Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

When the dark red, clearly textured, and uniquely fragrant dried meat was presented to the family, everyone was stunned and then gasped!

"Meat?!" the third aunt exclaimed, then quickly covered her mouth, her eyes wide with shock.

"Dad! It's really meat!" Yan Jiefang exclaimed in surprise, unable to resist leaning closer to smell it. "It smells so good! And it's dried meat!"

Yan Jiedi's eyes widened, and she almost drooled. She couldn't remember the last time her family had such a large piece of meat!

"Shh! Keep your voice down! Are you afraid others won't hear you?" Yan Bugui hissed, but he couldn't hide the smugness on his face. He puffed out his not-so-broad chest, as if he had accomplished something great. "Look! What's this? Wild donkey meat! Dried meat from Inner Mongolia! A whole pound!"

"A pound?!" The old woman's voice trembled as she reached out and touched the meat. It was firm and of good quality. "Dad, how much... how much did this cost? How many receipts were used?" Her first thought was about the cost.

Yan Bugui's smug smile froze for a moment, then he recovered and waved his hand casually, "It didn't cost much! I just exchanged it for two industrial coupons and a soap roll!" He didn't mention that the grain coupons had been returned, so that he would appear even more capable.

"Two industrial coupons and one soap coupon? That's only enough to buy a pound of meat?" The third aunt was still a little distressed; industrial coupons were a scarce commodity!

"What do you know!" Yan Bugui glared at his wife. "This is meat! Dried meat! It keeps well! One pound is equivalent to one and a half pounds of fresh meat! With this meat for the New Year, we can stew a pot and the whole yard will smell delicious! When we get back from the Liberation Army, we can have a good meal! Two industrial coupons and one ticket for this, it's worth it!" The more he talked, the more he felt that he had made an extremely shrewd deal, which was simply the proudest stroke of his "calculation" career.

The three women thought about it and agreed. Although industrial coupons were rare, they were still more practical than meat, which was an essential part of the Lunar New Year.

Looking at the piece of meat, she was already planning how to cook it: cut it in half, render the fat to make lard, and keep the cracklings for dumplings or stir-fried cabbage; slice the lean part thinly and stew it with radishes or potatoes—enough for a big pot, enough for the whole family for several meals! The other half, she'd save for later…

"You're really something, Dad!" The third aunt smiled, her eyes filled with admiration as she looked at Yan Bugui.

Yan Jiedi and Yan Jiekuang cheered with joy, though they dared not speak loudly, their excitement was palpable. There was meat to eat! There really was meat for the New Year! And a whole pound of it!

"Listen up, both of you!" Yan Bugui's expression turned serious as his gaze swept over his wife and children. "This piece of meat is our family's most precious treasure, kept hidden away for the New Year! No one is allowed to tell anyone! Especially you two!" He pointed at Yan Jiekuang and Yan Jiedi. "If I find out you're going out and spreading rumors, I'll break your legs! Do you hear me?"

"I heard you!" "I know, Dad!" The two children nodded quickly, knowing that this matter should not be made public.

"Tell everyone that I asked a colleague at the school to bring it from the countryside. It's just a little bit, understand?" Yan Bugui carefully instructed. "If anyone asks, say it was only a few ounces, used to render some oil, and we've already finished it!"

"Okay, I understand." The third aunt nodded in agreement, carefully rewrapping the meat as if it were a fragile treasure. "I'll put it away right now, in the very back of the cellar, and cover it with a jar. I guarantee no one will know."

Seeing his family's joyful yet cautious expressions, Yan Bugui felt a surge of satisfaction and a secret sense of superiority. Of all the people in the entire compound, who could possibly get a pound of real meat from Wei Chen?

Only Yan Bugui, through shrewd calculation and "good" neighborly relations, managed to obtain this precious meat! This made him feel that he, the "Third Uncle," not only had a title but also real benefits!

That night, the Yan family was immersed in a secret joy filled with the aroma of meat. Meanwhile, other families, perhaps in their dreams, were also looking forward to their upcoming New Year's Eve dinner, hoping for a little more oil and savory flavor, a little more festive spirit.

In the east courtyard, after locking the gate, Wei Chen didn't rest immediately. He stood in the courtyard, looked up at the dark night sky with only a few scattered, cold stars twinkling, and took a deep breath of the cold air. The courtyard was quiet, quite different from the Yan family's smugness and the other families' calculations or aloofness; there was a peaceful, self-sufficient tranquility here.

He knew what a pound of meat meant to Yan Bugui's family. It was not just about satisfying their appetite, but also about the sense of accomplishment they felt in obtaining a scarce resource through their "wisdom" and "connections" during difficult times. It was a precious thing that maintained the family's dignity and comforted the children's expectations.

In exchange for a meager amount of meat, which was insignificant to him, he gained Yan Bugui's gratitude, silence, and a few possible future advantages. This deal was fair.

Back inside, his mother was already asleep. The sound of her even breathing came from his sister Wei Ran's room. Wei Chen blew out the kerosene lamp and lay down as well. In the darkness, his thoughts were clear.

For many in the courtyard, this year may still be a time of poverty, but at least there's something to look forward to. The pound of meat distributed by the factory represents the warmth of the collective; the private exchanges and calculations reflect individual struggles and wisdom. And for him and his family, this year will be a truly abundant, warm, and hopeful beginning.

The cold wind still howled outside the window, but inside the house in the east courtyard, the warmth of the stove fire had not yet dissipated, and the aroma of food lingered faintly. Everything indicated that when the sun rose tomorrow, the New Year would be closer, and life would continue to roll forward along its predetermined track, carrying everyone's joys and sorrows.

As usual, Wei Chen entered the game world and killed all the newly spawned monsters! He replenished the various meats in his backpack to the maximum value of 999 per slot, and sold the rest to the general store for coins! Then he slept comfortably in the hunter's hut in the game world, leaving only a sliver of his consciousness outside, so that if someone knocked on the door, he could instantly return to his bed.

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, the gray-blue light of the sky barely pierced through the clouds, and the courtyard was still immersed in a quiet slumber.

The cold wind was still biting, seeping in through the cracks in the eaves and the edges of the doors, making a faint whistling sound. The rather heavy wooden door of the main house in the east courtyard, however, opened silently.

Wei Chen walked out wearing a thin, faded old cotton training uniform. The morning chill hit him, carrying a biting cold, but he simply took a deep breath of the cold air, his expression unchanged, as if the low temperature had no effect on him.

This was a habit taught by Master Zhao Gensheng: practicing diligently in the coldest days of winter and the hottest days of summer, without ever slacking off. Moreover, he possessed the "Nine Heavens Sun-Shooting Technique," a legacy from the game world, which had already formed a natural circulation within his body, making him more than capable of resisting this bit of cold.

The courtyard was quite large, paved with blue bricks, and surrounded by vegetable gardens. Only the central open space was relatively flat, enough for Wei Chen to train and practice his boxing. Wei Chen walked to the center of the courtyard, stood with his feet slightly apart, slowly closed his eyes, and regulated his breathing. After a moment, he opened his eyes, his gaze clear and calm, like two deep pools.

The opening posture is the Tai Chi movement "Grasp the Sparrow's Tail". The movement appears slow and gentle, like flowing clouds and water, but upon closer inspection, one can discover the difference. His palms sweep across the air, not entirely without force, but with an extremely refined "guiding" force. His sleeves move without wind, as if the air around his palms is being drawn and stirred.

The strands of pure true energy refined from the "Nine Heavens Shooting the Sun Technique" within his body were not deliberately activated, but rather flowed naturally through his limbs and bones, in harmony with his fist movements, following his will. This made his fist stance less "soft" than ordinary Tai Chi, and more "rounded" and "full" in its inner essence. It appeared slow, but in reality, his whole body was as one, leaving no gaps for attack.

After completing a round of Tai Chi, Wei Chen felt a slight warmth in his body and his blood and energy flowed smoothly. He finished his movements with a long, drawn-out breath, as if the gentle exercise had merely been a warm-up. His posture softened slightly, and his aura suddenly shifted, transforming from stillness to movement, from softness to strength!

Bajiquan emphasizes "striking, shaking, and striking, leaning and pressing," with powerful and violent force and a majestic momentum. Wei Chen stomped his foot, and a muffled "thud" was heard. Although he deliberately controlled the force, it was still clearly audible in the quiet of the morning.

Immediately, punches flew like cannons, steps were like plows, waists twisted and hips turned, shoulders dropped and elbows fell—every move was filled with explosive power. Chopping, hooking, supporting, leaning, pushing, embracing, entangling, seizing… the movements were swift and crisp, the force penetrating, and a faint "whooshing" sound of wind breaking could be heard in the air.

However, within this fierce power, there was also a strange harmony and restraint. His true energy did not erupt wildly, but rather became more concentrated, like a river flowing underground, bursting forth with the force of his fist, yet controlled within a small area, without wasting a single bit.

Each punch, seemingly thunderous, was concentrated at a single point, controlled with perfect precision. Each step appeared heavy, yet landed as lightly as a feather, barely stirring up any dust on the blue bricks.

Power and flexibility, extroversion and introversion, are in a wondrous balance in him. This is not merely muscular strength, but a "force" that integrates internal energy and perfect control over the body.

After completing a round of Bajiquan, Wei Chen's forehead was slightly sweaty, and a faint steam rose from his head, forming a small wisp of white mist in the cold morning air. He slowly finished his practice, exhaling a long breath that shot out like an arrow, taking more than a foot before dissipating. He felt refreshed all over, his blood and qi surging, and his spirits full. The slight sluggishness from a night's sleep had completely disappeared.

The "Nine Heavens Sun-Shooting Technique" brings not only an increase in strength, but also a more refined control over the body and an understanding of the essence of internal energy. Ordinary martial arts moves naturally acquire an extraordinary charm in his hands.

"Chen'er, are you done practicing? Come inside quickly, breakfast is ready, don't catch a cold." Mother Wang Xiulan's voice came from the kitchen window, filled with concern and tenderness.

She had been awake for a while. Hearing the steady, powerful footsteps and the faint sound of the wind in the courtyard, she knew her son was practicing his martial arts, so she didn't disturb him until now.