Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

The announcement from the steel mill canteen, like a pebble thrown into a calm pond, stirred up noticeable ripples in Wei Chen's life, and these ripples inevitably spread to the courtyard house at No. 95 Nanluoguxiang.

When that formally worded, praise-filled broadcast announcement was broadcast through the factory's loudspeakers to every workshop and every road, the news spread like wildfire, carried by the workers as they left work, flying in all directions and naturally returning to the tenement courtyard where they lived.

For the vast majority of ordinary worker families, being named an "Advanced Worker in the Factory" is a remarkable honor, meaning a bonus, a certificate, and perhaps one or two sought-after daily industrial products as a prize.

The combination of "Level 3 Clerk", "Monthly Salary of 62 Yuan", and "Application for Municipal Advanced Personnel" is like a bombshell dropped in the courtyard.

The first to feel the shockwave were naturally the residents who worked at the steel rolling mill. When they heard the broadcast or learned the details from familiar coworkers, their reactions varied, but all carried a complex and indescribable feeling.

Jia Dongxu is a first-class worker in the fitter's workshop. Today, he was somewhat absent-minded while working. His mind kept replaying the "I'm sorry" his mother, Jia Zhangshi, said in a voice barely above a mosquito's buzz at Wei Chen's door that day, and the whispers and comments from the neighbors behind him as he helped her leave.

The sense of shame gnawed at his heart like a venomous snake. In the courtyard, Jia Dongxu relied on his master Yi Zhonghai being a level seven worker and an elder in the courtyard, and himself being a formal worker. Although his salary was not high, he always felt that he was a cut above most of the younger generation in the courtyard.

Unexpectedly, Wei Chen quietly went to Inner Mongolia and brought back so much meat, instantly becoming a celebrity in the factory and forcing his family to lose face so badly!

Just as he was seething with anger and plotting how to trip up Wei Chen in the factory and get revenge, the afternoon's discussions in the workshop about Wei Chen being commended were like a bucket of ice water poured over his head.

"Have you heard? Wei Chen, that guy in the warehouse, got promoted to a third-level clerk!" "More than that! A monthly salary of sixty-two! My God, that's more than my master, a seventh-level worker, earns!"

"They're not only a factory-level advanced worker, they're also going to be nominated for city-level advanced worker! This time they've really leaped over the dragon gate!" "They're really capable! Over 20,000 jin of meat, try bringing that back yourself!" "Tsk tsk, from now on, I'll have to call them 'Officer Wei' when we meet..."

The astonished whispers of his coworkers pierced Jia Dongxu's ears like needles. A third-level clerk? Sixty-two yuan? And he even needs to be nominated for city-level advanced worker? Why?! Wei Chen just got lucky and got some meat, didn't he?

He toiled away in the workshop every day, his hands calloused from all the work, and he only earned a little over thirty yuan a month! Beyond the shame, an even stronger, more intense fire of jealousy raged within him. He gripped the file tightly in his hand, his knuckles white, his eyes dark and brooding.

No, we can't let this go! This kid is riding high right now, we can't just come at him openly... We have to find an opportunity, a chance when no one is watching, and teach him a lesson! At least we have to make him suffer a bit and vent his anger! Jia Dongxu gritted his teeth and made a vow in secret.

Sha Zhu was busy in the kitchen. He was always quick to anger, like a firecracker. His reaction to the news of Wei Chen's commendation was even more direct and disdainful.

"Pah! A third-level clerk? Sixty-two yuan? Look at how arrogant he is!" In the canteen kitchen, Sha Zhu chopped cabbage stalks with a clang, muttering to a familiar kitchen helper, "So what if he got lucky and got some scraps of meat? What's so great about that? I earn my living with my skills, I don't steal or rob, am I not better than him?"

Ma Hua was an honest and unassuming apprentice who didn't dare to respond to that question and just kept his head down and worked.

Sha Zhu, however, grew increasingly angry as he spoke: "Besides, his character is terrible! He's not manly at all! Petty and vindictive! Aunt Jia only said a few words about him, what's the big deal! She insisted on forcing him to come and apologize, making the old lady feel incredibly ashamed! She has no respect for the elderly or for the young, and no sense of community among neighbors!" He had clearly selectively forgotten Jia Zhangshi's malicious rumors and the Jia family's previous attempts to take advantage of him.

"And Sister Qin," Sha Zhu's voice lowered, but his dissatisfaction was even greater, "Life is so hard! Wei Chen has the ability to get so much meat, what's wrong with him sharing a little bit between his fingers? He's so stingy! I think he's just selfish and only cares about his own family! The factory praised him, but that's because the factory leaders have been deceived by him!"

In Sha Zhu's simplistic understanding, deliberately distorted by Yi Zhonghai, it's believed that those with the means should help those in greater need, especially "weak and pitiful" neighbors like Qin Huairu. He utterly despises Wei Chen's "stinginess" and "unapproachability."

Although Wei Chen's meat solved a major problem for the factory and indirectly meant the canteen might have some extra meat after the New Year, Sha Zhu's prejudice and resentment towards Qin Huairu only intensified. He figured he had to find an opportunity to give Wei Chen a good talking-to sometime, to teach him a lesson about the saying "a close neighbor is worse than a distant relative!"

Compared to Jia Dongxu's jealousy and Sha Zhu's resentment, Xu Damao's reaction was much more complex and "rational".

Xu Damao was a film projectionist at a steel rolling mill. It was an easy and respectable job, and he could often go to the countryside to earn some extra money. He always thought highly of himself.

But ever since his pursuit of Lou Xiao'e failed, and he was instead "invited" by the Lou family to undergo a full medical check-up, after learning that he might have some "minor problems" with his fertility, he has become much more low-key. He doesn't even go back to the courtyard house much anymore, using the excuse of going to the countryside to show movies, but actually he secretly seeks out various traditional Chinese medicine doctors at his parents' place to privately treat his body.

I've tried a lot of folk remedies lately, and I feel a bit better. I'm thinking about how to win back Lou Xiao'e's favor, or maybe find another suitable partner.

When Xu Damao heard the news of Wei Chen's commendation, he was chatting and joking with someone in the factory's propaganda department. He was taken aback at first, but then his mind quickly began to make plans.

Wei Chen... he's really making it big? A level-three clerk, a monthly salary of sixty-two yuan, and a chance to be recognized as a municipal-level advanced worker... his momentum is incredible!

Although Xu Damao is jealous and loves to play tricks, he also has a good point: he is pragmatic and knows how to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages.

He's currently in the hospital. Because he was too high-profile when he pursued Lou Xiao'e, and then he became low-key and embarrassed, plus he's usually mean-spirited and likes to take advantage of others, he's not very popular.

Yi Zhonghai, that old fox, is not on his side, and that brute Sha Zhu is always ready to fight whenever they meet. All things considered, it seems that Wei Chen is the only promising young person in the courtyard.

"Besides, Wei Chen and I weren't actually that bad!" Xu Damao recalled, stroking his chin. It was Xu Damao who had helped Wei Chen get into the steel mill. Although he had later argued with Wei Chen at a company-wide meeting out of jealousy, offending him... those were all minor things in the past! Hadn't he kept a "low profile" afterward?

Xu Damao felt that Wei Chen was currently in power, and Deputy Factory Director Li clearly valued him. If he could repair his relationship with Wei Chen, or even form an alliance, wouldn't he have gained a powerful ally in the factory?

At least, it could put some pressure on Yi Zhonghai and Sha Zhu's gang. As for whether Wei Chen would hold a grudge... Xu Damao felt that as long as he humbled himself, said some nice things, and gave a few small gifts, it wouldn't be a big problem. After all, having more friends means having more options! Wei Chen was now a level three clerk; he might be able to help him in the future!

He had no idea that the reason he was "specially taken care of" by the Lou family to undergo a medical examination and that his marriage was called off was because Wei Chen had secretly passed him a note as a "reminder." He was still happily thinking about how to "reconcile" with Wei Chen.