Courtyard House: Rebirth of a Shopkeeper in 1937

Night, as dark as ink, seeped into the mountains and forests. On the stone path leading from the woods to the village entrance, intermittent streaks of blood gleamed a dark red in the gloom. The crescent moon slowly rose from behind the clouds, its soft light spilling over the silent village. The howls of wolves echoed from afar, tightening like invisible ropes around everyone's hearts.

The dim lanterns barely illuminated the entire road, and the lights in the houses on both sides had long been extinguished, except for my grandfather's house, which was brightly lit. A pig was tied to a wooden ladder laid flat at the door, constantly squealing and struggling. When the howling of wolves became clearer, my father gave a deep order: "Slaughter the pig." The prelude to the hunt for the wolves had begun.

Blood, offal, and scraps of meat were gradually placed in designated spots, the bait emitting a sweet, pungent aroma in the air. All that remained was to wait. The doors and windows of the house had already been reinforced and nailed shut with thick wooden planks. The customers in the shop held their breath, peering nervously through the cracks. The chickens in the backyard had been given strong liquor and huddled motionless in a corner. The older brothers huddled by the side door of the backyard, their fingers pressed against the crack, waiting for the signal to open the door. Xingbao and Guixiang had already drilled several small holes in the wooden door, their eyes peering out through the openings. Guixiang even covered her mouth tightly with her small hand, afraid that the slightest sound would alert the wolves. Their mother stood behind them, her hand on her child's shoulder, her knuckles white from the pressure.

In the courtyard, twenty-one uncles were undergoing final checks, trying to ease their extremely tense nerves.

Time seemed to drag on endlessly in the heavy atmosphere, the entire small village shrouded in an invisible pressure. Suddenly, a pair of eerie green eyes entered Xingbao's field of vision, followed by a second pair, then a third... Guixiang's small hands involuntarily fell to her sides, a gasp about to escape her throat, but her mother beside her tightly covered her mouth, not even sparing Xingbao's mouth and nose!

The eldest brother gestured to the uncles behind him who were relaxing. Uncle Deng, who was leading the group, picked up a wooden shield and quietly peered through the crack in the door. The other uncles also gripped their weapons and lined up in the courtyard. The courtyard was so quiet that you could hear everyone's heartbeats!

As the first wolf appeared fully in the moonlight, the size of the pack was revealed: five led the way, the entire pack formed a kite-like rhombus, and the wolf king was probably trailing far behind at the rear. The pack moved slowly, the leading wolves occasionally turning back to let out low howls. The group carefully counted them several times; including the king, there were thirty-seven wolves. Fortunately, the other villages had helped; otherwise, their own village's few dozen able-bodied men would have been at a disadvantage! Then, the second brother quietly left the side gate, tiptoed out the back door, crossed the vegetable garden, and went through the back door of Fugui's house to inform their father. This was a task he had pestered his father for a long time to obtain.

Seeing that the lead wolf had entered the village, Xingbao quietly crept to the front gate. However, the gate was already crowded with guests, so Xingbao had to start from the side, slowly squeezing through the secret opening he had made for himself. No one made a sound, and realizing he was just a child, they let him pass. He slowly felt around in the door with his little hands until he found the stopper, then pulled it out. Just then, he saw the wolves slowly passing by, some glancing towards the door. They had already sensed the presence of the people inside! Perhaps the pig's blood in the nearby alley was more tempting.

The lead wolves had already surrounded the wooden basin of blood, seemingly filled with curiosity and longing for it. They frequently craned their necks to sniff the blood, as if judging its palatability. One wolf had even placed its head above the basin, preparing to lick the blood, but just as it was about to touch it, it was abruptly shooed away by the wolves behind it.

The wolves stopped outside the shop and began to stir restlessly. Some wolves were pushed into the ditch, letting out a few dissatisfied howls. Others pounced straight at the shop's doors and windows, scratching at them with their sharp claws, making a piercing "ripping" sound that was as sharp as if it were scraping at one's heart, sending chills down one's spine.

Several suppressed gasps came from the window; clearly, someone had been frightened by the wolf's clawing at the window. Xingbao felt the weight on him suddenly lighten. He looked down and saw that the travelers had all unconsciously taken a step back, their breathing becoming rapid and even trembling slightly. Xingbao quickly looked away from the small hole, because he could see the wolf's claws peeking out from the crack in the door; the sharp claws sent chills down his spine.

As everyone retreated in fear, Xingbao quietly moved to the side of the door. Through that narrow gap, he could vaguely see the scene at his maternal grandfather's house in the distance.

The night was as dark as ink, and Father's figure stood out remarkably tall in the darkness. He carried his old-fashioned hunting rifle, standing steadily on a square table, seemingly one with the night. His posture was taut, like a taut bowstring, revealing a resolute and unwavering resolve.

Beside the father, the butcher was busily wielding his knife. The blade flashed rapidly through the air, each cut precise and swift. With each movement, chunks of bright red meat were flung onto the cutting board, the splattered blood particularly glaring in the night.

Before Father stood a dozen or so team members, each holding a shield, lined up neatly in a row. They stood like silent statues in the darkness. Their eyes, sharp as hawks, were fixed on the wolf pack not far ahead, without the slightest lapse in concentration.

However, in the midst of this tense standoff, suddenly, the wolf that had been driven away seemed to be stimulated by the smell of blood, and charged towards the wooden basin containing blood. It plunged in headfirst, gulping down the blood in the basin.

This sudden scene was like a pebble thrown into boiling water, instantly creating ripples. Seeing this, the other four wolves immediately swarmed around like hungry tigers, vying for the basin of blood. In an instant, howls, biting, and roars mingled together, shattering the previously tranquil atmosphere.

The wolf pack following behind was also affected and began to stir. Some wolves bared their teeth, revealing their ferocious fangs; others jostled each other, trying to get closer; still others whimpered softly, seemingly expressing their thirst for blood. Occasionally, due to the commotion, a wolf would be accidentally pushed into the nearby ditch, splashing water everywhere.

However, amidst this chaotic situation, only the last dozen or so wolves stood out. Suppressed by the wolf king's growl, they were restless but dared not advance easily. These wolves could only linger outside the shop, occasionally tearing at the doors and windows with their teeth, wood chips falling like snowflakes.

The wolves continued their slow advance. The lead wolves were already close to the pile of pig offal, their eyes fixed on the food before them, low growls emanating from their throats. Suddenly, as if propelled by an invisible force, the wolves charged forward without hesitation, frantically tearing at the pig offal. In an instant, howls, roars, and the sounds of the pig offal being chewed up mingled together, creating a scene of utter chaos.

Just then, the wolf king finally emerged from the shadows. It was a size larger than the other wolves, its muscles clearly defined, as if brimming with boundless power. Its fur was a deep gray, with faint scars visible on it, clearly evidence of countless fierce battles it had endured.

The wolf king's head, in particular, bore a striking resemblance to a relatively new wound. The wound stretched from its forehead to its ear, looking quite ferocious; it must have been inflicted recently by a tiger's attack, suffering a considerable loss, Xingbao thought to himself.

The wolf king walked slowly forward, its steps steady and powerful, each step like a heavy hammer striking the ground, exuding its majesty. Its gaze swept around, then inadvertently turned to look at the gate. In that instant, the ferocity in its eyes erupted like a volcanic eruption, sending chills down one's spine.

Xingbao was startled by the wolf king's gaze. He suddenly felt that this wolf king really had a kingly ruthlessness, as if it was the master of this mountain forest.

It stopped at the alley entrance and refused to go any further. Despite the wolves fighting fiercely for food ahead, it seemed oblivious to the chaos and had no interest in the scene.

By this time, the wolf pack had entered the meat scraps area, and they were getting closer and closer to Dad and his dozen or so uncles. The closest wolf was only four meters away from them, and as time went on, that distance continued to shrink.

To stop the wolves from approaching, Father and his uncles adopted a clever strategy. They split into two groups: one group chopped the meat, while the other group threw the chopped meat at the wolves. This way, the wolves would be attracted by the constantly flying pieces of meat, thus slowing their advance.

The sound of chopping meat was rapid and rhythmic, mixed with the howls and squeals of the wolves, creating an eerie symphony. Amidst this cacophony, one or two wolves could occasionally be seen carrying scraps of meat, quickly running to the wolf king and offering their food.

Through the crack in the door, Xingbao watched the wolves running and howling in the distance, and a wave of fear washed over him. The scene was so terrifying, it sent chills down his spine and made his hands and feet go cold. He could only imagine the immense pressure his father and his dozen or so uncles were under as they faced the wolves!

Father sat at the octagonal table, his face taut, his hand on the butt of his rifle—he was waiting for the Wolf King to enter the alley. Xingbao also stared intently at the Wolf King. Time seemed to stand still; perhaps ten minutes had passed, perhaps longer, before the Wolf King finally took another step and entered the alley. Father immediately waved to the team members hiding in the house, then had a few more join in, and began banging and shouting as if to drive him away. The sound carried far in the night—this was the signal for the other teams to attack and surround him.

The wolf king stopped after walking only ten meters into the alley, eating the scraps of meat that were brought to him. Father instructed all the team members to slowly enter, directing the group to advance gradually and begin to compress the wolves' living space, creating pressure. At the same time, the amount of pork thrown closer was gradually reduced. Finally, as they approached, a wolf began to charge the battle formation. The team members didn't kill it, only injuring and driving it away.

Just then, footsteps sounded from the south—it was the Da Zhu brothers leading their men to guard the ditch south of the shop, while Uncle Deng simultaneously surrounded the east side, and the encirclement quietly closed. The battle broke out suddenly. The wolf king seemed to sense something was wrong, howling as it raised its head, and the wolf pack immediately charged into the formation like madmen. Wolves blocked by shields were either dug into by hoes and dragged directly into the formation; those impaled by spears were pinned to the ground and trampled down by the following footsteps; and some, trying to leap into the formation using their shields, were impaled in mid-air by the rear guards, their blood dripping onto the ground with a "plop." In just two rounds of attacks, more than ten wolf carcasses lay on the ground.

Seeing the situation was dire, the wolf king suddenly turned and charged towards the eaves pillar of the kitchen—leaping forward, its paws pushing off the pillar, it jumped onto the south-facing roof! But the roof tiles slipped under its weight, preventing it from jumping again, and it paused for a moment. In that instant, a gunshot rang out, its ear-piercing blast—Dad had fired, the bullet striking its thigh. The wolf king tried to jump again, but the excruciating pain caused it to break through a tile, half its body wedged inside. The children inside screamed in terror at the sudden turn of events, their frantic footsteps pounding the floorboards, making the entire room tremble. The wolf king howled and struggled in agony on the roof, its two front paws flailing desperately, trying to free itself from the hole. Instead, its paws became trapped, and finally, its entire body was stuck to the roof beam, unable to move. The wolf king's mournful howl echoed through the night sky, a sound so shrill and terrifying that it sent chills down one's spine and made one's scalp tingle.

Hearing the wolf king's mournful howl, the already restless pack below became even more chaotic. They darted around like headless flies, some even trying to imitate the wolf king's movements and leap onto the roof, but lacking the strength, they all crashed heavily into the solid walls! Several even broke through the first line of defense, only to be subdued in time by the second line, preventing serious injury. Father, standing on higher ground, calmly directed the pack, instructing them to maintain a steady pace and advance slowly and firmly. Despite the tense situation, everyone obeyed Father's commands without the slightest panic.

Finally, after a fierce battle, the entire wolf pack was wiped out, and the wolf king was firmly impaled on two sharp forks and dragged off the roof. This thrilling battle lasted only fifteen minutes in total, but in the tense and focused atmosphere of everyone, it felt like half a century had passed!

When the battle finally ended, people breathed a sigh of relief and slowly came to their senses. Looking around at the wolf carcasses scattered on the ground, a feeling of being in another world washed over them. Xingbao had stopped watching when he saw the wolf pack running wildly after the wolf king was trapped. He quietly snuggled into his mother's arms, hiding behind Guixiang. This laborer, who wouldn't even dare kill a chicken in his previous life, was only able to watch for so long because of the combined effects of his two lives! His mother hugged him tightly, her voice trembling, "It's over, it's alright now."

Looking at the wolf carcasses scattered on the ground, gleaming gray in the moonlight, some of the uncles sat on the ground wiping their sweat, while others still gripped their forks, their breathing heavy, not yet recovered from the fierce battle. Father walked over to Wang Jiazhang's side; their voices were not loud, but everyone around could hear them clearly.

"Chief Wang, it's not good to leave so many wolf carcasses here." Father's voice was softer than when he was commanding the battle. "While everyone is here, let's take them to the riverbank tonight and process them. When the village head and elders come at dawn, we can divide the meat. If we wait until dawn to process the meat, it might spoil. We can clean the wolf pelts before tanning them."

"Dawei, you've really gone through a lot! If this kind of thing happens a few more times, I'm afraid I really won't be able to take it! Just now, watching those wolves snatching food right in front of you, my heart almost jumped out of my throat! But Dawei, you're amazing, so calm and collected!" Wang Jiachang said, gently patting his father's arm, then turning around and slowly walking back. The moonlight shone like water on Wang Jiachang, illuminating his slightly hunched back, but for some reason, that back conveyed a sense of relief and lightness.

Meanwhile, the villagers gradually recovered from their initial shock. Those who were a little braver opened their doors and cautiously emerged to watch the scene from a distance. Even the children, hearing there was meat to share, forgot their fear and excitedly peeked out, peering curiously. The village women busied themselves, gathering the scattered lanterns, muttering, "Oh dear, that was truly frightening!" At the same time, some travelers curiously gathered around the wolf carcass, examining it closely and whispering, "How come this wolf, which usually wreaks havoc everywhere, was so easily defeated today?"

Seeing that everyone had rested enough and their emotions had gradually calmed down, Father slowly walked to the center of the crowd and pressed his hands down, signaling for quiet. Everyone immediately understood, and the previously noisy scene instantly became completely silent. Father looked around, his gaze sweeping over each person, and then slowly began to speak: "Everyone has worked hard today! However, we still have an important matter to complete." He paused, observing everyone's reactions. He saw that everyone's eyes were shining, clearly having already guessed what he was about to say.

Sure enough, Father continued, "That's right, these are the wolves in front of us. Everyone, move them to the riverbank and skin them there so they won't disturb the villagers' sleep. Tomorrow morning, when the village head and elders arrive, we can divide the meat!" As soon as he finished speaking, a burst of excited discussion arose from the crowd.

Father smiled at everyone, then nodded and called over the butcher and several hunters who knew how to skin wolves, instructing them to take a few men to fetch tools. The others sprang into action, some lifting the wolf carcasses, others helping to clean up the scene. Working together, they quickly moved the wolves to the riverbank.

On the riverbank at night, the moonlight, like water, spilled onto the wolf's carcass, making it gleam silver. The butchers and hunters skillfully picked up their tools and began skinning it. Others stood by, some helping to pass tools, others watching the bloody scene with curiosity. Despite the gore, everyone was incredibly excited, because tomorrow morning they would have their share of delicious wolf meat.

This night is destined to be a sleepless one.