Courtyard House: Rebirth of a Shopkeeper in 1937

In the small room, a tiny oil lamp cast a warm glow. Gui Xiang curiously nestled beside Xing Bao, occasionally making a funny face to amuse him. His mother hugged Xing Bao, softly humming a nursery rhyme she had never heard before. Song Yanxing's eyes were closed, his mind a jumbled mess—fragments of the original owner's memories clashed with his own past life's experiences, struggling to merge together.

The original owner's father, Song Dawei, was tall and thin, with a somewhat aged face, but his eyes were bright and full of energy. He had served as a handyman under General Cai E, and after the general's death, he retired and returned home. Through connections, he obtained a rifle and made a living by hunting. Song Dawei raised his two younger brothers on his own, and he didn't meet his mother until he was almost thirty.

Back then, my mother was returning home from visiting relatives when she encountered wolves on the way. Her companions were so frightened they abandoned her and ran. My mother, with bound feet, stumbled and fell after only a few steps. Coincidentally, my father returned from hunting, heard the wolf's howl, and came to investigate. He rescued my mother and carried her home. My maternal grandparents, seeing this, were furious, feeling that my father had ruined my mother's reputation. But my mother was determined to marry him. My maternal grandfather's surname was Liu, and the Liu family was a prominent clan in the area, mostly owning land. Naturally, they looked down on my father, a poor man ten years older than my mother. This matter caused quite a stir, and in the end, only through my mother's insistence did the two get married. However, the relationship between the two families remained strained until my eldest son, Yanbang, was born, at which point things gradually improved.

When my eldest brother was four, my mother became pregnant with my second brother. My maternal grandmother, feeling sorry for her daughter, persuaded my father to settle down here so that it would be easier to help take care of the children. My father chose this hillside near the Xiangqian Road and built a small shop. My maternal grandfather didn't insist on cash, saying that my father could pay him when he earned money. It must be said that my father had a really good eye; the nearest shop was ten miles away, with many travelers and merchants passing by. At first, we had to go to Yongfeng, fifty miles away, every two days to get supplies, but now once a month is enough. We can also brew our own wine and make tofu at home. As my father often says, during the years he served as a handyman in the army, he didn't know many characters, but he learned all sorts of miscellaneous skills. Even if you gave him a cannon, he could make it work! This was also because General Cai E took care of those fellow villagers who didn't have much skill but ran to Yunnan to join the army with a heart full of enthusiasm, and specially allowed them to learn skills.

The eldest brother, Song Yanbang, is thirteen years old this year, but he already seems like a little adult. Since he was eight, he's been taken in as a disciple by the village's old scholar, paying four dan (a unit of dry measure) of grain as tuition each year. The old scholar only agreed because our father was a former subordinate of General Cai. The old scholar always praises my brother, saying that in a previous dynasty, he would definitely have passed the imperial examination and become a scholar. These past two years, the old scholar has gotten old and feels his health is failing, saying he'll stop teaching him next year. Now, my brother has learned enough, mainly studying with the old scholar on how to handle affairs and write articles. Sometimes he even tutors other children for the old scholar, and he's preparing to take the entrance exam for the town's middle school next year.

The second brother, Song Yanguo, was only nine years old, but he was already helping with chores at home and studying with his eldest brother. However, it seemed that the second brother's talent lay in his hands; he was very efficient at everything he did and had long become his parents' little helper. He could handle many chores around the house.

Gui Xiang is Song Yanxing's twin sister. She's very clever and always likes to use her status as the older sister to boss Xing Bao around.

Song Yanxing's nickname was "Xingbao," and he was a truly obedient child, always following his older sister around. Three days ago, he happened to witness officials forcibly cutting down the thousand-year-old banyan tree at the village entrance. The scene was fierce and bloody, and he was so frightened that he fainted. This allowed the soul of Song Yanxing, who had experienced many storms in his later life, to slip through and possess his body. The fusion of souls was chaotic and painful, and coupled with his unwillingness to accept this absurd fate, he lay in a daze and absent-minded for three whole days.

Gradually, his thoughts drifted to a strange place. Before him seemed to unfold a realm shrouded in milky white mist, the fog obscuring everything. Deep within the mist, a patch of black earth, about an acre in size, stretched out quietly, with a solitary thatched hut standing in the very center. Most miraculously, in front of the hut was a small spring, about the size of a bowl, its water crystal clear and carrying a slightly sweet taste. It silently seeped into his chaotic mind, making him feel much more comfortable and clearing his head considerably—this was the Spirit Spring Space!

The "golden finger" he used to only see in online novels has now become his means of survival in this chaotic world. In his previous life, he spent more than ten years in the Pearl River Delta, so he understands human relationships and knows some practical skills, but if he really wants to change his fate, he probably still has to rely on this spiritual spring space.

After figuring things out, Song Yanxing began to carefully consider his newfound life. The core idea boiled down to two words: to live, and to live well with the people he cared about. The Spirit Spring Space was his greatest support, but this was something he absolutely couldn't let anyone else know. He planned to improve his family's health, grow some high-yield crops… many ideas swirled in his young mind, and a clear, albeit somewhat ruthless, plan slowly began to emerge.

"Xingbao," his mother gently patted his back with her warm hand, "Get up and eat."

A childish voice responded, a slightly hoarse tone that was hard to detect. Song Yanxing, or rather, Xingbao now, slowly opened his eyes. Under the dim light of the oil lamp, his small body climbed off the bed, his steps still a little unsteady, but revealing a different kind of determination. Around the dining table were his father, mother, eldest brother, second brother, Guixiang… These worried faces were his support for life, and everything he would protect with his life.

Song Yanxing ate his dinner with particular care in this small mountain village in Baoqing, Hunan. Every bite of the rough food reminded him how difficult his life was; but the warmth of his family sitting together ignited a small flame called "hope" in his heart.