Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

Space is the safest and most concealed "safe."

He was the one who bought the meat, so naturally he had nowhere to transfer the money. With this sum of over 14,000 yuan, plus the extra 15,000 yuan "expenses" given by Li Huaide earlier, he personally obtained a huge sum of nearly 30,000 yuan in this operation! In an era when the average worker's monthly salary was only 30 or 40 yuan, this was undoubtedly an astronomical fortune.

Of course, he wouldn't use this money for the time being, at least not in a big way. He carefully stored it in his storage space as his initial capital accumulation.

Having finished all this, Wei Chen felt completely relaxed. The factory matters were settled, and the money had been "dealt with." At this moment, the sun was setting, and the golden afterglow shone on the slightly gray streets and buildings of Beijing, also falling upon him.

A strong feeling of longing welled up in my heart. It's been almost a month since I left. I wonder how my mother is doing? Has my younger sister, Xiaowei, grown taller? They must be both surprised and delighted to hear the news from the factory, and they must be worried about me too, right?

I am eager to go home.

Wei Chen straightened his collar, took a step, and walked quickly towards Nanluoguxiang, towards that simple yet warm and cherished home.

The sun sank behind the western city wall, turning half of Beijing golden red. Wei Chen, carrying his faded, worn-out canvas satchel, walked along the uneven dirt road in the alley into Nanluoguxiang.

He's been away from home for almost a month now, the longest he's ever been away since he came into this world.

The sight of the gray brick walls, the peeling paint on the archway, and the icicles hanging from the eaves stirred up an indescribable feeling in his heart.

It felt like waking from a long dream—a dream of endless snowfields, roaring herds of beasts, flickering oil lamps in the black market, and deafening cheers from the factory. Now, suddenly plunged back into this bustling, noisy atmosphere, it all felt somewhat unreal.

Wei Chen walked steadily, his back straight. His blue work clothes were worn white at the cuffs and knees, covered with indelible dust and dark stains that were hard to tell if they were grease or something else, making him look travel-worn.

But the moment he stood there, his spirit and energy were unlike those of the weary workers dragging their tired bodies home from get off work in the alley. The fine cuts on his face from the wind on the grassland hadn't fully healed, and his skin had darkened considerably, but his eyes were bright and deep, like two deep wells, their depths unfathomable.

Over the past month, he's been rolling around in the snow, lurking near wolves, battling the elements, fighting against the wild animals, which has worn away his youthful impetuosity, leaving him with a steadfastness like a rock and a kind of indomitable spirit hidden in his bones.

Just as I turned into the narrow alleyway of No. 95 compound, before I could even see those two familiar black lacquered wooden doors, a sharp, ear-piercing cacophony of shouting and cursing, mixed with the chaotic voices of people, came crashing down on me like a pot had exploded.

Wei Chen recognized that voice all too well—it was Jia Zhangshi!

The old woman's shrill cries were like scraping the bottom of a pot with a dull knife—both astringent and piercing. Mixed in with them was another voice—his mother, Wang Xiulan's! But this voice wasn't as gentle as usual; it was filled with suppressed anger, trembling, urgent, and furious, making one's heart tighten just listening to it.

Wei Chen abruptly stopped, his brows furrowing, his heart sinking. During his time away, his biggest worry had been his family. His mother had only recently arrived in Beijing, his younger sister was still young, and the neighborhood was full of people and gossip. Judging from this, it was definitely not some trivial quarrel!

He quickened his pace, almost running into the alley. The two doors of courtyard number 95, which were usually left ajar or wide open to allow for ventilation, were now tightly shut. Yet, the increasingly loud and sarcastic shouts and chaotic chatter from inside, emanating from Jia Zhangshi, could be clearly heard through the cracks in the doors and over the walls.

"...Pah! I'm gossiping? I'm just saying what everyone's thinking! Everyone, judge this! What kind of respectable, disciplined young person working in a factory would run away for over a month without a word? Not even sending a letter home? Huh? Is this acceptable? Does this conform to the labor discipline of our new society?" Jia Zhangshi's voice was shrill and urgent, like a handful of shards of glass thrown out.

"If you ask me, it's just that young people don't know their place! Relying on their strength, they got a rash idea and ran off to some remote corner to show off! What kind of place is Inner Mongolia? The older generation calls it a 'vast desert'! The wind blows stones everywhere, you get sunburned in the summer, and your ears freeze off in the winter! There are packs of wolves, more than the stray cats in our alley! What does a half-grown kid know? How long has it been since we heard from him? Huh? More than half a month, right? Has the factory checked on him? Asked him? I think it's unlikely! He's probably had some kind of accident and won't be coming back! Who knows..."

She paused deliberately, building everyone's curiosity, then lowered her voice, making sure everyone could hear, and uttered the most vicious words: "...They fed the wolves! Not even a whole carcass can be found!"

"Jia Zhangshi! You...you're spewing filth! You're slandering me!" Wang Xiulan's voice suddenly rose, trembling violently with extreme anger and grievance. "My son was sent out by the factory on official business! He was contributing to the country and to socialist construction! You...you heartless old woman, how dare you curse him like that? Aren't you afraid your mouth will fester and your heart will rot!"

"Sent by the government? Who saw it? Who can testify?" Jia Zhangshi sneered, her laughter filled with contempt and disdain. "Wang Xiulan, stop being so stubborn! 'Making contributions'? What important contributions could a half-grown boy who just joined the factory not long ago be sent to make?"

I think he's just messing around, and the factory is either too embarrassed to say anything, or they simply don't know anything! How many days has it been? He's nowhere to be found, neither alive nor dead… Humph! I advise you to wake up! Stop daydreaming!

"Looking at your east wing and those two vegetable patches by the gate, I'm worried sick for you! How can a widow with a young girl possibly manage to keep things going in the future..." The implication in these words was blatant coveting and threatening.

"You...you're shameless! You're bullying me!" Wang Xiulan's voice was choked with sobs, a desperate expression of extreme anger and helplessness. "Jia Zhangshi, I'll fight you to the death!" The last sentence was a hoarse cry.

"Sister-in-law Jia! You've gone too far! How can you curse someone's child like that without any evidence?" A frail but firm voice rang out. It was Grandma Li from the backyard. She didn't usually get involved in the affairs of the courtyard, but since Wei Chen came to this compound, he had been a great help to her family! Later, her grandson, Little Stone, and Little Grass from the middle courtyard called Wang Xiulan their godmother, so the two families were now relatives. Naturally, she stood up for Wei Chen, saying, "Wei Chen, since he came to this compound, everyone knows what kind of person he is. He's not the kind of person who doesn't know his place!"

"That's right, Aunt Jia," Aunt Liu from the middle courtyard, Niu Xiaocao's mother, who was usually closest to Wang Xiulan, naturally couldn't help but chime in, "Wei Chen went out with a letter of introduction from the factory; I even caught a glimpse of him. You can't just say things like that; it'll hurt feelings, and... and it'll also damage your karma, won't it?"

"I'm talking nonsense?" Jia Zhangshi's voice suddenly rose eight octaves, so shrill it could pierce the roof. "What nonsense did I say? You all, put your hands on your hearts and tell me, hasn't Wei Chen not shown up for more than a month? Hasn't the factory given us any definite news?"

Is this normal? I'm just stating the facts to warn certain people to stop harboring unrealistic fantasies! They should start thinking about their own future. Living in that east wing is a waste of national resources; it would be better to give it up to those who need it more, thus easing the burden on the country!

Her words were not only malicious, but also a fallacy, cloaking her greedy schemes in the guise of "thinking of the country."

"Jia Zhangshi!" Wang Xiulan seemed to have been crushed by the last straw, letting out a shrill scream, "If you dare to curse my son again, if you dare to have any crooked ideas about my house, I will... I will fight you to the death today!" These words were the last stand of a desperate person, and they made people's hearts ache.

The courtyard erupted into chaos, like boiling water poured into a pot of oil. Voices trying to break up the fight, people cheering and watching the spectacle, and hushed whispers filled the air.

Clearly, this conflict had been brewing for some time, and Jia Zhangshi had come prepared, her words striking at the heart of the matter. This prompted many idle neighbors who loved to gossip to join in the murmurs, their gazes towards Wang Xiulan now tinged with sympathy, suspicion, and even a hint of barely perceptible indifference.

Wei Chen stood outside the tightly closed door, listening to every word and every sentence coming from inside. It was like red-hot caltrops, piercing his ears and rolling into his heart.

Worry, anger, and a chilling murderous intent seeping from his very bones mingled together, making his temples throb. His hands gripped the strap of his satchel so tightly his knuckles turned white. He never imagined that while he was risking his life in the snowstorm outside, his mother would be subjected to such mistreatment at home! Jia Zhangshi! That old hag!

Without further hesitation, he raised his right hand, put all his strength into it, and with a "bang," pushed against the heavy, black lacquered wooden door.

The wooden door creaked loudly under its strain, then swung open violently, slamming against the inner door frame before bouncing back slightly. The dry, grating sound of the hinges, untouched by years of oiling, pierced the noise of the courtyard.

The golden-red, slanting rays of the setting sun surged in unhindered from behind Wei Chen, instantly illuminating the dim front yard inside the gate and outlining his tall, pine-like figure with a dazzling golden edge.