Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

Listening to the faint whispers and feeling the focused gazes, Xu Damao subconsciously straightened his back, raised his chin slightly, and even the way he pedaled his bicycle had a deliberately stylish flair.

He turned his head, raised an eyebrow smugly at Wei Chen, and lowered his voice: "See that? Wei Chen, we two brothers are now the 'two rolling mill generals' of the steel mill! That's impressive!"

Wei Chen simply smiled faintly and said nothing more. He enjoyed the convenience that bicycles brought, but he didn't use it as something to brag about.

His gaze swept over his fellow workers, who were bundled up in their cotton-padded coats and quickening their pace in the cold wind, and he felt a sense of reassurance. He knew that his "glory" was built on the dual foundation of his spatial magic and hard work, and was not something he should take for granted.

The two chatted idly about the fun they had the night before and the gossip from the factory, and soon arrived at the impressive gate of the steel rolling mill. Under the huge factory sign, workers in blue overalls and cotton hats were lined up in a long queue, showing their work permits and filing in one after another, forming a blue sea.

"Alright, Wei Chen, I'm off!" Xu Damao stopped at the fork in the road inside the factory, pointed to the red brick building where the publicity department was located, and said, "See you later! Let's get together again sometime!"

"See you later, Brother Da Mao, be careful on your way to the countryside!" Wei Chen waved and rode his bicycle towards another slightly old gray three-story building where the logistics department was located.

The office of Purchasing Team Three was at the end of the second-floor corridor. Wei Chen took out his key and opened the door, a familiar smell mixed with coal smoke, old paper, and a faint dust wafted out. The room was empty, only the cold air remained.

He walked skillfully to the tin coal stove against the wall. The coal fire in the stove had long since gone out, leaving only cold ashes. Next to it was a large aluminum kettle, still half-filled with water left overnight.

Wei Chen picked up the fire tongs next to him, pried open the grate, cleaned away the coal ash, then opened the tin bucket containing loose coal in the corner, shoveled out a few large pieces of coal and some ignition coal, and carefully filled it into the furnace.

Then he tore off a few pieces of old newspaper, lit them with a match, and stuffed them into the ignition point of the stove. The flames licked at the coal scraps, quickly crackling and burning, the orange-red light illuminating the stove opening. He carefully placed larger pieces of coal on top, then closed the stove lid, leaving only a tiny gap. Only after doing all this did he put the kettle back on the stove.

Having finished all this, Wei Chen had just sat down at his desk and picked up a purchasing report from yesterday to take a look when the door was pushed open. Hu Songnian, wrapped in a worn military overcoat, walked in, his neck hunched, rubbing his hands, and his breath steaming in the air.

"Wow! Wei Chen? So early?" Hu Songnian was a little surprised to see Wei Chen, but then he felt the warmth in the room and his gaze fell on the kettle, which was already glowing red-hot and hissing with steam. A smile immediately appeared on his face. "You've already lit the stove? The water's almost boiling? You're really diligent, kid!"

"Good morning, Master Hu!" Wei Chen stood up and greeted him with a smile. "I didn't have much to do at home, so I came over early. I thought it would be nice for you all to have some hot water." As he spoke, he naturally picked up the enamel mug that Hu Songnian had placed on his desk. The mug had the words "Advanced Worker" printed in bright red on it. He walked over to the kettle, which was already making a slight humming sound.

The water was boiling perfectly, billowing white steam from the kettle spout. Wei Chen lifted the heavy kettle, and the scalding hot water, carrying the burning heat, poured into the enamel mug with a "whoosh" sound, instantly dispelling the lingering coldness on the mug's walls.

"Oh, this... I can't accept this!" Hu Songnian said politely, but his face was full of a pleased smile. He quickly reached out and took the steaming hot pot, his cold hands immediately enveloped in warmth. "Thank you, Wei Chen!"

Wei Chen placed the kettle back on the edge of the stove to keep it warm and said with a smile, "Master, you're too kind. It was just a small thing."

Hu Songnian warmed his hands by holding the warm jar, and looked at Wei Chen's young yet composed face, feeling very comforted.

He walked to his desk, sat down, took a sip of hot water, sighed contentedly, and then, as if remembering something, said very seriously to Wei Chen, "Wei Chen, stop calling me 'Master' all the time. It sounds awkward! Our purchasing department isn't like the technical departments or workshops, where there's a master-apprentice system and hands-on teaching. I've only been here a few years longer than you and helped you get familiar with things for a few days; I'm not really your master."

He paused, then his tone became even more earnest: "If you don't mind, just call me 'Brother Hu' from now on, it sounds more friendly! Our group three is like brothers in the same trench, helping each other out and completing the tasks assigned by the leaders flawlessly—that's more important than anything else!"

Looking into Hu Songnian's sincere eyes, Wei Chen knew the other man wasn't just being polite. This veteran purchasing agent, though a bit slick and worldly-wise, was generally kind and well-liked within the team. He readily nodded, "Okay! Brother Hu! I'll call you that from now on! Don't stand on ceremony with me!"

"Hey! That's more like it!" Hu Songnian slapped his thigh happily, his smile widening. The address "Brother Hu" subtly brought the two closer.

At this moment, the office door was pushed open one after another, and the other colleagues from Group Three arrived one after another. Old Qian, Xiao Li, and Sister Sun came in one by one, bringing with them the chill from outside. As soon as they entered, they felt the warmth inside and the steaming kettle on the stove, and they all sighed with comfort.

"Ah, it's so much warmer inside!"

"Wei Chen lit the stove for us again? What a good lad!"

"This hot water came just in time, I'm freezing!"

As everyone took off their heavy winter coats, they greeted Wei Chen warmly, their tone filled with obvious friendliness and gratitude. Wei Chen smiled in response and refilled the hot water for several colleagues who came over with their cups.

"Wei Chen, congratulations!" Old Qian, carrying a cup of hot water, approached Wei Chen's desk, his voice booming. "I heard your promotion application got approved? You're an eighth-level clerk now? Tsk tsk, you've only been at the factory for half a year, right? That's fast, even a rocket couldn't do that! You've really made our team three proud!"

"Exactly!" Little Li chimed in, his face filled with envy and sincere congratulations. "Brother Wei Chen, your skills are truly remarkable! An eighth-level clerk will be earning 33 yuan next month! That's better than us old folks!"

As she brushed the dust off her cotton-padded coat, Sister Sun laughed and said, "Absolutely! Wei Chen did a great job this time! Those twenty-odd wild boars really saved our factory from a huge crisis! If you ask me, a promotion wouldn't be enough! He should be promoted more!"

Faced with his colleagues' enthusiastic congratulations and slightly exaggerated praise, Wei Chen remained very humble, waving his hands repeatedly: "Brothers and sisters, please don't say that! It's all luck, luck! It's mainly thanks to Team Leader Liu's effective leadership, Brother Hu and the others' experienced guidance, and everyone's usual support. How much ability can I have on my own? It's all a collective achievement! This promotion is because the leaders think highly of me. I still need to work even harder in the future and not let our Team Three down!"

His words were impeccable, highlighting the leader's achievements, praising his senior colleague, and clearly stating his own stance. Hu Songnian and the others nodded frequently, feeling even more pleased. It's true that young people are capable, but what's rare is their humility and good interpersonal skills!

Just then, team leader Liu Yuan, carrying a briefcase, strode in. He seemed to be in a good mood today, with a warm smile on his face.

"Oh, everyone's here? It's quite lively!" Liu Yuan glanced at the crowd surrounding Wei Chen, his gaze finally settling on Wei Chen, his smile deepening. "Wei Chen, come to my office."

"Yes, Team Leader Liu." Wei Chen responded and stood up.

Upon entering the team leader's office, Liu Yuan gestured for Wei Chen to close the door, then pointed to the chair opposite him: "Sit down."

Wei Chen sat down as instructed, his back straight and his attitude respectful.

Liu Yuan pulled a form stamped with a red seal from his briefcase and pushed it in front of Wei Chen, his face full of approval: "Look, your Level 8 Clerk Approval Form was officially approved by the Personnel Department yesterday! Starting next month, your salary will be 33 yuan!"

Wei Chen took the form, his eyes sweeping over the clearly marked "Level 8 Clerk" and the bright red official seal, a sense of joy rising within him. This was not merely a salary increase, but an official recognition of his abilities and contributions.

"Thank you for your guidance, Team Leader Liu!" Wei Chen stood up and said sincerely.

"Hey, sit down, sit down!" Liu Yuan waved his hand, gesturing for Wei Chen to sit down, his tone tinged with emotion, "It's not a matter of cultivation, you just did your best! You handled this wild boar procurement task exceptionally well! Not only did the quantity far exceed expectations, but the quality was also excellent, and the factory leaders are very satisfied!"

He leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice, "To tell you the truth, because of your great contribution this time, all three of our groups have basically exceeded their procurement targets before the Lunar New Year! Now, with the holiday approaching, everyone's pressure has lessened considerably, and we can finally breathe a little easier. The atmosphere in the group is so great, and you deserve all the credit!"

These words were both praise and an indication that Wei Chen's contributions had benefited the entire team. Wei Chen naturally understood and quickly replied modestly, "It's all thanks to your excellent command and effective coordination, team leader, that we subordinates were able to work freely. It's my duty to help alleviate some of the pressure on the team."

"Hmm!" Liu Yuan was clearly very satisfied with Wei Chen's answer, and his smile deepened. "Keep this momentum! Keep up the good work! The leaders have all seen your abilities! In the future, there will be more important responsibilities, and it will be up to you young people to shoulder them!"

After offering a few more words of encouragement, Liu Yuan finally allowed Wei Chen to return to work.

When Wei Chen returned to the main office with the approval form stamped with the red seal, he was immediately greeted with another round of congratulations and good-natured teasing from his colleagues. The atmosphere was even more warm and harmonious than before.

The office was warm and cozy, the stove was blazing, and the water in the kettle was boiling again, humming softly. Since no one had any urgent tasks at the moment, everyone naturally gathered around the stove, warming themselves while chatting about everything under the sun—funny stories from the factory, interesting things happening on the street, and the upcoming year-end.