Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

Asking him to plead with the security department for these two people? He had neither the interest nor the obligation. He had no relation to Sha Zhu and Xu Damao, not even close acquaintances, so why should he get involved in this mess?

Yi Zhonghai's moral blackmail tactics of "neighborly affection" and "family reputation" had limited effect on him. He always believed in "everyone sweeping the snow from their own doorstep" when dealing with the people in this compound, neither actively causing trouble nor easily taking on problems.

However, since the three elderly men came to visit together, adopting such a humble attitude and speaking so frankly, it wouldn't be appropriate to completely refuse them. After all, they live in the same courtyard and see each other all the time; there's no need to make things too awkward.

Moreover, Wei Chen estimated that given the nature of Sha Zhu and Xu Damao's incident, the security department's punishment would most likely be a few days of confinement, a demerit, and a fine as a warning to others, rather than actual dismissal or transfer to the public security bureau.

Although Captain Liu Changqing was strict, he was tactful in his work. Even if I went to "find out the situation," I wouldn't really change the outcome. At most, I could find out the proposed solution in advance or make the process a little "gentler."

Since that's the case, why not go with the flow and do them a favor? It would avoid offending these three gentlemen, make him appear "considerate" and "reasonable," and he wouldn't have to pay any real price. If he refused outright, he'd seem too heartless; in this day and age, favors are still highly valued. As for whether Sha Zhu and Xu Damao appreciated it, that was unimportant; he didn't care at all.

These thoughts raced through Wei Chen's mind in just a few seconds. He looked up, his gaze sweeping over the expectant faces of the three old men. His expression remained calm, except for a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth, revealing a faint, almost polite smile. He spoke in a gentle voice:

"Uncle, Uncle, Uncle, Uncle, I understand what you mean."

He paused, and under the gaze of the three men, slowly said, "I've also heard about what happened with He Yuzhu and Xu Damao. Arguing with weapons in the factory area has indeed had a very bad impact, and it's only their duty to deal with it seriously, as Captain Liu and the others have done."

Upon hearing this, Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong's expressions changed slightly, and their hearts sank. But Wei Chen immediately changed the subject:

"However, as one of the older men said, they are young and impulsive after all, and they are neighbors in the same courtyard. I understand the concern these three older men have for the younger generation, as they came to me personally."

Yi Zhonghai's eyes lit up, and he nodded quickly, "Yes, yes, Wei Chen, it's good that you understand!"

Wei Chen continued, "I'm just an ordinary staff member in the security department, mainly following the instructions of my superiors. He Yuzhu and his team are handling this in the first brigade, which I'm not directly in charge of. However, it's possible to inquire about the progress and general opinions on the matter."

He spoke very tactfully, neither making any undue promises nor failing to give the other party hope.

"As for pleading on behalf of someone..." Wei Chen shook his head slightly, "That's not easy to handle. Captain Liu is always fair and impartial in handling cases, and he hates interference from others the most. If I rashly plead on his behalf, it might backfire. However, if the decision on how to handle the case is made, I can help inquire to see if there are any circumstances that can be considered leniently within the regulations."

His words essentially blocked the path of "pleading on behalf of others," but left room for "inquiring" and "asking about regulations." This indicated that he wouldn't interfere illegally, while also implying that he might offer a small "favor" or information within the bounds of procedure.

Although Yi Zhonghai was somewhat disappointed, he felt this was still a decent outcome. Knowing the proposed solution beforehand was better than being kept in the dark. Moreover, Wei Chen's willingness to "ask" was itself an attitude, and perhaps it would actually have some effect?

He quickly said, "Hey, Wei Chen, we'd be incredibly grateful if you could help us inquire! We won't force you to plead for us! Everything will be done according to the factory's rules! We're just worried about the kids suffering there, and we're also worried that the punishment will be too harsh and ruin their futures. We'd be more than happy if you could keep an eye out for them!"

Liu Haizhong straightened his back, feeling that Wei Chen's statement was very "sensible," giving face to the three elderly men while upholding work principles. He adopted a haughty tone and nodded approvingly: "Yes, Wei Chen, you've considered everything very thoroughly. That's the right thing to do! We must consider neighborly relations, but even more importantly, we must adhere to principles! You're doing the right thing! We support you!"

Yan Bugui also breathed a sigh of relief. Wei Chen's attitude was neither too soft nor too hard; he neither agreed to anything substantial nor directly refused, thus saving face for everyone. He smiled and echoed, "Wei Chen is reliable and steady in his work, so we trust him. Then we'll trouble you to find out the situation for us."

Wei Chen nodded, his tone still calm: "Okay. I'll go to the First Brigade tomorrow when I have some free time and ask about the situation. I'll let the old men know when I get any news."

The matter seemed to be settled. The three old men had basically achieved their goal and were much more relaxed. They exchanged a few more polite words, praising Wei Chen for being young and promising, steady and reliable, and considerate of the neighbors, before getting up to take their leave.

Wei Chen saw them to the door. Before leaving, Yi Zhonghai squeezed Wei Chen's hand tightly, his face earnest: "Wei Chen, I'm entrusting this matter to you! No matter the outcome, I'll remember your kindness!"

"You flatter me, sir. It was nothing." Wei Chen replied casually.

After seeing the three old men off and closing the courtyard gate, the polite smile on Wei Chen's face vanished without a trace, replaced by his usual calm and indifference. He turned and went back into the house. His mother, Wang Xiulan, poked her head out from the kitchen and asked with some concern, "Chen'er, the three old men wanted to see you about Zhuzi and Da Mao, right? Did you agree?"

"Okay, I'll help ask around." Wei Chen walked to the basin to wash his hands and answered casually.

"Is this... easy to handle? Won't it offend the leaders of the security department?" Wang Xiulan had some concerns. She was an honest person and didn't want her son to get into trouble because of these disputes in the compound.

Wei Chen dried his hands and said calmly, "Mom, it's nothing. I just went to ask; it's not against the rules. The security department decides how to handle it."

Looking at her son's calm profile, Wang Xiulan knew he was being sensible, so she said nothing more, only sighing, "Sigh, Zhuzi and Damao are the same, making such a fuss... living in the same courtyard, what's the point?"

Wei Chen didn't reply. He was thinking about something else entirely. Yi Zhonghai's eagerness, Liu Haizhong's vanity, and Yan Bugui's cunning were all vividly displayed in this scene of seeking help.

Sha Zhu's recklessness and Xu Damao's cunning are just a glimpse into the myriad aspects of human nature in this compound. He watched it all like a calm bystander, his heart unmoved.

Helping to inquire? It was merely going with the flow, unrelated to personal feelings, just a strategy to maintain superficial harmony. As for whether those two were locked up for three or five days, whether it was a demerit or a warning, it made no difference to him.

A night breeze blew through the east courtyard, carrying the faint sounds of commotion from the middle courtyard in the distance. When the three old men returned to the middle courtyard, they were naturally surrounded by some neighbors who were still awake and waiting to hear the news.

"Uncle, Uncle, Uncle, what did Wei Chen say? Did he agree to help?" Madam Jia was the most eager; her husband, Jia Dongxu, had run errands yesterday, so she was naturally concerned about the outcome.

Yi Zhonghai's face regained its usual composure, with a hint of barely perceptible reserve, as he said, "Wei Chen is a sensible and good kid. He agreed to go to the security department tomorrow to help inquire about the situation. Although we can't guarantee anything, at least we have someone on the inside looking out for us, which makes us feel more at ease."

Liu Haizhong, his belly protruding, stood with his hands behind his back and added in a very official tone, "Wei Chen still respects us elders, and his reasoning is sound. He has to give us face since the three of us uncles are all involved. However, he also said that the factory has its rules, and everything must be done according to the rules. We have to understand that."

Yan Bugui pushed up his glasses and mumbled in agreement, "Yes, Wei Chen promised to help ask, it's just a token of his appreciation."

The neighbors reacted in various ways. Some felt there was hope, some thought Wei Chen was just being perfunctory, and others were simply watching the spectacle. But regardless, the news that the three old men had come to the Wei family for help and that Wei Chen had "agreed to help" quickly spread throughout the courtyard.

Unconsciously, Wei Chen's "weight" and presence in this courtyard seemed to have increased. However, whether this "weight" was a blessing or a curse, genuine affection or exploitation, is probably only known to the parties involved.

Meanwhile, in the cold detention cell, Sha Zhu and Xu Damao were completely unaware of all this. They remained in the darkness, each harboring their own fear, resentment, and a sliver of hope, awaiting their fate, awaiting "salvation" from the factory, the compound, or any possible means. Little did they know, their "savior" might simply be a calm, almost indifferent bystander, casually tossing them a worthless straw.

The dawn mist had not yet dissipated from the steel rolling mill when the sound of whistles from the rolling mills tolled through the morning air. On the main road of the factory, bicycle bells rang in unison as workers, wrapped in thick cotton coats and breathing out white breaths, hurried to their respective workshops.

In the surging tide, Wei Chen rode his well-maintained Forever brand bicycle at a leisurely pace toward the security office building. He had deliberately arrived twenty minutes earlier than usual today.

In the canvas bag hanging on the handlebars, besides the lunchbox and notebook, there were also two boxes of "Daqianmen" cigarettes. This was given to Wei Chen by Yi Zhonghai this morning, so that he could make a good conversation when asking for favors. Wei Chen did not refuse, after all, he was helping them out.

The security department's gray two-story building stands relatively isolated on one side of the factory area. The old locust tree in front of the building has lost all its leaves, its bare branches pointing towards the leaden-gray sky, giving it a somewhat somber appearance.

Wei Chen parked his bicycle in the bike shed, picked up his satchel, and walked into the building. The first-floor corridor was filled with a familiar smell, a mixture of tobacco, old newspapers, and dust. He went back to his office first, nodded to his colleagues who had arrived earlier, placed his satchel on his desk by the window, but didn't sit down immediately.