Courtyard House: Ten-year-old Master Zhu reorganizes the entire courtyard

Three days later, He Yuzhu pushed open the creaking wooden door of Moxianzhai again.

The sound of the copper bells remains the same.

The old shopkeeper behind the counter didn't even lift his eyelids, only nodding towards the inner room with his chin.

He Yuzhu walked through the narrow aisle between the bookshelves, the smell of old paper in the air giving him a sense of displacement, as if he didn't belong to this era. The light in the inner room was dimmer than last time, the windows were covered with thick black cloth, and only a dim kerosene lamp was lit.

Lin Wanqiu is not here.

A man was sitting under the lamp.

The man was around forty years old, wearing a slightly worn gray long gown. His face was extremely ordinary; he would have been easily lost in a crowd. He was engrossed in reading a thread-bound book, seemingly unaware of He Yuzhu's arrival.

He Yuzhu stopped at the door without saying a word.

He sized the man up. The man sat upright, his shoulders steady, his breathing long and even. This was definitely not the posture of an ordinary bookstore owner.

A full minute passed before the man slowly closed the book and looked up.

His eyes were calm, like a bottomless ancient well, without ripples, yet capable of drawing people in.

"You are He Yuzhu?" The man's voice was neither loud nor soft, and his tone was calm.

"Yes," He Yuzhu replied.

"Sit down." The man gestured to the wooden stool opposite him.

He Yuzhu sat down as instructed, keeping his back straight.

"My surname is Qin, you can call me 'Manager'." The man introduced himself, thus confirming his identity. He was He Yuzhu's future direct superior.

The shopkeeper didn't rush to discuss the task, but instead spoke casually, as if chatting with someone: "I've heard about the situation at home from Comrade Wanqiu. How is your mother's recovery? Is your sister alright?"

"Everything is fine, thank you for your concern." He Yuzhu's reply was impeccable.

"That's good." The shopkeeper nodded, his gaze lingering on He Yuzhu's face for a moment. "From the case in Dongtangzi Alley to dealing with Wang Kui, you did a good job. Bold, meticulous, and ruthless. A born warrior."

This assessment is exactly the same as Lin Wanqiu's.

He Yuzhu remained silent. He knew that the preamble was over and the main event was about to begin.

The shopkeeper took out a square box wrapped in kraft paper from under the table and pushed it in front of He Yuzhu.

"This is your first official assignment."

He Yuzhu's breathing remained unchanged, his eyes fixed intently on the box.

"The box contains the Four Treasures of the Study: brush, ink, paper, and inkstone." The shopkeeper tapped the box lightly with his fingers. "Hidden in the inkstone's compartment is a miniature film reel."

He paused, then continued, "You don't need to know the contents of the film roll. You just need to deliver it to 'Fuyuan Grocery Store' next to Qianmen Railway Station at 10:00 AM tomorrow."

"To whom should it be given?"

"Give it to the shopkeeper of the general store. Your code is—you ask, 'Boss, do you have Huizhou pine soot ink? I want the one from Old Hu Kaiwen.' If he replies, 'I just sold out of Hu Kaiwen's, but I have Cao Sugong's, which is just as good,' then the code is correct. Then you give him the box."

The shopkeeper spoke slowly, but every word was clear and forceful.

"On the surface, this mission seems simple—just a routine delivery. But in reality, it's the first test of your ability to execute independently." His gaze turned serious. "The area around the train station is crowded and chaotic—our comrades, Japanese spies, Kuomintang and Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics informants—all sorts of people. Your only task is to deliver the goods. Don't look around, don't ask questions, and don't linger. Once you've completed it, leave immediately."

"Understood." He Yuzhu nodded.

"After leaving, walk 300 meters south from the general store. There's a mailbox at the intersection. Draw a circle on the back of the mailbox with a stone. That means you've completed your mission and escaped safely," the shopkeeper added, providing the final details.

He Yuzhu went through all the procedures in his mind to make sure nothing was missed.

He reached out and took the brown paper package. The box wasn't heavy, but He Yuzhu felt its weight. This was not just intelligence, but also a trust and a responsibility.

"There's one more thing," the innkeeper suddenly spoke up. "The dilapidated temple you're currently staying in isn't safe or convenient. The organization has already found you a small courtyard in Rongxian Hutong in the west of the city, with two main rooms, a side room, and a small kitchen. Although it's not big, it's much better than the dilapidated temple. You can move there today."

He-Yuzhu was stunned for a moment.

He hadn't expected the organization to be so thorough. This resolved his family's biggest worry.

"rent……"

"It's from the organization." The shopkeeper waved his hand. "You're part of the organization, your family. The organization has a responsibility to take care of you. Serving the organization wholeheartedly is the best way to repay it."

He Yuzhu felt a surge of warmth in his heart. This was the first time in his two lifetimes that he had felt a sense of "belonging." He was no longer fighting alone.

"Thank you, organization," he said solemnly.

"Go ahead. Remember, safety first." The shopkeeper waved his hand, picked up the thread-bound book again, as if nothing had happened.

He Yuzhu picked up the box and turned to leave.

Back at the dilapidated temple, he told He Daqing and Chen Lanxiang about the mission and the move, leaving them both stunned.

He Daqing looked at the clean address of the small courtyard, then at the box in his son's hand. His lips trembled, and he couldn't utter a word for a long time. As a father, he could only keep his wife and children living in a dilapidated temple, living in fear, no matter how hard he tried. But his ten-year-old son was already able to hold up the sky for this family and find a real "home".

A tremendous sense of powerlessness and guilt welled up inside me.

"Zhu Zi..." He Daqing's eyes reddened, "Father is useless..."

"Dad, what are you saying?" He Yuzhu interrupted him, "We're family. Things will only get better from now on."

Chen Lanxiang took her son's hand and stroked it repeatedly, tears streaming silently down her face. She said nothing, but her eyes were filled with worry and pride.

That afternoon, with the help of a comrade sent by Lin Wanqiu, the He family moved into their new home in Rongxian Hutong.

The yard wasn't big, but it was kept very clean. Inside the house were simple tables, chairs, and a newly repaired bed. Although simple, it had walls and tiles, providing shelter from the wind and rain.

He Yushui lay on the warm bed, her little face rosy, sleeping soundly.

Seeing all this, Chen Lanxiang finally showed a long-lost smile.

He Daqing paced back and forth in the yard, glancing at the kitchen and touching the doors and windows, muttering repeatedly, "Good, good, this is wonderful..."

He Yuzhu stood in the courtyard, looking at the renewed hope on his parents' faces, his heart filled with unwavering determination.

He carefully placed the box containing the intelligence under his pillow.

Tomorrow will be the true beginning of a new life.