back, you'd better organize a big celebration for the whole yard!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Haizhong was initially stunned, then overjoyed! Wei Chen's meritorious service was an honor for the entire courtyard! As the steward, he would naturally feel proud as well! But soon, his joy turned into a subtle awkwardness and calculation.

Wei Chen, that kid, used to be unassuming in the compound and never really tried to get close to me, his second uncle. But now he's done such a great service and received a huge reward from the factory. I'm afraid he'll be harder to manage in the compound from now on. And, will this achievement affect my status in the compound? Liu Haizhong twirled a non-existent beard, his eyes shifting uncertainly.

No matter how turbulent their hearts were, when faced with congratulations and praise from other workers, they could only smile awkwardly and echo words like "Wei Chen is amazing" and "He has brought honor to the factory," and they didn't even dare to reveal the truth that they weren't actually very familiar with Wei Chen.

After all, living in the same courtyard as such a hero who had just created a miracle for the entire factory, was valued by all the leaders, and was appreciated by thousands of workers was itself an intangible asset and pressure.

Wei Chen's reputation soared to a level virtually unmatched within the steel rolling mill in a very short time. From the factory director and party secretary to ordinary workers, from workshop leaders to logistics staff, everyone admired and respected him. A nineteen-year-old youth had earned the respect of the entire factory with an incredible "procurement" deal.

The commotion and inventory took nearly two hours to gradually subside. All the goods were stored in the warehouse, the doors were locked, and double guards were deployed. The crowd gradually dispersed, but excited chatter still echoed throughout the factory area.

Li Huaide called Wei Chen to his office and closed the door.

The office was warm and cozy, with a roaring fire in the stove. Li Huaide personally brewed Wei Chen a cup of tea, using plenty of tea leaves, filling the air with its aroma. His smile was even more genuine and warm than it had been in front of the warehouse.

"Xiao Wei, sit down, sit down!" Li Huaide pointed to the chair opposite him. "You saw what happened today, didn't you? The whole factory remembers your contribution! This time, you really solved a huge problem for the factory and for me!"

"Director Li, this is all I should do, and it's all thanks to your trust and support." Wei Chen sat down, his attitude still respectful.

"Hey, credit is credit, no one can deny it!" Li Huaide waved his hand and took out a prepared document from the drawer. "According to our previous phone conversation, the price will be as you said: one yuan per jin for wild donkeys and one yuan and thirty cents per jin for gazelles. Thirteen thousand five hundred and twenty-eight jin of wild donkeys is one thousand three hundred and twenty-eight yuan. Twelve thousand one hundred and twenty jin of gazelles is one thousand five thousand seven hundred and fifty-six yuan. The total is twenty-nine thousand two hundred and eighty-four yuan."

Wei Chen nodded; the figure was roughly the same as his calculation. The actual weight was slightly more than he had reported, but Li Huaide had clearly tacitly accepted the benefits of this "reasonable error" based on the "friend's price," and might even have manipulated the accounts to make the final factory expenditure slightly higher than the figure. The difference naturally became "hardship fees" and "operational expenses" for Li Huaide and his associates. This was an unspoken rule.

"I already wired you 15,000 yuan as an advance payment and for expenses," Li Huaide continued, picking up a pen and signing his name in a flourish on an expense application form, then stamping it. "Here's the withdrawal slip for the remaining 14,284 yuan. Take it to the bank where the factory has an account and withdraw the cash directly. Once you have the money, quickly wire it to your friend in Inner Mongolia. We need to keep our word! Only when the final payment is settled will this matter be considered complete! You also need to maintain this relationship; don't be stingy when it's time to be generous!"

He specifically emphasized "friends" and "keeping promises," his eyes carrying a deeper meaning. Wei Chen understood that this was a reminder to handle the "tail end" carefully, leaving no potential hidden dangers, and to maintain this connection so that there might be other benefits later!

"Don't worry, Director Li, I understand! I'll take care of it this afternoon. I guarantee the final payment will be settled smoothly, without any delays." Wei Chen took the thin but incredibly heavy withdrawal slip and solemnly promised.

"Good! That's the kind of efficiency you need to have!" Li Huaide nodded in satisfaction, his tone becoming even more friendly. "After the money is wired, go home and get some rest! I'll give you two days off! You've been out here for over a month, enduring wind and rain, you must be exhausted! Go back and see your mother and sister, make them happy too! When you come back from your leave, the factory's official commendation and reward plan for you will definitely be finalized! Your position, rank, and benefits will all be arranged in a way that satisfies you! Keep up the good work, your future is bright!"

"Thank you, Director Li!" Wei Chen stood up and sincerely thanked him. He knew that Li Huaide's promises were extremely valuable. After this battle, he would have a brand new and solid starting point in the steel rolling mill's logistics system, and even in the entire Li Huaide faction.

After leaving Li Huaide's office, Wei Chen went straight to the factory's finance department without delay. With the withdrawal slip signed by Li Huaide, he successfully completed the formalities and received the bank's cash check.

In the afternoon, he went to the People's Bank savings branch near the steel rolling mill. There weren't many people in the savings branch, and the staff were particularly attentive when they saw the amount on the check and the official seal of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill. Soon, stacks of brand-new "Big Unity" notes were counted, totaling a full 14,284 yuan! Several thick stacks, neatly bundled with kraft paper.

Wei Chen packed the heavy bag in an inconspicuous old canvas bag. Amidst the slightly curious and envious glances of the staff, he calmly walked out of the savings bank.

He didn't go to the post office, nor did he look for any so-called "friends in Inner Mongolia." Carrying a canvas bag full of a huge sum of money, he walked casually down the street, turning into a quiet, deserted alley. Looking around to make sure no one was watching, he had a thought, and the canvas bag instantly disappeared into the game world's storage space.