Courtyard House: Rebirth of a Shopkeeper in 1937

The bamboo house was exceptionally cool in the summer, especially the second floor, which was well-ventilated. However, in winter, its drawbacks became apparent—although the walls were airtight, they were too thin to provide any insulation, and the cold wind seemed to seep through, leaving everyone numb with cold. Braving the heavy snow, the three rushed into the bamboo house and slammed the door shut to keep out the wind and snow. The second brother put down the planks he was carrying and immediately began to build a makeshift bed, deftly piecing them together and securing them firmly. The eldest brother found a brazier and covered the rim with a mixture of charcoal and yellow clay, leaving only a small hole in the center for ventilation, preventing the fire from going out and avoiding the accumulation of gas. After doing all this, he carefully placed the brazier under the bed. After laying out the blankets, the two brothers deliberately sandwiched Xingbao between them, both to keep him warm and to watch over him. Once everything was settled, they blew out the oil lamp and lay down to rest.

In the middle of the night, Xingbao woke up groggily. Outside, the wind and snow continued to rage, the howling wind lashing against the doors and windows of the bamboo house, making a whistling sound, but inside, it was warm and cozy. Xingbao felt a warm glow in his heart and a cozy feeling in his body. There was a brazier beneath him, and his two older brothers were leaning against him like human furnaces—he wasn't woken up by the cold, but by the warmth. He moved slightly, feeling the warmth around him, and a smile unconsciously crept onto his lips. In this chaotic and cold winter, such peace and warmth were a rare treat.

The heavy snowfall had stopped sometime last night, and without the warmth of his two "human furnaces" beside him, Xingbao woke up early. He rubbed his sleepy eyes, quickly dressed, and gently pushed open the door of the bamboo house. A blast of crisp, cold air hit him. The snow between the bamboo house and the kitchen corridor had been cleared away by his older brothers, revealing a damp dirt path. The slippery spots had been thoughtfully covered with a layer of charcoal ash, making it steady and preventing falls. Not far away, a two-inch-high pile of fluffy, white snow covered the stones—a rare sight in the warm south. Looking around, all the doors and windows were tightly shut, and icicles of varying lengths, glistening and translucent, hung from the eaves, reflecting the faint morning light. The inn, housing many teachers, students, and cart drivers, had several braziers burning inside, and its icicles were larger and longer than those of other inns. For the safety of pedestrians, the icicles hanging above the road had clearly been knocked down and scattered in the snowdrifts along the roadside. The ancient road was quiet, without a single passerby—southerners are known for their aversion to the cold, and in this frigid weather, even the most playful children were reluctant to leave their warm beds. In the distance, the world was a vast expanse of white, with only occasional glimpses of dark green silhouettes peeking through the deep forests, resembling the beginnings of a northern snow-covered kingdom. A gust of cold wind swept through, swirling up snowflakes that stung Xingbao's face. He shivered, unwilling to linger outside, and quickly wrapped his coat tighter before rushing towards the inn.

Xingbao pushed open the slightly ajar door of the kitchen and squeezed inside. A wave of warmth instantly enveloped him, dispelling the chill from his body, making it feel like a completely different world from the bitter cold outside. His mother was busy at the table in the main room. Seeing Xingbao come in, she smiled and waved to him, "Xingbao, you're awake? Come on, Mom's going to the kitchen to help with cooking. Can you watch the counter for a bit?" Xingbao nodded, found a small stool, and sat down by the brazier next to the counter. He reached out and stirred the fire, his fingertips touching the warmth of the embers, and the stiffness in his body gradually eased.

On the other side of the main room, several teachers and students from Sanmin Middle School sat with the driver, solemnly discussing their departure arrangements. The sudden heavy snow had caused considerable trouble for their journey—the three seriously ill students had developed high fevers again last night, their faces still ashen, and clearly could not travel with them. The eldest brother had taken the students to the village early that morning to fetch a doctor. While waiting for breakfast, the teachers and students planned to set off after lunch: firstly, they wanted to see their seriously ill classmates recover so they could leave with peace of mind; secondly, the afternoon temperature would be slightly higher, making it easier for the other teachers and students who had caught a cold. But the coachman frowned and advised, "Gentlemen and young masters, once the sun comes out, the snow will begin to melt. When more people travel, the roads will definitely become muddy and difficult to navigate. It's hard to say whether we can reach Yaodu before dark." The teachers and students fell silent for a moment, hesitating. Just then, breakfast was served, so they put aside their discussion for the time being and prepared to eat breakfast before making further plans.

Just as the teachers and students were sitting around the table eating breakfast, the eldest brother and his group finally brought their doctor. Xingbao was sitting by the counter warming himself by the fire when he vaguely heard the rustling sound of people stomping their feet to shake off the snow on their shoes, along with voices, coming from outside the door. He immediately got up and pushed open the half-closed door, and immediately saw his doctor next to his eldest brother. He quickly smiled and called out, "Master," and rushed forward to take his doctor's hand, ushering him into the house: "Master, it's cold outside. Come in and warm yourself by the fire to drive away the chill."

After his master sat down by the brazier and rubbed his red, frozen hands to warm them, Xingbao turned around and took out two pairs of dry cloth shoes that had been prepared beforehand from under the counter. He handed them to his master and elder brother, saying, "Master, elder brother, please change into these. These cloth shoes are dry and warm, much more comfortable than your wet and cold shoes." As for the students who had come with him, Xingbao didn't need to worry about them—they were all wearing leather shoes, which were waterproof and warm, so even if their feet got covered in snow, they wouldn't get cold.

While warming themselves by the fire, Mother brought a cup of hot tea to Master. He took a sip, the warmth spreading throughout his body. Then, rubbing his hands together, he carefully inquired about the conditions of the seriously ill students. His elder brother, standing nearby, added details of yesterday's events, explaining the experiences of the teachers and students and the students' symptoms. As the chill gradually dissipated, Master had a general understanding of the illnesses. He turned to Xingbao beside him, smiling as he tested him, "Xingbao, tell me, what's the general situation with these students' illnesses?"

After a moment's thought, Xingbao replied clearly, "Master, I think that first, they heard the news of Nanjing's fall and the unknown deaths of their loved ones, which caused them great distress; then they caught a cold, which caused their acupoints to become blocked. Initially, they took medicine, which cleared their acupoints, but on the way, they were exposed to the cold wind again, and then they took the wrong medicine, which caused them to develop a high fever again last night. This repeated cycle has probably damaged their vital energy. However, we need to examine them in person to draw a conclusion."

After listening, the master nodded in satisfaction, his eyes full of praise: "Not bad, not bad. Although I haven't formally taught you the methods of diagnosis yet, you have already grasped the medical principles very well. It wasn't a waste of my time teaching you." As he spoke, he stood up, patted the dust off his clothes, and said, "The cold has been mostly dispelled. Xingbao, carry the medicine box on your back, let's go to the room to diagnose those students."