Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

After resting for two days, settling into his home, and sorting out the dried and fresh meat, Wei Chen felt completely refreshed.

The fierce battles on the Inner Mongolian grasslands and the heated debates in the courtyard seemed to have been somewhat soothed by this brief tranquility. But he knew that true peace was far from over. The gazes, both overt and covert, in the courtyard, the upcoming awards at the factory, and the subtle changes that might follow were all like undercurrents lurking beneath the surface, waiting for their chance.

Early on the third day, just as dawn was breaking, Wei Chen got up. Wang Xiulan had already prepared breakfast—a thick porridge made from the millet he had brought back, several flatbreads made with a mixture of millet and cornmeal, and, unusually, a small dish of shredded pickled vegetables with a few drops of sesame oil. Wei Ran was still asleep, her little face buried in the pillow, breathing evenly.

"Mom, I'm going to work." Wei Chen finished his porridge in a few gulps, picked up a pancake and took a bite, and started putting on his faded but neatly ironed blue work clothes.

"Hey, be careful on the road. If the factory is busy and you can't come back tonight, just let them know." Wang Xiulan said as she cleared the dishes, her eyes filled with reluctance but even more pride. Her son was now a hero at the factory. Their security department did indeed have night shifts and temporary assignments, so they might come back late or not at all.

"Okay, Mom," Wei Chen replied, pushing open the familiar courtyard gate. The winter morning wind, carrying a biting chill, rushed towards him. He tightened his collar and strode out of Nanluoguxiang.

The closer you get to the steel rolling mill, the more pedestrians there are on the road. Most of them are workers rushing to their early shifts, wearing various work clothes, riding bicycles or walking, forming a gray-blue torrent that surges toward the factory gate.

In the dim light of dawn, towering chimneys puffed out white smoke, and the faint roar of machinery could be heard as this massive steel factory awoke from its slumber.

Wei Chen had only walked about a hundred meters from the factory gate when he noticed something different. Many of the workers walking towards him, whether he knew them or not, looked at him with obvious attention and...eagerness?

"Hey! Wei Chen? Back to work?" A fitter, whose face was familiar but whose name he couldn't recall, called out from afar with a smile, "Good lad! You've done a great job for our factory!"

Wei Chen was slightly taken aback, then smiled and nodded: "Good morning, Master Wang. It's all thanks to the good leadership of the factory and everyone's support."

"Haha, don't be modest! More than 20,000 jin of meat! My son was drooling when he heard about it, and he's been looking forward to the New Year ever since!" Master Wang laughed and patted his shoulder with considerable force.

After walking a few steps, someone else approached: "Comrade Wei Chen! You're back? It must be cold in Inner Mongolia, right? You must be tired!"

"Xiao Wei, you're amazing! You've really made our steel mill proud this time!"

"Wei Chen, when you have time, tell me just how big that wild donkey really is? I heard it can kill a wolf with one kick?"

People kept coming to greet him, their enthusiasm and curiosity almost overflowing. Wei Chen maintained a humble smile and responded politely, but he knew perfectly well that this sudden "fame" and "popularity" stemmed almost entirely from those 20,000-plus kilograms of meat. In this era where a full stomach is more important than face, those who can get their hands on meat naturally carry an aura of prestige.

The heat reached its peak as they approached the factory gate. The security guards on duty spotted Wei Chen from afar, and their eyes lit up.

"Wei Chen! Wei Chen is back!" a young man shouted excitedly, and the others gathered around.

"Good heavens! You're finally back! Now everyone in the factory knows your name!"

"Wei Chen, that's awesome! I heard you went all the way to Inner Mongolia and brought back several truckloads of meat? How did you do that? Tell us brothers!"

"Wei Chen, you've really made a name for yourself this time! Deputy Factory Director Li is praising you all the time, and Factory Director Yang has mentioned you several times in meetings!"

They all chattered away, their enthusiasm almost overwhelming Wei Chen. He recognized them as colleagues from the security department, and while they had a decent relationship, they were certainly not this close.

He smiled and cupped his hands in greeting: "Brothers, you flatter me! It's all luck. It was just a task assigned by the factory; I was just running errands. We can chat later when you have time. I'm going to report to Section Chief Jin now."

"Yes, yes, business is important! Section Chief Jin was talking about you this morning!" Someone made way for them.

Wei Chen walked through the enthusiastic crowd and entered the factory gate. He could feel the gazes still fixed on him from behind, filled with envy, curiosity, and perhaps even a hint of barely perceptible jealousy.

He took a deep breath of the air, which was filled with the smell of coal smoke and rust, steadied himself, and walked toward the gray two-story building where the security department was located.

Jin Aiguo, the deputy head of the security department, had his office on the second floor in a corner, the door ajar. Wei Chen knocked on the door.

"Come in." Jin Aiguo's slightly hoarse but powerful voice came from inside.

Wei Chen pushed open the door and entered. Jin Aiguo was sitting behind his desk reading documents. Several reports were spread out on the desk, and next to him was an enamel mug with the words "Advanced Production Unit" printed on it, filled with strong tea. Hearing footsteps, he looked up, saw that it was Wei Chen, and his serious face immediately broke into a smile as he put down the documents in his hand.

"Hey! Our hero's back! Come on, sit down!" Jin Aiguo stood up, walked around the table, and patted Wei Chen's shoulder hard, showing his good mood. "Good lad! You really gave our factory director face! No, you gave our security chief face! When logistics contacted me to approve the request, I didn't pay much attention. After all, we agreed that when you weren't on duty, you'd help out if logistics needed you. I didn't expect that my approval would cause such a commotion! Haha!"

Wei Chen was jolted by the pat, then chuckled and sat down on a wooden chair nearby. "Section Chief Jin, please don't say that. I was just doing the task the factory assigned me; I was just lucky. Without your approval, I wouldn't even be able to leave the factory."

"Stop with the nonsense!" Jin Aiguo returned to his seat, picked up his teacup, took a big gulp, and smacked his lips. "Good luck? Why didn't others have this luck? Nearly 30,000 catties of wild game! Damn it, I never saw this much meat during the New Year when I was in the army! You have no idea, the factory was in an uproar the day the stuff was brought back! Director Yang and Deputy Director Li were grinning from ear to ear!"

He leaned forward, lowered his voice, and his eyes gleamed: "Tell me the truth, the process wasn't that simple, was it? In Inner Mongolia, at this time of year, it's freezing cold. Without real skills, let alone getting the meat, it's not easy to even get it all back intact."

Wei Chen knew that Jin Aiguo was a veteran, a straightforward and honest man, but also shrewd and not easily fooled. He carefully chose his words, downplaying the difficulty, and said, "It was indeed quite difficult. The place is remote, the roads are difficult to travel, and the villagers are scattered. It was mainly thanks to a herdsman friend I knew before who helped me make the connection, plus the purchase funds from the factory and the reliable national grain coupons. Coincidentally, there was heavy snow there this year, and many wild animals came down from the mountains to forage, resulting in a large-scale migration. That's how we managed to get it done."

He didn't mention the wolf pack, the black market, or even the space. Some things are better left unsaid.

"Just luck? I think it's skill!" Jin Aiguo clearly didn't believe it was just "luck," but he didn't delve into it. Everyone has their own methods; as long as it doesn't violate principles and the task is completed, that's enough. He was more concerned with the result, and... "By the way, you haven't forgotten about our old buddies in the security department, have you?"

Upon hearing this, Wei Chen smiled knowingly and lowered his voice, "How could I forget, Section Chief Jin? I made sure to bring some 'hard stuff' before I came back."

"Oh? What kind of good stuff?" Jin Aiguo's eyes lit up even more.

"Red deer, whole, three heads." Wei Chen held up three fingers, lowering his voice even further. "Each one must weigh over four hundred jin, plump and strong, and cleaned thoroughly. You know, venison is very nutritious! More precious than beef or mutton."

"A three-headed deer?!" Jin Aiguo gasped, nearly jumping out of his chair. A deer! That's a deer! Its meat is delicious, it can be used in medicine, and most importantly, it's rare! You can't find it on the market at all! This kid, he's really going all out!

He rubbed his hands together excitedly, lowering his voice, "Where is it?"

"Don't worry, it's stored in a safe place." Wei Chen blinked. "Same as always, tonight? Delivered to our... 'secret base'?"

The "secret base" that Jin Aiguo mentioned was actually a makeshift kitchen set up by the security department in an abandoned warehouse on the edge of the factory area. Sometimes when the brothers on night shift got hungry, or if they had something they couldn't openly share, they would go there for a snack. Jin Aiguo was the one in charge, and several of his trusted older brothers knew about it.

"Good! Good! Good!" Jin Aiguo exclaimed three times, his face beaming with joy. He slapped his thigh hard. "I knew you were a good guy! I didn't spoil you for nothing! Alright, same time and same place tonight! I'll have Da Liu and Lao Chen get the gear ready, we'll have a good feast! Damn, this is going to be satisfying! With your three deer, every member of our security department will have five catties of venison for the New Year, haha! Thanks to you, our security department's benefits have skyrocketed these past two years!"

His gaze towards Wei Chen grew increasingly warm and satisfied. This kid was capable, efficient, and, more importantly, knew the rules, understood the principle of "keeping the good stuff within the family," and knew what "one of us" meant. Those three deer were no small matter; Jin Aiguo appreciated the gesture.

"Oh, right," Jin Aiguo said seriously, remembering something, "the factory will probably give you a substantial reward for your meritorious service this time. I heard you might get a promotion and some honors. You deserve all of that. However..."

He paused, his tone now carrying a hint of warning, "The tallest tree in the forest catches the most wind. You're riding high right now, and many people are watching you. Be careful what you say and do. The factory isn't a compound, but some principles apply."

Wei Chen felt a warmth in his heart, knowing that Jin Aiguo was genuinely trying to give him some pointers. "I understand, Section Chief Jin. Thank you for reminding me."

"Okay, I understand. Go on, go back to your place first, Old Li is probably thinking about you too." Jin Aiguo waved his hand.