Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

The textiles and clothing department is located on the second floor of the department store.

The second floor was larger, more crowded, and the air was even more stuffy. The colors of various fabrics and the smell of cotton yarn mingled together. On one side was a long counter, and behind it were shelves that reached the ceiling, filled with countless bolts of fabric: plain cotton, khaki, denim, corduroy, and also floral fabrics printed with various flowers and geometric patterns.

The sales clerk, wielding a long wooden ruler, measured, tore, rolled, and tied the fabric with practiced ease. On the other side was a wardrobe counter displaying a limited number of ready-made garments, their styles monotonous, primarily in blue, gray, and black.

Wei Chen first went to the fabric counter. He wanted to buy fabric to make new clothes for his mother and younger sister, Wei Ran. His mother had worked hard all year round, and her clothes were always patched upon patched; his sister was at the age where she loved to dress up, but she didn't even have a decent floral dress. The two bolts of fabric he got at the ghost market were both dark blue, not good for making dresses, but since he had ration coupons, he would buy them some nicer ones.

The counter was crowded with women, all carefully selecting their favorite patterns. The sales clerks were sweating profusely from their busy schedules. Wei Chen's tall and robust figure stood out somewhat incongruously; he patiently waited for a while before finally squeezing to the front.

"Comrade, could you please take a look at that light blue floral print fabric and that pink cotton fabric with little butterflies?" Wei Chen pointed to two pieces of floral fabric on the shelf that looked refreshing and suitable for his mother and sister.

The sales clerk glanced at the "big man" buying the fabric, somewhat surprised, but still took down the fabric as instructed and unfolded a section of it on the counter.

The light blue floral print fabric has a soft sky blue base and is adorned with tiny white jasmine flowers, giving it a fresh and elegant look. The pink fabric is printed with colorful little butterflies in flight, adding a lively and adorable touch. Both fabrics are made of thick, pure cotton and feel pleasant to the touch.

"How much are these two types of fabric? Do I need fabric coupons?" Wei Chen asked. He knew that some clearance items or "export-to-domestic" fabrics might not require coupons, but fabrics with good patterns usually did.

"You need cloth coupons for everything," the salesperson answered briskly. "Blue floral print is 38 cents a foot, and pink butterfly print is 42 cents a foot. They're both good cotton fabric, and they won't fade."

Wei Chen quickly calculated in his mind. His mother would need about seven feet of fabric to make a top, and his sister would need about five feet to make a dress and top. He said directly, "The blue floral one will be seven feet, and the pink butterfly one will be six feet." As he spoke, he took out a small stack of fabric coupons and the corresponding amount of money from another pocket and handed them over.

The saleswoman's movements as she measured and tore the fabric were fluid and effortless. The wooden ruler pressed down on the fabric, and with two crisp "rip! rip!" sounds, the cloth broke. She skillfully rolled up the two pieces of fabric separately, tied them with strips of brown paper, and handed them to Wei Chen: "Here you go."

Next, Wei Chen walked to the wardrobe counter next to him. Although his plan was to buy fabric, he saw several children's clothes hanging on the counter, including a light yellow girls' dress. The style was simple, but the color was bright, and the material was definitely of good quality.

Without hesitation, Wei Chen immediately pointed to the dress and said, "Comrade, I want that pale yellow dress."

The sales clerk took down the dress, and Wei Chen looked at it. It was quite nice, and there seemed to be no problem with it. He paid, got the receipt, and it was packed up. Another surprise for his sister!

Finally, he walked to the "Cultural Supplies" and "Food and Candy" counters located in the corner.

At the stationery counter, he picked out a box of twelve colored crayons for his younger sister, Wei Nan—a rare find in those days—a dozen Zhonghua brand pencils, several scented erasers, a brand-new tin pencil case printed with Tiananmen Square, and several exercise books with revolutionary images—this whole pile was a luxury for elementary school students in those days, but Wei Chen wanted his sister to have good things. The sales clerk, seeing this "big customer," was exceptionally kind, carefully wrapping the stationery in kraft paper.

At the food counter, he bought half a pound of beautifully packaged assorted fruit hard candies, wrapped in pretty cellophane, a pound of pastries wrapped in oil paper with red lettering and tied with paper string, and a pound of loose animal-shaped cookies. The sweet aroma attracted the longing eyes of the children around him.

After finishing his shopping, Wei Chen's canvas shoulder bag was bulging, and he was also carrying fabric and children's clothing wrapped in kraft paper.

He squeezed out of the crowded department store and breathed in the relatively fresh air outside, finally feeling a bit more relaxed. This shopping trip had cost him a lot of money and receipts, but thinking about how his mother and sister would react to seeing these things, he felt it was all worthwhile.

I rode my bike back to my courtyard house near Nanluoguxiang. As soon as I turned into the alley, I saw the direction of my own east courtyard. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that it had changed quite a bit.

The original moon gate has now been replaced by two heavy solid wood doors! The doors are dark chestnut brown, made of thick pine planks, with sturdy hinges and brass door knockers the size of bowls nailed to the door panels, giving them a rustic and robust appearance.

The brickwork along the door frame had been repaired and freshly plastered. The door was ajar, and shouts and the clanging of bricks could be heard coming from inside.

Wei Chen pushed his bicycle and pushed open the half-closed gate to go inside. The scene inside was even more bustling than a few days ago. The foundation had already been compacted, and the four walls had been built to a height of more than half a person, with the blue bricks and mortar joints neatly arranged.

A dozen or so workers were busy: mixing mud, carrying bricks, building walls, and erecting scaffolding. The air was filled with the smells of fresh soil, lime water, and sweat.

Master Wu stood with his hands behind his back beside the newly built wall, carefully checking its verticality with a plumb line suspended by a thin rope. Hearing the noise, he turned around, saw Wei Chen, and immediately a smile spread across his dark face as he greeted him.

"Comrade Wei! You're back!" Master Wu's voice was hoarse from working, but very warm.

"Master Wu, thank you for your hard work!" Wei Chen propped up his bicycle and looked around at the courtyard, which was beginning to take shape. "This progress is really fast! When was this gate installed?"

"Yesterday afternoon, Old Liu (Carpenter Liu) and his apprentice came and installed it!" Master Wu pointed to the brand-new gate, his tone full of affirmation for Carpenter Liu's craftsmanship. "Look at this, the material, the workmanship, genuine good pine wood, thick and sturdy! The hinges and door knockers are all good brass, opening and closing smoothly without a sound! Old Liu said this door will last for twenty or thirty years without breaking down!"

Wei Chen stepped forward, pushed the door knocker, and pulled it. It was indeed thick and sturdy, opening and closing smoothly and silently. He nodded in satisfaction: "Master Liu's craftsmanship is impeccable. How much did the materials and labor cost for this door in total?"

"Old Liu told me that the best wood, the craftsmanship, and the fine copper parts would cost a total of twenty-eight yuan. The copper parts were the most expensive," Master Wu quoted the price.

Without a word, Wei Chen counted out twenty-eight yuan from his inner pocket (actually from his spatial storage), all brand-new ten-yuan notes and small change, and handed it to Master Wu: "Master Wu, please take this money and give it to Master Liu later. Please thank him for me. This job was done properly!"

Master Wu took the money, twirled it between his fingers, and smiled even more broadly: "Don't worry! I'll definitely pass on the message! Old Liu will be very happy! I'll bring you the receipt." He carefully tucked the money into his pocket.

Looking at the bustling construction site, Wei Chen said to Master Wu, "Master Wu, I came here to tell you. The factory is busy with tasks, and I'll be frequently going to the countryside to purchase supplies. I might not be able to come back for ten days or half a month. I'm leaving the construction of this house entirely in your hands! You have a lot of experience, so you can decide how to do it. As for the materials, just do what we agreed on before, don't skimp. Pay the wages and meals according to the rules as well. I only have one request: the work must be solid, and it must be a comfortable place to live."

Upon hearing this, Master Wu realized the immense trust the client placed in him! He straightened his back, patted his chest, and assured them, "Comrade Wei, you can rest assured! I, Wu Laosi, have been building houses in Beijing for half my life; my skills and reputation are legendary! Since you trust me, I guarantee I'll build your yard beautifully and sturdily! You go ahead and do your work; I'll keep an eye on everything here! If anything goes wrong, you can come back and hold me accountable!"

Looking into Master Wu's sincere and confident eyes, Wei Chen knew this old craftsman was reliable, and he felt at ease. He nodded, "Good! I'm relieved to hear you say that! Thank you and everyone else for your hard work here! Once the house is finished, I'll treat everyone to drinks!"

"Alright! Just you wait and see!" Master Wu agreed with a smile.

Wei Chen chatted briefly with Master Wu about the construction site before taking his leave. He pushed his bicycle out of the newly installed moon gate, turned back, and closed the two heavy wooden doors. The brand-new door knockers gleamed warmly in the sunlight.

He mounted his bike, took one last look at the tightly closed door and the bustling scene inside, then pedaled hard. The wheels spun, carrying him and his bulging satchel, merging into the noisy streets of Beijing that morning, heading out of the city. His new home was rising from the ground, and his journey was just beginning.