Courtyard House: Rebirth of a Shopkeeper in 1937

"Oh dear, Xingbao, why did you come all this way in this cold weather?" His master's wife quickly put down her needlework, got up and walked briskly to his side. She immediately noticed his soaked cloth shoes and said with concern, "Didn't you ride your black charcoal bike here? Look how wet these shoes are. Take them off and warm them by the fire. I'll pour you some hot water to soak your feet so you don't catch a cold."

Xingbao felt a warmth in his heart, but when he thought of the purpose of his trip, the smile on his face instantly faded, and his expression became downcast. He softly declined, saying, "Master's wife, there's no need to trouble yourself. I have to rush back later. I came here specifically to ask Master for help."

Upon hearing this, the master closed the medical book in his hand, looked up at him, and said with concern and certainty, "Oh? Has another patient come to the kitchen? Don't worry, I'll go with you. Just stay here and warm yourself by the fire, and go back when the snow gets lighter, so you don't catch a cold."

Upon hearing this, Xingbao's eyes instantly reddened, and his voice choked with emotion: "Master, it's not that someone is sick, it's... it's my uncle. His memorial document will be delivered to our home this afternoon. We're worried that my grandparents are too old to bear the bad news and that something might happen to them, so we've come to ask you to come and help take care of them."

Seeing this, the master's wife didn't go to pour more hot water. She quickly stepped forward and gently hugged Xingbao's little head, soothing him tenderly. The main room fell silent for a moment, broken only by the crackling of the charcoal in the brazier. After a long while, the master finally spoke, his tone grave and steady: "Arriving this afternoon? It's still early, but there's a lot to prepare for your family's matter. Have you gone to ask for other helpers?"

"We only just received the news ourselves," Xingbao said softly, suppressing the bitterness in his heart. "My second brother has already ridden Black Charcoal to find my eldest brother, and my father has also sent someone to invite my eldest uncle over to discuss matters. So I came here specifically to invite you."

Upon hearing this, the master immediately got up to pack his medicine box, his tone crisp and decisive: "Alright, let's set off now. Your father and the others must be extremely busy right now. The sooner we get there, the more we can lend a hand."

With the meticulous help of his master's wife, the master and apprentice carefully packed the medicinal herbs they might need, each carrying a medicine chest on their backs. Pushing open the door and braving the swirling snow, they hurried towards the Song family's residence. Despite the blizzard, they walked quickly and soon arrived outside Song's shop.

Before even entering the house, Gui Xiang's clear and urgent voice came from the main room: "Snowball, quickly hold it down, don't let it get away!"

"Snowball, quickly put it in the middle, then we'll try to catch it!"

"Hey, why isn't this mouse running away? Snowball, did you kill it?"

Xingbao hurriedly pushed open the door and entered the room. He saw Guixiang standing to one side, enthusiastically directing Xueqiu. Xueqiu was squatting in the middle of the room, occasionally gently pawing at the mouse with its paws, looking extremely serious. When Guixiang saw Xingbao and her master enter, her eyes lit up instantly. She excitedly shouted "Master!" and rushed over, hugging her master's leg with a face full of joy. Seeing this, Xueqiu also wagged its tail, carrying the half-dead mouse in its mouth, and ran to Xingbao, tilting its head back to show its satisfaction. The mouse in its mouth had long since lost the strength to struggle, and even its squeaks were so weak that they were almost inaudible. It was clear that it had been played with until it was exhausted.

Xingbao could tell that this was Xueqiu's first time catching a mouse, and it was still too timid to bite it to death. Looking at the mouse, barely breathing, Xingbao felt a pang of pity—this thief had really had its luck in the hands of Guixiang and Xueqiu, so he decided to help it escape this torment. He gently gestured for Xueqiu to put the mouse on the ground, then picked up a small hoe from the corner, gently tapped it, and finished off the mouse, sending it to its next life.

"Xingbao, what are you doing!" Guixiang immediately released her master upon seeing this, her little face scrunched up as she anxiously questioned, "I haven't even had Xueqiu catch a mouse for Master yet! Mom was so happy when she saw Xueqiu catch the mouse, and she even said she'd reward Xueqiu! Now that you've killed it, how are we going to show it off!"

"Sister, there are many things to do at home today, and Mother is still upset. You should stay with Master." Xingbao patiently comforted her. "Besides, this mouse is almost dead, it's not interesting at all. Next time, Xueqiu can catch another one and then let Master see it. You stay with Master for now, I'll go bury the mouse." After saying that, Xingbao gestured for Xueqiu to pick up the mouse, turned around and led it to the field outside the house. They found a secluded spot and buried the mouse. Xingbao then secretly rewarded Xueqiu with a drop of spiritual spring water as a reward for its first time catching a mouse.

After Xingbao finished dealing with the rats, he returned to the main room with Xueqiu. There, he saw his master sitting by the brazier, soaking his feet. Guixiang had just found his father's thick cloth shoes and gently placed them beside his master's feet, looking exceptionally obedient. But he didn't see his mother. Xingbao asked softly, "Sister, where's Mother?"

Gui Xiang mimicked her mother's usual gentle tone and replied calmly, "Mother just prepared hot water for Master and you to soak your feet to ward off the cold. Right now, she and Aunt are cutting white cloth in the room, preparing items for the funeral. You should come over quickly and soak your feet with Master so you don't catch a cold. I'll have to take care of you then."

"Okay, I'll find a pair of shoes and come right away." Xingbao replied, turned around and went to the room to find a pair of cloth shoes he could wear, then quickly walked to the brazier to soak his feet with his master. The warm water wrapped around his feet, dispelling the chill from the journey and slightly easing the heaviness in his heart.

After the two finished soaking their feet, Xingbao casually placed his wet shoes by the brazier to dry them. Just as he finished, he heard the door being pushed open. His father and uncle entered together and immediately saw their master sitting by the brazier. They quickly stepped forward, their voices full of apology and respect: "Old Yang, it's so cold outside, and you've gone to all this trouble to come all this way. We're so sorry!"

Seeing this, Old Yang quickly stood up and waved his hand, his tone calm and gentle, with a touch of sympathy: "We're all from the same village, no need to trouble yourself. Xingbao specially came to invite me, how could I refuse? Besides, Youming is sacrificing his life for the country, it's only right that I come to lend a hand and take care of him."

Father sighed, his eyes filled with melancholy, his tone full of helplessness and sorrow: "Old Yang, you are a wise man. When this bad news came, Mother and the children were thrown into chaos. My brother-in-law died for his country at a young age, leaving behind my elderly parents. We were really worried that they couldn't bear it, so we thought of asking you to come over, so that in case of any emergency, you would be there to take care of them."

The eldest uncle nodded in agreement, his brow furrowed, and said in a deep voice, "Yes, Elder Yang, my parents are old and their health isn't very good to begin with. If they hear the bad news, I'm afraid they won't be able to recover for a while. We've decided to keep it from them for now, and then slowly comfort them once the memorial service is completed. We'll have to trouble you to keep an eye on their health."