Courtyard House: Rebirth of a Shopkeeper in 1937

The morning after the taxes were paid, just as dawn was breaking, Father, leading "Black Charcoal" carrying a large bundle of sacks, waited quietly at the gate of the courtyard. Xingbao, carrying his coarse cloth satchel, hurried out of the house. The father and son were going to Yongfeng Town to collect grain that day, something Father had planned long ago. As soon as they entered the Xiangxiang region, Father inquired about grain prices from everyone he met and discovered that prices had dropped considerably. It turned out that many villagers were eager to sell their surplus grain to pay their taxes, resulting in an oversupply of grain in the market and a significant price reduction. By the time they reached Yongfeng, the price had fallen to three silver dollars per shi (a unit of dry measure), a full half-silver dollar cheaper than usual—a rare opportunity.

This time, Dad had made thorough preparations. A few days ago, he made a special trip to his maternal grandfather's house and borrowed all the legal tender that his younger uncle had sent back. Originally, due to the large influx of pension funds into the market, the legal tender had already shown a slight depreciation trend. However, it just so happened to coincide with the crucial tax payment period, and every household urgently needed legal tender for settlement, which ironically kept the value of the legal tender stable for a short time. Because of this double benefit, the father and son used the same amount of legal tender to buy six more bushels of grain than initially expected, saving a lot of money and making a considerable profit. Since the grain price was the same everywhere, Dad didn't bother to go to the farmers' houses near the academy—after all, his eldest brother would be studying at the academy after the New Year, and they would see each other all the time, so it wouldn't be appropriate to keep taking advantage of them. Instead, he directly found a few reliable farmers outside Yongfeng Town, readily agreed on the quantity, and bought all the grain.

The villagers selling grain were very helpful, offering to carry the heavy sacks of grain to a secluded corner outside town. It wasn't far from the main road, making it easy to keep an eye on, but because it bordered a barren slope, few people passed by on ordinary days. The sacks of grain, piled up like a small mountain, were neatly arranged, emitting the unique fragrance of grain. Father and son sat side-by-side on the grain pile, taking out sweet potatoes they had roasted beforehand, wrapped in wood ash, and slowly nibbling on them to fill their stomachs. They pretended to be waiting for acquaintances, their eyes occasionally scanning their surroundings warily, watching for passersby and any unusual movements. After waiting for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, and confirming that no one was around, Xingbao, taking advantage of his father's deliberate turn to adjust his clothes and block the view, quietly used his mind to store the entire pile of grain into his spatial storage. When the father turned back, all that remained was the flat ground. He nodded slightly to Xingbao, a hint of approval in his eyes. The father and son understood each other without saying a word, then got up, dusted themselves off, and headed towards the general store in town.

As soon as they entered the market area of ​​Yongfeng Town, a variety of snacks and sundries came into view, the shouts and haggling creating a lively atmosphere. Xingbao immediately spotted the sugar figurine stall on the street corner. Various sugar figurines were displayed on the bamboo frame, crystal clear and exquisitely crafted. He instantly remembered his promise to Guixiang and quickly stopped, pulling on his father's sleeve. He carefully selected a phoenix with outstretched wings and a giant dragon with bared fangs. These two were relatively large and made with ample material; one was beautiful, and the other was majestic. Guixiang would definitely like them. He also bought two strings of bright red candied hawthorns coated with a thin layer of sugar frosting, carefully wrapped them in oil paper, and pretended to put them in his schoolbag. In reality, he secretly sent them into the thatched hut in his spatial dimension—he knew Guixiang too well. If he didn't take these snacks back, she would definitely pester him and insist on going out with him next time. Afterwards, Dad bought some fresh hawthorns from the candied hawthorn vendor, wrapped them in two layers of clean oil paper, and Mom had been craving sour things lately, so these fresh hawthorns were just what she wanted.

In addition, Xingbao made a special detour to the tailor shop in town and picked out some palm-sized, sturdy scraps of cloth, all different colors but clean and neat. He used these scraps of cloth to pack the rice seed samples in his space. He had prepared enough rice seeds for planting, and planned to keep the rest for his own consumption.

After buying everything, the father and son didn't linger and set off on their journey home on Black Charcoal. Although buying grain and selecting miscellaneous items had taken some time, Black Charcoal was incredibly strong and ran steadily and quickly. As the sun gradually set, the father and son reached Tiger Slope. Patches of withered yellow grass lay flat on the slope, gleaming warmly in the setting sun. Xingbao could see the scene on the hillside from afar—three tigers were resting on the grass, their yellow and black fur gleaming softly in the afterglow. They were clearly a family of two large and one small tigers, only about fifty meters away from the pedestrians passing by below. When pedestrians passed by, they would subconsciously slow down and look slightly cautious, but there was no sign of panic. The tigers would only lazily glance at each other before lowering their heads and continuing to rest with their eyes closed. They did not disturb each other, creating a peaceful picture of harmony between humans and animals.

This time when he came back, Dad didn't let Xingbao take out the grain to make a show. After all, the grain quota reserved by the village had not been fully retrieved yet. If he bought a large amount of grain from outside now, it would inevitably arouse gossip and suspicion if the villagers found out. It would be difficult to explain. He only took out the purchased groceries and put them on the donkey's back.

After settling the groceries, Dad pulled Heitan and carried Xingbao home. Before they even reached the threshing ground, Guixiang burst out of the bamboo house at the village entrance. She had two pigtails, her hair fluttering slightly in the wind, and her little face was full of eager excitement. From afar, she waved and shouted to the two of them, "Dad! Xingbao! You're finally back!"

Father smiled and stopped, waiting for Guixiang to run up breathlessly. He bent down and picked her up. The little girl nestled against her father's shoulder, her little arms encircling his neck, her other hand reaching straight for Xingbao, her eyes sparkling as she asked, "Xingbao, Xingbao, what about the things you promised to bring me? You can't go back on your word!"

Xingbao shook his head helplessly, and under the cover of his schoolbag, secretly took out two strings of candied hawthorns wrapped in oil paper from his spatial storage, and handed them to Guixiang: "Here, for you." Guixiang immediately noticed the bright red candied hawthorns, her face lighting up with joy. She reached out and took them, clutching them tightly. Then, as if remembering something, she stretched out her other small hand: "Anything else? You said you'd buy me something pretty!"

Xingbao said with a touch of heartache, "Sister, it's windy and dusty outside. The sugar paintings I bought for you are of phoenixes and dragons; they won't look good if they get dusty. I'll give them to you when we get home, okay?"

Upon hearing this, Gui Xiang immediately nodded obediently, gently twisting her body and urging, "Dad, put me down! I'll go call my older brother to open the door, and I also need to call Xiao Hua to come home!" Her father smiled and put her down. Gui Xiang, clutching the candied hawthorn, skipped and hopped home, not forgetting to turn back and remind him, "Hurry up!"

When Xingbao and his father entered their bamboo house, they saw Guixiang sitting on a small stool by the door with Xiaohua, their heads close together, carefully licking a string of candied hawthorns, while the other string was in their mother's hand. Xingbao hadn't felt tempted when he bought them, but now, watching the two of them eating with such relish, he unconsciously swallowed, his eyes filled with envy.

This little action was seen clearly by his mother. She smiled and handed the candied hawthorn skewer she had only bitten one into to Xingbao: "Xingbao, this skewer is for you. I don't like it too sweet." As she spoke, she stuffed the candied hawthorn skewer into Xingbao's hand.

Xingbao took the candied hawthorn, said crisply, "Thank you, Mom," and happily took a bite, the sweet sugar frosting melting in his mouth. He didn't keep it all to himself, but handed it to his second brother beside him; his second brother took a bite and passed it to his eldest brother, who then passed it to their father. The six candied hawthorns on the string went through a circle of hands among the four of them, and the last one was carefully handed to their mother by their father.

Then, Xingbao took out a sugar painting carefully wrapped in oil paper from his schoolbag and gently unfolded it—a phoenix with outstretched wings, lifelike, and a giant dragon with its head held high and tail swaying, majestic and awe-inspiring. The sugar coating was crystal clear, shimmering slightly in the room's light. Everyone stared in amazement, reluctant to eat it, and quickly placed the two sugar paintings on the table, whispering their praises: "So beautiful! The craftsmanship is amazing!" Guixiang even leaned closer, staring intently, her face full of joy and appreciation.