Courtyard House: Rebirth of a Shopkeeper in 1937

Before the group even got close, still several houses away, Wei Bao on the donkey's back couldn't contain his excitement. He stretched his little head and shouted, "Grandma, Grandma! We've come to bring you mooncakes!" The little guy's voice was clear and loud, deliberately raised to the highest pitch, full of pride, as if afraid that his grandma wouldn't see him riding a donkey to her door today.

Wei Bao kept swaying forward and twisting from side to side. Gui Xiang, sitting behind him, had no choice but to hold him tightly around the waist with both arms, not daring to relax for even a moment, for fear that this smug little guy would lose his balance and fall off the donkey's back.

Seeing this, Xingbao quickly pulled Heitan to a stop, stepped forward, and steadily reached out to hug Weibao, carefully lowering him off the donkey's back. The little guy, his feet barely touching the ground, couldn't wait a moment longer and ran to his grandmother, hugging her legs tightly, looking up at her with his innocent face and sweetly pleading, "Grandma, I missed you so much!"

Grandma looked down at her clingy, well-behaved grandson, her eyes instantly filling with tenderness. She reached out and gently ruffled his hair, teasing him with a smile, "You naughty little monkey! There's been so much going on in the village these days, I've kept you cooped up at home, not letting you run around. You must be feeling really bored, right? Since you're here today, be a good boy and have dinner at Grandma's before you go back. Grandma will make you something delicious to satisfy your cravings."

Upon hearing this, Wei Bao quickly shook his head and replied earnestly, "Grandma, I still need to give Master a gift later."

As they spoke, Xingbao and Guixiang had already finished packing the gifts on the donkey's back. One carried sweet Mid-Autumn Festival mooncakes, and the other carried a plump hen. They walked slowly forward side by side. Xingbao looked at his grandmother's loving face and explained their purpose in a gentle voice: "Grandma, we have things to do at home today. After delivering the gifts to you, we need to rush to Master's house to pay our respects. Once everything is done, we'll go straight home. Weibao is lively and mischievous. Everyone at home is busy picking herbs and looking after the shop today, so no one is paying attention to him. We were thinking that when we come back from Master's, we might as well leave him here with you for half a day. This way, he can keep you company and also prevent him from running around and causing trouble."

When Wei Bao heard that he could have lunch at his grandmother's house, his eyes lit up instantly. He immediately let go of his grandmother's legs, turned around and snatched the hen from Xing Bao's arms. With a pout and all his might, he laboriously handed it to his grandmother, calling out in a clear voice, "Grandma, I want to eat chicken!"

Grandma was softened by the little guy's greedy and adorable appearance. She smiled and reached out to take the heavy bag of chicken, and couldn't help but exclaim, "Alright, alright, Grandma will make it for you right away. I guarantee it will be delicious. Speaking of which, the chickens your dad picks are the best. The meat is the plumpest and most tender. Your sister Shanshan ate one when she was in confinement after giving birth, and ever since then, her whole family has been thinking about it every year. They've been asking around Yongfeng for over a year, but they've never found such a good quality free-range chicken again."

Upon hearing this, Xingbao's heart tightened, and he became secretly alert. All the chickens in the house were taken from his spatial storage, always disguised as purchases from Yongfeng. It was only today, with his grandmother's casual remark, that he suddenly realized the flaw. Good things from Yongfeng were already scarce, and such plump, high-quality chickens were even rarer. Frequently using the excuse of buying from Yongfeng would inevitably arouse suspicion and lead to eventual exposure. It seemed he couldn't continue vaguely claiming they were bought from Yongfeng; he had to change his story and say he'd picked them up casually from street vendors. However, this excuse wasn't entirely foolproof; repeated use would surely expose him under questioning. He silently noted this down, planning to discuss it thoroughly with his father later to devise a more foolproof and airtight explanation, completely avoiding any potential problems.

With his thoughts settled in an instant, Xingbao maintained a calm expression and gently replied, "Grandma, I'll ask Dad later to see where he bought the chicken this time."

Grandma quickly waved her hand, interrupting with a smile, "No need for that trouble. Such fine free-range chickens are rare to begin with. Whenever they appear on the market, they're snapped up in no time. There aren't that many opportunities to get them. Your father was just lucky to be able to buy them."

At this moment, Gui Xiang carried the mooncakes she had brought into the house and put them away. She then turned around and came out, casually picking up the conversation: "Grandma, I heard from Mom that Sister Shan Shan is pregnant again. Maybe she'll have a little niece this time."

Grandma's eyes softened as she slowly replied, "It's still early in the pregnancy, so we can't tell the gender yet. Your sister Shanshan already has a son, and both children are a blessing. We'll be happy with this baby, regardless of whether it's a boy or a girl."

My aunt, who was sitting nearby winding yarn, continued working with her hands and chimed in with a smile, "If you ask me, boys are better. In the future, two brothers can help and support each other, and the family will have two more people to help, making life more stable."

Xingbao was about to chat with his grandmother a little longer when Weibao, who was beside him, couldn't contain himself any longer. He was preoccupied with the chicken his grandmother had promised. Weibao clutched Xingbao's clothes tightly, gently shaking him and urging him with his little face upturned, "Brother Xing, Brother Xing, hurry up and put me on the donkey! Let's go to Master's house soon and come back soon. I want to eat Grandma's chicken!"

The little guy looked impatient, straightforward and adorable. Xingbao's expression stiffened slightly, then he smiled helplessly and turned to apologize to his grandmother and aunt, saying, "Grandma, Aunt, we won't stay inside any longer. We'll come back and chat with you properly when we get back from Master's house."

Seeing his anxious look, Grandma smiled and waved her hands in agreement, "Alright, alright, you two drive carefully. Keep a close eye on Wei Bao, and don't let him run around playing. Be careful on the way. We won't keep you any longer. Your aunt and I will kill a chicken and prepare it right away, so you can have a hot meal when you get back."

Gui Xiang nimbly climbed onto the donkey's back and settled herself in. Xing Bao then reached out and carefully lifted Wei Bao onto the donkey's back, placing him in front of Gui Xiang. Once everything was settled, he raised his hand and gently waved goodbye to the two of them, saying softly, "Grandma, Aunt, we'll take our leave now!"

Gui Xiang and Wei Bao, riding on the donkey, turned around at the same time, waving their little hands obediently and saying goodbye in unison. Xing Bao tightened his grip on the reins, gently leading Hei Tan, and slowly set off towards his master's house.