Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

Immediately afterwards, Wei Chen lit another firecracker. "Boom—Crack!" The muffled explosion soared into the sky, echoing again high above the courtyard.

The loud and sustained sound of firecrackers immediately attracted the attention of the entire courtyard. Many families, who had just gotten up or were cooking dumplings, couldn't help but peek out when they heard the noise.

When they saw that it was the east courtyard that was setting off firecrackers, and that they were setting off long, loud red firecrackers and huge double-bang firecrackers, they were all looking at them with a mixture of envy, surprise, jealousy and complicated feelings.

After the firecrackers were set off, the air was filled with the strong smell of gunpowder. Wei Ran ran out from behind the door, her face flushed with excitement: "Brother! It was so loud! It was so beautiful!" She looked at the red paper scraps scattered on the ground, which looked like a red carpet, and thought it was extremely festive.

Happy New Year!

The family returned home and exchanged New Year's greetings. Wang Xiulan took out two red paper packets she had prepared beforehand from her bosom, handing one to Wei Chen and the other to Wei Ran: "Chen'er, Ranran, Happy New Year! May you be safe and sound, and may everything go smoothly!"

"Thank you, Mom!" Wei Chen and Wei Ran said in unison. Wei Ran eagerly opened her red envelope, inside which was a brand new one-yuan bill. She jumped up with joy: "One yuan! Thank you, Mom!"

Wei Chen smiled and opened his own wallet, which contained two yuan. He didn't care about the amount; it was his mother's blessing for him. "Thank you, Mom. Happy New Year to you too. Wishing you good health and all the best."

Wei Chen also took out two red envelopes and handed them to his mother and sister: "Mom, Ranran, these are mine."

Wang Xiulan declined, saying, "You silly child, what kind of son gives his mother a red envelope..."

"Mom, take this, it's for good luck." Wei Chen insisted on giving it to his mother. Wang Xiulan opened it and saw five yuan inside: "Okay, thank you, son! I've received red envelopes before! This... so much! Chen'er, you..."

"Mom, your son can earn money now, so you can spend it without worry," Wei Chen said with a smile. Then, turning to Wei Ran, who was watching him expectantly, he added, "Yours is also five yuan, but don't spend it recklessly. Save it, or use it to buy school supplies, understand?"

"Okay! Thank you, brother!" Wei Ran took her five yuan and added the one yuan her mother gave her. She felt like a "little millionaire" and couldn't stop smiling. She looked at the two red envelopes over and over.

Amidst laughter and cheerful conversation, the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year in the East Courtyard was filled with peace and joy.

After breakfast and getting ready, the family prepared to go out to visit their neighbors for the New Year. This is an old custom and a necessary step in maintaining neighborly relations.

As soon as I stepped out of the courtyard gate, I saw Yan Bugui and his family coming out from the front yard. Yan Bugui was wearing his faded Zhongshan suit, buttoned up meticulously, with a standard smile on his face. His aunt and children followed behind him.

"Wei Chen! Xiu Lan! Happy New Year! Wishing you prosperity!" Yan Bugui greeted them first, his voice loud and clear, his smile more enthusiastic than usual.

"Happy New Year, Uncle! Happy New Year, Aunt! Happy New Year, Jiefang, Jiekuang, and Jiedi!" Wei Chen replied with a smile, and Wang Xiulan and Wei Ran also greeted him.

"Good, good, good, everyone!" Yan Bugui's gaze swept over Wei Chen's family's brand-new clothes and rosy complexions. He recalled the grand display of firecrackers that morning, and felt a pang of jealousy, but his smile widened. "Wei Chen, your family had a very prosperous New Year this year! The firecrackers that went off so early this morning were heard throughout the entire courtyard; they were quite impressive!"

"It was just for fun, please excuse my rudeness, Uncle." Wei Chen said politely.

"Of course, of course! Young people should have this kind of spirit!" Yan Bugui leaned closer, lowered his voice, and said with a hint of intimacy and probing, "Well... if there's anything left after the New Year... uh, surplus stuff that needs to be dealt with, don't forget about Third Uncle." He was referring to the meat exchange, which had been a sweet treat and was still on his mind.

Wei Chen understood, but didn't show it on his face. He just smiled and said, "Uncle, you're joking. I'm just an ordinary worker, I don't have any extra money. But if there's any news, I'll definitely think of the people in our compound first."

His words were perfectly balanced, neither agreeing nor refusing. Yan Bugui was somewhat disappointed, but dared not press further, and could only laugh it off: "Yes, yes, yes, let's help each other out! You guys get back to work, we'll go take a look around the Intermediate People's Court."

Leaving the Yan family home, he headed towards the central courtyard. Along the way, every neighbor he encountered greeted him warmly with New Year's wishes, their attitudes noticeably different from before. Respect, flattery, and envy were prevalent; the subtle disdain and aloofness of the past were almost entirely gone. Wei Chen responded politely to each one, neither servile nor arrogant.

In the Jia family compound, the door was open. Jia Zhangshi was sitting in the doorway basking in the sun, actually just keeping an eye on what was happening inside the yard. Jia Dongxu and Qin Huairu were tidying up inside, while Banggeng was running around the yard with Xiaodang, picking up unexploded ordnance.

Seeing Wei Chen and his family arrive, Jia Zhangshi's face twitched involuntarily, and she forced a smile that could only be described as "kind": "Oh, Wei Chen's here! Xiulan, Ranran, Happy New Year!"

The smile was stiff and forced, a stark contrast to her usual mean and sharp tongue. Clearly, both Wei Chen's position in the factory and his current "power" in the courtyard had instilled fear in this cowardly old woman, who no longer dared to utter malicious words or fabricate stories as before.

"Happy New Year, Sister-in-law Jia," Wang Xiulan replied politely. Wei Chen simply nodded indifferently, "Happy New Year, Aunt Jia, Brother Dongxu, Sister Qin." His gaze swept over the slightly messy Jia family home and Jia Zhangshi's fake smile, but his heart remained unmoved.

Jia Dongxu responded listlessly from inside the house, while Qin Huairu came out wiping her hands, her face bearing her usual slightly melancholic smile: "Brother Weichen, Aunt Wang, Ranran, Happy New Year. Please come in and sit down?"

"No, sister-in-law, I still have to visit other places." Wei Chen politely declined. Qin Huairu didn't insist, but her gaze lingered on Wei Ran's new clothes for a moment before quickly shifting away, a hint of undisguised envy and sadness deep in her eyes.

Liu Haizhong's family also came out to offer New Year's greetings. Second Uncle Liu Haizhong, with his hands behind his back and maintaining an air of superiority, saw Wei Chen and gave a soft "hmm" through his nose as a greeting.

He harbored resentment towards Wei Chen, this unconventional young man who subtly challenged his authority as "Second Uncle," but given Wei Chen's current momentum in the factory and his reputation in the compound, he dared not easily provoke him. Second Aunt, however, politely wished him a "Happy New Year."

Yi Zhonghai and an older woman happened to be returning from the deaf old lady's house in the backyard when they bumped into each other in the yard. Yi Zhonghai's face was expressionless, but when he saw Wang Xiulan, he gave a forced nod as a greeting.

When his gaze swept over Wei Chen, his eyes were complex, containing scrutiny, apprehension, and a hint of barely perceptible annoyance and helplessness. He couldn't possibly put on a pleasant face for this stubborn, slippery young man who had even managed to turn the tables on him, but he couldn't completely ignore him either.

The older woman smiled and exchanged a few pleasantries with Wang Xiulan, asking how old Wei Ran was and praising the little girl for growing more and more beautiful.

Wei Chen ignored Yi Zhonghai's pretentious manner, merely smiled politely at the older woman, and then continued walking towards the backyard with his mother and sister. Since their paths diverged, maintaining a facade of politeness was sufficient.

When they arrived at the backyard, they went to Grandma Li's house first. Grandma Li was sitting alone in the house, while Little Stone was busy sorting through the duds he had found. When he saw Wei Ran coming over, he called out to her to share them.

Grandma Li was delighted to see Wei Chen's family come to wish them a Happy New Year. She got up to get some melon seeds—actually, just roasted pumpkin seeds. Wang Xiulan quickly stopped her, saying, "Aunt Li, please sit down, don't bother. We just came to see you and wish you a Happy New Year, hoping you have good health and longevity!"

"Good, good, good to you both." Grandma Li held Wang Xiulan's hand, then looked at Wei Chen and Wei Ran, her cloudy eyes a little moist. "Xiulan, you are so lucky, your children are so successful and filial... I, this old man, and Xiao Shitou can still have a decent New Year, all thanks to you..."

These words were spoken sincerely. Wei Chen quickly said, "Grandma Li, please don't say that. We're all neighbors, it's only right. Please take care of yourself, and don't hesitate to ask if you need anything."

Wang Xiulan called out to Xiao Shitou, took out a red paper packet she had prepared beforehand, and stuffed it into Xiao Shitou's hand. "Here you go, Shitou, this is your New Year's money from your godmother. Use it to buy candy and study hard."

Little Stone looked at the red envelope in his hand, somewhat at a loss, and turned to his grandmother. Grandma Li's eyes reddened: "This...how can we accept this! Xiulan, Xiaochen has already helped our family so much, we can't take this money..."

"Take it, it's for good luck," Wang Xiulan insisted.

After several rounds of refusing, Grandma Li finally let Xiao Shitou accept the gift. They chatted for a while before Wei Chen's family left.

After leaving Grandma Li's house, they went to Aunt Liu's house. Aunt Liu had been waiting for them and quickly welcomed them inside. Although the house was simple, it was clean and tidy. Niu Dali and Niu Xiaocao had also changed into clean clothes, and their little faces were washed clean.

"Brother Wei Chen! Aunt Wang! Ranran! Happy New Year! Come in and sit down!" Aunt Liu was incredibly enthusiastic and insisted on pouring them sweet soup.

"Aunt Liu, don't bother, we'll just sit for a bit and then leave." Wang Xiulan took out another red envelope and stuffed it into Xiaocao's hand, who had run in after hearing the commotion. "Xiaocao, this is your New Year's money from your godmother. Take it to buy candy and study hard."

Looking at the red envelope in her hand, the little girl said sensibly, "I don't want the red envelope, godmother!"

"Take this, it's a token of my appreciation." Wang Xiulan insisted, "Since you've accepted me as your godmother, you have to listen to me. It's nothing, just a token of my affection."

Wei Chen also smiled and said, "Aunt Liu, give it to the child; it'll bring joy during the New Year."

Aunt Liu then told Xiaocao to accept the gift and to kowtow to Wang Xiulan to wish her a Happy New Year. At that moment, Xiaoshitou came over, and Wei Ran started playing with Xiaocao and Xiaoshitou, chattering away.

After leaving Aunt Liu's house, the main procedures for paying New Year's visits were complete. When I returned to the courtyard, it was already bustling with activity.

The children were the happiest. They wore clothes that might be patched but were definitely the cleanest, and they moved in groups from house to house, shouting "Happy New Year, Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle, Aunt!" as soon as they entered. Then they waited expectantly, hoping to get a piece of candy or a few melon seeds if they were lucky, or at least a compliment if they weren't.

Their main target was still the unexploded firecrackers on the ground. Every time a string of firecrackers was set off, the children would swarm around and carefully search through the pile of red paper scraps. If they found a complete "dud," they would treasure it and light it with incense to play with it.

Wei Ran was also pulled into the "treasure hunt" by Little Stone and Little Grass. The three children squatted down where Wei Chen had set off the firecrackers and searched diligently. And sure enough, they actually found a few treasures that had slipped through the net.

Wei Chen smiled at his sister's happy expression, turned around and went back into the house, taking out several strings of 100-shot firecrackers from a drawer. He had bought extra firecrackers specifically for the children to play with.

"Ranran, Shitou, Xiaocao, come here," Wei Chen called out.

Three children ran over, staring longingly at the firecrackers in his hand.

"Here, one string each." Wei Chen handed out the firecrackers to them. "Take them apart one by one and light them. Don't light the whole string at once, it'll be a waste. Remember, use incense to light them. Once they're lit, run away quickly. Be careful and don't hurt yourself or others, understand?"

"Okay! Thank you, Brother Weichen!" The three children were overjoyed, taking the firecrackers as if they were precious treasures. A string of 100 firecrackers was a fortune to them! They could take them apart into 100 individual firecrackers, enough to play with for a long time!

"Go ahead, be careful." Wei Chen waved with a smile.

The three children cheered and ran off. Soon, the yard was filled with sporadic "slap" sounds and the children's joyful laughter.

Wang Xiulan stood at the doorway, watching her daughter and the children play, a contented smile on her face. She turned to her son and whispered, "Chen'er, just spoil them."

"Mom, it's alright. It's the New Year, as long as the children are happy." Wei Chen helped his mother back into the house. "Our family is doing better now, so we'll help each other out as much as we can, but we have to be selective! We'll treat those who are sincere to us the same way. As for those who are calculating like Teacher Yan, or the Jia family and Yi Zhonghai, we'll just keep on the surface and not get too close to them, so as not to offend them."

Wang Xiulan nodded. Her son was becoming more and more methodical, which made her feel both proud and at ease. Looking at the people coming and going in the courtyard to offer New Year's greetings, at their smiles, whether sincere or fake, and recalling the loneliness and timidity she and her orphan mother had experienced during the New Year in previous years, it felt like a lifetime ago.

As the sun rose higher, it dispelled the chill of the morning. The courtyard was filled with the sounds of firecrackers, laughter, and New Year's greetings. Although each family was in a different situation and had different thoughts, at least at this moment, amidst the sounds of firecrackers and the exchange of "Happy New Year" wishes, the courtyard presented a superficial and brief peace and liveliness.

Wei Chen stood at his front door, gazing at the bustling world around him, his gaze calm and profound. A new year had begun, bringing new challenges and opportunities. But he was no longer the penniless newcomer he once was. He had a home, family, a gradually solidifying foundation, and, more importantly, the hidden trump card of the game world.

The road ahead may still be full of storms, but what is there to fear? He smiled slightly, turned around and went back into the house. The warm light and his mother's caring gaze were his eternal home and motivation.