Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

Jia Zhangshi's faint, dry "I'm sorry" was like a withered leaf falling into a cold pond, causing only a barely perceptible ripple before quickly sinking into the frigid winter air of No. 95 courtyard.

Wang Xiulan's nonchalant "Let bygones be bygones" not only closed a wooden door, but also temporarily shut down the storm stirred up by malicious rumors.

Inside the door, there was the warmth and peace of the mother and her two children reunited; outside the door, there was the sight of Jia Zhangshi's back suddenly hunched over, and the awkward and hurried steps of Jia Dongxu as he helped her away, as well as the complex gazes of the neighbors, some contemptuous, some sympathetic, and some thoughtful.

This incident seemed to end with Wei Chen's tough stance and the Jia family's submission, but everyone knew that something had changed.

The Jia family lost face on the blue brick ground of the front yard, and Yi Zhonghai's philosophy of "respecting the elderly and caring for the young" and "considering the overall situation" seemed so pale and powerless for the first time under Wei Chen's reasonable and unyielding insistence.

When people in the compound mention Wei Chen again, their tone carries not only the shock and envy from the previous mention of the 20,000 jin of meat, but also a layer of barely perceptible awe—he is a tough guy who is capable, courageous, and not to be trifled with.

For the next two days, Wei Chen stayed home with his mother and sister, enjoying this rare peaceful time.

He declined all offers of help from neighbors who came under the guise of "visiting" or "offering congratulations" to inquire about his affairs or try to get closer to him, including Yan Bugui's shrewd eyes and roundabout probing. He knew that few of these people were genuinely sincere; most were just curious and wanted to benefit from his connections. Right now, he didn't want to deal with them.

At dawn, just as the sky was beginning to lighten and breath turned to frost, Wei Chen put on his old work jacket, picked up a shovel and a bucket, and went to the small vegetable garden on the south side of his family's courtyard, separated by a low wall. The garden wasn't large, but under his mother Wang Xiulan's meticulous care, every inch of land was used to its fullest potential.

The cabbages and radishes had already been harvested, leaving only some withered yellow stalks. But in one corner of the plot, there was a simple little shed made of bamboo strips and old plastic sheeting, which showed a stubborn greenness in the gray winter yard.

Wei Chen lifted a corner of the plastic sheeting covering the bricks, and a wave of warm, damp air, a mixture of earthy and plant scents, wafted out. Inside the shed, several rows of spinach grew lush and green, their leaves thick and glossy; next to them, tender chives, freshly cut and sprouting anew, stood tall and delicate; a small patch of cilantro and scallions, though growing slowly, were also vibrant and full of life. In this season of scarcity and freezing temperatures, this small shed of green vegetables was truly priceless.

"Mom, you've taken such good care of these vegetables." Wei Chen squatted down, carefully loosened the soil around the spinach, and then scooped up a ladle of warm water that had already been left to dry in the sun, gently watering it. The cold tap water was too cold and would damage the roots.

Wang Xiulan came over with a small rake, clearing away the dead leaves along the edge of the shed while a satisfied smile appeared on her face: "I was just idling around anyway. These vegetables will add some flavor to dumplings or scrambled eggs for the New Year. Your sister is growing, she needs vegetables." Watching her son's skillful movements, she felt both gratified and a little heartbroken. "Chenzi, stop working, take a rest. You've been running around for a month, you haven't had enough rest yet."

"Not tired, Mom. It feels good to stretch my muscles." Wei Chen replied with a smile. Doing this familiar farm work, smelling the scent of soil and vegetables, gradually calmed his chaotic thoughts.

The past month has been like a turbulent storm, but this small vegetable garden offers him the most reassuring peace. Although he came into this world with a cheat system, possessing extraordinary skills and increasingly powerful cultivation abilities, deep down he's still that ordinary commoner accustomed to a simple life.

Wei Chen carefully inspected the shed's frame and plastic sheeting, pressing down the areas that had been blown open by the wind, and adding more soil around the edges to ensure that cold air wouldn't get in.

"Brother, will we have meat for Chinese New Year this year?" Wei Ran had wandered over at some point, leaning against the low wall and asking expectantly. The little girl was at the age where she craved meat. In the past, if they could render some fat into oil for Chinese New Year, and use the leftover cracklings to make dumplings, that was considered a good year.

This year, she came to Beijing with her brother, and her life changed dramatically. She could eat meat almost every few days. But this month, her brother was not at home, and the number of times they ate meat at home decreased significantly! She was craving it again!

So when I heard that my brother had brought back so much meat to the factory, I was itching to get it.

"Yes, plenty." Wei Chen turned around, looked into his sister's bright eyes, and smiled indulgently. "Not only is there meat, but also good stuff. In a couple of days, I'll take you back to our hometown to see Grandpa and Uncle, and bring them some too."

"Really? That's great!" Wei Ran cheered, but then became a little worried. "Brother, are those meat pieces... alright? I heard..." She hesitated, her face showing a worry beyond her years.

"It's alright! My brother not only bought meat for the factory, but also a lot for our family! We're eating it openly and honestly! Don't be afraid! But it's best not to talk about it outside, so as not to make others jealous!" Wei Chen said.

"Mmm..." The little girl nodded repeatedly.

Wang Xiulan glanced at her son, her eyes filled with the same worry. She had experienced hardship and knew what the word "meat" meant in those days, as well as the principle that possessing a treasure could bring trouble.

Wei Chen straightened up, patted the dirt off his hands, and said calmly and firmly, "Mom, Xiao Ran, don't worry. What's ours will be ours, and no one can take it away. The factory has its rules, and I'll get the rewards I deserve for my contributions. As for what's for the family, I've already set aside some." He didn't go into details, but the composure in his eyes was reassuring.

Sure enough, Wei Chen went out again for the next two days, returning with a bulging, heavy sack on his back. He didn't ask his mother or sister for help, carrying the sack into the main room himself and closing the door. When he came out again, next to the small cupboard in the house, there was a pile of things tightly wrapped in old newspapers and oil paper, faintly emitting the salty aroma of grease and dried meat.

"Mom, this is some dried wild donkey meat, venison, and gazelle meat. They keep well, and I traded them with the herders. Please keep them, and we'll enjoy them slowly next year!"

"And these are fresh donkey meat and mutton! They're all frozen solid, they won't spoil even in this cold weather! Divide them up, we'll take some back to our hometown in a few days to Grandpa and Uncle! We'll eat the rest ourselves! This piece of pork has a good balance of fat and lean, it'll be great for making dumplings or rendering lard for the New Year." Wei Chen said, pointing to the packages. The meat weighed over a hundred pounds in total!

Wang Xiulan stared at the pile of meat, her eyes wide with disbelief. She'd lived half her life and never seen so much meat in her home before the New Year!

Wild donkey meat? Venison? Those are delicacies I've never even heard of! And this huge piece of pork, it must weigh over ten pounds! Her hands trembled as she touched the cold, hard chunk of meat, feeling both joy and fear: "Chenzi, this...this is too much! How much money and tickets will this cost? And...is it safe to keep it at home?" She lowered her voice for the last sentence.

"Mom, don't worry. These are all vouchers and money I got as rewards from the factory, plus my business trip allowance. They're all from legitimate sources. As for safety..." A cold glint flashed in Wei Chen's eyes. "Keep them in the cellar at home! Eat them slowly! Anyone who dares to mess with our family will have to ask my fists first." After what happened with Jia Zhangshi, he understood even more that sometimes, appropriate toughness and deterrence are necessary.

Looking at her son's composed face, Wang Xiulan finally felt relieved and began to happily plan what to do with the meat. Should she marinate some? Or freeze it all? What dishes should she cook for the New Year? Wei Ran was even more excited, her face flushed, looking around at the pile of meat again and again, as if she could already smell the aroma of the New Year's Eve dinner.

Just as Wei Chen's family was enjoying a brief period of peace and making preparations for the upcoming Spring Festival, an unseen wave was stirred up at the steel rolling mill because of the 20,000 jin of wild game he brought back.

The news couldn't be kept secret. On the afternoon of the very day that more than 20,000 kilograms of wild game were stored, the news spread like wildfire beyond the steel mill's walls.

The first to get wind of the news was the Light Industry Bureau, which oversees the industrial system. It's the end of the year, and which unit isn't short of meat? Especially the leadership; year-end visits, greetings, meetings, and canteens—meat is indispensable in all of them. These days, meat is hard currency, a more tangible measure of political achievement and personal favor than any report.

The next day, as soon as he arrived at work, the office phone of Director Yang of the steel rolling mill was almost ringing off the hook.

"Feeding? Old Yang! This is Old Zhao from the Light Industry Bureau! I heard your factory made a fortune? Over 20,000 jin of wild game? Good heavens, did you wipe out the entire livestock pens in Inner Mongolia?" On the other end of the phone, Deputy Director Zhao of the Light Industry Bureau said, half-jokingly and half-seriously, his tone warm and brooking no refusal.

"The New Year is just around the corner, and things are tough for the bureau. We're dealing with things like visiting retired cadres, the staff canteen... How about we help out a brother unit? We don't need much, just a thousand or eight hundred kilograms will do!"

Factory Director Yang gripped the microphone, a smile plastered on his face, but inwardly he was groaning: "Director Zhao, you're really well-informed! Yes, it is, but these supplies were obtained through the hard work of our factory workers, mainly to ensure the year-end supplies for our thousands of employees and their families, and to stabilize production... Yes, yes, we understand. We certainly understand the difficulties the bureau faces. Our team will discuss this and try our best to find a solution to support the higher-ups' work!"

Just as I finished dealing with Deputy Director Zhao, the phone rang again. This time it was Director Wang from the subdistrict office, whose tone was even more direct: "Director Yang, congratulations! Your factory has really done a great job this time! You've brought honor to our subdistrict! However, Director Yang, you know the situation in our subdistrict. There are quite a few families receiving the five guarantees and struggling workers' families, making the end of the year a difficult time. Could you perhaps set aside a tiny bit from your factory's profits to support the subdistrict's poverty alleviation and welfare work? It would also reflect the warmth of our socialist family!"