Courtyard House: Rebirth of a Shopkeeper in 1937

After the Mid-Autumn Festival, on the day of the waning crescent moon, Xingbao and Guixiang finally celebrated their long-awaited birthday. Just as dawn was breaking, before the morning light pierced the windowpane, Guixiang's soft little feet darted to the wardrobe. She tiptoed and laboriously pulled down her treasured little red dress. The fabric was leftover from when her sister Shanshan made her wedding dress; seeing how much Guixiang loved it, she gave it all to her. Her mother added some plain fabric to patch it up, carefully sewing it into a dress embroidered with tiny flowers, and trimmed the collar and cuffs with light pink lace—it was exquisitely beautiful. Today was her and Xingbao's birthday, and she insisted on wearing this "most beautiful dress." She twirled several times in front of Xingbao, the red dress swaying gently with her movements, like a dancing little flame: "Xingbao, look, I'm wearing a red dress! Isn't it pretty?"

Her little red blouse shone brightly in the morning light, making her cheeks rosy like ripe apples. "Beautiful!" Xingbao exclaimed, his eyes crinkling with laughter. Guixiang immediately puffed out her chest proudly, grabbed his hand, and dragged him towards the main room: "Quick, Mother must be boiling red eggs!"

Sure enough, steam was rising from the pot on the stove, and Mother was wiping her red-stained hands with a cloth. Seeing the two children run in, she smiled and waved, "Come and sit down, the eggs are freshly boiled and we're about to peel them." Xingbao and Guixiang quickly sat down at the table, their little legs dangling in the air, their eyes fixed on the small bamboo sieve in Mother's hand—it contained about a dozen bright red eggs, their shells still damp with warm moisture, soaked in red yeast rice, exuding a strong festive atmosphere.

"Mom, I want to peel them myself!" Guixiang eagerly stretched out her little hand. Her mother quickly pressed her hand down and gently instructed, "Slow down, the freshly boiled eggs are very hot. Mom will peel two for you first, and the brothers can do the rest themselves." As she spoke, her mother picked up a red egg, gently tapped it on the edge of the table, and fine cracks appeared in the shell. She then used her fingers to peel away the cracks little by little, revealing the white and tender egg white inside, and steam slowly rose from the cracks in the shell.

Gui Xiang leaned over the table, her nose almost touching the eggs, her little mouth constantly murmuring, "Mom, hurry up! I can't wait!"

First, her mother handed Guixiang a peeled red egg, then picked up another and gave it to Xingbao: "Be careful, it's hot. Blow on it before you eat." Guixiang took the egg, brought it to her lips, and blew on it several times before carefully taking a small bite. The rich aroma of the yolk instantly filled her mouth. She squinted her eyes, her eyebrows curving into a smile: "So delicious! Even better than what my brothers ate last time!"

Just then, the eldest and second eldest brothers entered the main room. Seeing the red eggs on the table, they joked with a smile, "Oh, our little birthday star is eating eggs! You'd better save two for us!" Mother smiled and picked up the remaining red eggs, "You won't be left out. Today, everyone will benefit from Xingbao and Guixiang's good fortune. Each of you will get a red egg, wishing for peace and good luck year after year!" The room was filled with laughter and joy. Xingbao slowly bit into his egg, looking at Guixiang's red clothes and the bright red eggs on the table. His heart was filled with sweetness and warmth, a feeling of pure happiness.

As soon as they entered the classroom, everyone's attention was drawn to Gui Xiang's red dress. Xiao Hua, sitting next to Gui Xiang, especially, stared at her with envy. The students in the front rows could barely concentrate, but those in the back three rows were practically glued to the shimmering red dress, their attention constantly being diverted—even the teacher was no exception. Xing Bao noticed the teacher seemed about to say something several times, but finally turned away and forced himself to continue lecturing.

Finally, noon arrived, and the eldest brother announced the end of school. Xingbao and Guixiang rushed out of the classroom and ran from the backyard to the main room. As soon as they stepped out of the doorway, they saw their master and father sitting at the octagonal table talking. On the table were half a plate of roasted melon seeds and a pot of steaming coarse tea.

Xingbao's eyes lit up, and he was about to pull Guixiang over, but she shook him off first. Guixiang, like a leaping flame, rushed straight to her master, her rosy cheeks upturned, and called out in a clear voice, "Master! You've finally come!" After calling out, she seemed to suddenly remember something and quickly bowed slightly. Xingbao followed behind, bowing respectfully as well, "Master, thank you for coming to celebrate our birthday!" His eyes were full of joy.

The master put down his teacup, gently patted Xingbao's head, and smiled at the siblings: "Oh, how could I not come to celebrate my disciples' birthdays?"

At this moment, the eldest brother brought over a basin of warm water and wrung out a washcloth for Master to wash his hands. Xingbao and Guixiang also ran to the kitchen to wash up, where Grandma, Mother, and Sister Shanshan were all busy. The two exchanged a few warm words with Grandma, and after washing up, they were sent to keep Master company.

The dishes from the birthday banquet had just been cleared away, and the room was still filled with the aroma of stewed meat and the sweet fragrance of rice wine. Everyone gathered around the kang table, drinking several rounds of hot tea with their master, eating half a plate of fried peanuts, and chatting about everyday matters. Only then did their master raise his hand and beckon to Xingbao and Guixiang.

"Xingbao, Guixiang." The master's voice was deep and resolute, tinged with solemnity. "A while ago, I had you two study medical books on your own, offering only occasional guidance. I wanted to gauge your character first." He paused, his gaze sweeping over the two children's straight backs, and continued, "Last time your uncle came, he gave you a copy of 'Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Pieces of Gold' handwritten by our great-grandfather—it represents his life's work, and he saw that you two were promising candidates for medicine. From today onward, I will formally teach you traditional Chinese medicine."

Xingbao and Guixiang exchanged a glance, their breaths hot against each other's skin. They quickly leaned forward, their ears perked up, afraid of missing a single word. Seeing their focused expressions, their master smiled and slowly began, "For the first lesson, we won't discuss herbal formulas or pulse diagnosis and acupoints. We'll focus on the first volume of *Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Pieces of Gold*, specifically the section on 'The Great Physician's Sincerity.' Remember this article; it is the foundation of your future medical practice and conduct, more precious than any prescription."

He picked up his teacup and took a sip, the warm steam blurring his features: "The Great Physician's Sincerity is about medical ethics, and its core boils down to two things. The first is 'precision.' The medical profession is the most meticulous and delicate job in the world, and there is no room for carelessness. Those who study medicine must read extensively in medical books, thoroughly understand the origins of medical principles, and, with a lifetime of diligence, be able to develop superb medical skills."

"The second is 'sincerity'." The master's voice deepened, and his eyes became exceptionally serious. "A doctor must have the heart of a Bodhisattva. When you see a patient suffering, you must feel their pain as if it were your own; you must have a heart full of great compassion and vow to relieve the suffering of all people. You must never rely on your skills to show off, flaunt your abilities, or seek fame and fortune; and you must never use the pretext of practicing medicine to extort money from the people."

Master's words struck Xingbao's heart like drumsticks, making his heart burn and leaving him unable to calm down for a long time.

By the time they saw their master off, night had already fallen over the courtyard walls, enveloping the entire courtyard in tranquility. Gui Xiang was still inside, fiddling with the gifts she had received, while Xing Bao stood in the courtyard with his hands tucked in, not moving for a long time. The evening breeze carried a slight chill, making his mind even clearer; the words from "The Great Physician's Sincerity" still echoed in his ears.

He suddenly began to ponder: Traditional Chinese medicine has the "Great Physician's Sincerity" as its rules and standards, so what about other professions? Blacksmiths, weavers, and house builders must all have their own methods and standards, right? Especially the Imperial Household Department under the capital city, I heard that every stitch, every brick and tile in the palace is made to an extreme standard, so how strict must the craftsmanship behind it be?

This is the legacy our ancestors have passed down for thousands of years! Even if it hasn't been systematically integrated into a philosophy, it's still gold buried in the ground. Compared to visible wealth, these are the truly priceless treasures that can be passed down through generations!

But then he thought about it again, and Xingbao felt as if a huge rock was pressing down on his chest, making him ache. All these good things, of all things, were robbed by the Japanese in this war. No wonder they were able to rise so quickly after their defeat in World War II—it wasn't because they had any real ability; they simply chewed up our ancestors' legacy, repackaged it, and made it theirs!

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, his fists clenching so tightly they cracked. He used to foolishly admire the Japanese craftsmanship and precision manufacturing techniques; now, it all seemed like a complete joke! What kind of precision concepts did a country that couldn't even make a decent Nambu pistol have? Those skills were clearly stolen from the Qing Dynasty's Imperial Household Department—Traditional Chinese Medicine was the best proof! Since the Sui and Tang Dynasties, they'd been eyeing our valuable things, secretly learning them for over a thousand years. This time, they'd probably emptied their coffers—a bunch of gluttonous robbers!

The evening breeze grew increasingly chilly, but Xingbao's heart burned with warmth. He looked up at the dark night sky, and a thought suddenly flashed through his mind: in his previous life, working in a factory, he had witnessed many advanced management methods and technologies, and also understood some knowledge of quality management systems. Given these advantages, could he use what he had seen and learned to do something for the country?

He began to seriously consider: if we could guide the country to establish a sound quality management system and formulate strict standards earlier, our country's industrial production level would definitely improve significantly. Not only would it save costs, but it would also avoid many detours. At that time, we would be able to produce better and more sophisticated products than Japan, and we would no longer have to put up with their mistreatment. We would let them know that thieves can only ever follow behind their masters and can only steal outdated things.

Once the idea took root, it quickly sprouted and grew in his heart. His clenched fist slowly loosened, but his eyes grew even more determined. He knew that with the limited knowledge he had gained in his previous life, achieving this goal would be no easy task; he would inevitably encounter countless difficulties and challenges, but he would never back down. For the sake of a strong nation, and to prevent being bullied by outsiders again, even if he could only make a tiny, insignificant effort, he felt it was all worthwhile.

In the darkness of night, Xingbao seemed to already see the future prosperity of the nation. His heart was filled with hope and strength, and this realization on his birthday became the most solemn promise in his heart.