Courtyard House: Rebirth of a Shopkeeper in 1937

When Xingbao heard the news that he was going to be a big brother, he was stunned, as if time had frozen. However, after only a moment, his previously somewhat confused eyes suddenly brightened, shining as brightly as stars in the night sky. At the same time, the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up slightly, revealing a smile full of surprise and anticipation.

A surge of excitement welled up inside Xingbao, causing his body to tremble involuntarily. He gripped the hem of his clothes tightly, as if trying to suppress his inner turmoil, but found it all in vain. He was completely immersed in the joy of becoming an elder brother, unable to extricate himself; at least he wasn't the youngest in the family anymore.

Finally, as his emotions gradually calmed down, Xingbao took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. At this moment, his father, who had been watching him intently, spoke again, "Xingbao, you should have some ideas about how to plan the Spirit Spring Space now, right? If there's anything I can help you with, feel free to tell me!"

Upon hearing his father's question, Xingbao immediately lost his smile, his face turning serious, as if he had become a different person. He stared intently at his father and solemnly replied, "Father! I've always had an idea: to use our family's mysterious and unpredictable spiritual spring space to cultivate high-yield, superior grain varieties. If this plan can be realized, it will ensure that our fellow villagers have bountiful harvests every year, and they will be free from the suffering of hunger! Not only that, I also plan to plant some delicious fruits, tender and juicy vegetables, and precious and rare herbs in this magical space. This way, our family's table will be filled with many fresh ingredients, allowing us to fully enjoy the satisfaction of delicious food! And those herbs… who knows, one day they might even come in handy, helping those who are sick and suffering to recover their health!"

When his son mentioned the word "herbs," the father's eyes showed a hint of surprise, but it vanished in an instant, replaced by a look of sudden understanding. He lowered his voice and asked with concern, "Xingbao, do you perhaps harbor aspirations to study medicine and help the world?"

"Father, the reason I'm learning medicine is so that I can use the spiritual spring water more safely." Xingbao nodded, his tone firm. "I feel like I'm learning things much faster now than before. If I can really master medicine, with the help of the spiritual spring water, I might be able to save more people. Moreover, storing herbs in the spiritual spring or soaking them in the spiritual spring water can mask the miraculous effects of the spiritual spring water by claiming that the herbs themselves are effective, making it less likely to arouse suspicion. More importantly, herbs grown in the spiritual spring space will definitely be more effective than those grown outside. In that case, I can both cure diseases and save lives, and also hide the secrets of the space."

After a moment's thought, the father slowly said, "I'll keep an eye on adding medicinal herbs to the spiritual spring water for you. But as for studying medicine, let's wait a couple of years until you're a bit older—I'll make time to visit Doctor Yang's house in the meantime and see if I can borrow a medical book for you to read first, so you can learn some basic knowledge." He then seemed to suddenly remember something and added, "Oh, and we also need to buy a plot of land specifically for you to cultivate and grow new crops; we can't just keep growing them in the space forever."

Upon hearing this, Xingbao's eyes immediately lit up with anticipation, and he quickly asked, "Dad, do you think we can buy the piece of land belonging to the Long family in front of our house?"

The father gently shook his head, his tone tinged with helplessness: "That plot of land is only a little over one-tenth of an acre, too small. What can you do with it? Besides, the soil is poor and lacks fertility. Now that a road has been built along the side, the original water source has been cut off, and it has long since become dry land. If you want to plant something, are you planning to plant sweet potatoes? Although sweet potatoes have a high yield, they still need fertile soil to grow well. That dry land probably can't support them."

Seeing his father's rejection, Xingbao quickly moved forward and explained with a hint of urgency and clarity: "Dad, we don't really intend to grow a lot of things on this land. We're just using it as a pretext! We'll plant a dozen or twenty rice plants on it so that the villagers can see that this land can grow good crops. The real cultivation of seeds and planting will mainly take place in the Spirit Spring Space."

He paused, then hurriedly added a solution to the land problem: "As for water, we can run a bamboo pipe from the washing well and slowly irrigate the land; we don't need to worry about fertilizer either, the mud in the ditch in front of the door has been accumulating for many years, it's fertilizer when dug out, and it will definitely nourish the crops when buried in the ground."

At this point, Xingbao's eagerness gradually turned into worry, and his brows furrowed slightly: "There's something even more important—if the road is really completed, fewer people will walk on this old stone path. If someone else buys this land and builds a shop like ours, even fewer people will come to our house, and our family's livelihood will be affected!" He became more and more worried as he spoke, his eyes filled with concern for his family's livelihood, and even his voice became a few decibels lower than before.

After listening to Xingbao's words, the father remained silent for a moment. In the darkness, his brows were slightly furrowed, and a hint of melancholy crept into his expression. His voice softened as he said, "Our Xingbao is so farsighted. I didn't think too deeply about these things. Don't be fooled by the seemingly harmonious atmosphere in the village. Given the slightest opportunity, some people will definitely try to take advantage of our family. Alright, I'll go talk to the Long family about buying the land tomorrow."

Seeing that his father had relented, Xingbao's lips curled up slightly, and a shrewd glint appeared in his eyes: "Dad, there's no need to rush. Let's talk after the township's reward is issued. Then we'll have more leverage and we'll definitely be able to get it done."

The father was taken aback by what he heard, then chuckled and gently patted Xingbao's shoulder. "You little rascal, where did you learn all these tricks? You even know how to use things to your advantage! Alright, I'll listen to you." He glanced at the sky, then patted Xingbao's stomach and said with a smile, "Hungry? Come on, let's go home for dinner." With that, he bent down, picked Xingbao up from the ground, and gently put him down again. He took Xingbao's hand and led him along the path they had come from, heading down the mountain towards the village. The two figures gradually approached the warm glow of the lights in the dim light of the fireflies.

The two children returned home along the path. As soon as they pushed open the kitchen door, they saw their mother, grandmother, and sister Shanshan sitting around a wooden table under the warm yellow oil lamp. They were holding a slightly worn piece of fabric and discussing in hushed tones how to alter clothes for Guixiang. Guixiang stood by the table, her little face full of joy, letting the three of them pull on her sleeves and take her measurements. Every now and then, she would stand on tiptoe to look at the fabric on the table, her eyes shining with anticipation. From the main room, they could faintly hear the voices of her older brothers, who were probably busy entertaining passing guests. Occasionally, a few words of laughter would be heard, filling the whole house with a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Seeing this, the father quickly stepped forward and looked at his grandmother with great shame, saying, "Mother, it's so late at night, why did you come over? It's dark and the road is slippery, what if he fell! Xingbao was just frightened today, you've really gone to so much trouble."

Grandma paused in her needlework, turned to look at Xingbao, and her eyes instantly softened with kindness. She smiled and said, "If something happens to Xingbao, how can I not come and check on him? I can't be at ease." As she spoke, she beckoned to Xingbao, "Xingbao, what's wrong today? Come here and let Grandma take a good look at you."

Xingbao quickly walked to his grandmother, gently tugging at her clothes with both hands. With a slightly embarrassed look on his face, he whispered, "Grandma, I was a little scared last night after watching the wolf-killing scene. Dad talked to me a lot just now, and I feel much better now. You don't need to worry about me."

"It's good that you're alright, it's good that you're alright, I can finally relax!" Grandma reached out and patted Xingbao's head, a relieved smile on her face. Then she got up and said, "You've all been busy all day, you must be hungry. Go eat first, I'm going back now."

"Mother, don't rush off." Father quickly stepped forward and shouted towards the main room, "Yanbang, come quickly and help Grandma back! Yanguo, go to the kitchen and get a lantern to light Grandma's way!" As soon as he finished speaking, Yanbang strode out of the main room and steadily supported Grandma's arm. Yanguo also ran over with a lit lantern and supported Grandma's other side. Brother Dashan and Sister Shanshan could only follow behind.

After Yanbang helped his grandmother home and Yanguo returned with a lantern, the family sat down around the wooden table in the kitchen for dinner. The table was set with simple vegetables, tofu, and sweet potato rice, but it felt especially warm because of the family reunion. Xingbao held his bowl and would occasionally put a piece of food on Guixiang's plate. The little girl smiled so much that her eyes curved into crescent moons.

After the meal, Mother and Second Brother cleared the dishes, while Father sat at the counter in the main room doing accounts. Yanbang hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and asking, "Dad, the township head came over during the day and said he wanted to invite you to be the coach of the county's wolf-hunting team. Why didn't you agree? It's clearly a respectable job."

Upon hearing this, the father put down his pen and smiled at Yanbang: "Yanbang, don't take the township head's words too seriously. He genuinely meant well in asking me to be the coach, but if I accepted, I would offend quite a few people. Think about it, there are many people in the district and township who want this job. If I take it, some people will inevitably hold a grudge. By turning it down, I'm letting him arrange for someone to come himself. This gives him the opportunity to do favors, and he'll remember our family's kindness in the future."

At this point, the father paused, a clearer understanding dawning in his eyes: "And think about it again. The people he sent must all have some connections. By not competing with them, we can actually build a good relationship, avoiding offending anyone while securing a future for the family. So, all things considered, are we losing out or gaining?"

As soon as the words were spoken, Yanbang, Yanguo, Xingbao, and Guixiang, the five siblings who had gathered around to listen, suddenly understood and nodded repeatedly. Xingbao was the first to react, whispering, "Dad, I know! That position looks respectable, but it's actually a trap—everyone in the county and township wants it, but they can't decide, so they want to push you, who has no connections, into it. If something goes wrong, you'll be the one to take the blame!" Upon hearing this, the others echoed his sentiments, with Yanbang frowning and saying, "Thank goodness Dad thought it through, otherwise our family would have been in deep trouble!"

Looking at the children gathered around him, the father smiled gently and said slowly, "Now that you're all here, I have some good news to tell you—you'll have another little brother or sister next year."

Upon hearing this, Yanbang, Yanguo, and Dingge were stunned for a moment, while Guixiang stared wide-eyed, completely bewildered. Seeing that most of the children were confused, their father added, "Now that your third aunt is pregnant, you siblings must take good care of her when I'm not home. Don't let her get tired, and take on more of the heavy and tiring work."

It wasn't until then that Yanbang and Yanguo finally realized what was happening, their faces instantly lighting up with joy. They quickly said, "Father, it turns out Mother is pregnant! Let's go to the kitchen now and help Mother with her work so she can rest!" They turned and headed towards the kitchen.

"Wait!" The father quickly stopped them and added, "Don't tell your grandparents about this yet. They've already been through so much trouble these past few days because of the wolf hunt. Let's wait until they've calmed down a couple of days before we go and tell them the good news, so they don't have to worry about it anymore."

Upon hearing this, the brothers nodded in agreement, with Xingbao adding, "Don't worry, Dad, we definitely won't tell you beforehand." Only Guixiang remained standing there, her little brows furrowed, not understanding why everyone was suddenly so happy. She tugged at her eldest brother's sleeve and asked, "What does it mean to have a younger brother or sister?" She then pulled at her second brother's sleeve and pressed him, "Why can't we tell Grandpa and Grandma?" But the brothers tacitly refused to tell her the details—after all, Guixiang was young and couldn't keep a secret, and if she accidentally let the news slip, it would betray their father's instructions.

Seeing that no one would tell her, Gui Xiang pouted, stomped her foot, and said with a hint of grievance, "Hmph, I'm not talking to you anymore! I'm going to find Mom!" After saying that, she ran angrily towards the kitchen, which made the brothers exchange smiles and follow her to help their mother with the work.

The mother watched as her brothers came in and took over the work from her, and was a little puzzled: why were these brothers so diligent? It wasn't until Guixiang pestered her, "Mom, Dad said we're having a younger brother or sister, but he won't let us tell Grandpa and Grandma. What's going on? I asked my eldest and second brothers, but they won't tell me."

As soon as the brothers Yanbang and Yanguo entered the kitchen, they immediately took over the chores from their mother's hands. Yanbang took the wooden basin and washed the soaking dishes and chopsticks by the drain; Yanguo picked up a rag and carefully wiped the cupboard, not even letting the grease in the corners go untouched. Their mother stood there, stunned, watching her usually obedient sons, who still needed prompting to do chores, being so diligent. She was a little puzzled and asked with a smile, "Why are you two brothers so eager today? Is there something you're hiding from your mother?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Gui Xiang came running in, puffing out her cheeks. She grabbed her mother's arm, tilted her head up, and asked, "Mom, Mom! Dad said we're getting a little brother or sister, but he won't let us tell Grandpa and Grandma. What's going on? I asked my older brother and second brother, but they won't tell me. They're deliberately keeping it from me!" As she spoke, she pouted and gently shook her mother's arm, looking very aggrieved.

Upon hearing this, the mother paused for a moment, then a gentle smile appeared in her eyes. She reached out and patted Guixiang's head, softly explaining, "Silly girl, having a younger brother or sister means that Mommy is pregnant now. Next spring, you'll have a little playmate!" Seeing Guixiang's eyes gradually brighten, the mother added softly, "As for not telling Grandpa and Grandma yet, it's because they're exhausted from hunting wolves these past few days. We want to wait until they've rested before telling them this happy news, so they don't have to worry about the family again. Do you understand?"

Gui Xiang nodded as if she understood, then asked curiously, "When will the baby come out? Will it play with me when it comes out?" Her mother was amused by her innocent appearance and was about to say something more when Yan Bang interrupted with a smile, "Mother, don't say too much to her. This girl can't keep her mouth shut. If she turns around and tells someone else, it will be a waste of Father's warning."

Upon hearing this, Gui Xiang immediately glared at Yan Bang and hurriedly defended herself, "I wouldn't! I'll keep this secret just like Mother! If anyone's loose-lipped, it's Xing Bao!"

As soon as these words were spoken, laughter erupted from the kitchen. Yan Guo paused in wiping the dishes, then smiled at Xing Bao; his mother also suppressed a laugh, shaking her head helplessly. Only Xing Bao, standing beside his mother, instantly fell silent, his brows furrowing slightly, his lips pressed into a thin line, filled with resentment: how had he become the scapegoat for "not keeping a secret" again? Watching everyone laugh so heartily, he couldn't feel happy at all. He could only let out a soft hum, turning his face away, muttering to himself, "It's clearly you who always told the neighbor's kids about family matters, and you always blamed me..."