Siheyuan (traditional courtyard house): Starting with the Korean War, returning home to take charge

When Lao Sun received the call, he was in his office organizing information about the Yasukuni Shrine.

He Yuzhu's voice came through the microphone, and as Lao Sun listened, he stopped what he was doing.

"Private matters? What private matters?"

He Yuzhu remained silent for two seconds.

"Family matters."

Old Sun switched the microphone to the other hand. He had known He Yuzhu for over ten years, and the man never stuttered when he spoke. But today, his voice was off; it was too slow, and every word sounded like it was being squeezed out of his throat.

"What's wrong at home? Isn't your wife newly pregnant?"

There was no reply.

Old Sun waited a while, then took out his cigarette case, pulled out a cigarette, put it in his mouth, but didn't light it.

"Old He, we've known each other for so many years, and you've never kept anything from me. If you don't give me an explanation today, I'm going to your house right now."

He Yuzhu's voice remained the same, neither too loud nor too soft.

"Old Sun, we can't talk about this now. I'll tell you when I get back."

Old Sun took the cigarette out of his mouth and twirled it in his hand.

"Okay. Be careful."

The phone hangs up.

He sat there, looking at the stack of information about the Yasukuni Shrine. Sunlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the photos of the shrines on the pages. He lit a cigarette, took a drag, and felt that He Yuzhu's voice during the phone call earlier seemed to come from a very distant place.

At the research institute, He Yuzhu called Ma Yuejin and Lin Jianguo to his office.

When Ma Yue entered, he was holding a wrench and had some engine oil on his face. He sat down in a chair as soon as he walked in. Lin Jianguo followed behind, holding a notebook.

He Yuzhu looked at them.

I need to go away for a while.

Ma Yuejin was taken aback: "How long?"

"About a month."

Lin Jianguo closed his notebook: "Dean, what happened?"

He Yuzhu shook his head and walked to the window. In the workshop downstairs, workers were loading things onto trucks, and their shouts drifted up, muffled and indistinct.

"It's a private matter. You don't need to concern yourself with it."

He turned around.

"You two can discuss and handle the research institute matters. Ma Yuejin will keep an eye on the tanks. Lin Jianguo will be in charge of the chips. If anything comes up, find Lao Sun."

Ma Yuejin nodded and twirled the wrench in his hand.

"OK."

Lin Jianguo thought for a moment: "Dean, what if there's an emergency—"

"Old Sun will handle any urgent matters."

He Yuzhu looked at the two men. One had started as a fitter, and the other had risen through the ranks from college student; they had been with him for several years.

"Both of you are capable of handling things on your own now."

Ma Yuejin scratched his head and chuckled twice: "Dean, we still have a lot to learn from you when you say that."

He Yuzhu didn't speak. He looked out the window, then back at them, and waved his hand.

"Go."

The courtyard house still has the same two doors.

When He Yuzhu pushed open the door, Qin Huairu was sitting in the courtyard sunbathing. She was wearing a loose-fitting jacket, her belly was slightly protruding, and she was holding a small piece of clothing in her hand, which He Yushui had made a few days ago. It was red with white flowers and was only the size of a palm.

Sunlight fell on her profile, casting the shadow of her eyelashes on her cheekbones.

He Yuzhu stood in the threshold, without moving.

Qin Huairu sensed something, looked up, and saw him standing there, and was stunned for a moment.

"Why are you back at this time?"

She put down the clothes she was holding and stood up. He Yuzhu walked over and sat down next to her.

"I took leave to come back and see you."

Qin Huairu looked at him, her gaze sweeping over his face.

"What happened?"

He Yuzhu shook his head. He picked up the little garment and looked at it. The stitches were crooked, but the red flowers were in full bloom.

"fine."

Qin Huairu didn't ask any more questions. She leaned on his shoulder, the warm sunlight shining down on her.

He Yushui ran out of the house, carrying a bowl of soup. The soup was still steaming, and she walked quickly and steadily.

"Brother, you're back? Perfect timing! Try the soup I made for your wife, it's been simmering all morning."

She handed him the bowl, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him.

He Yuzhu took it and drank a sip. It was salty and a little fishy. He didn't frown and swallowed it.

"Is it good?"

He Yuzhu looked at her face, which looked exactly the same as when she was a child.

"It tastes good."

Upon hearing this, He Yushui beamed with joy and dashed back to the kitchen like a gust of wind.

Qin Huairu leaned on his shoulder and whispered, "Did you go out on something this time?"

He Yuzhu remained silent for a while.

"A long trip might take a month."

Qin Huairu touched the little red flower with her finger.

"Where to?"

He Yuzhu did not answer.

Qin Huairu waited for a while.

"Is it dangerous?"

He Yuzhu thought for a moment.

"have no idea."

Qin Huairu didn't ask any more questions. She folded the little garment neatly and placed it on her lap, then looked up into his eyes.

"Then remember this: no matter how far you run, you have to come back safe and sound."

He Yuzhu looked at her.

"Um."

Late at night, He Yuzhu sat alone on the kang (a heated brick bed) in the west wing.

He brought up the system interface and took stock of the items in the space. There was still one low-light night vision telescope. There was still one portable shortwave radio. And that old PRC-6 was still there.

He scrolled down the redemption list.

Special Combat Suit (Defense against Physical Attacks) - Exchange Points: 50,000

[Type 95 Rifle, Generation 22 (Energy Bullets, silent and traceless, automatically recycled upon mission completion) - Exchange Points: 500,000]

He looked at the two lines of text and clicked "redeem".

[Redeem successful. Points consumed: 500,000]

[Current total points: 44,830,000]

He took out the combat suit from his system space; it was black, felt soft to the touch, but was heavy. And the gun was much lighter than before, its surface smooth and completely silent.

He packed his things away and lay down.

The moon outside the window is very bright.

Qin Huairu woke up at some point. She didn't say anything, but just leaned closer to him, her back pressed against his arm, which was warm.

He Yuzhu didn't move.

After a while, he heard her breathing become even again.

It was still dark in the early hours of the third day.

He Yuzhu stood in the courtyard. The moon hung on the eaves of the west wing, casting a half-light, half-shadow over the courtyard. A breeze blew in from the alley entrance, carrying the smell of coal smoke and the coolness of an early autumn morning.

He inhaled the smell into his lungs.

Then he glanced back at the window.

Behind the paper window, it was pitch black, and he couldn't see anything. But he knew that someone was definitely awake.

Neither of them had spoken since last night. She folded his change of clothes and placed them on the kang (a heated brick bed), and put his usual shoes outside the door with the toes pointing outwards.

He didn't ask her how she knew he was leaving. She didn't ask him why he didn't tell her.

And so it went, one night.

He Yuzhu stood in the courtyard, looking at the two dark wooden doors, the window of the west wing, and the old locust tree. The wind was still blowing, and the leaves of the old locust tree rustled a few times.

He took a deep breath.

[Teleportation countdown: 10, 9, 8...]

He stared at the window.

7, 6, 5...

It was still dark behind the paper window. But he knew she was watching him.

4, 3...

He didn't move. He thought, maybe she'll open the window, maybe she'll call out to him, maybe—

2--

There was nothing behind the paper window.

1--

A flash of white light.

The courtyard was empty.

After a while, the window of the west wing was pushed open a crack. Qin Huairu, wearing a coat, looked at the empty space in the courtyard and the shoes he had taken off last night and put on again this morning.

She didn't cry, she just watched.

The wind blew a few leaves from the old locust tree, which fell into the yard.