Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

He had a slight thought: "Return to the hunter's hut."

The light and shadow flashed again, and Big Yellow in my arms disappeared, returning to the warm hay mat in the pet room. The little guy just tilted his head in confusion, seemingly not understanding why he had returned after just finding his owner, but he quickly lay down again and continued to nap.

Wei Chen appeared directly on the large bed with a soft mattress on the second floor of the hunter's cabin. He stretched comfortably, enjoying the support and comfort provided by the modern bed.

Outside the window, the soft glow of the starting village remains unchanged. In his mind's eye, the warning line attached to the door of the earthen house in the real world still exists clearly and steadily, like the most loyal sentinel.

"This...is good." Wei Chen closed his eyes contentedly. When he was alone, this hunter's cabin was the most secluded and comfortable haven. Time flowed in sync with his surroundings, his mind was always alert, and he had all the conveniences of modern technology. He relaxed his mind, and his consciousness slowly sank into a peaceful darkness.

That night, Wei Chen slept exceptionally soundly. In his dream, golden waves of wheat rolled across the boundless black earth, a large yellow dog chased wild rabbits merrily through the grass, and silver scales shimmered in the clear river water, with the shadows of enormous fish rising and falling…

Before the first rays of dawn had completely pierced the night, Baoyuquan Village was still shrouded in a gray-blue stillness, with only a few loud rooster crows breaking the silence.

As usual, Wei Chen had already set up his stance in the familiar clearing in the woods behind the village. His body was relaxed, his movements steady and rhythmic, and each breath was deep and long, as if he wanted to take in all the crisp morning air of the mountains and fields.

As the fist passed, the stagnant air was stirred, emitting a low groan. He felt the fifteen years of true essence from the "Nine Heavens Sun-Shooting Technique" flowing through his meridians like a warm river, bringing him strength and sharpness far beyond that of ordinary people. This power brought him peace of mind, and also made him more clearly aware that he had to protect something.

Returning to my own courtyard, slightly sweaty and carrying the scent of the mountains and forests, I saw wisps of smoke rising from the chimney of the earthen house, carrying the dry warmth of burning firewood and the simple aroma of cooked grains. It was my mother, Wang Xiulan, starting to prepare breakfast.

"Mother, I'll start the fire." Wei Chen walked into the low kitchen and naturally sat on the small stool in front of the stove. In the earthen stove, orange flames licked the dark bottom of the pot, and the flickering light reflected his young and angular face, as well as his mother's busy figure in front of the stove.

"Oh, Chen'er's back." Wang Xiulan turned around, her face full of a kind smile. She deftly poured the cornmeal paste she had prepared from the rough porcelain bowl into the boiling pot, stirring it with a long-handled wooden spoon. Immediately, a cloud of white steam rose from the pot, and a rich aroma of grains filled the air.

"I made a thick porridge today, and I also chopped up some of the meat you brought back yesterday and made some pork cracklings in it. It smells delicious!"

Looking at the fine wrinkles around his mother's eyes, which were particularly clear in the light of the stove fire, and listening to her chatter about everyday things, Wei Chen felt a warm glow in his heart, but the heavy thought in his mind also became clearer.

He picked up the fire tongs and moved a few burning firewood in the stove to make the fire burn more evenly. Then he spoke, his voice sounding particularly gentle amidst the crackling of the fire: "Mother, once the house in the city is ready, why don't you and Ranran come and live with me in Beijing? The conditions in the city are better, and I can take care of you more easily."

Wang Xiulan paused slightly as she stirred the porridge, then a smile, tinged with helplessness yet unwavering determination, appeared on her face: "Chen'er, I know you have this intention. But I've lived in this village for most of my life; my roots are here. I know everyone here, from the neighbors to the houses around the village. If I went to the city, I'd be completely lost, unable to even speak properly, and wouldn't feel comfortable."

She paused, her tone becoming light and confident, "Besides, didn't your uncle go to a meeting at the commune yesterday? He came back and said that our village will also follow the policies from above, and soon we'll be setting up... a collective canteen!"

"A communal dining hall?" Wei Chen's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

The wheels of history rolled over the tracks of memory, bringing a clear and heavy echo—in the summer of 1958, the clarion call of the Great Leap Forward resounded throughout China, and people's communes sprang up like mushrooms after rain.

Public canteens sprang up everywhere. By the end of the year, more than 3.4 million canteens, covering over 90% of the rural population, were swept up in this torrent of "free meals" and "eat your fill."

However, beneath the surface of this grand feast, the seeds of crisis had already been sown.

Beginning in 59, natural disasters and man-made calamities struck one after another, and the granaries dwindled at a visible rate. The tempting white steamed buns and juicy slices of meat in the canteens were quickly replaced by coarse "vegetable substitutes" (fruits and wild vegetables replacing staple foods). Countless canteens existed in name only, with a wisp of smoke rising only to appear during inspections…

It wasn't until 61 that the higher authorities rectified the situation and made it clear that "whether or not to run a canteen is up to the commune members." This era of large canteens that swept the country finally came to a somber end amidst the sighs and relief of the farmers.

These somber images flashed through Wei Chen's mind, carrying the bitter taste of rust and wild vegetables. He looked up at his mother, whose face radiated a pure trust and longing for a new life.

"Mother, does this communal dining hall really offer meat and white flour buns every meal?" Wei Chen's voice slowed down, carrying a hint of barely perceptible probing.

"How could it be false?" Wang Xiulan's tone was resolute, as if stating an age-old truth. "Your uncle said it himself! The commune cadres guaranteed it at the meeting! From now on, the whole village will eat together, saving each household the trouble of cooking over a fire. Every meal will be plentiful and oily! I heard that many places are doing very well! Your mother and sister will stay in the village and won't go hungry, so you can rest assured!"

Looking into the pure and bright light in his mother's eyes, Wei Chen felt as if something was blocking his heart. The torrent of history surged forward, carrying away billions of lives; its force was so immense that his own feeble words could not possibly stop it.

He opened his mouth, but in the end it only turned into a barely audible sigh, swallowing all the warnings about future famine. Some words, once spoken, would only increase panic and do nothing to help. He would resolve his family's food crisis himself.

"Yes, since it's an inevitable trend, let's respond positively." Wei Chen nodded, his tone returning to calm, even carrying a hint of agreement.

He didn't mention stockpiling food, but cleverly steered the conversation toward his upcoming "purchasing" activity. This was in line with his identity as a purchasing agent at the steel mill, and also laid a reasonable groundwork for taking out the supplies from his storage space later.

When Wang Xiulan heard that her son was going to get meat for the village, she beamed with joy: "Oh! That's great! My son is doing well, thinking of the village! But don't push him too hard, work is the most important thing."

She scooped the cooked porridge into a large, rough porcelain bowl, and then took out a few steamed buns made from a mixture of wheat flour and cornmeal. "Quick, eat them while they're hot! After you eat them, you can go and deliver meat to your third uncle and eldest uncle. Don't delay."

"Ranran, get up and eat!" Wei Chen called out to the inner room. A moment later, his younger sister Wei Ran rubbed her sleepy eyes and came out in her cloth shoes.

The family of three sat around a small wooden table, eating pickled vegetables and drinking hot corn porridge with diced meat. Wei Ran took a small bite of her cornbread, her eyes sparkling as she looked at her brother and whispered, "Brother, is the city... fun?"

Wei Chen chuckled and ruffled his sister's dry, yellow hair. "It's fun. Once I've fixed the house even better, I'll take you and Mom to play, show you big cars, and take you to big shopping malls." He secretly resolved that no matter how much his mother insisted, he would bring up the matter of bringing them to the city again once the house was repaired. Next year would mark the start of the three-year period of hardship, and things would be better in the city then.

After the meal, Wei Chen carefully placed three pieces of pork, each weighing about two pounds and wrapped in oil paper, into the bottom of his basket, and then covered them with some dry grass to conceal them.

After thinking for a moment, he moved the ten pounds of flour he had prepared in his spatial backpack to the corner of his basket. He slung the basket over his shoulder, said goodbye to his mother, and went out, his figure disappearing into the gradually bustling village lanes in the morning light.

Wei Chen first went to his third uncle Wei Laishun's house at the west end of the village. Just as he reached the familiar fenced courtyard, he heard his third aunt Li Xiuzhi's loud, cheerful voice calling to her two teenage sons: "Weiguo! Weimin! Stop running around like crazy, go feed the chickens!"

"Third Uncle, Third Aunt!" Wei Chen pushed open the creaking wooden door and greeted them with a smile.

"Oh! It's Chenzi!" Uncle Wei Laishun, who was twisting hemp rope in the yard, immediately put down his work, a simple smile spreading across his dark face, and stood up to greet him.

Third Aunt Li Xiuzhi also peeked out from the kitchen upon hearing the noise, her apron still covered in flour, and beamed, "Chenzi! Come in, come in! Have you eaten yet? Third Aunt just made some pancakes, they're still warm!"

"Third Uncle and Third Aunt, we've already eaten. We just finished eating at home." Wei Chen waved his hand with a smile and unloaded his basket. "Well, I was lucky yesterday and managed to get some meat. I'm bringing some over for you and the people of Weiguo to enjoy." As he spoke, he deftly took out an oil paper package from the basket, untied the hemp rope, and revealed fresh pork with a tempting mix of fat and lean meat inside.

"Wow! Such a big piece of meat!" Uncle San's eyes lit up. He rubbed his hands together, wanting to take it but feeling a little embarrassed. "Chenzi, this...this is too precious! Save it for your mother and Ranran!"

"That's right, that's right!" Auntie quickly declined, but her eyes involuntarily drifted to the piece of meat, and her Adam's apple bobbed.

Two boys, Weiguo and Weimin, had already come over after smelling the meat. Their eyes were wide open as they stared at the piece of meat, their mouths watering, their Adam's apples bobbing up and down as they swallowed clearly.

"There's still some at home, Auntie, please don't be shy." Wei Chen stuffed the meat directly into his aunt's hand, the cool fat and firm texture of the meat touching her skin. "It's all been divided up this time, and I have to rush to deliver it to Uncle and Master. If you don't accept it, my journey will be difficult."