Courtyard House: Rebirth of a Shopkeeper in 1937

After all the medicinal herbs were packaged, Wei Bao immediately came forward, pointing with his little finger to the cleaned bamboo syringe beside him, his eyes full of anticipation, and asked in a low voice, "Brother Xing, do you still want to use this?"

"No need." Xingbao put down the porcelain bottle in his hand, turned to look at his eager little brother, and a gentle smile appeared on his lips. "Come on, let me teach you how to play."

Having said that, he picked up the bamboo syringe, removed the bamboo needle from the tip, and the device became a small water gun for children to play with. He led Wei Bao to the wooden basin filled with water, slowly demonstrating the actions of drawing in water, pressing, and spraying, gently instructing, "Wei Bao, be careful when playing in the water, don't get your clothes wet and catch a cold. Don't spray the water gun at people, and don't shoot it randomly at tables, chairs, or lights, remember?"

Wei Bao's eyes lit up, and he nodded his little head vigorously, replying in a clear voice, "Yes, Xing-ge, I remember! I know how to play now, can I play with it now?"

"Here you go. Play right here at the door. I'll bring you some water. Don't go too far. I'll take you to the main room when I'm done with my work."

"it is good."

After settling Wei Bao in, Xing Bao began to organize the day's harvest. He categorized the borneol, essential oil, and hydrosol into three grades: superior, medium, and inferior, writing labels on each and carefully affixing them to the individual bottles. The three batches of camphor leaves totaled a little over one hundred catties, but the final extracted borneol amounted to only one tael and nine mace, which, according to the old system of sixteen taels per catty, was less than two taels. Although the yield wasn't abundant, the conversion rate was close to one-thousandth and two-tenths, making it an extremely rare harvest in a chaotic world where medicinal materials were scarce.

Xingbao finished tidying up, carefully stacking the medicine bottles into the wooden box, thus completing the cleanup process before the stove. Only then did he blow out the dim, flickering oil lamp, and carrying the wooden box, he walked to the courtyard gate: "Weibao, I'm done with my work. Let's go see if Mom and Dad are done, so we can enjoy the moon and eat mooncakes."

Wei Bao stayed close to him, her little mouth pouting softly, "Brother Xing, I want to eat more grapes."

"Okay, I'll pick some for you in a bit."

Before leaving, the little guy made sure to fill his water gun with water. A bright moon steadily climbed to the distant mountain peak, its cool and gentle light pouring down, covering the bluestone courtyard. A cool evening breeze carried the faint fragrance of grass and trees. Xingbao hugged the wooden box containing medicine tightly in one hand and held Weibao's hand in the other, walking steadily towards the main room.

Inside the main room, the guests had just finished dinner, and Mother was preparing dinner for her own family. Guixiang was efficiently clearing the table, while her elder brother and father were busy pouring hot water and preparing toiletries for the guests, showing their attentiveness and thoughtfulness. Under the eaves outside, groups of guests gathered, chatting idly under the bright Mid-Autumn Festival moon, the night peaceful and serene.

As soon as he stepped into the main room, Wei Bao shook off Xing Bao's hand and rushed to Gui Xiang, holding up the bamboo water gun high: "Sister Xiang Xiang, Sister Xiang Xiang! Brother Xing made me a water gun, it's so much fun, look!" He held it straight, completely ignoring the water dripping down the barrel, running down his fingertips and into his sleeve, quietly soaking half of his sleeve.

Seeing this, Gui Xiang was both amused and annoyed. She quickly stopped what she was doing and gently scolded, "Oh dear, Xing Bao, why didn't you watch over me? Look, your clothes are all wet. It's easy to catch a cold in the cool night air. Put your hands down so the water doesn't get into your clothes. I'll play with you when I'm done."

Wei Bao obediently lowered his hand, but was still full of excitement, looking up at his little face and urging, "Sister Xiangxiang, hurry up, this water gun is so much fun!"

"Okay, okay." Gui Xiang was amused by his eager appearance and smiled gently. "We'll go to the backyard later and play while we eat mooncakes."

"Yes!" Wei Bao nodded vigorously, his eyes full of anticipation.

The table was laden with moon-themed treats: golden, soft mooncakes, sweet and juicy fruits, and osmanthus cakes given to them by the master's wife during the day. The aromas mingled, their sweetness lingering. A gentle evening breeze rustled the grape leaves, and the bright moon hung high overhead, its gentle light bathing the world in peace and tranquility.

The family sat around chatting, reminiscing about everyday life and the passing days. They talked in detail about the day's borneol harvest, discussing how to classify and store it according to grade and use it in medicine as needed, preserving this batch of valuable medicine for the chaotic times. They also chatted casually about the eligible girls in the village, and in their laughter, they considered finding a reliable marriage for the eldest brother. They thought of their second brother, who was working in the county town, and everyone spoke with concern, recounting the letters he had sent home and wondering about his well-being.

Under the moonlight, their conversation flowed softly and leisurely, while Gui Xiang and Wei Bao, playing nearby, were having a great time, shedding the busyness and restraint of the day. Wei Bao clutched his beloved bamboo water gun, filled it with cool well water, and the two siblings laughed and joked, secretly aiming the water gun at the obediently lying Snowball at their feet. The cool water splashed down, startling Snowball, who instantly arched its body, whimpering and darting around, jumping and dodging back and forth on the ground.

The courtyard instantly became lively as the siblings chased after the white dog, laughing and playing. Their clear laughter filled the quiet moonlit night, mingling with Xueqiu's whimpers, creating a particularly vivid and charming scene. Their mother, sitting to the side, watched with a mixture of amusement and exasperation, casually scolding them for their mischievousness and the splashing water all over the yard. She also repeatedly reminded them to slow down, worried that they might trip and fall or get chilled by the night air.

As the conversation settled, the topic turned to livelihoods in the fields and the village's prospects for the coming year. Xingbao had previously shared with his elder brother all the fragmented methods of soil identification and fertility improvement he had gleaned from television, online articles, and other sources in his previous life, instructing him to gradually explore and experiment. With the family gathered under the moonlight, they had some free time to earnestly discuss appropriate methods for improving soil fertility and increasing yields and income. They meticulously planned the promotion of superior rice varieties among the villages next year and calmly analyzed the pros and cons of the current land tax collection system. In their casual conversation, they inevitably touched upon the ongoing turmoil of war in the distance. In this chaotic world, people were restless, yet each harbored a heavy hope: that the war would end soon, the land would be at peace, and their villages and neighborhoods would enjoy lasting peace and prosperity.

The moon rose higher, hanging quietly in the mid-sky, its clear light growing ever more gentle and serene. Wei Bao, already exhausted from playing, gradually slumped down, his beloved bamboo water gun resting quietly on the table. He curled up softly in his father's arms, his eyelids drooping, listless, his body radiating the weariness of a child's play, yet still lingering in the warm moonlight surrounding his family, quietly nestled together, savoring this rare moment of peace and reunion in this chaotic world.