Siheyuan (traditional courtyard house): Don't touch my parents!

Madam Jia's face instantly darkened. She poked He Yuzhu's forehead with her finger, spitting almost onto his face: "You little brat, is this how you ask for a favor? Don't you know any manners? You can't even say a nice word!"

As he spoke, he raised his hand as if to strike, which frightened He Yuzhu into shrinking back.

A dull thud of a cane hitting the ground suddenly rang in my ears—from the direction of the backyard, the deaf old lady, supported by Xu Zhao, had somehow appeared at the entrance of the middle courtyard. The head of her cane struck the blue bricks heavily, making my heart tighten.

The old lady's full head of silver hair was neatly combed, and the wrinkles on her face were so deep that they could trap flies, but her old eyes were bright and piercing, like two lamps that had been tempered and ignited, piercing straight at Jia Zhangshi.

She yelled at Jia Zhangshi, her voice carrying an undeniable authority: "What are you doing, throwing a tantrum at the child? Go and call the midwife right now! Do you want me to hit you with my cane?"

Madam Jia shrank back abruptly, as if a snake had been grabbed by its vital spot. A fake smile immediately appeared on her face, and she bent over like a blade of grass bent by the wind: "Old lady, what brings you here? I'll go right away, I'll go right away, okay? Look at my memory..."

She pulled her tattered cotton-padded coat tighter around her, the cotton batting peeking out, and turned to shout at Jia Dongxu, "Dongxu, you stay here with Zhuzi, don't wander off!"

After saying that, she swayed her waist like a bucket and walked towards the door, her steps faster than anyone else's, as if afraid that the old lady would change her mind and scold her again.

The deaf old lady's gaze fell on He Yuzhu, her tone softening slightly, but still carrying the concern of an elder: "Zhuzi, don't run around. Go stay at Dongxu's house. It's very chaotic outside. Don't run into the Japanese soldiers."

He Yuzhu shook his head, his hands clenching the hem of his clothes until they turned white, his knuckles turning bluish-white: "I still have to go to Dongtangzi Hutong to find Doctor Lin... My mother's condition is not good, the system said we must find her."

The old woman slammed her cane down again, causing the snow on the ground to fall in a rustling sound. She scolded, "What doctor are you looking for? There are Japanese soldiers patrolling everywhere outside. What if you, a mere teenager, are caught and forced into hard labor? Come back here right now!"

He Yuzhu didn't reply. He turned and ran towards the gate. His cotton shoes crunched on the snow, making a crisp sound like a death knell.

The old woman hurriedly shouted, "Come back! Tell Dongxu to stop him!"

Jia Dongxu stood there stunned. By the time he reacted and ran after him, He Yuzhu's figure had already turned the corner of the alley and disappeared into the swirling snow, leaving only a series of hurried footsteps.

He walked back to the central courtyard dejectedly, and when he looked up, he saw that the deaf old woman's face was as black as the bottom of a burnt pot, and her wrinkles were full of anger.

The old woman pointed her finger at him and yelled, "Useless! You're four years older than him, and you can't even stop a ten-year-old child. What's the use of raising you?"

Jia Dongxu's face flushed red to his ears, and he wished he could disappear into the ground on the spot. He twisted the hem of his clothes with both hands, not daring to look up.

The old lady turned to Xu Zhaoshi, her tone carrying an unquestionable authority, and tapped her cane on the ground: "Zhao Cuifeng, go to the factory and find Xiao Yi and Lao Xu. Tell them that Zhuzi's mother is having a difficult childbirth, and to ask for leave as much as possible to come back and help!"

He added, "If anything happens to Zhu Zi, the He family will be completely ruined. He Daqing will never forgive us when he comes back! Then everyone in our courtyard will suffer!"

Xu Zhao frowned, looking reluctant, and muttered, "The factory is rushing to finish the work," but seeing the old lady's ashen face, she gritted her teeth and agreed, "I know, I'll go right away."

She turned and shouted at her son, Xu Damao, who had popped out from behind her, "Damao, go play with your brother Dongxu, don't cause trouble here!"

Xu Damao quickly hid behind Xu Zhaoshi, his small eyes warily fixed on Jia Dongxu. He pouted and said, "I'm not going! He always makes me take the beatings for Zhuzi, I'm not falling for that!"

Xu Zhao glared at Jia Dongxu and said irritably, "Then go home yourself! Don't get in my way!"

After Xu Zhaoshi hurriedly left with small, quick steps, the deaf old lady slowly moved towards the main house of the He family, leaning on her cane, and had to catch her breath after each step.

He kept muttering to himself as he walked, his voice filled with barely suppressed panic, as if trying to convince himself: "Zhu Zi, Zhu Zi, you absolutely can't get hurt... If something really happens to you, how will your parents live in the future..."

He Yuzhu didn't hear these worried murmurs; at that moment, he had only one thought in his mind: find Doctor Lin quickly and save his mother's life.

As soon as he stepped out of the courtyard house, he ran straight towards the alley entrance. The street was so deserted that it made him feel uneasy; he couldn't even hear the barking of dogs.

Occasionally, a rickshaw would roll over the snow, the driver hunching his shoulders, gripping the handlebars tightly with both hands, moving as if fleeing for his life, afraid to linger for even a moment longer.

He flagged down a rickshaw parked by the roadside, panting heavily, his clothes soaked with sweat, and shouted, "Sir! To Dongtangzi Hutong! Please hurry!"

The man pulling the cart was a middle-aged man around fifty years old. His cheeks were red from the cold wind, and a thin layer of white frost clung to his beard, like a layer of fine salt.

Upon hearing the words "Dongtangzi Hutong," his brows immediately furrowed, and he gripped the handlebars even tighter.

"No, no!" He waved his hands repeatedly, the handlebars swaying slightly as if afraid of getting some bad luck. "It's been really chaotic there lately! Japanese patrols are always around here; if we run into them, we'll be in big trouble!"

"My whole family depends on me pulling this cart to make a living. It's not worth risking my life on this trip! You should find someone else!"

He Yuzhu felt like he was burning with anger. He stomped his feet in frustration, and the snowflakes hit his face so hard that he could barely open his eyes.

But he didn't bother wiping himself at all. He just stared intently at the driver's back, his throat felt like it was blocked by a wad of wet cotton, and he couldn't say a word properly. He was so anxious that tears were about to come out.

My mother was still tossing and turning in pain on the kang (a heated brick bed), groaning in agony. Every minute that passed was a countdown to her life or death; the longer it dragged on, the greater the danger.

He gritted his teeth and pulled a warm white steamed bun from his inner pocket—it was a reward from the system's daily check-in program, and it still carried his body heat.

He pulled out another shiny silver dollar, one of only two in total, which he treasured and was reluctant to spend.

"Sir, I'll give you double the fare, and please accept this steamed bun too!" He held up the steamed bun and the silver dollar, offering them forward, his voice pleading, "My mother is having a difficult childbirth at home, and she's in so much pain! My father works as a chef at Fengzeyuan Restaurant in Dongtangzi Hutong!"