Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

Wang Xiulan poured a glass of water and placed it on the table next to Liu Haizhong. Without saying a word, she silently stepped aside. She knew her son could handle it.

"Well, there's something I'd like to talk to you about." Liu Haizhong picked up his cup, took a symbolic sip, then put it down, crossed his arms over his stomach, and assumed a meeting-ready stance. "There's been some backlash from the department lately regarding your job quota. It's caused quite a stir, and it's having a very negative impact!"

The moment he opens his mouth, he starts labeling and making a mountain out of a molehill.

Wei Chen sneered inwardly, but remained outwardly calm: "Second Uncle, what's your reaction? I don't quite understand. My work assignment was decided by the factory leaders; what does it have to do with the institute?"

"Hey, you can't say that!" Liu Haizhong waved his hand, giving him a "you're too young and naive" look. "You're a resident of the compound, and I'm the second oldest in the compound. Of course, I have to be involved and concerned about things in the compound! Especially when it comes to this kind of... this kind of important resource allocation issue!" He emphasized the words "resource allocation".

"The factory has awarded you a job; this is an honor for you and a source of pride for our compound!" He first established the positive aspect, then changed the subject, "However, Wei Chen, you're still young, and your thinking might not be comprehensive enough. Now that there are benefits, you can't just think about your own family, right? You need to uphold collectivism, consider the bigger picture, think about the overall situation of the compound, and especially take care of families in need!"

He paused, observing Wei Chen's reaction. Seeing that the other man still showed no expression, he had no choice but to continue his monologue: "Look, there are quite a few families in our compound that are struggling. Take my family for example, Guangtian, your brother Guangtian, he's nineteen, a grown man, and it's not good for him to just sit around doing nothing all day. There's also Old Li's family in the backyard, Old Wang's family in the front yard... They all have young men of marriageable age who don't have proper jobs, their parents are worried, and things aren't stable in the compound, are they?"

He began listing "households in difficulty," with a focus, of course, on his own family.

"If you could give this spot to one of the younger people in the compound, that would truly be a valuable opportunity, embodying the spirit of unity and mutual assistance! It would also be responding to the call from the neighborhood committee!" Liu Haizhong felt increasingly justified as he spoke, and his back straightened even more.

"Of course, as the second oldest in the compound, I'm not saying you should do anything. I'm just giving you a heads-up and making a suggestion. You can think about who to give it to, and the compound can also hold a meeting to discuss it and promote democracy!" He finally revealed his true intention: to take this matter to the "comprehensive meeting" and use his position and so-called "public opinion" to exert pressure.

Wei Chen listened quietly to him finish speaking, a faint, enigmatic smile even appearing on his face. Only after Liu Haizhong finished speaking and looked at him expectantly did he slowly say, "Second Uncle, what you said makes a lot of sense."

Liu Hai was secretly delighted, thinking that Wei Chen had been persuaded by him.

But Wei Chen's next words instantly froze the smile on his face.

"However," Wei Chen's tone remained calm, yet carried an undeniable firmness, "when the factory awarded me this position, they didn't tell me to use it to promote democracy within the factory or to help those in need. The leadership's intention was that this was an affirmation and reward for my personal work, and I could handle it at my discretion."

He paused, looked into Liu Haizhong's eyes, and said, word by word, "So, I've already taken care of it. The spot was given to my cousin back home. The paperwork was completed yesterday. Now, the spot is used up."

"What?! It's all used up?!" Liu Haizhong jumped up from his chair, the chair legs scraping against the floor with a loud screech. His chubby face was filled with shock and disbelief, his voice rising several octaves, "You... how could you... how could you handle it all on your own?! Such a big matter, why didn't you discuss it with the hospital?! Don't you have any sense of teamwork?!"

"Second Uncle," Wei Chen also stood up. He was no shorter than Liu Haizhong, and even seemed to have a more imposing presence due to his youth and tall stature. "My job was a personal reward from the factory. How I handle it is my private matter. I don't think it needs the approval of the institute, do I?"

As for a sense of collectivism, I abide by the law, work hard, and unite with my colleagues, so I shouldn't be considered lacking in a sense of collectivism. But you, Second Uncle, are so concerned about my private affairs, even bringing it up for discussion at a hospital-wide meeting. Isn't that a bit...overstepping your bounds?"

Wei Chen's words, neither too soft nor too harsh, were like a needle, precisely piercing through Liu Haizhong's self-righteous "leadership authority" and moral blackmail. He pointed out that this was a "private matter," satirizing Liu Haizhong's "overstepping of boundaries," leaving Liu Haizhong speechless for a moment, his chubby face turning bright red.

"You...you..." Liu Haizhong pointed at Wei Chen, his finger trembling slightly. He hadn't expected Wei Chen to be so forceful, showing him, his "second uncle," no respect whatsoever. "This is...this is selfish! Disregarding neighborly relations!"

"Second Uncle, I don't understand what you're saying." Wei Chen smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "I gave the spot to my brother. His family is also from the countryside. His parents are old, and his younger siblings are still young. Life is very difficult for them. Isn't helping him a form of solidarity and mutual assistance? Does helping people in our compound mean we have to consider each other's feelings? Besides, I heard that Brother Guangtian has been waiting for job assignments at the street office. The street office has its arrangements, and I believe the organization will consider everyone's difficulties."

Wei Chen's words not only refuted Liu Haizhong's accusations but also implied that Liu Guangtian was idling around waiting for a windfall. He even brought up the "organization," leaving Liu Haizhong speechless.

Liu Haizhong's chest heaved with anger, but he couldn't find the words to refute her. He couldn't very well say, "Helping the people in the compound is more important than helping your poor relative," could he? That would be too blatant. Besides, Wei Chen brought up the "organization," and if he continued to argue, it would seem like he was questioning the neighborhood committee's arrangements.

"Fine! Fine! Wei Chen, you've got guts!" Liu Haizhong held back for a long time before finally managing to utter a harmless but ruthless remark. He angrily flicked his sleeve, turned around, and left without even saying goodbye.

Watching Liu Haizhong storm off in anger, Wang Xiulan said worriedly, "Chen'er, talking back to Second Uncle like that, won't it...?"

"Mom, it's alright." Wei Chen sat down again, his expression calm. "Don't you know Second Uncle? He bullies the weak and fears the strong, and he's very concerned about his reputation. If I were to be a little softer, he would take advantage of me. Now that I've made it clear that the spot is gone, there's no use in him making a fuss. As for offending him? Ha, when our family was struggling before, he didn't really consider our 'neighborly relationship' at all."

Wang Xiulan thought about it and realized it made sense, so she didn't say anything more, but just sighed, "This courtyard..."

As Wang Xiulan had predicted, several more groups of people came to her door in the following days, inquiring about the quotas, some openly and some covertly. Some tried to get close to her indirectly, some played the victim, and others, like Jia Zhangshi, tried to appeal to Wang Xiulan's emotions.

However, Wei Chen politely but firmly refused, saying that "the quota has been allocated to a relative and the procedures have been completed." Wang Xiulan, at her son's instruction, also claimed ignorance to everyone who asked, only saying, "As a mother, I don't care about my child's job situation, nor can I control it."

The courtyard house has been incredibly lively these past few days!

Yan Bugui's probing attempt in the front courtyard ended in a disastrous defeat, and Liu Haizhong's pressure in the middle courtyard, relying on his seniority, was forcefully rejected. These two events were like two stones thrown into a calm lake. Although they failed to create huge waves, the ripples spread to every corner of the courtyard.

Wei Chen's seemingly calm yet unusually resolute attitude, along with his final reply, "The quota has been used, and the procedures are complete," temporarily silenced most of the families who were eager to participate. They could only whisper among themselves, lamenting that Wei's son had grown too big for his britches and no longer cared about neighborly relations.

However, some people are unwilling to accept it and refuse to believe it! Or rather, the halo of being a "formal employee of the steel rolling mill" and the huge benefits it represents are enough to make some people unwilling to give up even when they hit a wall, and even to breed more secretive and calculating thoughts.

The Jia family was undoubtedly the most resentful and complex among them.

Dinner was simple as usual: cornbread, watery porridge, and a small dish of pickled vegetables. Jia Dongxu ate in silence, finding no flavor in it. The noise from next door—Liu Haizhong's second son, Liu Guangtian, being scolded by his father for not finding a job—further irritated him.

He looked at Qin Huairu across from him, who was silently drinking her porridge and occasionally putting some pickled vegetables on Banggeng and Xiaodang's plates. Then he looked at his mother, Jia Zhangshi, who was sitting at the head of the table with her eyelids drooping and muttering to herself. An indescribable feeling of suffocation and irritability welled up in his heart.

A job opening... If Qin Huairu could also get a job, even just a temporary one, the family could earn an extra ten or twenty yuan a month, and life would be much easier immediately. Bang Geng and Xiao Dang's tuition and clothes, the family's food expenses, and even the occasional luxury of eating meat would no longer be out of reach.

More importantly, Qin Huairu has a rural household registration. If she gets a formal job, she can change her household registration to an urban one, and her two children can also change theirs... In that case, the Jia family will be completely urban residents, and they will no longer be criticized behind their backs for being a "burden of the rural wife".

The more Jia Dongxu thought about it, the hotter his heart became, and the darker his eyes grew. He knew that going directly to Wei Chen would be pointless.

Wei Chen, that kid, is really shrewd these days. He keeps a distance from everyone in the compound, especially the Jia family, whom he treats with extreme indifference. Last time, his mother tried to take advantage of him but failed and ended up losing face. I, a first-class worker, probably don't hold much weight in Wei Chen's eyes, that security officer.

So... who should I ask? Who can help?

Yi Zhonghai! Yes, an old man!

He was the head of the compound, a level seven worker, and had some influence in the factory. He was also Wei Chen's mentor. If he were to speak to Wei Chen on his behalf, perhaps... Wei Chen would consider the old man's reputation, which was better than him speaking up.

The more Jia Dongxu thought about it, the more he felt this was a good idea. He knew Yi Zhonghai well; he was concerned with his reputation and liked to project an image of a "fair and impartial" and "caring patriarch." Most importantly, he wanted Jia Dongxu to take care of Yi Zhonghai in his old age!

If you beg him for help, exaggerate your family's difficulties, and promise to take care of him in the future, he might soften his heart!

To maintain his image of being "highly respected," he would most likely agree to give it a try. As for whether it would work out... Jia Dongxu wasn't sure, but he had to try! What if? What if Wei Chen acted impulsively, or was persuaded by Yi Zhonghai?