Courtyard House: Rebirth of a Shopkeeper in 1937

The next three days passed peacefully yet fulfilling. During the day, Dad led Captain Li and the young men of the wolf-hunting team in drills on the threshing ground, the sounds of fists and shouts rising and falling. Eldest brother was busy teaching the village children, occasionally taking time to help Dad build a bridge, and taking out paper and pen to draw detailed blueprints of the wooden bridge. Xingbao, without fail, followed his second brother to water the vegetable garden every day, secretly adding spiritual spring water to the water tank, tea barrel, and teapot when no one was looking. He also secretly gave the five bottles of herbal spiritual spring water that had been previously divided to Dad, asking him to distribute them to the family to improve their health.

Even in peaceful days, worries about distant places lingered. News of fighting with the Japanese in the north spread like wildfire throughout the village, carried by some passing merchant. Grandpa and Grandma, upon hearing the news, were so anxious they didn't even eat. They grabbed their baskets and rushed to the kitchen. On the way, they met Uncle Youcai, and the three of them came together. As soon as they entered, Grandma grabbed Mom's hand and asked, "I heard there's fighting in the north? How's it going? Have our people suffered any losses?"

Seeing their faces flushed with anxiety, Mother quickly pulled Grandpa and Grandma down to sit, poured them some hot tea, and comforted them with a smile, "Uncle, Aunt, don't worry. I heard from Brother Qianjin that we won this time! We drove back many of the Japanese devils and didn't suffer any major losses." Grandpa slowly loosened his grip on the teacup and let out a long sigh of relief, "It's good that we won, it's good that we won..." Uncle Youcai nodded in agreement, the anxiety on his face gradually fading.

These past few days, whenever my grandparents and Uncle Youcai have free time, they come to the kitchen to sit for a while. Sometimes they help my mother pick vegetables and feed the chickens, and sometimes they just sit at the door and listen to passersby chatting about what's going on outside. Occasionally, when they hear a few words of reassurance, they will show a relieved smile.

At dawn, just as the sky was beginning to lighten and the morning mist hadn't completely dissipated, Xingbao followed his second brother, carrying buckets of water, to the vegetable garden. They chatted idly as they watered the vegetables. His second brother was still grumbling about the mistakes Captain Li had made practicing Bajiquan yesterday: "He didn't even use the right force in his punches. If he really encountered a wolf, how could he possibly win?" Xingbao verbally agreed, but his mind secretly wandered into his spatial dimension—what he was most concerned about was the rice seedlings he had planted three days ago, wanting to see how they were growing.

Upon entering the space, Xingbao was astonished by the sight before him: the rice seedlings, which had just been transplanted and were still somewhat tender, had now sprouted new leaves, spreading out in a lush green expanse, growing exceptionally well and already in the late tillering stage. A thought struck him. According to the agricultural knowledge he had heard in his previous life, this stage should be for drying the field to control excessive growth. However, the fields in this space were special, and drying the field would probably not be very effective. The only way to make the seedlings grow stronger was to adjust the water depth and implement precise water management.

What surprised him even more was that the grapevine in the corner was laden with bright red grapes, each one plump and round, like a string of translucent rubies. They were more than twice the size of the grapes grown by Uncle Lü in the village, and they gleamed enticingly in the dim light of the room, with a faint fruity fragrance in the air.

Xingbao couldn't resist moving closer to the grapevine, carefully picking one and putting it in his mouth—the paper-thin skin broke with the slightest touch, and the sweet juice instantly spread across his tongue, carrying a refreshing fruity aroma, sweet but not cloying, incredibly refreshing. He smacked his lips, resisting the urge to eat another one—now wasn't the time to be greedy; he had to harvest the ripe crops first.

He composed himself and glanced at the other crops in the space: the bean trellis was laden with emerald green long beans, one after another, their heavy weight bending the vines; several tender yellow loofahs had also formed on the loofah vines, their uniform size and fine fuzzy skin making them look incredibly fresh. These crops were all at their peak harvest time; if left any longer, they would likely become too old and taste inferior.

Xingbao no longer hesitated. He concentrated his mind and gently guided the ripe grapes, beans, and loofahs. The crops fell from the vines and piled neatly on the ground. He then used his mind to sort the crops: the grapes were put into a bamboo basket, the beans and loofahs were placed in cloth bags, and all of them were moved into the thatched hut in the center—the interior of the thatched hut was a place where time stood still, so things would not spoil, making it perfect for storing the harvested crops.

After doing all this, Xingbao reluctantly left the space, the sweet taste of grapes still lingering on his lips, his heart filled with the joy of a bountiful harvest.

"Xingbao, what are you daydreaming about? Hurry up and water the vegetables! If you dawdle any longer, the sun will be shining right in!" His second brother's voice came from the side. Xingbao snapped out of his reverie and quickly replied, "Coming, coming!" He picked up the water ladle and helped his second brother water the vegetable garden, but in his heart he was secretly planning: when watering later, when his second brother wasn't paying attention, he would pretend to pick some green beans and loofah from the garden, so that when he gave them to his mother to cook, it wouldn't arouse suspicion; as for the grapes, he would have to wait until the whole family was together in the evening to share them separately, and he couldn't let outsiders know the secret of the space.

And so, the two of them slowly watered the vegetable garden, while Xingbao kept his eyes fixed on his second brother's every move—whenever his brother turned to fetch a bucket of water or bent down to water the vegetables in the distance, he would quickly use his mind to retrieve a few green beans or a loofah from his spatial storage and secretly hold them in his hand. His second brother also picked some green beans from the garden, but the difference was immediately apparent when the two of them compared their crops: Xingbao's green beans were thick and straight, their color so bright it looked like they were about to drip with green juice; the loofah was also plump and round, with no wormholes on its skin; while what his second brother picked were naturally grown in the garden, smaller in size and with a slightly crooked curve.

After watering the last vegetable patch, as the second brother was putting away the buckets, he noticed the vegetables Xingbao was holding and couldn't help but frown, asking, "Xingbao, where did you get those green beans and loofahs? The green beans in our patch aren't nearly that big!"

Xingbao's heart skipped a beat, but he forced a calm expression, scratched his head, and said, "Second brother, I picked them right there in the field! Didn't you see me just now? I specifically picked the best-looking and strongest ones; they're definitely tastier than what you picked! I'll take them to Mom to make breakfast!" As he spoke, afraid his second brother would ask more questions, he grabbed the beans and loofah and ran home, his second brother's questioning voice echoing behind him: "I didn't see them just now..." Xingbao pretended not to hear and ran even faster—thankfully, he was quick enough to avoid being exposed!

Before even rushing into the kitchen, Xingbao shouted at the top of his lungs, "Mom, Mom! The green beans and loofahs I picked today are so good, big and fresh! Let's stir-fry these for breakfast! Don't give them to the guests, we'll keep them for ourselves to enjoy!"

In the kitchen, Mother was chopping sweet potatoes, preparing to cook sweet potato porridge. Hearing Xingbao's voice, she looked up and her gaze fell on the vegetables in his hands. She immediately stopped what she was doing, put down the knife, and came over. She picked up a green bean and touched the loofah, marveling, "Oh my, when did our vegetable garden grow such good vegetables? These green beans are so thick and tender, and the loofah doesn't have a single wormhole. They look delicious! Here, put them in this bowl first. I'll start cooking the porridge and then stir-fry them for you."

As soon as Xingbao put the vegetables into the bowl, Guixiang skipped over and squatted down by the bowl, curiously examining the green beans and loofah, her little head close to their sides. But after only a few seconds, her little nose twitched slightly, and she suddenly stood up, circled around Xingbao, and occasionally sniffed his clothes.

Xingbao's heart skipped a beat—Oh no! He'd eaten grapes in the space, so he must have smelled them on him. Guixiang's nose was always sharp; she'd caught it! He was about to make an excuse to get up and leave when Guixiang reached out and grabbed his shirt, bringing her hand close to his collar to sniff. Her eyes lit up instantly: "Xingbao, you ate grapes!"

Before Xingbao could deny it, Guixiang said confidently, "This smells even better than the grapes Uncle Lü gave us last time! Do you have any more? You must have hidden them. Hurry up and let me taste them!" As she spoke, her little hand reached into Xingbao's pocket, making him retreat hastily. He inwardly groaned: This little girl's nose is too sharp! He can't hide it now; he needs to come up with a plausible explanation! He glanced outside the yard and saw that his second brother hadn't returned from the vegetable garden yet. His eyes darted around, and he quickly coaxed, "Sister, let go first, I'll go get it for you. It's hidden a bit far; you're holding my hand and I can't walk!"

When Gui Xiang heard that Xing Bao was willing to go get it, she let go of his hand, but followed closely behind like a little tail, muttering, "Don't run away, or I'll tell Mom!" Xing Bao hurriedly ran to the backyard, quickly figuring out how to use the basket on his back as cover—the basket of firewood next to the side gate could just block Gui Xiang's view.

Reaching the basket, Xingbao stopped, deliberately blocking Guixiang's view. He pretended to rummage through the basket, but secretly used his mind to retrieve two bunches of grapes from his spatial storage—one of which was the same bunch he had eaten earlier, plump and full, the other also fresh and juicy. He quickly put the grapes into the basket, gently tilted it over, and pretended to climb inside to "find something," casually picking up the grapes.

Just then, Gui Xiang came running up, panting. As soon as she saw the grapes in the basket, she exclaimed, "Xing Bao, you really hid the grapes here!"

Xingbao smiled and brought out two bunches of grapes. The morning light shone through the leaves in the corner of the yard, illuminating the grapes. Each grape glistened like tiny gems, looking even more tempting than when they had been seen in the space. Guixiang stared, her eyes wide open, her little mouth agape for a long time.

"Where did these grapes come from?" A voice suddenly came from behind. Xingbao and Guixiang turned around at the same time and saw their second brother carrying a bucket (filled with freshly picked vegetables) coming in through the back door. His eyes fell on the grapes in Xingbao's hand, and he looked puzzled. The grapes in their house had only been planted for a few days and were not even three feet tall. Only Uncle Lü's family in the village had a vine, and the grapes there were not this big or this red.

Xingbao's heart tightened, but he continued with the story he had prepared: "Second Brother, I just came back from the vegetable garden. When I got to the door, I heard someone knocking. I didn't dare open it, but asked him through the door what he wanted. It turned out he was asking for directions. He was going to the village on Pig Mountain but had taken a wrong turn. I explained the way to him, and to thank me, he left two bunches of grapes at the door, saying they were from his own garden. I waited until he was far away before opening the door to bring the grapes in. At the time, I was also carrying freshly picked green beans and loofahs, so I put the grapes in my basket first."

He held up the bunch of grapes that was missing one and added in a low voice, "I only ate one to taste it, I really didn't eat any more! Sister, I didn't hide it, I just put it in the basket temporarily because I was afraid the chickens in the yard would peck at it and ruin it. Don't wrong me." After saying that, he pouted slightly, pretending to be wronged, but secretly he was giving himself a thumbs up: This story is so well-made, it should be able to fool everyone!

Gui Xiang, whose mind was already filled with grapes, immediately believed Xing Bao's words. She leaned forward, staring at the grapes, and muttered softly, "Alright then, I won't wrong you anymore. Let's eat them quickly!" The second brother frowned and thought for a moment, but couldn't find any flaws—after all, outsiders occasionally passed through the village asking for directions, and it was reasonable to give them something as a token of gratitude. So he nodded, "I see. Then quickly take them inside and show them to Mother. Wash them clean and we'll all eat them together."

Gui Xiang snatched a bunch of grapes, held them tightly in both hands, and turned to walk towards the kitchen. As she walked, she kept sniffing the grapes and muttering to herself, "So fragrant, so delicious, much more fragrant than last time!" The grapes had a unique and rich aroma, and even Brother Ding, who was passing by, couldn't help but turn around and take a look.

When Xingbao and his second brother carried another bunch of grapes into the kitchen, their mother was standing around Guixiang, looking at the grapes in her hand with a surprised expression: "Where did these grapes come from? They're so big and so red, they look so rare!" The second brother quickly recounted the story Xingbao had made up—"A passerby asked for directions and gave me grapes"—and their mother suddenly understood, smiling as she said, "Oh, I see. You're a thoughtful person." She turned around, took a small bamboo basket from the cupboard, lined it with a clean coarse cloth, put the bunch of grapes in Guixiang's hand inside, covered it, and handed it to the second brother: "Take this bunch to Grandma's house, let her have some fresh grapes too."

After her second brother left, Mother put the remaining grapes into an enamel basin, poured in some water, and gently rinsed them clean. The water droplets clung to the grapes, making them appear even more translucent. She first gave a small bunch to Ding-ge, Xing-bao, and Gui-xiang, then picked one up and popped it into her mouth—the moment she bit into it, the sweet juice burst forth, carrying a refreshing fruity aroma. Mother couldn't help but exclaim, "Oh my, these grapes are so sweet! Even better than the ones sold in the city!" Gui-xiang also took a bite, her little face full of surprise, and mumbled, "Sweet! So sweet!"

The two exclamations startled the eldest brother, who was drawing a plan for a wooden bridge inside the room. He put down his pen and ran out, asking in confusion, "What's so delicious?" His mother smiled and handed him a few grapes. After tasting them, the eldest brother's eyes lit up: "They really are delicious, much better than Uncle Lü's!" The family gathered around the bowl of grapes, one after another, and soon ate most of them. In the end, they left only two small bunches for their father, who was still practicing on the threshing floor.

As Xingbao ate the grapes, his heart sank. This time, his fabricated story of a "gift from a stranger" might have gotten away with it, but what about the crops in his space? He couldn't keep making up stories every time they ripened. There weren't that many "strangers" giving him things; it would inevitably arouse suspicion over time. Besides, there were so many ripe crops in his space—clearly good things—but he had to hide them away, unable to even enjoy them to his heart's content. Thinking of this, Xingbao felt a pang of bitterness, not even noticing Guixiang quietly picking a few grapes from his hand.

Seeing his absent-minded look and noticing Gui Xiang secretly "stealing" grapes, his mother and older brother couldn't help but laugh. His mother ruffled Xingbao's hair: "This child, you're eating grapes with a frown, like someone owes you something." Xingbao forced a smile and didn't dare to say anything more.

When it was time for breakfast, Mother stir-fried dishes made with green beans and loofah grown in the space. The bright green beans were crisp and refreshing, and the loofah was soft, smooth, and sweet. Upon seeing this, his eldest and second eldest brothers couldn't help but praise it. However, Xingbao didn't have much of an appetite. He just silently ate his rice, repeatedly pondering how to reasonably take out the products from the space while also concealing its secrets. He was caught in this dilemma all morning, barely absorbing anything from his eldest brother's lecture.