Courtyard House: Rebirth of a Shopkeeper in 1937

As evening fell, Xingbao and Guixiang led their friends in a writing game by the roadside. The rules of the game were simple, initially taught to Guixiang by Xingbao, and revolved around the concept of "mutual generation and mutual restraint": for example, a tiger can bite, but people can work together to fight it; a hoe can weed, but insects can bite through it; or water can make grass grow. Anyone who could come up with a reasonable idea and write it down could participate. During the game, some children focused on writing, while others actively offered suggestions, and all the friends were able to fully participate.

Today, the sun was shining brightly, and the friends sat together, chatting and laughing. The conversation naturally drifted to the amusing stories of visiting relatives, and everyone chimed in, creating a lively atmosphere.

Wang Xiaohua spoke first, vividly recounting her experience of visiting her maternal grandmother's house: "My grandmother's house is so far away! Every time I go, I have to cross several mountains and walk a long way. When I finally arrive at my grandmother's house, I'm so tired that I just plop down on the ground and don't want to get up at all!"

Upon hearing this, Long Zhixing curled his lip dismissively and said with a serious face, "What do you mean by far? My maternal grandmother's house is the farthest! Every time my mother carries me to my grandmother's house, she's panting heavily the whole way. When we finally arrive, she plops down and immediately complains, 'I'm exhausted!'"

Just as the two were arguing fiercely, Gui Xiang suddenly interrupted, "Stop arguing, both of you! My second and third uncles live far away! Look, my eldest brother just came back from there." Hearing this, everyone turned their attention to the direction Gui Xiang was pointing, and saw the eldest brother and Brother Ding walking slowly from around the bend in the road.

Seeing this, Xi Wu joined the discussion, not wanting to be outdone: "My grandma's house is the furthest away; it takes several days to get there!"

Upon hearing this, Long Zhixing immediately retorted, "You've never even been to your maternal grandmother's house, so how can you say it's the farthest? That doesn't count!"

For a time, the group argued back and forth, each sticking to their own version of events, until the eldest brother gradually approached, at which point the debate subsided. The reason for their argument was that they knew their eldest brother was strict and would punish those who didn't follow the rules with a ruler—several children in the school had previously been punished with a ruler for not paying attention in class, with Fugui being the most frequently punished.

According to the eldest brother, "Poor academic performance might be a matter of talent; with gradual progress, there will always be improvement. But not paying attention in class is a sign of bad attitude and deserves punishment." Those children who had been beaten initially complained to their parents when they got home, but instead of receiving comfort, they were all given a beating with thin bamboo sticks. Fugui's experience was the most tragic; his parents even gave him a "double beating." That night, Fugui's screams could be clearly heard throughout the village. No one had expected that Aunt Bai, who usually doted on Fugui, would be so harsh in her punishment!

Nowadays, the children in the village are afraid of the eldest brother. The reason is that if they are beaten for making mistakes at school, they will often be punished by their parents again when they get home. This situation has now become a tacit rule in the village.

As the eldest brother approached, the other children stood up and respectfully greeted him, "Sir."

The older brother smiled and responded warmly, "I heard you've turned writing into a fun game. You're such thoughtful and good kids."

"Big brother, I'm the one who led everyone in playing this game!" Gui Xiang quickly explained, trying to highlight her role. In fact, she was the one who spearheaded the writing game and organized her friends to participate.

"As expected, Gui Xiang has the best ideas!" The eldest brother glanced at the group of children present and then said, "You guys keep playing, I'm going home now."

Xingbao followed closely behind his brother back home. Since the day his brother Wang delivered the letter, Xingbao had been counting down the days. As the specific date drew closer, his anxiety intensified. He constantly sought ways to distract himself, practicing calligraphy and playing games being his current coping mechanisms. However, whenever the surroundings fell silent, the scene of killing the wolf the previous night would resurface in his mind. Thinking that the next night would be that historically significant moment, his restlessness became unbearable. Therefore, he decided to return home and lie down for a while to calm his mind.

Upon entering the kitchen, Mother was intently chopping vegetables. After putting down their baskets, Brother Ding and his brother each took out a small bag of rice and handed it to Mother, saying, "Mother, this is what Second Uncle asked us to bring back. He said it's food for Tian Ding."

The mother stopped chopping vegetables, turned to look at the rice in the two men's hands, and said with displeasure, "It's only been a few days, and you've brought back so much rice again. Does your second uncle think we can't afford to support Tian Ding? And you two brothers, you just do as you're told!"

"Mother, you don't know, but my second and third uncles pushed a wheelbarrow with several bags of dried goods on it. They insisted that we take them back, saying that Xingbao and Guixiang had forgotten about them when they first came back, and they wanted us to take them back this time. We pleaded and begged, and in the end, they only accepted these two bags of rice." The elder brother's voice was slightly choked with tears as he said this! Ding Ge just chuckled beside him.

"Try having them deliver things to your father themselves. Even a beating would be the least of your worries. Last time your second uncle brought Tian Ding over, your father gave him a good scolding. They're already struggling financially, yet they're always thinking about doing favors for others!" The mother turned to Tian Ding, who was still laughing, and said, "You deserve a lesson too. I'll have your eldest uncle discipline you properly later!" As soon as she finished speaking, Tian Ding's laughter stopped abruptly, and he was about to protest.

"What mistake has Tian Ding made that I have to discipline him?" The father happened to walk in from the doorway, looking at the mother with a smile.

"It's all because of Daheng that those two brought rice back again! Tianding didn't stop them, he just stood there grinning like an idiot. That's why I asked you to discipline him." The mother said helplessly.

After a moment of silence, the father said, "Never mind, let them be! Third Sister, if they send you anything again in the future, just accept it, and we'll find a way to make it up to them later."

Just then, Xingbao said listlessly, "Dad, Mom, I'm a little tired. I'm going to rest for a while." After saying that, he turned and walked towards the bedroom.

"This child must be hiding something!" The mother said softly, watching Xingbao's thin figure disappear into the distance.

"I'll go check on him!" After saying that, the father chased after Xingbao.

The father entered Xingbao's room and found Xingbao sitting on the edge of the bed, his eyes vacant and his face filled with sorrow. The father didn't speak, silently lit mosquito coils, and sat down beside Xingbao, quietly keeping him company. Before long, darkness fell completely, and Xingbao's expression gradually returned to normal. He spoke, "Father, I saw it." Xingbao's voice seemed to come from a distant time, "I saw mangled flesh, mountains of corpses, seas of blood, endless flames of war, and fields strewn with corpses..." His body trembled uncontrollably, his skin was ice-cold, and tears streamed down his face uncontrollably.

The father gently pulled Xingbao into his arms and softly comforted him, "Xingbao, don't be afraid, Daddy's here."

After a long while, Xingbao gradually calmed down and said, "Dad, let's go for a walk outside."

The two stepped out of the side gate of the backyard and, by the faint glow of fireflies, climbed the mountain path. Along the way, Xingbao's thoughts raced: In 1944, during the Battle of Hengyang, the flames of war might have reached this land. At that time, he was merely a ten-year-old child. Faced with the fear and helplessness of war, what could he do? In 1945, during the Battle of Xuefeng Mountain, this place was again a necessary route. By then, he would be eleven years old, no longer the ignorant child. Yet, he still felt his strength was so insignificant. Faced with the nation's peril, what contribution could he possibly make to his country?

The War of Resistance against Japan lasted for a full eight years. In Hunan, the flames of war raged for six years, seemingly without end. Historical records show that Hunan soldiers paid a heavy price in this war, with casualties reaching as high as 1.57 million! Behind every fallen soldier was likely a broken family and endless grief.

However, these are merely the casualty figures for soldiers. What about the innocent civilians? The suffering and casualties they endured in the war are likely immeasurable. In that chaotic world, human life was as cheap as an ant's; countless people were displaced, their families torn apart. Perhaps it was because all of this was so tragic that even historical records couldn't bear to detail the casualties of those innocent civilians. Their pain and sorrow were submerged in the long river of history, becoming a forgotten memory.

I can no longer remain aloof and plan in secret on my own. I must involve my family so that at least the people around us can have a better life! With this in mind, Xingbao stopped and turned to look at the scattered lights of the village below the mountain. His gaze finally settled on his own family's kitchen.

He took a deep breath, composed himself, and then slowly opened his mouth, speaking in a slightly low voice to his father standing beside him: "Father, do you remember the day I suddenly fainted? At that moment, just as I lost consciousness, I saw a dazzling white light shoot out from that big banyan tree, as fast as lightning, and pierce straight into my body."

He paused briefly, seemingly recalling the scene within the white light, before continuing, "Within that white light lay a piece of land, a spiritual spring, and a simple thatched hut. Not only that, but countless horrifying images of mountains of corpses and seas of blood flashed through the air, sending chills down my spine. I was terrified at the time and dared not tell anyone about it."

After speaking, Xingbao raised his head, his gaze fixed firmly on his father, a resolute look in his eyes. He continued, "Dad, these past few days I've felt very uneasy, as if the scenes in those visions will eventually come true. This feeling has grown stronger and stronger, and today it almost made me lose control. I think the banyan tree must have had a deeper meaning in bestowing these things upon me; perhaps it hopes that I can do my part in these matters!"

Father reached out his rough, calloused hand and gently stroked Xingbao's head. The two stood silently in the night for a long time before Father finally spoke slowly, "Xingbao, you've grown up." He then knelt down, placed his hands on Xingbao's shoulders, and pulled him close. Looking intently into his son's eyes, Father solemnly asked, "Xingbao, do you understand the meaning of 'possessing a treasure is a crime'?" Fearing Xingbao wouldn't understand, Father quickly explained, "This means that if you possess something valuable but others find out, someone might stop at nothing to take it." Seeing Xingbao nod earnestly, Father then solemnly instructed, "You must never mention this to anyone else again, not even your mother or Guixiang. If they find out, they will have to keep this secret for you, living in constant fear. Do you understand?"

Xingbao nodded vigorously and replied firmly, "Dad, I promise you, I will never tell anyone again, including Mom and my sister."

Seeing Xingbao make such a firm promise, a huge weight was lifted from his father's heart, and his expression relaxed. He slowly stood up, took Xingbao's hand, and walked to a flat stone not far away. He first bent down and sat down, then carefully lifted Xingbao onto his lap, letting him rest steadily in his arms.

After Xingbao was settled, his father looked at him and asked kindly, "Alright, now you can tell me properly about that space with the spiritual spring that you have, right?"

Upon hearing his father's question, Xingbao had no more reservations and recounted in great detail how he had secretly tested the effects of the spiritual spring water and how he had planted crops in the space to test their growth rate. He even revealed his anxiety about the secrets being exposed without reservation.

As Xingbao recounted his story, surprise and curiosity frequently crossed the father's face—sometimes raising an eyebrow at the miraculous effects of the spiritual spring, sometimes his eyes shining at the speed of the crops' growth. He remained focused on his son, occasionally asking softly, "And then what happened?" to guide Xingbao to continue.

After Xingbao finished explaining everything, he let out a long sigh of relief, feeling as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his chest, and his whole body felt an indescribable sense of ease. The tension and unease that had been building up for days completely dissipated, replaced by a feeling of joy and peace. This sense of relief was far more real than any words could describe.

After listening to Xingbao's entire account, his father gently patted his head, his eyes filled with satisfaction and a smile: "You clever little devil, you've secretly done so much! A few days ago, your mother and I only noticed that you were adding some good stuff you'd found somewhere to our tea, but we didn't think much of it. Lately, we've both felt much lighter and more energetic than before, as if we've become several years younger. It's all thanks to this spiritual spring water!"

After saying that, a hint of anticipation flashed in the father's eyes, and he said to Xingbao, "Let me try some, and we'll see how effective this undiluted spiritual spring water really is."

Upon hearing this, Xingbao immediately nodded in agreement, raised his hand and gestured in front of him, and two drops of clear, lustrous spiritual spring water condensed at his fingertips. He gestured for his father to open his mouth, and gently dripped the spiritual spring water from his fingertips into his father's mouth.

In a short while, the father felt a warm current slowly spread from his throat, coursing through his limbs and bones. His joints, stiff from years of labor, gradually relaxed, and even the old wounds from past battles seemed to be soothed by the warm water, the pain significantly reduced. He straightened his back, a clear look of surprise flashing in his eyes, and his gaze towards Xingbao became even more solemn: "This spiritual spring is truly miraculous; it's such a powerful treasure!"

After a slight pause, the father seemed to suddenly remember something. His expression softened, losing some of its initial excitement and becoming more cautious. He said earnestly to Xingbao, "Don't give this undiluted spiritual spring water to anyone else for now. In a few days, I'll go to Yongfeng Town to find some small porcelain bottles to store the water properly before giving it to your mother, your brothers, and sisters. Oh, and I haven't told you yet, you'll be a big brother next year!" As he finished speaking, the seriousness in his eyes faded slightly, replaced by anticipation for the new life in the family, and his tone softened a bit.