Courtyard Houses: Longevity Since the War of Resistance

1965

In the courtyard at No. 95 Nanluoguxiang, the third aunt was squatting at the door tidying up the cabbage stalks, while the second aunt was hanging up old clothes to dry. In the middle courtyard, Qin Huairu from the Jia family was laboriously scrubbing the bed sheets in a wooden basin, her hands red with cold.

Sha Zhu came home from get off work, carrying an aluminum lunchbox, and swayed as he walked in.

It has a big head and a thick neck, and it smells like scallions.

Qin Huairu's eyes lit up the moment she saw the lunchbox. She immediately stopped what she was doing, wiped her hands on her apron, and a pitiful smile instantly appeared on her face as she hurried over to greet the lunchbox.

"Zhu Zi, you're off work? Your work clothes are dirty, aren't they? Take them off, I'll wash them for you." As she spoke, she naturally reached out her hand, her clear target the lunchbox in Zhu Zi's hand.

Sha Zhu instinctively tried to dodge, "No, no, Sister Qin, I can't keep letting you wash me like this."

But Qin Huairu was faster, snatching the lunchbox in one swift motion; her movements were so fluid that it would take two or three years of practice to master them.

"Why are you being so polite with me?" Qin Huairu's tone softened even more as she took the lunchbox, with a hint of coquettishness. "Look at you, living alone, with no woman to clean the house. I'll keep this lunchbox and wash it for you tonight, and bring it to your room with clean clothes first thing tomorrow morning."

Sha Zhu looked at his empty hands, opened his mouth, and had an expression of enjoyment on his face, as if to say, "Why doesn't Sister Qin wash lunch boxes for others but for me? She must have a crush on me."

Thinking of this, Sha Zhu chuckled and said, "Alright, I'll have to trouble you again, Sister Qin."

"What's the trouble? We're neighbors, it's only right to help each other out, isn't it?" Having achieved her goal, Qin Huairu picked up her lunchbox and turned back into the house, satisfied.

Why do I do laundry in this freezing weather? It's all for this boxed lunch.

Just then, the sound of a car approached from afar, and finally stopped with a screech at the gate of the compound.

Cars were a rare sight in those days, so everyone in the courtyard subconsciously stopped what they were doing and craned their necks to look outside.

Let's see which high-ranking official has arrived; it's very likely Lou Bancheng.

What is Lou Bancheng doing here?

Is it a welfare distribution?

To their surprise, a military green jeep was parked at the gate. The first person to get out of the car was Director Wang from the neighborhood office. Everyone in the compound knew him; he was someone they couldn't afford to offend.

Immediately afterward, an elderly man in military uniform got out of the back seat. He looked to be over fifty years old, with a straight back, neatly combed hair, and an imposing presence. His epaulets were adorned with stars.

The last one to come down was a young man, who looked to be in his early twenties. He was tall and broad-shouldered, wearing a half-new blue cotton-padded jacket and carrying a rattan box. He stood quietly half a step behind the old man, his eyes as calm as well water.

With an unusual respect on his face, Director Wang said to the old soldier, "Sir, this is it, No. 95 Nanluoguxiang."

The old soldier nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the courtyard gate, his voice loud and steady, "Yes, it's a place to settle down."

He turned his head and said to the young man behind him, "Shanzi, your brother is gone. His affairs are my affairs. I've arranged a job for you: deputy head of the security department at Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill. Report for duty tomorrow. Stay here for now. If you have any difficulties, just contact me."

Li Shan nodded gently upon hearing this, his voice steady, "Thank you for your trouble, Uncle Chen."

Almost everyone in the front and middle courtyards gathered around, and Director Wang quickly announced to the crowd, "Old neighbors, please be quiet. Let me introduce a new neighbor, Comrade Li Shan! The organization has arranged for him to serve as the deputy head of the security department of the steel rolling mill. From now on, he will live in those two public rooms in our backyard. Everyone, please welcome him!"

"The deputy head of the security section?" A murmur rippled through the crowd. This wasn't an ordinary worker; he was a cadre with the title "deputy head."

But some people weren't paying attention. Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, Madam Jia Zhang let out a loud tirade, slapping her thigh and wailing, "Oh my goodness! This is outrageous! Officials are really something else. They haven't even warmed their seats yet, and they've already taken over two large brick houses. Are they taking advantage of the fact that our Jia family has no men?! Old Jia! Open your eyes and look around! Everyone in this courtyard, whether human or not, dares to ride roughshod over us orphans and widows!"

Those small, triangular eyes stared intently at Li Shan, as if he had stolen her family's ancestral property.

An old man named Yi Zhonghai deliberately walked up to Director Wang, first performing a frown, then a wide-open glare, and finally a sigh.

Then, turning to Director Wang and Li Shan, she adopted a fair and impartial demeanor and said in a somber tone, "Director Wang, Section Chief Li, please don't mind her. Sister-in-law Jia is just anxious, but her words, though rough, are reasonable."

Yi Zhonghai coughed twice to indicate that everyone should listen to him. "You know the situation in our institute; housing is indeed tight. Section Chief Li is young and capable, and as a cadre, his awareness is definitely higher than ours. How about we show some consideration? The Jia family, five people crammed into one small room, and that big boy Banggeng is sharing a bed with his sisters—it's really inconvenient, and it's heartbreaking to see. Section Chief Li has two rooms by himself; isn't that a bit wasteful?"

Impeccable, morally perfect, the number one morally manipulative bandit lives up to his reputation.

The first lackey, Sha Zhu, perked up immediately when the old man spoke up, especially since it was for Sister Qin's sake. He stiffened his neck and shouted, "The old man is right! A leader should be the first to suffer and the last to enjoy. One person occupying two rooms, is that reasonable? Look at Sister Qin's family, that's real hardship! Section Chief Li, if you're so sensible, you should voluntarily give up one room!"

He felt incredibly righteous and manly, and he thought it would be wonderful if Sister Qin would let him hold her hand right now.

Qin Huairu looked up at just the right moment when Yi Zhonghai mentioned her home.

Her eyes were red-rimmed, glistening with tears that seemed about to fall, and she gently bit her lower lip, shaking her head slightly.

Her eyes held a mixture of grievance and forbearance; her fingers twisted the faded hem of her clothes; her thin body trembled slightly in the winter wind—she was like a little white flower, battered by wind and rain yet resilient and unyielding.

Faced with this almost perfectly coordinated combination of punches, Li Shan's expression remained unchanged, and he didn't utter a single word.

Uncle Chen's expression didn't change. He was a man of many experiences, and his gaze swept over Jia Zhangshi, Yi Zhonghai, Sha Zhu, and Qin Huairu.

If we say wolves look at sheep, sheep look at grass, and grass looks at dung.

In Uncle Chen's eyes, these people were nothing but shit. If it weren't for the fact that they were in Beijing, and if he didn't want to give Xiaoshanzi any ammunition, they would have been killed in a single shot.

"The house was a work arrangement made by the organization for Comrade Li Shan. His brother sacrificed his life for the country, and his job is to protect state property and the safety of workers! Anyone who has objections can go to the district, the city, the steel mill, or even Tiananmen Square. I, Chen Zhiguo, am saying this!"

That completely blocked all the paths, and the certainty and weight in his tone made Yi Zhonghai swallow back all the words he was about to say.

Jia Zhangshi's wailing stopped, leaving only sobs, and Sha Zhu was so intimidated by the aura that he unconsciously took half a step back.

Chen Zhiguo ignored the crowd, took out a brand new key from his pocket, and personally placed it in Li Shan's hand, his tone softening: "Shanzi, take the key. Deputy Factory Director Li will hand over your work matters to you. Do a good job, and don't embarrass your brother."

"Understood, Uncle Chen." Li Shan took the keys.

Chen Zhiguo nodded slightly to Director Wang, then turned and got into the jeep. The car started and quickly drove away from the alley.

Director Wang quickly spoke to Li Shan about the procedures, and before leaving, he gave the group of people in the courtyard a fierce look.

If they try to sow discord in front of General Chen, then they shouldn't blame Old Wang for making things difficult for them.

The crowd, with a variety of complex expressions, slowly dispersed, their eyes occasionally glancing towards the backyard.

Li Shan carried the wicker trunk, passed through the moon gate, and headed towards the two rooms in the backyard.

He unlocked the door; the room was empty, but the walls and roof were intact. He went in and closed the door behind him. Without lingering, he put down his wicker trunk, stuffed some money and ration coupons into his pocket, and turned to leave. He needed to buy some things: tables, chairs, bedding, a thermos, pots and pans—life had to get back on track.

When he rode the handcart he had temporarily borrowed from the neighborhood office back to the courtyard, carrying a few simple pieces of furniture and daily necessities, he clearly felt that those gazes had become even more unrestrained.

"See that? They've already bought so much stuff just by settling in. They're really extravagant!" someone muttered ominously from the corner.

Jia Zhangshi leaned against her doorframe, cracking open non-existent sunflower seeds, glancing sideways at the new cotton quilt on the cart, and said loudly, "Hmph, isn't it all thanks to her dead brother! What's with the attitude!"

Sha Zhu was arguing with Xu Damao in the middle of the courtyard when he saw Li Shan pulling his things over. He stopped talking, crossed his arms, and sneered, "Oh, is Deputy Section Chief Li setting up camp? You're quick on the uptake!"

Xu Damao squinted his small eyes, looking the items up and down, as if weighing their value.

Li Shan seemed completely oblivious to the pointing fingers and sarcastic remarks. His expression remained unchanged as he parked the cart and began moving things into the house one by one.

After everything was tidied up, it was already getting dark. The newly bought kerosene lamp was lit in the house, and its dim yellow light spread out, finally bringing a touch of warmth and life to the room.

The new tables and chairs, the neatly made bedding—it's simple, but it's a home nonetheless.

Li Shan lay fully clothed on the hard wooden bed, his hands behind his head, gazing at the beams blackened by smoke. He could faintly hear the cries of the Jia family's children in the central courtyard and the cursing of Jia Zhangshi—a real and mundane glimpse into the everyday life of the city.

She let out a soft breath. "I never expected to transmigrate like this. After achieving immortality, I still ended up in this beast-infested courtyard. Oh, what a twist of fate!"