Courtyard House: Rebirth of a Shopkeeper in 1937

The previous scene was in that small shop in southwestern Hunan, piled high with miscellaneous goods, having just seen off the last picky customer. At forty, his forehead was etched with deep lines of time and setbacks. His high school graduation exam, almost entirely marked with crosses, had shattered his dreams of university. Filled with resentment, he flew south like a lonely migratory bird. For over a decade, he worked his way up from mechanic apprentice to foreman, in electronics factories, plastics factories, hardware factories, mold factories—virtually every type of factory in Shenzhen had left its mark. He mastered several technical skills, managed dozens of workshops, and the young people under his command all respectfully called him "Brother Song." But every time promotion was mentioned, that thin high school diploma became an insurmountable obstacle. Watching those young people, clearly less capable than him and speaking with a few smatterings of English, climb the ladder based on their diplomas, he felt a damp, heavy weight pressing down on his heart. Finally, tired of being stuck at his workstation like a cog in a machine, he used his meager savings to return to his small town in southwestern Hunan, opened a small shop, and became an ordinary self-employed individual. Life was uneventful, seemingly predictable, except in the quiet of the night when the burning pain of "mediocrity" ingrained in his bones would surge up like a tide.

"Yanxing, come back..."

"Yanxing is back...!"

.........

After three calls, Song Yanxing finally returned to reality from his chaotic state of mind. He stiffly raised his head, rubbed his numb and stiff face, and met a pair of round, bright eyes filled with pure concern. Gui Xiang, the little girl with pigtails—his current twin sister—smiled and was about to speak when she saw his reaction. Her face, as bright as a spring flower, instantly lit up with joy. "Mommy! Mommy! Xingbao is good! Xingbao is smiling!" Gui Xiang seemed to have discovered a great joy. She turned and ran towards the front door, her clear, childlike voice exploding in the courtyard like silver bells.

In an instant, the small backyard became a sea of ​​joy. "How's Xingbao?" "How's Xingbao?" The hurried footsteps and joyful shouts quickly approached. Father held Guixiang, who was struggling to find her mother, and half-supported Mother, who was walking unsteadily because of her bound feet. Eldest brother Yanbang and second brother Yanguo followed closely behind, their faces beaming with relieved smiles.

"Dad, Mom, I'm okay, but I'm a little scared!" Song Yanxing—whose current body is nicknamed "Xingbao"—quickly stood up and spoke in a childish, halting voice in the local language, trying his best to imitate the fearful look of a child.

His mother pulled him into a tight embrace, her warm, rough hands gently patting his back: "Xingbao, don't be afraid, Xingbao, don't be afraid, your father and mother are here." That embrace carried the scent of soap and sunshine—a warmth Song Yanxing had long forgotten in his previous life. He instinctively clung to his mother's legs, pouring all the immense fear and bewilderment brought on by his transmigration into a single, concrete fear: "Mother, I saw it all! The big tree is bleeding so much!"

At this moment, the guests staying in the nearby rooms all gathered around to congratulate the innkeeper. A gentleman wearing glasses and a long gown said, "Congratulations! It seems your youngest son has recovered! But speaking of the big banyan tree at the east entrance of your village, it must be over a thousand years old, it's even spiritual. It's such a pity to cut it down! Look how scared the child is!" After saying that, he patted Xingbao's head.

Mother chimed in, "How could we bear to part with it? How many people in the village didn't grow up under that tree? It was our childhood playground! A few days ago, the village head and some elders gave the road construction foreman some gifts, and they all agreed to everything. But when they were building the road, they deliberately went around the big banyan tree, and we cut off the branches that were sticking out! Just a few days later, people from the county and township came, all armed. Who dared to stop them? Many old people and children cried! Just the other day, the shop was busy, and one of us wasn't watching the little guy closely enough; he curiously wandered into the crowd and fainted from fright!"

Gui Xiang quickly interjected, "That's right, that's right! There's nowhere to play under the big banyan tree!"

"You've done a bad job with gift-giving. The government has its reasonable plans, which are not something we ordinary people can question!" A shrewd old man among the guests interjected.

Father suddenly awoke and quickly smoothed things over, clasping his hands in a gesture of respect: "Thank you all for your concern for my son! Everyone must be tired after a long day's journey. There's hot water in the kitchen; if you need anything, just ask my eldest son, Yanbang." His eyes held the caution typical of country folk, tightly sealing off matters of officialdom, unwilling to utter a single word more. The crowd dispersed in small groups, their whispers lingering in the courtyard.

He gently put Guixiang down and said to his mother, "Third Aunt, take Xingbao and Guixiang back to the room to rest first, and coax them a little." His voice was low and gentle, revealing a hint of concern. Then, his gaze fell on his mother's face, noticing the obvious dark circles under her eyes. So, he said softly to his mother, "You should rest early tonight; you've been exhausted these past few days."