Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

Simmering over low heat, the white sugar slowly melts in the pot, turning amber, then dark red, with tiny bubbles rising to the surface. A unique sweet aroma of caramel mixed with a slight burnt smell permeates the air.

The timing was perfect. Wei Chen quickly poured the blanched meat chunks into the pot. With a sizzle, the hot oil and caramelized sugar reacted intensely, thick smoke rose, and the meat chunks rolled around in the pot, instantly being evenly coated with a layer of bright red and tempting caramelized sugar.

Next, add Shaoxing wine and soy sauce. This is a high-quality soy sauce that Wei Chen specially obtained; it is dark and glossy with a rich soy sauce aroma.

Add scallions, ginger slices, a few star anise, and a small piece of cinnamon. Stir-fry evenly to ensure each piece of meat fully absorbs the flavors of the seasonings. Finally, add enough boiling water to just cover the meat. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off any foam, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook slowly.

The moment the lid was put on, the intense sizzling sound of cooking temporarily ceased. But soon, an even more domineering and alluring aroma stubbornly escaped from the edge of the lid, from the cracks in the bricks, and from every crevice in the doors and windows.

That's the unique aroma of braised pork! The rich, salty aroma of soy sauce, the caramel sweetness of caramelized sugar, the spiciness of star anise and cinnamon, the mellow aroma after the Shaoxing wine removes the fishy smell, and most importantly, the irresistible, soul-stirring aroma of pork fat and protein produced by the decomposition and fusion of the pork fat and protein during long stewing!

This aroma is different from the direct and intense scent of fried food; it is richer, more lingering, and more layered, like a silent call, drifting away quietly with the faint winter air currents.

At first, the aroma only filled the east courtyard. Wei Ran couldn't sit still any longer, circling the stove like a little glutton, occasionally taking a deep breath and letting out a satisfied sigh: "Brother, it smells so good! When will it be ready?"

"What's the rush? Simmer it over low heat for more than an hour. It'll taste good when it's cooked right, fatty but not greasy, lean but not dry." Wei Chen was also tempted, but he was more patient. He wiped his hands with his apron, a satisfied smile on his face.

Wang Xiulan watched as the pot bubbled and steamed, filling the entire house with a rich aroma. Seeing her son busy at work, she felt that this was the purpose of life, and the greatest achievement for a mother and a housewife.

However, this fragrance did not merely linger in the east courtyard. As if it had come to life, it climbed over the low wall, passed through the moon gate connecting the middle and front courtyards, and seeped into every corner of the courtyard house, thread by thread, leaving no stone unturned.

In the front yard, Yan Bugui was pacing back and forth in his small courtyard, his hands behind his back, pondering how to deal with the precious dried wild donkey meat that evening. Should he cut it in half and stew it with potatoes, or cut off a bit of fat to render the lard? Just as he was struggling with this decision, a rich aroma of meat, unlike anything he had ever smelled before, mixed with the scent of soy sauce and spices, suddenly rushed into his nostrils.

"Whoa!" Yan Bugui shuddered, stopped in his tracks, and his nose twitched like a hunting dog. "This...this is braised pork? Who is so generous?" His gaze involuntarily turned towards the east courtyard.

Fried dough sticks in the morning, braised pork belly in the afternoon! This Wei Chen family is simply… He couldn't find the right words to describe it; he felt a mix of emotions swirling within him. Envious? Of course he was envious, even a little jealous.

But more than anything, it was a complex mix of emotions. They had the means to eat and drink well, that was their prerogative. At least I managed to get a pound of meat, though it wasn't as fragrant as braised pork, but at least I had some meat, right?

Thinking about it this way, the bitterness in his heart lessened slightly, and he even felt a subtle sense of superiority, as if "I do have connections." However, the aroma was too enticing, making his stomach rumble. He smacked his lips and decided to go back inside for a drink of water to calm himself down.

In the middle courtyard, at the Jia family's residence. Banggeng had already smelled the aroma of fried dough sticks, but now the even richer and longer-lasting scent of braised pork wafted over, captivating him. He was restless, constantly sniffing and pacing around the room. "Grandma, Mom, meat! The meat smells so good! It's braised pork! I want to eat braised pork!" He tugged at Jia Zhangshi's sleeve, pleading incessantly.

Sitting cross-legged on the kang (heated brick bed), Jia Zhangshi was already annoyed by the aroma. She swallowed hard, her triangular eyes filled with irritation and resentment, and cursed, "Eat, eat, eat! All you know is eating! That's other people's meat! What does it have to do with you? If you keep yelling, you won't get any cornbread tonight!"

Banggeng shrank its neck at the shout, but its eyes still couldn't help but look in the direction from which the aroma was coming, its mouth almost watering. Xiaodang was still too young to understand much; it just sniffed the fragrance in the air and reached out, babbling as it did so.

Qin Huairu stood outside the door, silently washing the family's dirty clothes. The icy water stung her fingers, but it couldn't compare to the cold, bitter sorrow in her heart.

The scent, like a small hammer, pounded against her heart. Others lived prosperous lives, with fish and meat, while her own children rarely even saw a scrap of meat. She remembered Jia Dongxu's gloomy face yesterday, her mother-in-law's endless complaints, her empty pockets, and the never-ending pile of laundry. A lump formed in her throat, and she quickly lowered her head, scrubbing vigorously, as if trying to infuse all her grievances into the dirty clothes.

In the backyard, Liu Haizhong was drinking alone, a plate of bland stir-fried cabbage and a plate of scrambled eggs on the table. The aroma of braised pork wafted over, and he paused, his nose twitching, his face darkening further. "Hmph! Showing off again! A little meat and you think you're something special!" He slammed his glass down on the table, spilling some wine. His second aunt glanced at him, but didn't dare say a word, silently picking at her rice.

Xu Damao had just returned from showing movies in the countryside and was bragging to his neighbors about the eggs a fellow villager had given him. Smelling the aroma, he stopped talking, listened intently, and sniffed the air. A look of envy mixed with a touch of unease crossed his face: "It's Wei Chen's family in the east courtyard again! That kid's really something! This braised pork, wow, it's authentic! Much better than Sha Zhu's half-baked cooking!"

He praised him outwardly, but inwardly he felt a pang of jealousy. At least Sha Zhu was a cook, and could occasionally bring some leftovers from the canteen. Wei Chen, on the other hand, had only been in the city for a year, yet he was already thriving, eating and drinking well every day!

The deaf old woman sat at her doorstep, her cloudy eyes twitching slightly, her withered lips moving silently as if she were chewing on the invisible aroma of meat in the air. She said nothing, but the hand gripping her cane seemed to tighten slightly.

This aroma is a temptation, a contrast, and a trigger for complex emotions in adults. But for children, it is the simplest and most direct desire.

It's unclear when it started, but a group of "little gluttons" quietly gathered outside the tightly closed wooden door of the east courtyard. Most of them were children aged seven or eight to ten, with a few younger ones led by their older brothers and sisters.

They dared not get too close, only standing far away near the moon gate, or peeking out their little heads from the doorway between the front and back yards, sniffing the increasingly strong and tempting aroma of meat in the air.

"It smells so good... I've never smelled meat smell so good before," a child whispered, drooling.

"I heard my dad say that this is braised pork, and it needs lots of soy sauce and sugar!" Another slightly older child showed off his "knowledge".

"Sugar? That must be so sweet!" The youngest child stared wide-eyed, as if he had heard something incredible.

"My grandma said that Brother Weichen's family has lots and lots of meat..." Another child stared longingly at the tightly closed door of the east courtyard, as if his gaze could penetrate the door and see the bubbling meat pot inside.

The children's chatter grew louder, and more and more people gathered. They were like a swarm of bees drawn by honey, lingering in the most fragrant spot, yet hesitant to actually approach the hive.

This commotion naturally caught the attention of Uncle Yan Bugui, the "gatekeeper" of the front yard. He had originally intended to go back inside to avoid the alluring fragrance, but upon hearing the children's commotion, he came out again.

Seeing a group of children gathered at the entrance of the east courtyard, he frowned. He had just received a favor from Wei Chen yesterday and was thinking about how to maintain this "good relationship." He couldn't let these little brats ruin it, lest they displease Wei Chen…

"Get out of here! What are you all doing gathered around here? What kind of behavior is this!" Yan Bugui strolled over with his hands behind his back, adopting his "Third Master" demeanor, and sternly shooed them away, "People are cooking, and you're all here smelling the food, aren't you ashamed? Go home!"

Unfortunately, the allure of the meat's aroma far outweighed the pitiful authority of the Third Uncle. The children only slightly dispersed, their eyes still fixed on the east courtyard, moving with extremely slow steps. A few of the bolder ones even muttered under their breath: "We're just smelling it, we're not going in..." "That's right, it's not like the courtyard belongs to the Third Uncle..." "It smells so good, I wish we could have a bite..."

Seeing that his attempts to shoo them away were futile, Yan Bugui, feeling somewhat embarrassed, raised his voice: "Hey! You bunch of little brats, can't you understand human language? If you don't leave, I'll tell your parents, and you won't be allowed to eat dinner tonight!"

These words had a slight effect; a few timid children shrank back and cautiously made their way home, glancing back every few steps. But most of the children, especially the older ones whose craving for the aroma of meat outweighed their fear of being told off, remained reluctant to leave, though they stood a little further away, their noses still twitching.

Yan Bugui was at a loss; he couldn't very well just physically drive them away. He sighed, shook his head, and stood there, involuntarily sniffing the air. This smell was truly wonderful! He wondered if that kid Wei Chen would… He shook his head, banishing the unrealistic thought from his mind. Getting a pound of dried meat was already a pleasant surprise; to expect freshly stewed braised pork? That was far too greedy.

Time slowly passed amidst the children's eager anticipation and Yan Bugui's complex inner turmoil. In the east courtyard, the aroma of braised pork reached its peak, gradually transforming into a richer, more enticing mature flavor. It was a sign that the fat had completely melted, the lean meat was tender and mushy, and the seasonings had fully permeated the meat.

Finally, Wei Chen lifted the lid of the pot.