Courtyard House: Time Traveler Not Yet a Ghost

Looking at the man before him, He Damin felt a mix of emotions. The Xu Damao of yesteryear—the speculator, thief, troublemaker, and idler—was now a gray-haired, pot-bellied old man. His face was lined with wrinkles, and his eyes, no longer so darting about, had gained a touch of worldliness and shrewdness. Time is a cruel mistress, smoothing out everyone's rough edges.

"Da Mao, come in and sit down," He Damin said casually, withdrawing his hand.

Xu Damao wasn't embarrassed at all. He chuckled and pulled Qin Jingru inside, greeting the people working in the yard as they walked, appearing very familiar with them.

He Damin continued to stand at the courtyard gate, watching the faces that kept coming in. Some he recognized, like several old coworkers from the steel rolling mill; though they were old, he could still remember their names. Some he didn't recognize, mostly young people—some were children of old neighbors, others were new residents who had moved into the alley later. Those he recognized were all elderly, their hair white, their backs bent, their faces etched with the marks of time. Those he didn't recognize had eyes full of curiosity and scrutiny.

"Mr. He..." An old, hoarse, and somewhat timid voice came from behind.

He Damin turned around and saw a hunched old woman, leaning on a well-worn wooden cane, standing by the moon gate of the east courtyard, peering cautiously at him. He recognized her immediately – Jia Zhangshi. The old woman who used to throw tantrums, act unreasonably, and curse wildly in the courtyard was now a frail, elderly woman. Her hair was completely white, like a clump of withered grass; her face was covered with deep wrinkles, as if etched by a knife; and her eyes were cloudy and lifeless.

"Aunt Jia... Aunt Jia." He Damin walked over.

When Jia Zhangshi saw He Damin approaching, her body visibly trembled. She nodded, her cloudy eyes slowly filling with tears, her voice choked with sobs: "Mr. He...you...you still recognize this old woman..."

"I recognize him," He Damin said calmly.

"I...I'm so sorry..." Jia Zhangshi's tears finally fell, flowing down the lines on her face. "Back then...I was foolish back then, I was a bad person, I did many things that I didn't deserve...You are a magnanimous person, please don't hold it against an old woman like me..." As she spoke, she tried to bow to He Damin, but she was too weak and could only bend halfway before she couldn't go any further.

Looking at her like this, He Damin felt neither hatred nor pity, only a complex emotion he couldn't quite define. He remained silent for a long time before slowly saying, "It's all in the past. Come in and sit down; there's room inside."

Jia Zhangshi wiped away her tears, nodded gratefully, and, leaning on her cane, slowly made her way into the courtyard. Behind her followed several women, presumably Bang Geng's sisters and Qin Huairu's daughters. They were all middle-aged, simply dressed, their faces bearing the weariness of life and awe of He Damin. Behind them were several teenagers, timidly watching the bustling courtyard. The men of the Jia family—Bang Geng was dead, Jia Dongxu was long gone, and Jia Zhangshi's husband was also gone—now, only these women and children remained.

He Damin watched their retreating figures, his gaze complex. Bang Geng's defiant face seemed to reappear before him—the young man he had personally sent to the net of justice, who ultimately died in prison. He never regretted his decision; Bang Geng had chosen his own path and deserved his fate. But seeing Jia Zhangshi in her current state, a strange, indescribable sigh still swept through him.

At noon, the banquet officially began with He Yuzhu's loud announcement, "Let the feast begin!"

Tables were set up throughout the courtyard and even the front yard of the entire siheyuan (traditional courtyard house), totaling more than a dozen. The red-lacquered octagonal tables were polished to a shine, and the benches were arranged neatly. He Yuzhu and his apprentices moved among the tables carrying platters of steaming, fragrant dishes. The braised pork belly was glistening with oil, trembling slightly, and melted in the mouth; the steamed sea bass was sprinkled with bright green scallions and ginger, the broth was clear, and the fish was tender and fresh; the sweet and sour pork ribs were bright red, sweet and sour, making the children's mouths water. There were also large platters of boiled shrimp, spicy crab, cumin lamb, and stir-fried bok choy with mushrooms... a whole table full of food, dazzling the eyes and whetting the appetite.

Neighbors and former coworkers sat together, eating with gusto and praising the food.

"Zhu Zi's cooking is absolutely amazing! It's even better than what you get at a fancy restaurant!" "You bet! Back in the steel mill canteen, Zhu Zi's dishes were always the most delicious!" "This stewed meat is incredible! It melts in your mouth!"

He Damin, holding a small wine cup filled with the Moutai he had brought, went from table to table toasting. When he reached Liu Haizhong's table, Liu Haizhong had already stood up with his wine cup in hand, his face flushed.

"Mr. He, I, Liu Haizhong, would like to toast you!" Liu Haizhong raised his glass high, his voice booming, "You are the greatest benefactor of my whole family! In my life, I have such a respectable job, and my children can live a good life, all thanks to your one word back then! I'll drink this glass, you can drink as you please!" After saying that, he tilted his head back and drank the white wine in the glass in one gulp, then turned the glass upside down to indicate that he had drunk it all.

He Damin also raised his glass and took a small sip: "Master Liu, you're too kind. That's all in the past."

He walked over to Yan Jiefang's table, and Yan Jiefang quickly stood up as well. His wife, Yu Li, also stood up and filled He Damin's glass with wine.

"Uncle He, on behalf of my whole family, I'd like to offer you a toast." Yan Jiefang's eyes were a little moist. "My father kept talking about you before he passed away, saying you were a good person, a very kind person. If it weren't for your help back then, I wouldn't have been able to go to university, let alone be where I am today. He told me that I must thank you, thank you for your support and care for our family back then."

He Damin patted him on the shoulder and sighed, "Your father was a good man, quick-witted and good at accounting. It's a pity he left us too soon. This glass of wine is for your father." As he spoke, he gently poured the wine from his glass onto the ground, then poured himself another glass, clinked glasses with Yan Jiefang, and drank it down.

He walked over to Xu Damao's table, and Xu Damao and Qin Jingru both quickly stood up. Xu Damao's face was full of fawning smiles, and he was almost bent over as he held his wine glass.

"Brother He, I, Xu Damao, would like to offer you a toast!" Xu Damao's voice carried a hint of flattery. "Back then... back then I was ignorant and impetuous, and I did a lot of foolish things, offending you and Zhuzi. You are a magnanimous person, with a heart as vast as a prime minister's—please don't hold it against me. If you ever need my help in the future, just let me know!"

He Damin looked at him, smiled, and didn't say much, just raised his glass: "It's all in the past. Live a good life from now on, and be good to Jingru."

"Yes! Yes! Certainly, certainly!" Xu Damao nodded and bowed hurriedly, taking a sip with He Damin.

Finally, He Damin walked to the Jia family's table. The women at the table, seeing him approach, were flustered and quickly stood up, heads bowed, not daring to look at him. Jia Zhangshi also tried to stand up shakily, but He Damin pressed her down.

"Sit down, everyone, please sit down."

Madam Jia raised her head, her cloudy eyes looking at He Damin. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she could only say, "Mr. He, I...I toast you." She picked up the teacup in front of her, her hands trembling with excitement.

He Damin looked at her, then at the reserved women and children beside her, and remained silent for a long time. Finally, he simply said, "It's all in the past. Sit down and eat, the food will get cold."

He didn't drink, nor did he linger; he turned and left.

Chen Xueru sat at the head table, watching He Damin toast each table, talking to the old neighbors, and observing the complex expression on his face when facing the Jia family. She suddenly realized that this man, seemingly glamorous and omnipotent to outsiders, also had his own loneliness and worries. This courtyard held so much of his past, both good and bad. Today's banquet felt like a belated reconciliation, a farewell to the past. The knot seemed to have been untied somewhat, yet it also seemed to remain.

"Auntie, please have some food. This fish is quite fresh," He Yushui said softly, placing a piece of fish on Chen Xueru's plate. He Yushui had also arrived; she was now a teacher at a middle school and appeared very quiet and intellectual.

Chen Xueru snapped out of her daze and smiled at He Yushui: "Okay, you eat too."

The banquet continued in a lively atmosphere until after 3 p.m. Neighbors and former coworkers, having eaten and drunk their fill, wore satisfied smiles and rose to take their leave. He Yuzhu and his apprentices busied themselves clearing away the dishes and washing the utensils. Chen Xueru and He Yushui helped greet and see off the last group of guests.

He Damin returned to the pomegranate tree in the east courtyard, standing quietly, watching the figures gradually disperse in the courtyard, and listening to the gradually subsiding noise. The afternoon sun filtered through the dense branches and leaves of the pomegranate tree, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

"Brother Damin, are you tired?" Chen Xueru walked over and gently took his arm.

"I'm not tired." He Damin squeezed her hand back, feeling the warmth of her palm. "I'm quite happy today."

"As long as you're happy." Chen Xueru leaned on his shoulder, watching He Yuzhu busy in the yard. "That Zhuzi is such a down-to-earth person."

He Damin nodded, his gaze gazing into the depths of the courtyard, as if asking Chen Xueru, or perhaps himself: "Xueru, do you think we'll still come back often in the future?"

"Come back whenever you want," Chen Xueru said softly, yet with a firm conviction. "The house is here, our home is here. Whenever we want to come back, we'll come back for a few days, see the old neighbors, and look at this old pomegranate tree."

He Damin smiled, as if a weight had been lifted from his heart: "You're right."

As evening fell, the setting sun bathed the entire courtyard in a warm golden-red glow. He Damin stood beneath the pomegranate tree, watching the lush green leaves sway gently in the evening breeze for a long, long time. He knew that from now on, he would return often. He would come back to see this courtyard, to see the pomegranate tree that had accompanied him as he grew up, to see the old neighbors who were still there, and to see the shadows of those he would never see again, remaining only in his memories.

"Daddy! Daddy!" A clear female voice came from inside the house, and then a little girl with pigtails ran out like a happy little bird. It was Yuan Jing, He Damin and Chen Xueru's daughter. She held up a string of bright red candied hawthorns in front of He Damin, her little face full of excitement. "Daddy, look! A grandpa gave me some just now, it's so sweet! So delicious!"

He Damin knelt down, gently patted his daughter's head, and looked at her little mouth, stained red from the candied hawthorn: "Do you like it?"

"I love it! I love it so much!" Yuan Jing nodded vigorously and took another big bite.

"Then Dad will buy it for you tomorrow, okay?"

"Great! Daddy is so good!" Yuan Jing happily kissed He Damin on the cheek, then skipped and hopped back into the house to find her mother.

He Damin stood up, watching his daughter's cheerful figure disappear into the distance, a satisfied and happy smile spreading across his face. This small courtyard had once held his youth, his dreams, his love, his regrets, and his struggles. Now, it held his daughter, his family, his memories, and his hopes for the future.

"Brother Damin." Chen Xueru gently hugged him from behind.

"Um?"

"Thank you."

He Damin turned around, looking at her with some confusion: "Thank me for what?"

"Thank you for bringing me back." Chen Xueru leaned against his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat. "Thank you for letting me see the place you once lived, which helped me understand you better."

He Damin smiled and hugged her tightly.

Outside the window, the moon quietly rose, like a silver plate hanging in the deep blue sky. Gentle moonlight spilled down, draping the entire courtyard in a silvery veil. A gentle breeze rustled the pomegranate tree's branches and leaves, as if whispering secrets. He Damin, holding Chen Xueru, stood quietly, savoring this rare tranquility and warmth. He knew that from now on, his home wasn't just in bustling Hong Kong, but also in this old courtyard house in Beijing, filled with memories, under this weathered pomegranate tree.

"Xue Ru".

"Um?"

"We'll come back next year."

"it is good."

"We'll come back to visit every year from now on."

"it is good."

He Damin smiled and hugged the person in his arms even tighter. The moonlight shone on them, warm and comforting. From the distant alley, the occasional bark of a dog could be heard, then quickly faded into silence. This ancient courtyard house, bathed in the gentle moonlight, appeared exceptionally peaceful and serene.