Courtyard House: Rebirth of a Shopkeeper in 1937

Gui Xiang deftly carried the eggs to the kitchen, with Xing Bao following closely behind. The siblings, one tending the fire and the other preparing the vegetables, quickly tidied the kitchen. Mother sat in the main room resting, occasionally offering a few words of advice, her face full of satisfaction. Father accompanied Qian Jin as he opened letters and chatted. The eldest, second, and third brothers gradually recovered and busied themselves cleaning the main room, setting up the tables and chairs, and preparing for today's birthday banquet. After everything was in place, Father sent the eldest brother to his maternal grandparents' house, specially inviting the two elders and his uncle to come and celebrate Yan Guo's tenth birthday in a lively and joyous manner.

Not long after, familiar footsteps and voices came from outside the door. Grandpa and Grandma, carrying small baskets, followed by Uncle, walked in chatting and laughing. Grandma was clutching a piece of coarse cloth embroidered with small flowers, a special birthday gift for Yan Guo; Grandpa was carrying a small bag of dried goods he had dried himself, his face full of smiles. "Father, Mother, Big Brother, you've finally come!" Mother quickly got up and carefully went to greet them. Father also smiled and came forward to greet them. Xingbao and Guixiang, hearing the commotion, also ran out from the kitchen, obediently calling out, "Grandpa, Grandma, Big Uncle."

When the four siblings accompanied their maternal grandparents and eldest uncle into the main room, their aunt and sister Shanshan had already finished their preparations. The octagonal table was already laden with a sumptuous feast, steaming hot and fragrant, instantly filling the entire kitchen. Today's dishes were much more abundant than usual: there was dried mushrooms and smoked rabbit meat that their mother had prepared in advance, glossy and incredibly fragrant; there was boiled cabbage made from their own homegrown produce, refreshing and not greasy; there were also soft and sweet steamed sweet potatoes and round boiled eggs, all neatly arranged; even more remarkable was the plate of cured pork that had just been smoked, with its perfect balance of lean and fat, making it look incredibly tempting; next to it was a pot of newly brewed sweet wine, wafting a faint aroma.

Gui Xiang stared intently at the table laden with food, her eyes wide with delight. A slight smile crept onto her lips, and her mouth was practically watering. She quietly moved closer to her mother, gently tugged at her sleeve, and tilted her head back, her voice filled with envy and longing: "Mom, please change my birthday to Chinese New Year, so I can eat all this delicious food on my birthday!" Her tone was innocent and adorable, her eyes brimming with yearning for the food.

These words immediately drew laughter from everyone, completely dispelling the lingering somber mood. Grandma smiled and ruffled Guixiang's hair, her voice full of affection: "Silly girl, everyone gets to eat delicious food during the New Year. If your birthday were really moved to the New Year, you'd miss out on a special day to eat good food and receive gifts!" Grandpa laughed along, waving his hand and saying, "That's right, Guixiang. When it's your birthday, Grandpa will buy you delicious food too, even more lavish than today!" Guixiang blinked her round, bright eyes, nodded as if she understood, a sweet smile still on her lips, her little hand secretly patting her tummy, her eyes filled with longing for the food on the table.

As the laughter subsided, the birthday banquet officially began. The eight-immortal table was packed with people, and the atmosphere was lively and warm as glasses clinked. Father, grandfather, and eldest uncle huddled together, holding rice wine, chatting and sipping, their words filled with everyday joy. Aunt and Sister Shanshan accompanied Mother, serving food to the children and offering heartfelt words. Eldest brother, second brother, and Brother Dashan surrounded Yan Guo, offering blessings and occasionally placing a piece of cured meat in his bowl. Everyone else drank newly brewed sweet wine. Mother specially added two spoonfuls of sugar to Xingbao and Guixiang's bowls; the sweet aroma of the wine mixed with the fragrance of rice was smooth and pleasant. The brother and sister ate with great relish, and soon their little faces turned rosy, like ripe apples. Although the sweet wine had a very low alcohol content and had been specially boiled with water, it was Guixiang's first time drinking it, and soon her eyes became unfocused, her cheeks burned, and she could barely hold her chopsticks. Seeing this, their mother smiled helplessly and with heartache, and quickly instructed her eldest brother, "Yanbang, take your sister to her room to sleep. This girl has no tolerance for alcohol." The eldest brother got up and carefully picked up the drowsy Guixiang, secretly thinking that when the little girl woke up and found out that she had fallen asleep before finishing the delicious food on the table, she would probably pout and cry.

Everyone was enjoying their meal, the clinking of glasses and the sounds of laughter mingling together. Suddenly, Mother remembered what had happened earlier, put down her chopsticks, looked at Father, and asked with a hint of curiosity, "Honey, I forgot to ask you, what did Brother Meiyao say in his letter?"

Upon hearing this, the laughter at the table gradually subsided. Everyone slowed down the pace of their eating and turned to look at their father, their eyes filled with curiosity. Their father put down his bowl of rice wine, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and slowly said, "Meiyao said in his letter that he's saved a lot of money and learned many skills at the sock factory in Shaoyang over the past few years. He's thinking of leaving the factory next year to open his own small workshop, specializing in making socks. He also asked if any of our children wanted to go to the city, so that once his workshop is set up, the children can come and help him out, broaden their horizons, and learn a trade."

As soon as the words were spoken, the eyes of the eldest brother, second brother, Dashan brother, and Xingbao lit up instantly. They stared straight at their father, their faces full of eager anticipation. Their lips moved, and they almost blurted out "I want to go!" in unison. The eldest brother, in particular, was filled with longing—although he was going to school next year, he was also curious about the workshops and new things in the city. The second brother and Dashan brother were even more eager, thinking that they could go to the city to learn a trade, earn money, and help ease the burden on the family. Xingbao thought that this might be a good opportunity to experience city life in advance and also lay the groundwork for moving in the future.

Seeing his four children's eager expressions, Father patted Xingbao's head with a smile and scolded, "Xingbao, what are you doing getting involved? You're still young, your studies should be your priority. Yanbang, aren't you going to school after the New Year? You can't be distracted." He then turned to his second brother and Dashan, his tone softening, "You two don't need to be too anxious. Meiyao's workshop is still just a plan, nothing concrete. I'll write back to him and ask him to send us another letter once the workshop is ready. If you still want to go then, we'll make a decision, okay?"

Hearing this, the four were somewhat disappointed, but they knew their father was right and nodded in agreement. The banquet continued to be lively, but Xingbao clearly sensed that his eldest brother, second brother, and Dashan brother were all somewhat absent-minded, frequently lost in thought, mostly still planning their trip to the workshop in town. Just then, from the direction of the bamboo building in front of the shop, there was a sudden, urgent knocking on the door, accompanied by a weak and hoarse cry: "Is anyone home?" "Is the manager in? Please open the door!"