Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

"Here, this is our purchasing department's 'secret manual'," Hu Songnian shoved the form into Wei Chen's hand, his sweaty fingers tapping on it. "Chicken, duck, fish, meat, eggs, dried poultry, mountain produce, wild game, seasonal fruits... everything the factory canteen needs, all marked with 'official prices.' This is our tight rein; a penny higher is unacceptable, a penny lower... hehe, it all depends on our persuasive skills and keen eyesight."

Half-jokingly, he pulled a small hardcover notebook from his bag, opened a page, and found several colorful banknotes and some loose coins and cents tucked inside.

"This is the 'ammunition'," Hu Songnian counted the money, lowering his voice. "Every Monday, the first thing is to go to the finance department, present your purchase permit and last week's settlement statement, and collect this week's purchase funds. The fixed amount is fifty yuan, depending on the workload, it doesn't fluctuate much. Here, this is what I collected yesterday." He showed the stack of money, the largest denomination being a five-yuan note, the rest mostly two-yuan, one-yuan, and small change. "You'll come with me today, and tomorrow morning, remember to collect the money yourself. But since you paid over 130 yuan yesterday, you don't need to collect it for the next two weeks, anyway, your task is already completed."

Wei Chen took the stack of mimeographed price lists, and a strong smell of cheap ink and old paper wafted up. Printed clearly in blue carbon ink were the following prices: Fresh eggs: 0.08 yuan each (must be intact), Live rooster (over 3 jin): 0.55 yuan per jin, Live hen (laying eggs): 0.65 yuan per jin, Dried wild mushrooms (sand-free): 0.85 yuan per jin, Dried black fungus: 1.20 yuan per jin, Wild rabbit: 0.45 yuan per jin, Fresh pork: 0.8 yuan per jin…

The low price secretly alarmed Wei Chen, this "modern man." He figured the wild boars and roe deer he sold to the factory and the neighborhood committee should have been priced similarly to pork. And since he hadn't asked for ration coupons, the whole pigs were bought at the price of pork.

Thinking of the dozens of roe deer he had piled up in his space, and then thinking of the value of the two pounds of "honor meat" that Director Wang had given him yesterday, the difference between them was like heaven and earth... His heart was burning with excitement, but he kept a straight face and carefully examined the items.

"See that?" Hu Songnian pointed to the form, sweat dripping down his temples. "The price is fixed, but people are flexible. Eggs, they need to be intact, but a little chipped or scratched on the edges won't affect their edibility. We can buy them for seven cents each, and the villagers are happy to accept that."

Wild game varies greatly in weight and appearance; it all comes down to your eyesight and your words. When you enter a village, it's best to find the village chief or team leader, offer them a pack of cigarettes, say a few nice words, and have them announce it over the loudspeaker. Otherwise, we'll be wandering around like headless flies, getting roasted alive! Our job is all about seizing a cool moment!" He rambled on, these were hard-earned lessons from sweat beading on his feet.

"The finance department doesn't open until 7:30. We can't wait any longer; the sun will be high in the sky by then." Hu Songnian looked up at the sky. The eastern horizon was already turning red, and the heat in the air was clearly rising. "Let's go to Toumenzigou first. I know the way, and the village is closer. You learn the procedures first. Hurry up and get on the bike; any more dawdling and we'll really be 'grilled'!" He patted the scorching hot bicycle.

Wei Chen deftly mounted his bicycle, and the two of them, one on each, rode towards the outskirts of the city, facing the rising morning breeze. The wheels rolled over the dirt road, kicking up dry dust.

On both sides of the road stretched endless wheat fields, golden waves rippling in the breeze, releasing the dry, ripening aroma of grain. In the distance rose a range of dark green mountains. Although it was still early morning, the sun was already strong, making exposed skin feel slightly hot. Hu Songnian, panting heavily, quickly soaked his vest through his shoulders and back, and described the scene to Wei Chen in broken sentences:

"See that? At the fork in the road ahead, turn left, and you'll reach Xiaoshigou, a place where people scavenge for food in the cracks between the rocks. You can only get a few eggs and dried vegetables at most... Turn right, and you'll reach Toudaogou, Erdaoliang, and Sandaowa... These three villages are closer to the mountains, and if you're lucky, you might be able to find some mountain produce and wild game..."

More than an hour passed by, bumping along in the dust and increasingly intense sunlight. Wei Chen felt the metal frame beneath him getting scorching hot from the sun.

When Hu Songnian finally stopped at the entrance of a village built against the mountain with low houses, Wei Chen jumped out of the car, stretched his sore and numb legs, and looked at the Toudaogou Village in front of him.

The village was bathed in the still-soft light of the early morning, but the rising heat in the air had already begun to distort the distant scenery. Under a few old locust trees with relatively lush foliage at the village entrance, several shirtless old men were fanning themselves with palm-leaf fans to cool off. A few stray dogs lay panting in the shadows against the wall.

Villagers, dressed in short-sleeved shirts or t-shirts, carrying hoes, were taking advantage of the cool weather to hurry to the fields. They cast curious glances at the "government employees" pushing bicycles.

"Old Hu! So early? You must be sweltering!" A man in his fifties, wearing a faded blue cadre uniform with his shirt open, a tattered straw hat, and dark, shiny skin, strode out of the village office (a slightly larger mud house) with a familiar smile on his face and a chipped palm-leaf fan in his hand.

"Village Chief Zhao! There's no other way, this awful weather! If we don't come out early, we'll be sunburnt by noon!" Hu Songnian wiped the sweat from his face and greeted him warmly. At the same time, he quickly pulled two packs of unfiltered cigarettes printed with the words "Great Production" from his pocket and stuffed them into Village Chief Zhao's hands without saying a word. "Share these with the villagers, to keep them awake and relieve their fatigue!"

Village Chief Zhao took the cigarette, expertly weighed it in his hand, grinned, revealing a set of teeth yellowed from smoking, and deftly stuffed it into his pocket before looking at Wei Chen: "And this young comrade is...?"

"Oh! Our new purchasing agent, Comrade Wei Chen!" Hu Songnian quickly introduced, "He'll probably be coming here often from now on, so please take good care of him!"

"Hello, Village Chief Zhao!" Wei Chen greeted him politely, feeling the sweat on his back sticking his clothes to his body.

"Good! Good! Young and energetic! Running around in this heat must be tough!" Village Chief Zhao nodded with a smile, his gaze sweeping over Wei Chen's sweat-soaked vest. "Want to come in and have some cool water?"

"No, no, Village Chief Zhao, we're in a hurry!" Hu Songnian waved his hands repeatedly, sweat dripping from his chin. "Could you please hurry and tell the villagers? The steel mill is buying things, same old rule, cash! Anyone with goods, come quickly!"

"Alright! You can rest in the shade!" Without another word, Village Chief Zhao turned and went into the village office. Soon, the rusty tin loudspeaker hanging from the crooked pole on the roof of the village office emitted a piercing electrical buzz, followed by Village Chief Zhao's voice, thick with local accent and somewhat distorted by the loudspeaker: "Hey! Hey! Folks! Comrade Hu from the steel mill is here to buy things again! Eggs! Mountain produce! Wild game! Same old prices, cash! If you have anything, bring it to the village office to exchange! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!..."

The broadcast was like a stone thrown into a sweltering pond. Doors creaked open, and women, the elderly, and children peeked out of their homes. Some carried small baskets covered with damp cloths, some carried cloth bags, and some carried small baskets on their backs. Their faces were filled with anticipation as they hurried towards the shade of the village office, afraid of missing this rare opportunity to exchange money.

Hu Songnian had already found a shady spot under a tree in front of the village office and set up his bicycle. He took out an old steelyard balance with a gleaming brass pan, a weight tied with hemp rope and covered in mud and dust, along with his precious notebook and wallet. Wei Chen quickly spread out the purchase price list on a slightly flat stone and also hid in the shade.

Soon, a group of twenty or thirty people gathered under the shade of the tree, mostly women and the elderly. They wore patched undershirts or thin jackets, their faces and arms were covered in sweat, and what they held in their hands was their only hope for combating the scorching heat and poverty.

"Comrade Hu! Look at mine first! The chickens at home are waiting to be fed!" An elderly woman with gray hair, wearing a gray traditional Chinese jacket, squeezed to the front. In her age-spotted hands, she tightly clutched a small willow basket covered with a damp cloth. She carefully lifted a corner of the damp cloth, revealing about a dozen white eggs inside, neatly arranged. The damp cloth was obviously to cool them down and prevent them from cracking.

"Aunt Wang, how many days have you been saving these? Eggs spoil easily in this weather." Hu Songnian asked as he picked up an egg, which felt slightly cool to the touch. He examined it carefully in the sunlight (to check if the yolk was broken), and then gently weighed it in his hand.

"I've been saving it for seven or eight days! I've been soaking it in a basin of cold water every day, it won't spoil!" Aunt Wang said confidently, her cloudy eyes fixed on Hu Songnian's hands.

"Hmm, good eggs! Twelve, each one perfectly firm!" Hu Songnian finished counting and showed the price list to Aunt Wang. Although she might not be literate, he said, "Twelve fresh eggs, intact, eight cents each... ninety-six cents." He counted out nine one-cent bills from his wallet, then carefully counted out six one-cent coins, and handed them over: "Auntie, please keep this safe! Count it!"

Grandma Wang's withered fingers trembled as she took the money. Sweat streamed down her deep wrinkles, dripping onto the banknotes. She counted them one by one, her lips moving silently. After counting twice, she clutched the money tightly in her palm, tucking it into her inner pocket. A relieved yet joyful smile spread across her face: "Yes! Yes! Thank you, Comrade Hu!" This money could buy salt, lamp oil, and perhaps even a popsicle for her grandson.

"Comrade Hu! Take a look at my dried wood ear mushrooms! They've just been dried thoroughly!" A lean, middle-aged man squeezed forward, took a heavy cloth bag from his basket, and opened it. The glossy black dried wood ear mushrooms emitted a sun-kissed aroma and the unique fragrance of fungi. "This year's first batch of 'Black Peony' mushrooms, all the sand and soil have been sifted out! Please take a look!"

Hu Songnian grabbed a handful, rubbed it in his hands, then brought it closer to smell it, and nodded: "Hmm, thoroughly dried, no musty smell, few impurities. Weigh it." He poured the wood ear mushrooms into the scale pan and lifted the scale. "A good three jin and two liang!"

"Three jin and two liang? My scale at home says three and a half jin..." the man muttered to himself, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

Hu Songnian handed over the scales, pointing to the scale marks: "Brother, look, three jin and two liang, that's a perfect weight! Factory price, dried black fungus, one jin for one yuan and two liang. Three jin and two liang... three yuan and eighty-four fen. I'll give you three yuan and eighty-five fen!" He pointed to the price list, his tone certain, the extra fen like a cool breeze under the scorching sun.

The man glanced at the scales, then at the price list, and grinned, "Alright! Comrade Hu, you're so generous! We'll do as you say!" Three dollars and eighty-five cents—enough to buy several pounds of fatty meat to render into lard!