Courtyard House: Rebirth of a Shopkeeper in 1937

After everyone had taken their seats, the father reached out and took the still-playful Wei Bao, placing him steadily on his lap. He gently pressed the little guy down to calm him down, then looked up at his eldest brother and asked solemnly, "Yanbang, are you really determined to stay home and teach, instead of seeking a job in the county? Your mother and I are still healthy, and Guixiang and Xingbao are growing up and becoming more sensible. You don't need to worry about anything at home. Your future is the most important thing, so don't act impulsively."

His mother quickly chimed in softly, her eyes filled with regret and expectation: "Yes, Yanbang, you've studied so hard for so many years, your knowledge and vision far surpass those of ordinary people in the village. It would be such a waste if you were confined to this small village. Listen to your father, try to find a proper job in the county. Your future will be much brighter than if you stayed in the village."

Everyone knew that his elder brother staying in the village to run the school and oversee the base was a great thing for the Song family and the entire village. But Xingbao knew that this matter concerned his elder brother's future and destiny, and no one else had the right to interfere or influence his decision. He didn't try to persuade him or express his opinion. He just quietly looked up at his elder brother and waited for his answer.

Faced with his parents' earnest advice, the eldest brother remained calm and resolute, without the slightest hesitation, and slowly revealed his thoughts and considerations: "Father, Mother, my mind is made up. I only want to stay in our hometown to teach and nurture people. In these turbulent times, schools in various places are either forced to relocate and close down, or they are reducing their staff and stopping hiring teachers. There is no shortage of teachers outside, and there may not be suitable options. Staying at home to run a school is the safest option, as it allows me to fulfill my original intention and take care of my family nearby. In these chaotic times, with war raging everywhere, no one can predict what the situation will be like tomorrow. Perhaps one day the Japanese army will be approaching this place. If I go far away to make a living, once the situation collapses and the war spreads, my family will be separated by mountains and rivers, and I may never see them again."

He sighed softly, his gaze heavy, and voiced his deepest concern: "In these chaotic times, it's enough for Yan Guo to be the only one in the family to venture out and make a living. Everyone in the surrounding villages makes the same choice; no one dares to send their whole family away, risking unnecessary danger. Besides, Yan Guo will turn fourteen at the end of the year, and in a few years he'll be of legal age, which will coincide with the conscription age. If I also go out to make a living, there will be no one of the right age to take over the family in the future. If we are conscripted for military service, where one out of three men is selected or two out of five, will you force your father, at his age, to go to the battlefield again and fight to the death?" (Conscription age in the Republic of China was sixteen to forty-five years old)

As soon as the words were spoken, the entire hall fell into a deathly silence, the atmosphere instantly becoming somber. Although the village hadn't received any more cold, hard honors or funerals in the past two years, seemingly peaceful and free from war, everyone knew the rumors of battlefield casualties and the horrific conditions at the front. In chaotic times, there was no room for luck on the battlefield; of the village youths who went out to enlist, only two or three out of ten survived, and very few returned safely. This was a war with a slim chance of victory; what ordinary parent would willingly send their own flesh and blood to their death, risking their own life?

Seeing the oppressive and somber atmosphere in the room, filled with sorrow, the eldest brother quickly suppressed his own melancholy, forced a smile, and deliberately tried to ease the tension: "We were so busy talking about the difficulties ahead that we forgot about the important matter. I returned yesterday with my mind preoccupied with the future that I forgot to bring gifts for the family. Yan Guo specially bought some items for everyone and asked me to bring them back; I'll go get them now."

After saying this, the eldest brother got up and left quickly, leaving only the family of three sitting silently in the main room. As soon as the eldest brother stepped out of the main room, the mother couldn't help but redden her eyes. She quietly raised her hand to wipe away the moisture from the corner of her eyes, her voice choked with emotion and understanding. She whispered to her father, "Husband, Yanbang has already prepared for the worst."

Father's face was somber, but his tone was reassuringly calm as he whispered comfortingly, "Third Sister, don't panic. Our child will surely be safe and sound."

Xingbao observed his parents' expressions and conversation, and his mind suddenly cleared. From his father's calm yet resolute tone, he instantly understood his father's thoughts—if the Song family were ever to face conscription, his father had already silently prepared for the worst, to take his place and return to the battlefield. Nourished by the family's spiritual spring water and through daily martial arts practice, his father was tall and healthy, looking no more than thirty years old, showing no signs of age. In reality, however, his father would turn forty-four at the end of this year, and in two more years, he would be past the conscription age. He had done everything in his power to protect his family, but time waits for no one, and this burden of protection couldn't last much longer.

His heart was filled with mixed emotions, a bittersweet and heavy feeling. As a soul reborn with modern memories, Xingbao had always valued life and revered death, fearing more than anyone else the unpredictability of chaotic times and the ruthlessness of war. From creating safety ropes to avoid risks, to spending years cultivating stable and high-yield seeds, improving farm tools, and consolidating the foundation of food production, to studying medicine and practicing martial arts to acquire self-defense skills, all his plans and preparations along the way were ultimately for the purpose of having the ability to protect himself in chaotic times, to avoid danger and live in peace, and to safeguard the safety of his family.

But now, seeing his father and brothers quietly making their choices and preparations for going to the battlefield, Xingbao faced a life-or-death decision for the first time from the bottom of his heart, his emotions churning and difficult to calm. He couldn't help but ask himself, if he were in his elder brother's situation, knowing the dangers of the chaotic world, knowing that the battlefield was littered with bones and that survival was a matter of life and death, would he have the courage and responsibility to willingly give up his personal future, stay in his homeland, and protect his family with his own body?

He had never delved into such a cruel dilemma before, because he remembered the historical context and knew that before he grew up, the war would end and the Japanese invaders would eventually surrender. He would never have to face such a desperate situation of choosing between family and country, between life and death. But he knew better than anyone that these past four years were the most tragic and darkest period of hell for the land of Hunan. Years of war and continuous calamity had shattered countless families and displaced them. Countless young people in the prime of their lives had rushed to the front lines to protect their homeland and the peace of their loved ones, only to be buried in the wilderness and their blood staining the land.

In a brief moment, he couldn't arrive at a definite answer, only endless感慨 (gǎnkǎi, deep feelings) remained in his heart. His elder brother, seemingly left with no hope of further education and forced to stay in the countryside, had in reality made a resolute choice after much deliberation and weighing of the pros and cons, sacrificing his own future and stability to protect the safety and well-being of his entire family. Even though he couldn't fully empathize with this heavy burden at the moment, Xingbao knew that if faced with imminent danger, he would make the exact same choice as his brother. Every day, on the threshing ground outside the village, the upright figures of the village's youths and adults could be seen practicing martial arts. Their diligent training and physical conditioning were not idle; they were all forced by the chaos of the times. Deep in everyone's heart lay the same unwavering belief—that when the flames of war reached them, they could endure a moment longer on the perilous battlefield, gain a greater chance of survival, and fight with all their might to protect their homeland and prevent the Japanese invaders from trampling their villages and slaughtering their loved ones!