Courtyard House: Rebirth of a Shopkeeper in 1937

Their casual conversation lacked the youthful arrogance and grand pronouncements of their younger days, devoid of unrealistic fantasies; every word reflected the harsh realities and helplessness of the chaotic world. Each of the four had already begun to plan their future, but the shackles of fate had already been quietly binding them. The three, including the eldest brother, all came from large families. With the spread of war and the turmoil of the world, if the fighting dragged on, they would all face conscription once their younger brothers reached adulthood. Since the flames of war spread across Hunan, the harsh conscription policy had been thoroughly implemented: one in three able-bodied men, two in five, every household was subject to military service; no one could escape it. The only remaining classmate was in slightly better shape, not facing immediate conscription, but in a collapsing nest, no egg remains unbroken. Once the Changsha defenses fell, the Japanese army would advance unimpeded, leaving smoke and fire everywhere, and the land in ruins. How many ordinary people could escape unscathed?

In the past two years, during holidays, my eldest brother would often bring his classmates back to our hometown for a short stay. In the past, their conversations were mostly lighthearted and fun, filled with academic anecdotes and youthful exuberance. Even when discussing national affairs, the atmosphere was far less somber and heavy, filled with helplessness, than it was tonight. Among my brother's many classmates, two stood out as particularly special. They had visited our home during the winter break two years ago. That holiday, the two stayed at Song's shop for two days. They found common ground with my brother, sharing similar interests and ideals, and their close companionship made them feel an instant connection, as if they had known each other for a long time. At that time, Xingbao and Guixiang also accompanied my brother, showing the two around the village, enjoying the scenery, chatting, and exploring. They got along very well. However, since that parting, the two have never visited again.

Even after a long time, the eldest brother still often mentions these two close friends, his words filled with regret and sorrow for losing such dear companions. Outsiders, unaware of the true situation, simply assume it's a casual friendship between classmates, a fleeting connection, and an inevitable parting. Only Xingbao, with his keen insight and ability to assess situations, knows perfectly well that what appeared to be a casual visit to relatives and friends was actually a pretext for on-site investigation and reconnaissance. However, at that time, the Song family was at the height of its success, with its new rice transplanter and high-yield seed cultivation making headlines, attracting the attention of neighbors and various forces. The entire family was in the spotlight, every move scrutinized, making their actions too conspicuous. After much deliberation, to avoid being implicated and to ensure their own safety, the other party decisively severed their close ties, maintaining only a normal classmate relationship.

It was precisely because of this unfortunate turn of events that the eldest brother, by a twist of fate, missed his chance to join forces with the red camp. Fortunately, their friendship from the past remains, and their connection has not been severed. As long as the relationship exists, when the situation changes and the winds of change rise again in the future, there may be an opportunity for them to meet again and work together to achieve something great.

Although my elder brother has switched to modern education, he still adheres to traditional Confucian values ​​at his core, following the principle that one should not travel far from home while one's parents are alive, and if one must travel, one should have a fixed destination. With the chaos of war outside, it's uncertain whether he'll return. Therefore, his ideal is to establish a school at home—teaching and nurturing students. This is his most familiar and proficient profession. Now that he's seventeen, an adult, mature, and with a broad perspective, since he can no longer continue his studies, he'd rather make a name for himself and no longer rely solely on his family for protection. In fact, the family has already copied many high school textbooks, and for the missing parts, they can borrow them from Mr. Wang at Sanmin Middle School. My brother can study at home, and when he doesn't understand something, he can ask for help, thus putting his ideal into practice.

It was precisely because the eldest brother returned in disappointment and decided to stay in the village that this was a timely and beneficial development for both the Song family and the village's breeding base. Now, the base is entirely managed by Brother Dashan. He is diligent, hardworking, and conscientious, meticulously leading everyone in seedling cultivation and handling all the small details of the fields. However, he is ultimately inexperienced and lacks prestige; he can only manage affairs but cannot command respect, making it difficult to coordinate the overall situation and maintain a proper atmosphere. Currently, the group leaders at the base are each leading their own groups, privately gathering their own followers and forming several small cliques. While there hasn't been any chaos of mutual obstruction or buck-passing yet, everyone's selfish motives and independent actions have already sown the seeds of factional division. If this continues, morale will inevitably decline, order will collapse, severely damaging the base's unity and posing a fatal threat to the large-scale promotion of improved varieties and the implementation of contracted planting next year.

Previously, Xingbao was too young and his early involvement was too conspicuous, making it inconvenient for him to openly intervene in or oversee many affairs. His parents were constantly busy with their business, social obligations, and village chores, leaving them with no time to regulate the base's atmosphere or reshape its rules. Now, his elder brother's return has perfectly filled this crucial gap. He is well-read, reasonable, and courteous, and his years of education have cultivated a breadth of vision far surpassing that of ordinary farmers. Furthermore, as the teacher of the young people and children at the base, his seniority, experience, and connections give him an advantage, enough to quell any selfish motives, stabilize the morale of everyone, and thoroughly restore order and rules to the breeding base, laying a solid foundation for the comprehensive promotion of improved varieties next year.

The next morning, as dawn broke and the morning mist was still cool, the eldest brother's three classmates set off to return home. The road ahead was long and turbulent, and each carried the burdens of family responsibilities and the pressures of their future, daring not to linger. Xingbao, holding the hand of the bouncy Weibao, followed behind his eldest brother, seeing the three of them off to the banyan tree. Parting in chaotic times is most poignant; this separation, with mountains and rivers separating them and war raging, meant no one could say for sure if they would ever meet again. The three understood each other without uttering any unnecessary sentimental words, simply bowing respectfully, wishing each other well, encouraging each other to persevere, and patiently awaiting the day when the situation would improve so they could reunite and reminisce.

After watching his three classmates disappear around the corner, the eldest brother composed himself and called to his two younger brothers to head back. As soon as they reached the door, they saw their father, mother, and Guixiang already seated calmly beneath the ancestral altar at the far end of the main room. They were clearly waiting for their brothers' return to discuss important matters. Although the main room wasn't as private as their father's bedroom, its secluded location, away from the courtyard passageway, meant that as long as they spoke softly, the neighbors and passersby wouldn't hear a word, making it perfect for the family to discuss matters privately.

Wei Bao was still lingering at the courtyard gate, playfully wrestling and bickering with Xing Bao, having a great time and reluctant to go inside. Seeing this, the older brother stepped forward, bent down, and scooped the little guy up steadily, quickly walking towards the depths of the main room. Caught off guard by being lifted into the air, Wei Bao was slightly stunned at first, but then his joy quickly turned to him. Looking down at Xing Bao below, he proudly shouted, "Brother Xing, I'm taller than you now!"

He was suspended on his older brother's shoulder, swaying from side to side, craning his neck to wink and make faces at Xingbao below, his hands and feet flailing about, never still for a moment. The child's lively playfulness slightly eased the somber atmosphere that had been hanging over the house for days.