Courtyard House: Time Traveler Not Yet a Ghost

Early autumn of 1968, Hong Kong.

A night of rain had just passed, and the air carried a fresh, earthy scent, mixed with the unique dampness of Victoria Peak, refreshing and invigorating. Sunlight streamed through the villa's huge floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the gleaming teak floors and reflecting the neatly manicured lawn and the hazy sea view in the distance.

In the dining room of the He family villa, a long mahogany dining table was covered with a clean white tablecloth and set with exquisite bone china tableware. Six children sat around the table, chattering incessantly like a flock of early-rising birds, injecting boundless vitality into this quiet mansion.

The eldest son, He Yuanping, sat in the seat closest to the aisle, holding a bowl of warm white porridge in his hands, sipping it slowly with a small silver spoon. He was five years old, the earliest born of the He family's twins and quadruplets (here, according to the original text, there are six children; the specific birth order and manner are left to the reader's imagination, but the core is six children), and also the most composed. Unlike his younger siblings, he wasn't boisterous; he quietly ate his breakfast, his dark, grape-like eyes darting around, constantly observing the movements of his younger siblings across from him, like a little adult. Chen Xueru often patted his head and said, "Our Yuanping is just like your father when he was little—not talkative, but his mind is as clear as a mirror; he knows everything."

Sitting right next to Yuanping was the second child, He Yuan'an, who was practically the opposite of Yuanping. He was stirring the bowl of preserved egg and lean pork congee with a spoon, poking at the small pieces of preserved egg, and muttering to himself in a voice just loud enough for everyone around to hear: "This round one is a stone, this long one is a mountain, this...this one must be a dinosaur egg! Awooo—" He imitated a dinosaur's roar, making his younger siblings giggle. He Yushui, the children's aunt, would always say when she came: "Yuan'an is just like a little sparrow. From the moment he opens his eyes in the morning until he closes them at night, his mouth never stops chattering. His energy is frightening."

Sitting on the other side of the dining table were the third sister, He Yuanning, and the fourth sister, He Yuanjing, who looked almost identical. They wore matching dresses in different colors, one pink and the other blue, and were currently huddled together, whispering secrets and occasionally letting out a soft chuckle only they understood. Not only did they look alike, but their preferences and actions were often synchronized. Sometimes, even when Chen Xueru was braiding their hair, she had to look closely for a long time to tell them apart. Only He Damin was in the house, and he could call them by name almost instantly without thinking—because Yuanning had a small, almost invisible red mole behind her left ear, while Yuanjing didn't. This was He Damin's unique distinguishing feature.

The youngest, He Yuanqing (fifth brother), and He Yuankang (sixth brother), sat close to He Damin on either side like two little shadows. Yuanqing was struggling with a freshly fried golden-brown fried dough stick on his plate. The dough stick was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a fragrant aroma, but it was quite a challenge for his weak little teeth. He held the dough stick and gnawed at it for a long time, his little face turning red, but he couldn't take a big bite. He was so frustrated that he kept whimpering through his little nose, like a wronged little pig. Yuankang, on the other hand, was a completely different story. He quietly and carefully scooped out the red dates from his porridge bowl one by one with a small spoon, arranged them in a neat row on the clean tablecloth, and then stretched out his chubby little fingers to count them one by one: "One, two, three, four, five, six..." After counting once, he started counting again from the beginning, enjoying himself immensely.

"Dad," Yuan Kang looked up after counting several times, his little face showing a seriousness beyond his years, and said to He Damin, "Dad, six dates, no more and no less."

He Damin was reading the morning paper when he heard this. He put down his newspaper, smiled, and reached out his large hand to gently stroke Yuan Kang's soft hair. The warmth of his palm made the little guy squint his eyes comfortably. "Hmm, Yuan Kang counted correctly, there are six." His voice was gentle. "The weather is so nice today, where do you want to go to play?"

The question, "Where to go play?" acted like a switch, instantly igniting the atmosphere at the dinner table. Almost simultaneously, the six children stopped what they were doing, raised their heads in unison, and their six big, dark eyes sparkled with excitement, like six little lanterns lit up all at once.

"Film and television city!" Yuan An reacted the fastest. Before he could even swallow the porridge in his mouth, he was the first to shout it out loudly. His voice was clear and resonant.

"Film City! Film City!" Yuan Qing, sitting on the other side of He Damin, immediately put down his "fighting fried dough sticks" and joined his brother in the commotion, waving his little fists excitedly. Yuan Kang didn't shout, but he nodded vigorously, his eyes full of anticipation.

Yuan Ping, who had been quietly sipping his porridge, didn't shout like his younger brothers, but his eyes clearly lit up, and the corners of his mouth curved slightly upward, revealing a hint of longing. The twin sisters, Yuan Ning and Yuan Jing, exchanged a glance, then said in unison in soft voices, "We want to go to the film studio too."

He Damin looked at the group of little kids in front of him, his smile widening. "Alright, since everyone wants to go, let's go to the film studio today."

"Yay!" The children cheered immediately, and Yuan An even clapped his hands excitedly.

Just then, Chen Xueru, wearing an apron, came out of the kitchen carrying a basket of freshly steamed, plump meat buns, their aroma enticingly enticing. Hearing the children's cheers and He Damin's words, she walked to the table, smiled, shook her head, and placed the buns on it. "You always spoil them. Didn't you just take them out last month? They came back exhausted and fell asleep the moment their heads hit the pillow." Her tone was slightly reproachful, but her eyes were full of doting affection.

"Last month is last month," He Damin reached out and took the steamer, picked up the tongs and gave each child a steaming bun. "Today is a special day, so we have to listen to Yuanping."

Yuan Ping was munching on a steamed bun when his father mentioned his name and said it was a special day. He paused, looked up at He Damin in confusion, then lowered his head shyly, his little ears turning a faint red. He was still young and didn't really understand birthdays; he never remembered them himself. He was surprised that his father remembered so clearly. A warm feeling rose from his heart, making the porridge and steamed buns taste even better.

Chen Xueru sat down in the empty seat next to He Damin, watching him patiently distribute steamed buns to each child and wipe their mouths, a gentle smile unconsciously playing on her lips. Time flies; five years have passed in the blink of an eye. Her belly had long since flattened, and thanks to years of cultivation and careful conditioning, her figure was even more slender and well-proportioned than before her pregnancy. Her Golden Core cultivation not only made her energetic but also kept her skin glowing with a rosy hue, making her look no more than thirty years old; time seemed to have been exceptionally kind to her. But compared to five years ago, her eyes were undoubtedly gentler and more serene, radiating maternal warmth, a unique charm that came from experiencing the birth of life and raising children.

"Dad," Yuan An asked, his mouth full like a little squirrel, "Is Uncle Bruce Lee at the film studio today? I saw him filming a movie last time, he was so amazing!"

He Damin took a sip of porridge and nodded: "He should be here. He's currently filming a new movie called 'The Way of the Dragon,' and I heard he's writing, directing, and starring in it himself. He's very busy."

"Wow! I want to see Uncle Bruce Lee box!" Yuanqing perked up immediately upon hearing this, waving his little fists and imitating the moves he'd seen in the movies, "Ha! Hey!"

"I want to see it too! I want to see Uncle Bruce Lee practice nunchucks too!" Yuan Kang shouted, not to be outdone, joining his brother in the shout.

He Damin put down his chopsticks, looked at the group of excited little ones, and said with a smile, "Okay, let's go watch the boxing. But you have to promise your dad that you'll behave when we get there and not run around, okay? There are a lot of people at the film studio, and it'll be troublesome if you get lost."

"Okay! Be good!" the six children answered in unison, their voices loud and clear, like a flock of ducklings just out of their nest, incredibly obedient.

After breakfast, the children ran around the living room like wild horses, urging the adults to hurry up and leave. He Damin and Chen Xueru calmly got ready and led the children out of the villa.

Uncle Fu was already waiting respectfully at the door. He was the He family's old butler, over seventy years old this year, his back slightly hunched, but still in good spirits, with bright eyes. Seeing He Damin and his family come out, his face immediately lit up with a kind smile, his eyes narrowing into slits. "Sir, Madam, young master, young ladies, the car is ready."

In the courtyard, six brand-new black Rolls-Royce Phantoms were neatly lined up, like a group of black beasts poised to pounce. Each car was top-of-the-line, its gleaming body reflecting a dazzling light in the early autumn sun, even the tires were spotless. Beside the cars stood twelve bodyguards in black suits and sunglasses. Tall and ramrod straight, their expressionless faces and sharp eyes scanning the surroundings formed an impenetrable security barrier. The leader, named A-Qiang, was in his thirties, a retired special forces soldier. He was exceptionally skilled, quick-witted, and reliable, having served He Damin for over a decade and being one of He Damin's most trusted bodyguards.

"Mr. He," Ah-Qiang stepped forward, bowed slightly, and reported to the guide, "The route has been planned. Starting from here, we'll go through the Cross-Harbour Tunnel, pass through Kowloon Tong, and then onto Yuen Long Highway. The whole journey will take about forty minutes. We've also contacted the film studio, and they'll arrange for someone to pick us up." After saying that, he opened the door of the middle car.

He Damin nodded slightly: "Thank you for your hard work, Qiang. Let's go."

The children, unable to contain themselves any longer, cheered and scrambled into the cars. The three boys, Yuanping, Yuan'an, and Yuanqing, rode in one car, accompanied by an experienced nanny; the three girls, Yuanning, Yuanjing, and Yuankang, rode in another car, also looked after by a nanny; He Damin and Chen Xueru rode in the middle car. The remaining vehicles carried bodyguards and spare supplies. Six black Rolls-Royces slowly drove out of the villa gate and headed down the winding mountain road.

The scenery outside the car window changed gradually as the car descended. At first, it was lush green trees and luxurious villas dotting Victoria Peak. Soon, the view opened up, revealing a distant view of the entire Hong Kong skyline. Then, skyscrapers gradually increased, marking the bustling urban area of ​​Kowloon. Further on, the skyscrapers thinned out, revealing open fields and fishponds in the New Territories.

Yuan An was the most restless child. He pressed his little head against the car window, curiously watching the scenery rushing by. When the car passed a field, he suddenly shouted excitedly, "Cow! Cow! What a big cow! Daddy, look!"

Yuanqing immediately went over, his eyes wide as he stared at the large water buffalo grazing on the edge of the field. He exclaimed along with his brother, "Wow! It really is a buffalo! It's bigger than Dad's car!"

"It's not as big as Dad's car." Sitting next to his younger brother, Yuanping adjusted his non-existent glasses (just a habitual gesture) and calmly corrected him. He had just secretly compared them and felt that their own car looked much "bigger."

"It's big! The cow's legs are so thick!" Yuanqing argued, sticking out his little neck.

"The car is big," Yuan Ping said succinctly.

"Niu Da!"

"The car is big."

"Big Bull!" The two little guys argued back and forth, neither able to convince the other.

Sitting in the middle, Yuan An grew impatient with the noise and waved his hand, interjecting, "Alright, alright, stop arguing! A cow is a cow, a cart is a cart, they're not the same! One is an animal, the other is made of iron, how can you compare their sizes!"

Yuanqing and Yuanping were both taken aback for a moment, then turned to look at Yuan An. They exchanged glances, seemingly finding some merit in Yuan An's words, and fell silent. Yuan An gave a smug snort, then turned his head back to the window, continuing to gaze at his cattle and fields.