Courtyard House: Rebirth of a Shopkeeper in 1937

The teachers and students chatting idly in the main room slowed down their eating and talking upon hearing their parents' conversation, all turning to look. They had all come from Nanjing and had been away from their hometown for over ten days, their hearts filled with thoughts of Nanjing. Hearing of a letter from Nanjing, they couldn't help but prick up their ears, eager to hear news from home. The mother sat by the counter, her hands tightly clutching the letter bearing her uncle's name, her fingertips trembling slightly, her eyes filled with anticipation and trepidation.

Seeing his mother's anxious and helpless expression, the father quickly said, "Third Sister, you're pregnant now. You can't experience extreme joy or sorrow; it would be bad for your health. Why don't you give me this letter, and I'll open it and read it to you?"

Mother wiped away the tears that had involuntarily welled up in her eyes, glared at Father, and barely managed to compose herself. She picked up the small scissors from the counter, carefully pried open the seal, gently pulled out the letter inside, and slowly began to read. Xingbao sat beside her, watching the anxiety fade from his mother's face, replaced by a relieved smile. He secretly guessed that it must be a letter to let her know he was safe. But he also knew that given the current situation in Nanjing, this letter might be worse than no letter at all—if bad news from Nanjing came later, his mother, grandparents, and other relatives would surely be filled with anxiety and worry. He subconsciously frowned, muttering to himself: What day is it today? Lately, he'd been so preoccupied with borrowing books and building the threshing machine that he'd almost been obsessed. He only vaguely remembered that today was the eighth day of the eleventh lunar month. He'd have to ask Qianjin later to confirm the date.

Just as Xingbao was lost in thought, his mother suddenly looked up, her face full of joy, and said to his father with a smile, "Honey, that's wonderful! Youming said they're both in Nanjing now, and everything's fine! They said it's all thanks to your letter teaching them how to fight the Japanese, which helped them kill many Japanese soldiers. And with the medicine Xingbao sent before, both he and Youcai's injuries have healed. After returning to their unit, Youming became a platoon leader, and Youcai became a squad leader! It's just that Xingbao gave them too little medicine; they've been using it sparingly, and now there's not much left!"

Seeing the expectant look in his mother's eyes, his father smiled bitterly and said helplessly, "Third Aunt, the medicine has already been prepared for Youming. But as you know, the world is in chaos these days. Travelers heading east avoid it altogether, and there are no caravans going to Nanjing. We can't even deliver it!"

The joy on Mother's face faded, replaced by disappointment. But she knew Father was telling the truth, so she didn't say anything more. She slowly stood up, leaning on the counter, and waved to Sister Shanshan: "Shanshan, come on, come with me to your house. We'll deliver Youcai's letter to your grandparents so they can rest assured." Sister Shanshan quickly stepped forward to support her mother, and the two slowly walked out of the shop.

The students in the main room, seeing it was just a routine report of safety with no news of the situation in Nanjing, stopped paying attention and continued packing their belongings. In their eyes, a platoon leader or a squad leader was nothing special; perhaps in their own families, they would only be qualified to be orderlys. But Xingbao knew perfectly well that most of the platoon leaders in the German-equipped divisions were graduates of proper military academies. His uncle's ability to become a platoon leader was not only due to his own skills, but also largely because too many people had been lost on the Shanghai battlefield, leading to a severe shortage of manpower, especially junior officers! Thinking of the heroes who fell on the battlefield, of his uncle struggling to survive in the flames of war, and of that farewell letter, Xingbao's small body stiffened slightly, and an indescribable bitterness and heaviness welled up in his heart.

The teachers and students had rested enough. Several students in black Zhongshan suits who had accompanied them got up and went to the counter to pay. One of the students, with a handsome face and gentle eyes, looked at the father and casually asked, "Shopkeeper, I overheard you and Aunt talking earlier. Do you have any family members still in Nanjing? I wonder which unit they are serving in? My father is also in Nanjing, taking care of our home." There was a hint of concern hidden in his words.

Father put down the abacus, gently stroking the beads with his fingertips, and replied solemnly, "Young master, my brother-in-law is in the 36th Division, in the artillery company."

Upon hearing this, the student immediately became respectful and straightened his posture slightly: "So it's the 36th Division equipped with German weapons! My father told me that in this Battle of Shanghai, the 36th Division suffered heavy losses, but achieved remarkable results! The defensive line they defended was never breached by the Japanese from the start of the battle to their final retreat. They destroyed more than a dozen Japanese tanks and killed countless enemies. The brothers of the 36th Division are all good sons of the Party and the State!"

Upon hearing the words "36th Division" and "illustrious achievements," Xingbao and his siblings' eyes lit up instantly, like flames burning within them, their eagerness and anticipation impossible to conceal. The second brother, unable to contain himself any longer, rushed over excitedly, his steps quick and his face full of urgency. Grabbing the student's arm, his voice trembled slightly: "Young master, do you know anything else about the 36th Division? Could you tell us more? Tell us how they are doing now?"

Perhaps because he was also a family member of soldiers left behind, he could understand the feelings of Xingbao and his siblings. The student did not refuse and nodded. He then recounted the battle achievements of the 36th Division that he had heard from his father. He described everything from burning tanks while defending the position to blocking enemy reinforcements in street battles, from rapid movement during artillery counterattacks to the fearless close combat. He described the details in great detail.

When Xingbao and his brothers heard from others that their own ideas had actually proven useful and effective on the battlefield, they clenched their fists until their knuckles turned white. Their faces flushed with excitement, their necks bulged, their chests heaved, and their breathing became rapid. They felt as if they had traveled thousands of miles to the smoke-filled battlefield, fighting alongside their uncle, carrying cannons and bravely battling the enemy. They could almost hear the roar of artillery and see their brothers fighting valiantly. Even their usually calm and collected father was deeply moved. His fingers unconsciously tapped the counter, making a "tap-tap" sound. For a moment, he forgot he still had accounts to settle, his eyes filled with pride and worry.

Finally, seeing how excited the second brother and his brothers were, the student couldn't help but wonder, and asked, "Judging from your expressions, do you perhaps have some other connection with the Thirty-Sixth Division?" The second brother scratched his head, just grinning foolishly, but dared not say a word—these ideas were all from their father and brothers, and if word got out, it might cause trouble for their uncle and affect his future. Seeing that he was unwilling to talk about it, the student didn't ask any more questions, but just smiled and shook his head, a hint of understanding hidden in his eyes.