Courtyard House: Time Traveler Not Yet a Ghost

At 9:00 a.m. the next day, two police officers in dark blue uniforms appeared on time at the door of the Peninsula Hotel's presidential suite.

They were people Lawrence had specifically contacted and taken care of; their attitude was extremely polite, completely unlike the stern and arrogant image of police officers that most people have of them. The leader was an inspector surnamed Chen, in his forties, slightly overweight, with a friendly smile on his face. He was fluent in Cantonese and English, and could also speak a few words of Mandarin, although his accent was a bit heavy, but communication was not a problem.

"Mr. Ho, hello, this is Inspector Chan Hon-keung from Wan Chai Police Station." Inspector Chan bowed slightly and extended his hand. "Attorney Lawrence has already spoken with us. We're here today to process identity documents for you and your family. We'll need to take photos and fill out some basic information. It will take about an hour, so it won't take up too much of your time."

He Damin nodded and stepped aside to let them in.

In the living room, all seven members of the He family were already up, washed, and sitting on the sofa waiting. He Yushui's braids, newly styled by Chen Xueru that morning, were neatly combed and tied with a pretty bow. He Yuzhu had changed into a clean Zhongshan suit, his hair meticulously combed, making him look very energetic. He Daqing and Qin Huairu, holding Yuliang, still looked somewhat nervous, but tried their best to remain calm, standing straight.

The two officers brought by Inspector Chen were divided into two groups: one was responsible for taking photos, carrying a small wooden camera, and the other was responsible for recording and verifying information, carrying forms and a pen. They were skilled and friendly, and when taking photos, they even reminded He Yushui, "Little girl, smile and look at the camera. That's right, you're so good."

He Yushui grinned at the camera, revealing two front teeth that had recently fallen out. Her appearance was somewhat comical, which made everyone laugh and eased the tense atmosphere considerably.

With a "click," the shutter was pressed, forever capturing her innocence and joy at that moment.

Taking photos, registering names, dates of birth, and places of origin... an hour passed quickly. The information for He Damin's family was successfully recorded.

After completing the last form, Inspector Chen put away the documents, folded them neatly, and placed them in his briefcase. He said to Mr. Ho, "Mr. Ho, all the formalities are complete. The documents will take about a week to be produced. Once they are ready, I will personally send someone to deliver them to your residence, so you won't have to make another trip."

"Thank you for your trouble, Inspector Chen," He Damin said politely.

"No trouble at all, Mr. Ho, it's our pleasure." Inspector Chen paused, then added with a smile, "Mr. Ho, welcome to settle in Hong Kong. This city is very vibrant and offers many opportunities; you'll like it here."

He Damin nodded slightly to express his gratitude.

After the two police officers left, the living room was quiet for a moment.

He Yushui suddenly jumped off the sofa, ran to He Damin, and looked up at him with her little face, asking, "Uncle, are we considered Hong Kong people now?"

Looking into her expectant eyes, He Damin squatted down and patted her head: "Once you get that ID card, you'll be a legal resident of Hong Kong."

He Yushui lowered her head and thought for a moment, then raised her head and said very seriously, "Then from now on, I'll be He Yushui of Hong Kong!"

He Yuzhu couldn't help but laugh, "Your name is He Yushui, it's always been that."

He Daqing and Qin Huairu were amused by the child's earnestness, and the tension and unease on their faces dissipated considerably. Even Chen Xueru smiled slightly.

He Damin didn't say anything, but reached out and gently patted He Yushui's head with a tender look in his eyes.

In the afternoon, Lawrence came again.

This time he brought more documents and items—the detailed registration information of Spark Technology Company in Hong Kong, the company's articles of association, the opening certificate and initial deposit certificate of HSBC Bank, and the key and detailed address of the villa on Victoria Peak.

"Mr. He, the house has been prepared as you instructed." Lawrence placed a heavy bunch of keys on the coffee table. "The furniture and appliances inside are all ready-made and in excellent condition. You can move in immediately. If you are not satisfied with any of the furniture or decorations, you can gradually replace them. I can help you contact a furniture company."

He Damin picked up the bunch of keys, looked at them, and saw a small metal tag with the house number engraved on it.

"I'm moving there tomorrow," he said. No matter how nice a hotel is, it's never home.

Lawrence nodded and took out a printed sheet of paper from his briefcase, which contained some school introductions.

"There's one more thing. I've compiled the information for the schools you asked me to contact." He handed the paper to Chen Xueru. "These are some of the best primary schools in Hong Kong right now, some public and some private, offering both Chinese and English instruction, and all with excellent teaching quality and reputation. Please take a look and see which one suits you best, and I can help you with the enrollment arrangements."

Chen Xueru took it and carefully looked at the list of schools and their introductions. Although some of it was in English, she could understand the general idea.

"Yushui will be in third grade next year," she said as she looked around. "We need to find a school with good teaching quality and a safe environment."

He Yushui curiously leaned over, resting her little head on Chen Xueru's shoulder, looking at the paper with curiosity, but most of it was in English, and she couldn't understand a single word.

"Auntie, what is this? I don't recognize any of the words on it."

"This is the school's information," Chen Xueru explained patiently. "Your aunt is looking for a school for you; you'll be studying here."

He Yushui's eyes lit up instantly, like two sparkling stars: "Can I go to school here too? Is it the same as in Beijing?"

"Of course you can." Chen Xueru smiled and patted her head. "The schools here might be a little different from those in Beijing. You'll learn English, and there are lots of fun courses too."

"Wow! That's great!" He Yushui was so happy she almost jumped for joy and spun around in the living room. She had always envied children who could go to school, and now she finally had the opportunity too.

Seeing her excited expression, He Damin's lips curled up slightly.

That evening, He Damin stood alone in front of the floor-to-ceiling window.

Chen Xueru had already put He Yushui to sleep, and He Daqing and Qin Huairu had also returned to their rooms to rest. After experiencing so much, they needed time to adjust. He Yuzhu, on the sofa in the living room, was flipping through the book "Automobile Structure" that Lawrence had helped him buy. Although he didn't understand many parts, he was reading with great interest, occasionally looking up at the night view outside the window, his eyes filled with longing for the future.

As He Damin gazed at the myriad lights outside the window, a different scene came to mind.

He recalled that war-torn winter before 1940, when he had just awakened to this era, penniless and a ghost, possessing the body of the frozen-to-death He Damin, living in that dilapidated courtyard house, facing a group of neighbors with diverse personalities. He remembered using the Soul Refining Banner from the system's newbie gift pack, step by step manipulating the souls of Japanese soldiers to improve his strength, body, and life, accumulating capital, and after returning to Beijing in seclusion, founding "Red Star" and cultivating talent. He remembered the energetic faces of those young technicians, and the focused expression on Yan Bugui's face as he turned the beads on the abacus…

Like a distant dream.

He is currently in Hong Kong.

This city is brighter, more bustling, and far more complex than Beijing. It's a free port, a crossroads of Eastern and Western cultures, brimming with opportunities, but also with competition and pitfalls. This will be his new battlefield, his new starting point. Those patents he already holds—the three-point seatbelt, the turn signal linkage system, the improved disc brakes—will bring him immeasurable wealth and influence in the coming decades.

But wealth and influence were never his final destination.

He turned around and glanced at He Yuzhu in the living room. The once clueless kitchen apprentice could now drive and repair cars independently, his eyes shining with a newfound ambition.

He glanced towards the next room; He Yushui was probably already asleep, perhaps dreaming of her new school. She was the first family member in this era to accept him without reservation.

He glanced again at his and Chen Xueru's room; the door was ajar, and warm light shone from inside. There lay his wife, the woman who had entered his life from the Zhengyangmen Silk Shop, a woman intelligent, resilient, willing to give up everything for him, to go to a completely unfamiliar place, without ever asking why.

There are also He Daqing, Qin Huairu, and Yu Liang. They may be ordinary, they may be cowardly, but they are his family in this era, his concerns, and the reasons why he chose to stay, to build his life, and to wait.

Outside the window, the night view of Victoria Harbour is still dazzling.

He Damin turned around and walked towards the door leading to the living room.

"Pillar," he said, "after we move tomorrow, I'll take you to buy a car."

He Yuzhu, who was reading, suddenly looked up, his eyes instantly lighting up like the brightest lamp outside the window, almost unable to believe his ears: "Really...really? Uncle!"

"Really." He Damin nodded firmly. "It'll be inconvenient not having a car in Hong Kong. Don't you like cars? I'll buy you one. From now on, you'll be the family's driver and bodyguard."

He Yuzhu jumped up from the sofa, his face flushed with excitement. He didn't know what to do with his hands and feet, and stammered, "Thank...thank you, Uncle! I...I will definitely study hard! And drive well!"

Seeing his excited expression, He Damin didn't say much, but simply patted him on the shoulder.

"Go to bed early, we need to get up early to move things tomorrow."

He pushed open the door and went into his room.

Chen Xueru was still awake, leaning against the headboard, holding the school materials Lawrence had left behind, slowly flipping through them in the soft light of the bedside lamp. Hearing the door open, she looked up and gave him a gentle smile.

"Is the rainwater fast asleep?"

"Mmm, she's fast asleep. She was so excited all day, she fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow." He Damin walked over and lay down beside her. "How's school going? Anything you like?"

Chen Xueru put down the documents, turned to look at him, and said, "There are two good ones. One is St. Paul's School, and the other is the King's College Primary School. Both are taught in Chinese and English, and the teachers and environment are very good, but the tuition is not cheap."

"Money is not a problem," He Damin interrupted her. "Choose the best; we can't be careless when it comes to our child's schooling."

Chen Xueru nodded: "That's what I was thinking too. I'll move in and settle in tomorrow, and then I'll go to both schools to check them out in person the day after tomorrow before making a decision."

"it is good."

The room fell silent, with only the sound of each other's breathing.

After a while, Chen Xueru called out softly, "Brother Damin."

"Um?"

"Thank you." Her voice was soft, but filled with utmost sincerity.

He Damin turned his head and looked into her eyes: "What are you thanking me for?"

"Thank you for bringing me here," she said gently. "Thank you for letting me see this world."

Before, in Beijing, she thought her world consisted only of the silk shop, the courtyard house, her regular customers, and her neighbors. It wasn't until she followed him that she realized how big the world really was and how many different lives there were.

He Damin was silent for a moment, then reached out and gently pulled her into his arms, letting her head rest against his chest.

"Nonsense," he said. "We're family."

Chen Xueru didn't say anything more, but buried her face in his chest, quietly feeling his steady and strong heartbeat.

Outside the window, the lights of Hong Kong continue to burn all night, witnessing the city's prosperity and dreams.