Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

A long and cold night passed in the detention room behind the gray building of the steel rolling mill's security department.

Sha Zhu and Xu Damao wrapped themselves in their thin blankets and huddled on the cold straw mats. They listened to the night wind howling outside the window and felt the biting cold of the cement floor seeping through the thin mats. Their hearts were filled with mixed emotions.

Fear, regret, resentment, bitterness, and deep anxiety about the unknown punishment gnawed at their nerves like a swarm of cold ants. In the latter half of the night, the temperature dropped to its lowest point, and the two of them were so cold that their teeth chattered. They were wide awake and could only lie there with their eyes open, enduring the endless darkness and silence, second by second, until dawn.

Meanwhile, in the courtyard house, the night was far from peaceful.

When Yi Zhonghai returned from the deaf old lady's house, he had the expedient idea of ​​sending her bedding, but the core problem remained unresolved—how to get Sha Zhu out as soon as possible and minimize his punishment.

He lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. His wife, disturbed by his restlessness, mumbled a few words and turned away.

Yi Zhonghai stared at the dark ceiling with his eyes wide open, his mind replaying the scene from earlier that day when Liu Changqing had ruthlessly rejected him in the security department, leaving him utterly humiliated. His heart felt like it was stuffed with wet cotton, filled with both frustration and anxiety.

Sha Zhu is a crucial part of his retirement plan. Although the boy is a bit of a troublemaker, he is loyal and grateful. Although Jia Dongxu is obedient, there is still an unreasonable Jia Zhangshi at home, so Yi Zhonghai cannot completely trust him. Sha Zhu is the best backup.

Seeing that Sha Zhu was getting on in years, and his marriage prospects had been repeatedly thwarted, with this latest saga causing such a mess, his future looked bleak. What if he really got a major demerit from the factory, or even worse? He'd never be able to hold his head up at the factory again, and finding a partner would be even more impossible. Wouldn't his hopes for a comfortable retirement be dashed? No, he had to find a way!

He racked his brains, going through the names of everyone in the factory who could speak up. The workshop director? That was in charge of production; interfering in security matters wouldn't be legitimate, and besides, his rank might not be high enough.

Factory leaders? He, a level seven worker, might have some influence, but going directly to the factory leaders for a mere cook would be too conspicuous, and might not even be effective. The labor union? That snob, Officer Hou, would be lucky if he didn't kick someone when they're down. After much thought, one figure gradually became clear—Wei Chen from the east courtyard.

Wei Chen! How could I have forgotten about him! Yi Zhonghai's eyes lit up. Although this kid is young and doesn't like to get involved in the troubles in the compound, and usually seems quiet, he is a proper security officer!

Although they don't seem to be from the same brigade, they're both in the security department system, have connections, know the rules, and have even helped solve cases before, getting meat for them! They've repeatedly distinguished themselves in the factory and are highly valued by their superiors. If they were willing to put in a word, even just to inquire about the situation or pass on a message, the effect would definitely be much better than me, an "outsider," confronting them head-on!

Moreover, Wei Chen lives in this courtyard, and even if they don't visit each other often, there's still a sense of neighborly affection. If I bring Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui along, the three old men in charge of the courtyard can visit together, adopt a humble attitude, and say all sorts of nice things, reasoning with him and appealing to his emotions. Wei Chen is a young man, easily embarrassed, and works within the factory system; surely he won't refuse to give him any face?

Thinking of this, Yi Zhonghai's hope was rekindled. But he also knew that Wei Chen, though young, was very steady and not someone to be trifled with. Besides, he had no connection with Sha Zhu or Xu Damao, so why should he help them? He needed to carefully plan his words.

The next morning, Yi Zhonghai went to work with noticeable dark circles under his eyes. He was also restless in the workshop, making several small mistakes in his work, which drew a frown from the workshop foreman. Finally, when the bell rang to signal the end of the workday, he was almost the first to rush out of the workshop, without even changing out of his work clothes, heading straight to the forging workshop to find Liu Haizhong.

Liu Haizhong was still upset after being snubbed by the security department yesterday, feeling cheated by Yi Zhonghai. Seeing Yi Zhonghai looking for him again, his chubby face darkened, and he said in a gruff voice, "Old Yi, what's up now? Let me tell you, don't bother me with that security department thing again. You've seen Captain Liu's temper; he's ruthless! Let's not provoke that bad luck again!"

Yi Zhonghai was prepared. He quickly pulled Liu Haizhong aside to a less crowded area, put on a sincere yet mysterious expression, and lowered his voice, saying, "Old Liu, don't rush, listen to me. We were reckless yesterday and didn't find the right approach. I've been thinking about this all day and I've thought of someone who might be able to help."

"Who?" Liu Haizhong looked at him suspiciously.

"East Wing, Wei Chen," Yi Zhonghai uttered the name.

Liu Haizhong paused for a moment, then curled his lip: "Him? What use is a mere kid? He's just a lowly clerk in the security department, isn't he?"

"Old Liu, you've got it all wrong!" Yi Zhonghai immediately put on an air of "you don't know this," and began to "gild" Wei Chen's reputation. "Although Wei Chen is young, he is a proper security officer with a formal position! Moreover, I've heard that he's quick-witted, reliable, highly valued in the department, and has a good relationship with several team leaders."

He was the one who helped solve that theft case at the factory last time, and he did a good job! Yesterday, we went directly to Captain Liu, which was going over his head, so of course he wouldn't give us face. But Wei Chen is different; he's an insider. Getting information and passing on a message is perfectly normal for him, isn't it? Even if we can't release him directly, at least we'll get a sense of how the security department operates, and we'll have some idea of ​​what's going on, right?"

As he spoke, he observed Liu Haizhong's expression. Seeing that Liu seemed somewhat tempted, he quickly added fuel to the fire: "Besides, Lao Liu, the three of us are the elders in charge of the neighborhood. If something happens to the children in the neighborhood and we just stand by and do nothing, what will the neighbors say behind our backs?"

Especially you, a level six blacksmith, with a high rank and prestige in the institute. If you don't step up at a time like this, who will? Let's go together to ask Wei Chen for help, not only for Zhu Zi and Da Mao, but also to maintain the unity and reputation of our institute!

Wei Chen is a member of the family, and the three of us old men came together to give him face and show that we value this matter. As a junior, he should at least give us an explanation, shouldn't he?"

These words, which both praised Wei Chen's abilities and flattered and pressured Liu Haizhong's status, indeed softened Liu Haizhong's attitude considerably.

Liu Haizhong is very concerned about his image and loves being flattered, especially by the title of "most prestigious person in the hospital," which he finds very pleasing.

He stroked his chubby chin and pondered, "Hmm... what you say makes some sense. Wei Chen is usually quite reliable. But... will he agree? He doesn't have much contact with Zhu Zi or Da Mao."

"Where there's a will, there's a way!" Seeing an opening, Yi Zhonghai quickly pressed his advantage. "That's why I came to find you. We should also invite Old Yan along. With the three of us together, it'll seem more formal and carry more weight. Old Yan is a cultured man, and he speaks reasonably. Wei Chen respects him to some extent. The three of us should go together and have a good talk with Wei Chen, explaining the reasons clearly and emphasizing neighborly relations. I don't think Wei Chen is the kind of person who is unreasonable."

Liu Haizhong thought about it and felt that Yi Zhonghai's suggestion seemed feasible. Most importantly, if they could really get things done through Wei Chen, wouldn't his prestige as the second uncle in the courtyard be even higher? He could even outrank Yi Zhonghai. He nodded: "Alright! Let's try again. But Old Yi, let me make this clear: if it fails this time, I'm not going to get involved in this mess anymore!"

"Of course, of course," Yi Zhonghai readily agreed, but in his heart he was thinking, "As long as I get you on board, that's all that matters."

The two went to find Yan Bugui together. Yan Bugui had just returned from get off work and was tending to his few half-dead flowers in front of his house. When Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong explained their purpose, a look of difficulty and resistance immediately appeared on his thin, bespectacled face.

"Oh dear, Uncle, Uncle, it's not that I don't want to help, it's just... this is a difficult matter to get involved in!" Yan Bugui put down the spray bottle, rubbed his hands together, and his small eyes darted around quickly behind his glasses. "Zhuzi and Da Mao have gone too far this time. The factory has been alerted, and the security department has gotten involved. If we go and plead for them, wouldn't that be going against the factory? Besides, Wei Chen, although we live in the same compound, is a loner and we're not that close. If we go to him rashly, will he agree? We don't want to end up making things awkward instead of getting our help."

He really didn't want to get involved. His discussion of Sha Zhu with Xu Damao at the door yesterday evening had already made him somewhat regretful and fearful.

That idiot Zhu dared to grab an iron rod; who knows if he'll hold a grudge? I'm trying to avoid him, why would I go looking for Wei Chen?

Yan Bugui considered his relationship with Wei Chen to be fairly good; they could chat occasionally, but that was about it. Wei Chen seemed calm on the surface, but he was actually very opinionated and not easily swayed by others. Why would Yan Bugui owe Wei Chen a favor for the sake of Sha Zhu and Xu Damao? He thought it wasn't worth it. What benefits could those two possibly give him? It might even cause him trouble.

Yi Zhonghai had anticipated Yan Bugui's attitude. He sighed, adopting a worried and considerate demeanor: "Old Yan, I understand your concerns. But we are the elders of the compound! 'Elders' isn't just a title, it's a responsibility!"

"Even if Zhu Zi and Da Mao are wrong, they're still kids from our compound, kids we watched grow up. Now they're in trouble, locked up in the security office, cold and scared. How can we, as their elders, just stand by and do nothing? What will the neighbors think of us three old men? Will they think we're cold-blooded and heartless, only concerned with trivial matters, and that we'll cower when something really happens?"

He paused, glanced at Yan Bugui's expression, and continued, "I know Wei Chen has his difficulties. But we're not going to pressure him, we're going to beg him, we're going to ask him to help inquire about the situation out of consideration for our neighborly relationship, and if there's an opportunity, to say a few words of justice for him."

Whether it works out or not is another matter. But we need to show the proper attitude so that everyone in the courtyard can see that we old men have done our best.

Old Yan, you're a teacher, you know a lot, and you understand best the importance of "a close neighbor is worse than a distant relative" and "neighbors helping each other." If our department loses morale because of this, how will we get along in the future?