Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

Sure enough, not long after, Wei Chen pushed his bicycle into the yard. Qin Huairu immediately picked up the basin of clothes she had half-washed, pretending to have just finished washing them and was about to pour out the water, when she happened to run into Wei Chen.

"Brother Wei Chen, off work?" Qin Huairu raised her face, trying to force a weak smile, but her eyes were slightly red, and her voice carried a barely perceptible sob.

Wei Chen stopped and looked at Qin Huairu, nodding, "Sister-in-law Jia." His tone was flat, revealing no emotion.

"Brother Wei Chen..." Qin Huairu bit her lip, hesitating to speak, her eyes quickly welling up with tears, looking pitiful. "I...I know I shouldn't have bothered you, but...but I really have no other choice..."

As she spoke, her voice trembled with tears, which streamed down her cheeks. "Dongxu's salary is so low, and he has to support a family of five. My mother-in-law is in poor health, and Banggeng and Xiaodang are still young... We're barely making ends meet... If only I could have a job, even a temporary one, to help my family a little... Waaah..."

She sobbed softly while secretly observing Wei Chen's reaction out of the corner of her eye. She knew her advantages: youth, some beauty, and her tearful appearance would likely stir a man's pity. Back in the countryside, in the courtyard, this tactic had worked on many men.

However, Wei Chen simply watched her quietly, his eyes clear but without the slightest ripple, as if watching a performance that had nothing to do with him. Only after Qin Huairu had cried enough did he speak calmly: "Sister-in-law Jia, everyone is facing difficulties at home. It's not just one family in the courtyard that's struggling."

He offered no words of comfort or sympathy, but simply stated a fact. This caused Qin Huairu's sobs to pause slightly.

"But...but Brother Wei Chen, can't you...can't you help your sister?" Qin Huairu raised her tearful eyes and looked at Wei Chen with pleading eyes. "I know you're capable. The factory rewarded you with a job...I don't need anything too good, even a cleaning job will do...I promise I'll work hard and never let you down! Please..." As she spoke, she made a move to kneel down before Wei Chen.

Wei Chen frowned almost imperceptibly, stepping aside to avoid the question. His voice remained calm, yet carried an undeniable distance: "Sister-in-law Jia, you've misunderstood. The factory does have a quota for awards. But there's only one quota, and it's already been used by my cousin; the paperwork is complete. I'm just an ordinary worker; I don't have the authority to arrange work on my own. I understand your difficulties, but I really can't help you. You should go to the local street office, or ask Brother Dongxu to see if there are any opportunities for family members to be hired at the factory."

His words decisively shut down all possibilities. The spot is gone; I have no authority over it. You'll have to find someone else. His tone was gentle, his reasons sound, yet his words were icy, leaving no room for negotiation.

Qin Huairu's crying stopped abruptly, her expression freezing. She hadn't expected Wei Chen to be so direct, so ruthless. His clear eyes seemed to see right through her, exposing her self-righteous "womanly advantages." Embarrassment, shame, and disappointment surged through her, making her cheeks burn.

"Is...is that so...then I'm sorry to have bothered you..." Qin Huairu could no longer continue her act. She hurriedly picked up the basin, lowered her head, and left quickly, her back view showing a hint of embarrassment and panic.

Wei Chen watched her retreating figure and shook his head. Sympathy for the weak was natural, but he wasn't a pushover, nor would he be swayed by moral blackmail or tearful appeals. The Jia family's difficulties were obvious, but the root cause lay in Jia Zhangshi's laziness and scheming, and Jia Dongxu's lack of ambition, not in whether others helped or not. He understood the saying, "A small favor is appreciated, but an excessive one breeds resentment." Besides, he and the Jia family were never on the same side.

Qin Huairu's attempt to probe failed, and Yi Zhonghai's "help" was also destined to be fruitless. However, some other families in the compound with unemployed youth or idle children did not completely give up.

They harbored all sorts of wishful thinking: What if Wei Chen was young and kind-hearted, and couldn't be persuaded to give in? What if he had other connections? What if he just didn't want to give to the Jia family, and could just ask someone else?

So, for the next two days, Wei Chen's family experienced an unprecedented "liveliness". When he got home from get off work, he was often stopped by a neighbor who "happened" to "bump into" him at the door before he even entered the house.

There are families like Old Li's in the backyard, where the son is in his twenties and still sponging off his parents. Old Li, carrying a half-empty bottle of bulk liquor that he doesn't know how long he's been hiding, blushed and stammered about his family's difficulties and his son's lack of ambition, begging Wei Chen to "give him a hand," even if it's just to find his son a temporary job at the factory.

There are families like the Wang family in the front yard. Their daughter didn't get into high school after graduating from junior high and is unemployed at home. Aunt Wang is holding a few salted duck eggs she made herself and keeps talking about how sensible and hardworking her daughter is, but she doesn't have a proper job. She's worried that it will delay her finding a partner, so she begs Wei Chen to "be kind" and see if he can "arrange" a job for her, even if it's just as good as an apprenticeship in a factory.

Some even tried to appeal to emotions. For example, an old lady who usually got along well with Wang Xiulan grabbed Wang Xiulan's hand and cried her eyes out, pleading with Wang Xiulan to put in a good word for Wei Chen for the sake of their long-standing neighborly relationship.

Faced with wave after wave of "offensives," whether overt or covert, direct or subtle, Wei Chen maintained an almost rigid calm and politeness. He neither impatiently chased them away nor harshly refused them; he simply patiently repeated the same words over and over again, with a gentle attitude, sufficient reasons, and rigorous logic, leaving no room for criticism.

"Uncle Zhang, I understand your good intentions. I've heard about the difficulties your family is facing; it's truly not easy."

"The factory's reward this time is because I was lucky enough to make a contribution, and the leaders took care of me. But there is only one spot, and the factory has strict regulations that it must be used by the person in question or given priority to their immediate family members. It also requires political vetting and assessment, so not just anyone can take my place."

"I've already used this spot for my older brother back home. His family is also in a rural area, and they're in even worse shape with a large family and heavy burdens. As his younger brother, it's only natural for me to lend a hand since I'm able to. The paperwork has already been completed at the factory, and his file has been entered; it can't be changed now."

"I'm just an ordinary security guard. I don't have much influence in the factory. I really don't have the authority to arrange jobs. Our factory's recruitment is all arranged by the labor and personnel department, and it has to go through layers of approval from the street and the labor bureau."

"Regarding your child's situation, I suggest you inquire at the local neighborhood committee or check if the factory has any job postings open to the public. If all else fails, have family members keep an eye out at their workplaces; there might be an opportunity."

He spoke sincerely and humbly, blocking all avenues: the quota was unique, already used, the procedures were completed, and it couldn't be changed; he had no authority, and the factory had its own rules; he suggested the other party use the proper channels. Throughout the entire process, he didn't mention the quota that Li Huaide had privately given him, which had already been used for a replacement, nor did he admit to having any other connections.

At first, some people tried to argue, saying things like, "Rules are rules, but people are flexible," or "Can't you put in a good word for me with the boss?" But Wei Chen just smiled and shook his head, repeating, "I really don't have that power or ability." After a few times, even the most thick-skinned person couldn't bring themselves to speak.

Wei Chen's refusal wasn't based on personal likes or dislikes, but on irrefutable reasons such as "rules," "systems," and "procedures." You could call him "unsympathetic," but you couldn't say he "did something wrong." Moreover, he had an irrefutable excuse—he gave the spot to a relative who was in greater need. Both morally and logically, it was understandable.

Gradually, fewer people came to his door, and the gossip behind his back shifted. What began as envy, jealousy, and accusations of Wei Chen being "selfish" turned into helpless understanding and resignation.

"Sigh, that's true. There's only one spot, and if it goes to a relative, nobody can say anything." "What they said isn't wrong either. The factory has regulations; how can a lowly clerk like him just assign someone like that?" "Forget it, forget it. We're not destined for that." "We still have to rely on ourselves, or wait for the neighborhood committee to assign one."

The whole hospital was in turmoil over "job openings," and Wei Chen's subtle yet sharp handling of the situation gradually calmed down. Although some people were still envious and muttered things like "Wei's kid is lucky" or "He has no sense of neighborly courtesy," no one dared or felt comfortable bringing it up in public anymore.

The east courtyard finally returned to its former tranquility. Wang Xiulan breathed a sigh of relief, watching her son calmly deal with various people, feeling both proud and heartbroken. Her son had grown up and could stand on his own, but he was also bearing pressure and scheming that he shouldn't have to at his age.

Wei Chen himself remained quite calm. He had long anticipated this turn of events. Such is human nature; even kinship and friendship can be corrupted in the face of self-interest, let alone these neighbors with whom he already had only a superficial relationship. His only task was to draw clear lines, uphold his bottom line, avoid being morally blackmailed, and leave no opportunity for anyone to take advantage of him.

As for the spot that had been given up to help his cousin's family achieve a stable life, he never regretted it. Some kindness is worth cherishing and repaying. But some greed is best ignored.

As night fell, the courtyard returned to its quiet state, with only the dim light from the windows and occasional whispers. Wei Chen sat at the table in his small room, reading a book he had borrowed from the factory library by the light of the lamp.

The outside world seemed irrelevant to him; his gaze was calm and focused, the only sound the soft rustling of turning pages. His world was far more expansive than this small courtyard house; his future would never be bound by such trivial calculations.